Hollywood star Bette Davis was born on April 5, 1908. The childhood of the actress was difficult, when the girl was several years old, her father left the family. Mother raised the future actress and her sister Barbara on her own. The family lived poorly, and there was always not enough money, but, despite the difficulties, they were very friendly and tried to support each other in almost everything. The future actress loved her sister very much, after many years the actress will name her daughter in her honor - Barbara. After a while, Bette will devote a book to his beloved mother, who remained her friend for life.
The first steps in art
Bette Davis was very difficult at the beginning of her career. From earlier childhood, the girl dreamed of a big stage and resolutely went to her goal. At the theater school, she was informed that she had no talent, but such a statement did not stop Davis - she continued to knock on closed doors. She had to get a job as a ticket agent. At the same time, Bette sometimes began to receive small roles. After a while, Davis was invited to the troupe of a small New York theater. After the success of the play “Wild Duck”, actress Bett Davis believed in herself and dared to conquer Hollywood.
At first, Hollywood rejected the actress, claiming that she has no future in the movie, but after a while the director, who made such an unpleasant statement, had to publicly apologize to the star.
The debut of a talented and beautiful actress took place in 1931. After only a year, she played her first significant role. Due to the bright appearance and bad character, the actress, as a rule, was offered the roles of femme fatale and seductresses. A significant breakthrough in his career occurred three years after the debut picture. At a time when the world of cinema was just beginning to develop, it was very difficult for the actors - they needed to be able to do something that no one had ever done. Such a burden fell on the shoulders of the young actress Bette Davis - it was difficult to imagine a more complex psychological role than she got.
Academy Award"
Actress Bette Davis, whose films were very popular, was nominated 11 times for the Academy Award, and twice received the coveted figurine. The actress received her first prestigious award for her role as a drunkard in the film Dangerous. Strengthening herself at the star level, Davis began to demand from her film studio, with which she had a contract, more independence in the choice of roles. To emphasize the seriousness of her intention, the actress left Los Angeles and went to London.
After a while, Davis Bette returned, but her act did not go unnoticed - her heroines turned into independent and powerful women who can stand up for themselves and do not hide behind the back of a man. Bett played one of these roles in the film Jezebel, for which she received her second Academy Award.
Thanks to the films “The Burden of Human Passion”, “Overcome the Darkness”, “Letter”, “Chanterelles”, “Forward, Traveler”, “Mr. Skeffington”, “All About Eve”, “Star” and “What Happened to Baby Jane?” actress Batt Davis was nominated for an Oscar.
Top career
In the forties of the last century, the actress was at the peak of her popularity. The film studio considered her opinion and listened to her comments. Black and white cinema was replaced by color, and Bett took an active part in the development of cinema, thereby further consolidating her stellar status. In 41, she was elected president of the American Academy of Motion Picture Arts.
Ten years later, when the actress was over forty, Davis Bett was difficult to compete with the young and talented Hollywood actresses. Criticism began to emphasize her inappropriate squeezed poses and unjustified gestures in some film works.
Personal life B. Davis
The actress first married in 1932. Her husband was a jazz musician and childhood friend Harmon Oscar Nelson. The marriage lasted seven years. The chosen one could not stand the popularity of Bett. He was known only for being her husband, and like any creative person, the musician wanted fame and recognition.
The second marriage to businessman Arthur gave Davis many tragic moments. Under mysterious circumstances, her husband died. Two years later, Bett married a third time artist William Sherry. After a while, they had a daughter, Barbara. At the time of the daughter's birth, the actress was 39 years old. After some time, the husband leaves the actress, and marry the nanny of her daughter.
In the wake of success after the triumphant film “All About Eve, ” Davis suddenly marries his film partner, Gary Merrill, who is much younger than her. But this fact does not bother the actress at all. Gary adopted daughter Bette, and after a while the couple will adopt two more children.
Actress's daughter
The daughter of Bette Davis - Barbara, was born when her mother was almost forty years old. The actress named her daughter in honor of her sister, with whom they had a very warm and close relationship. Barbara appeared several times on the screen: the first time when she was a baby, and the second - she played a small role in the film "What happened to Baby Jane?". Her mother and actress Joan Cloughford also played in this picture, with whom Davis was at enmity.
Barbara wrote two books in which she did not speak very well of her mother. By the time the second book was released, the actress's health condition had deteriorated sharply. The first work became a bestseller, the second did not have much success.
Joan Crawford and Bette Davis
Hollywood composed legends of enmity between Joan and Bett. Two legendary actresses could not share neither fame, nor men, nor the movie set. According to the vicissitudes of fate, they had to work together in the film "What happened to Baby Jane?". At moments when there was to be a staged conflict on the set - there was one continuous naturalism with the brightest outbursts of anger. In the movie, they played two aging movie stars. Davis was nominated for an Oscar for participating in the film, and after that the conflict intensified even further.
When Joan died, Bett’s attitude towards the rival did not change at all. Knowing that the dead cannot be spoken badly, she said: “Joan Cloughford is dead. Good".
Disease B. Davis
In the early 60s, Bette tried to return to Broadway, but her health condition deteriorated sharply. Davis was constantly unwell, but she played the movie of all her strength. In 1983, the actress was diagnosed with breast cancer. After removing cancer, Bett suffered 4 strokes. They caused paralysis. Davis had to recover for a long time after an illness. But, despite the disgusting state of health, Bett continued to work in the movies. After partially getting rid of paralysis, the actress was again diagnosed with cancer, which took her last remnants of health. After some time, Davis dies at the age of 81.
Bette Davis: filmography (excerpts)
During her career, the actress has performed more than one hundred roles in the cinema. Her talent led her to the best masters of the era who created the masterpieces of American and world cinema.
The debut work of the actress was in the film "Bad Sister", which was released in 1931. The plot of the film tells the story of two sisters. One of them is a capricious beauty, whom absolutely everything got away with, and the second is a quiet man, who was constantly responsible for any errors. The capricious girl in the film was performed by Davis.
The role in the film “The Burden of Human Passion” brought the unthinkable success to the actress. Her play was a real revelation and lifted her to a new level of acting. For the role of a waitress in this film, Bette Davis was first nominated for the prestigious Oscar.
The films Dangerous (1935) and Jezebel (1939) presented the actress with two Oscar figurines.
The legendary film "All About Eve, " in which Bett played the role of the aging actress Broadway, became the best motion picture for the career of a brilliant actress. The film received six Oscar-winning statuettes, including in the Best Film nomination. The masterpiece took 16th place in the category of "One Hundred Best Films", and is considered a classic in world cinema. In addition to the legendary Davis, another world famous woman starred in the film. The picture was almost the debut work of the inimitable Marilyn Monroe.
"What happened to Baby Jane?" - An incredible psychological thriller with Bette Davis and Joan Cloughford. The real feud of the legendary Hollywood actresses was transferred to the film. Vivid conflicts and female acrimony gave the picture amazing colors of naturalism. Despite the brilliant game, Joan was not nominated for an Oscar, and Bette was once again nominated. This fact unpleasantly affected the already complex relationships of actresses.
Bette played her last role in the film "Whales of August." The plot of the film develops around two sisters who are in advanced age. The heroine Bett is the sarcastic Libby who is widowed and blinded. It is difficult for her to take care of herself, so her cheerful sister Sarah takes care of her. The film illustrates one day in the life of women.
