Bette Davis: The camera loved her
It was a long way to the top. Born as Ruth Elizabeth Davis, in Lowell, Massachusetts on April 5, 1908, Bette Davis' parents divorced when she was young. Despite an early interest in dancing, she later opted for the stage. Studying drama in New York at the John Murray Anderson school, she made her debut on Broadway in The Broken Dishes (1929). The following year, in search of greener pastures, she moved to Hollywood.
Her first film, Way Back Home, was screened in 1931. For this film she was under contract to Universal Studios. Following the flop of Bad Sister, made the same year, she moved on to Warner Brothers. Her first film with Warner was Seed, followed by the highly successful role of Mildred Rogers in Of Human Bondage in 1934.
For all latest news, follow The Daily Star's Google News channel. Bette then went in search of meatier roles in Hollywood. In 1935, she received her first Oscar nomination for her role as Joyce Heath in the film Dangerous. Following a brief unsettled period, in 1938 she received a second Oscar for Jezebel, in a film opposite legendary Henry Fonda. She received six more nominations for films such as All About Eve.
During her 60- year career, she made over 80 films and received several Academy Award nominations and two Oscars for Best Actress. In 1977, Bette was the first woman to receive the American Film Institute's Lifetime Achievement Award. When she died on October 7, 1989, Hollywood lost one of its great stars.
Compiled by Cultural Correspondent