Bette Davis

At age ten her parents divorced and she was raised by her mother after a move to New York City. She began her career on Broadway. Bette Davis appeared in over 100 films receiving two Oscars, 10 nominations and three Emmy awards. A few of her major motion pictures: “Dangerous (Oscar winner) Jezebel (Oscar winner) The Virgin Queen, What Ever Happened to Baby Jane and Hush, Hush…Hush, Sweet Charlotte.” Late in her career she made television movies, winning her Emmy awards. Despite failing health, she continued to act. After her first stroke she made her last movie, “The Whales of August.” Bette Davis was a difficult Actress and had a tart tongue and many were on the receiving end. She was known for her witty and sometime sarcastic sayings and none was more poignant then when diagnosed with cancer and then suffered a stroke nine days later said, “Growing old is not for sissies.” Her demeanor was not without cost, she had four unhappy marriages, numerous affairs, estrangement from her children and a number of publicized feuds with other celebrities and movie studios. While attending a Film Festival in Spain and accepting an award, she became ill and was transported to Paris, France admitted to The American Hospital where cancer took her life at the age of 81. Her remains were returned to Los Angeles where a small private service was attended by her family and a few close friends. Later a public memorial service was held on a Hollywood sound stage. During her lifetime, she received many honors: The first women to receive the American Film Institute’s Lifetime Achievement Award – The first woman to be president of the Motion Picture Academy of Arts and Sciences – The New York Film Critics Circle Award – The Volpi Cup Award from the Venice Film Festival – The Cannes Film Festival Award and for transforming an abandoned nightclub in Hollywood into a canteen for servicemen during WWII using her own money, she received the Defense Department’s highest civilian award, The Distinguished Civilian Service Medal.”. She is not alone in her grave at Forest Lawn, her mother and sister are buried nearby. A few months prior to her death she said, “You know what they’ll write on my tombstone, “she did it the hard way.” This epitaph is emblazoned on her sarcophagus at Forest Lawn.