Bette Davis became a successful American actress most noted for her roles portraying sarcastic and strong women characters. Beginning her career with a short stint on Broadway, Davis was discovered by a Universal Studios talent scout at a performance, and followed him back to Hollywood for a screen test, opening the path to a stunning career that lasted more than 50 years.
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Davis's career is impressive to say the least. The Hollywood screen siren soared into the stratosphere of tinsel town's elite and never looked back. Compiled below is a collection of her most memorable and celebrated awards and career highlights.
Academy Awards
Davis was a frequent honoree at the Academy Awards, earning 11 nominations in total. Of those, she claimed two statuettes for Best Actress in a Leading Role, one for 1936's "Dangerous" and 1939's "Jezebel."
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Although she did not win nine times, Davis remains one of the most honored actresses in the history of the Academy Awards, including garnering nominations for five consecutive years and eight in an 11-year span. The roles for which she was nominated for a Best Actress award but did not win include "Of Human Bondage (1935), "Dark Victory (1940), "The Letter (1941), "The Little Foxes" (1942), "Now Voyager" (1943), "Mr. Skeffington" (1945), "All About Eve" (1951), "The Star" (1953), and "What Ever Happened to Baby Jane?."
Golden Globe Awards
Davis also was honored with the Cecil B. DeMille Award in 1974, as well as being nominated for a trio of Hollywood's coveted Golden Globes. In 1951, Davis was nominated for Best Motion Picture Actress for her starring role in "All About Eve," and followed that honor with two concurrent nominations for the same titled award in 1962 and 1963 for her roles in "Pocketful of Miracles," and "What Ever Happened to Baby Jane?," respectively.
Emmy Awards
Rounding out her celebrated career was the Primetime Emmy Awards. These honors focused on her work in television, and included a 1974 nomination for Special Classification of Outstanding Program and Individual Achievement for ABC's Wide World of Entertainment's episode "Warner Bros. Movies – A 50 Year Salute." Her only Emmy Award victory for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Limited Series or a Special came as a result of her performance in "Strangers: The Story of a Mother and Daughter." She also earned two additional nominations, one for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Limited Series or a Special for "White Mama," and Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Limited Series or a Special for "Little Gloria … Happy at Last."
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