April 5th marked the 100th anniversary of the birth of one of American cinema's greatest actresses: Bette Davis. 

Now you may chose to disagree with me about that last sentence, but I would submit that if you do, you don't know movies. Davis was reduced to stereotypes by drag queens and comedians and impersonators and while she could be mannered in some of the more than 100 film and television appearance she made, she could also rise to a level of greatness that the screen has rarely seen.

Ruth Elizabeth Davis was born in Lowell, Massachusetts on April 5, 1908 and from an early age she had a flair for the dramatic. She auditioned for Eva Le Gallienne's Civic Repertory Theatre in Manhattan but was rejected -- which may have been the best thing for her early career. Davis went on to study at John Murray Anderson's Dramatic School (where her classmates included Lucille Ball) and she got stage training in summer stock before landing on Broadway in 1929. Within a year, she was in California screen testing for Universal.

Universal didn't quite know what to do with the young woman whose large, expressive eyes were one of her more salient features. After a handful of minor roles, Davis was let go by the studio. Planning to return east, she was offered a seven-year contract at Warner Bros. and earned good notices for THE MAN WHO PLAYED GOD (1932), alongside George Arliss who personally selected her for the role. She kept busy with a string of minor films (including 1932's CABIN IN THE COTTON which yielded what the actress always claimed was one of her favorite lines: "I'd like to kiss you, but I just washed my hair").  Warner Bros. loaned her out to RKO for the screen version of Somerset Maugham's OF HUMAN BONDAGE (1934). As the insecure, greedy and downright nasty Mildred, Davis finally had that star-making role. Indeed, many in the industry felt she had been overlooked when the Academy Award nominations had been announced and a write-in campaign was conducted, although to no avail. The following year, though, Davis took home the Best Actress statuette for her turn as an alcholic actress in DANGEROUS (1935), which many felt was a consolation prize.

Although seemingly at the height of her career, Davis was badly served by the studio and she accepted an offer to work in England, thus breeching her contract with Warner Bros. Taken to court in Great Britain, Davis eventually lost the case and had to return to Hollywood. Her first role after the debacle, was portraying a "hostess" (code for prostitute) in a dive owned by a gangster in MARKED WOMAN (1937). That same year, she starred opposite Edward G. Robinson in KID GALLAHAD and Henry Fonda in JEZEBEL, which brought her a second Best Actress Academy Award. The latter also marked the first of her three collaborations with director William Wyler (about whom she once quipped, "he's the male Bette Davis"). The Wyler-Davis pairing yielded three memorable characterizations, the willful Southern belle Julie in JEZEBEL, the murderous wife in THE LETTER (1940, arguably one of Davis' best performances), and the mercenary Regina Giddings of THE LITTLE FOXES (1941).

In between the films with Wyler, Davis managed to find other strong roles including the doomed socialite with a brain tumor in DARK VICTORY, the Empress Carlotta in JUAREZ, the single mother who gives up her child in THE OLD MAID, and Queen Elizabeth I in THE PRIVATE LIVES OF ELIZABETH AND ESSEX (all 1939).

While making such classics as NOW, VOYAGER (1942), WATCH ON THE RHINE (1943) and MR. SKEFFINGTON (1944), Davis worked tirelessly for the war effort, organizing the Hollywood Canteen and selling war bonds. She also portrayed a British schoolteacher in THE CORN IS GREEN (1945).

Following World War II, the actress took on a dual role in A STOLEN LIFE (1946) and returned to comedy opposite Robert Montgomery in JUNE BRIDE (1948). She reluctantly appeared in BEYOND THE FOREST (1949) in which she uttered one of her more famous lines "What a dump!" (which was further immortalized by playwright Edward Albee in WHO'S AFRAID OF VIRGINIA WOOLF?). After making BEYOND THE FOREST, Davis was released from her contract by Warner Bros. and many in Hollywood felt her career was over.

But it wasn't; thanks in part to Claudette Colbert's bad back. Colbert had originally been cast as stage actress Margo Channing in Joseph L. Mankiewecz's ALL ABOUT EVE (1950). Davis found what became one of her signature characters and she invested the role with pathos, humor and sensuality. But finding a decent follow-up proved to be illusive. There were occasional leading roles like the washed-up movie actress in THE STAR (1952) and another go as Elizabeth I in THE VIRGIN QUEEN (1955), but Davis' star appeared to be fading. She accepted roles on the small screen and returned to Broadway in the ill-fated musical revue TWO'S COMPANY (1952). Gradually, she moved into character roles like the anxious mother planning her daughter's wedding in A CATERED AFFAIR (1956), the Russian Empress Catherine the Great in JOHN PAUL JONES (1959) and the alcoholic apple seller in A POCKETFUL OF MIRACLES (1961). 

Davis surprised many when she accepted a starring role in the Grand Guinol film WHATEVER HAPPENED TO BABY JANE? (1962) which teamed her with archrival Joan Crawford. Each knew that the movie's success could reinvigorate their respective careers, so the pair more or less tolerated each other during filming.  The movie did rejuvinate Davis' career and she continued to work in films and television over the next two decades, starring in another dual role in DEAD RINGER (1964), teaming with Olivia de Havilland for HUSH ... HUSH, SWEET CHARLOTTE (1964) and in the title role of THE NANNY (1965). Davis continued in the horror genre in BURNT OFFERINGS (1976) and A WATCHER IN THE WOODS (1980), was one of the murder suspects in DEATH ON THE NILE (1978), and co-starred with Lillian Gish in THE WHALES OF AUGUST (1987).

In the 1970s and 80s, Davis found a niche starring in television films ranging from THE DISAPPEARANCE OF AIMEE (1976, as the mother of evangelist Aimee Semple McPherson), THE DARK SECRET OF HARVEST HOME (1978), STRANGERS: THE STORY OF A MOTHER AND DAUGHTER (1979), WHITE MAMA (1980), FAMILY REUNION (1981), A PIANO FOR MRS. CIMINO (1982), LITTLE GLORIA ... HAPPY AT LAST (1982), RIGHT OF WAY (1983, opposite James Stewart), and AS SUMMERS DIE (1986).

In her long and distinguished career, Davis earned a then-record 10 Academy Award nominations for Best Actress, winning twice. She also picked up an Emmy Award for her work opposite Gena Rowlands in STRANGERS: THE STORY OF A MOTHER AND DAUGHTER, and a Best Actress award from the Cannes Film Festival in 1951 for ALL ABOUT EVE.

On a personal note, I had the pleasure of meeting Ms. Davis when she visited Boston University where she had donated her archive. I remember when people began buzzing that she had entered the room, I expected to see a larger-than-life figure. Instead, there was this tiny, still attractive woman dressed as only a Movie Star could be. For some reason, I reminded her of someone she had known and she insisted we were acquainted. It was my chance to "act" opposite the great Bette Davis, so I played along and acted as if we were old friends. It was my one encounter with her and I will treasure it.