(Apr. 05, 1908 - Oct. 06, 1989) Bette Davis was a two-time Academy Award-winning American actress of film, television and theatre. Over the following decade she established herself as one of the most notable and praised film actresses of her day. Highly regarded for her performances in a range of film genres, from contemporary crime melodramas to historical biographies and occasional comedies, her greatest successes were in romantic dramas.