Bette Davis (29 page)

Bette and her mother, Ruthie, out on the town in Hollywood after Bette's divorce from Ham Nelson. Ruthie had transferred all of her own ambitions to her daughter and she often seemed to enjoy Bette's stardom even more than Bette did.

Bette as Leslie Crosbie in The Letter, her second film directed by William Wyler and, arguably, her greatest performance.

Bette and William Wyler at work on The Letter. Their love affair was long over by now, and Wyler was married to another woman.

Bette and her second husband, Arthur Farnsworth, at their wedding on December 31,1940. Bobby and her husband, Robert Pelgram, are on the right. Three years later Farnsworth died under mysterious circumstances.

Bette as Regina Giddons in The Uttie Foxes. Her collisions with Wyler during their third film together ended the collaboration that had produced her greatest performances.

Bette and Paul Henreid in Now, Voyager.

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Top, Bette and third husband, William Grant Sherry, on their honeymoon. Center, Bette and Gary Merrill, her fourth husband, in All About Eve. They met during this film and then imagined they could live their roles during their marriage. Bottom, Bette's daughter Margot Merrill, before doctors determined that the child had suffered brain damage.

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Top left, Bette in Maine with her children Margot and Michael. Top right, Bette and her daughter B. D. in Maine. Bette adored the girl she called her "only natural daughter," but Davis's often violent relationship with Gary Merrill and her failure to shield B. D. from his wrath was particularly traumatic for B. D. Above, Gary Merrill with Margot, Michael, and B. D.

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Bette and 16-year-old B. D. on B. D.'s wedding day. Bette was confident that her daughter's marriage to a much older man would be short-lived.

Bette and her first grandson, Ashley Hyman, in Connecticut. Bette adored the role of grandmother and doted on her grandson.

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B. D., Ashley, and Bette in Connecticut. Bette had moved to Connecticut to be near her daughter, but the tensions between them finally caused B. D. and her family to flee to Pennsylvania.

Bette and Mae West the night they met for the first time. Bette was so nervous at the prospect of their dinner that she was quite drunk by the time Mae arrived.