320 Comments
User's avatar
Megan Macomber's avatar

I'm Episcopalian. I never realized we were so interesting! I wish Bette Davis's nasty daughter had done a better job spreading the bad word!

Expand full comment
AdmNaismith's avatar

Spelling & Crowley went on to create the delightful 'Hart to Hart'.

I'm trying to imagine Bette Davis at any time paired with Robert Wagner. Mighta' worked; who knows?

Expand full comment
oscarphile's avatar

Est. attendance at Hands Off! Seattle was 14K. The Sinclair-owned local TV "news" station, both in the chyron headline and in the copy the anchormodel read, said "hundreds." Seriously.

(But the story on their website says 25K.)

Also, that pilot is FAB-U-LOUS!!!

Expand full comment
noname's avatar

"Now, Voyager" is her classic melodrama.

Expand full comment
Always Be Ithacating's avatar

The Grand Guignol films are the only Bette Davis movies I just can't watch, never could.

http://www.terrortrap.com/specialfeatures/grandguignol

Expand full comment
Jjamie's avatar

Thank you for the post about Bette. I have had "All About Eve" on my to watch list for years! I'm watching mow and loving it. Right now I am feeling the "Grr, Growl!"

Expand full comment
Always Be Ithacating's avatar

Happy to learn that I need to revise my ill-informed ideas about Salt Lake City! https://www.sltrib.com/news/2025/04/05/utah-hands-off-protests-draw

Expand full comment
In Crom We Trust's avatar

As I recall she did an episode of Perry Mason. She was the substitute lead attorney. Burr was sidelined for a few days so various actors like Michael Rennie subbed.

Expand full comment
PaulDietzel's avatar

There were four consecutive episodes in 1963 where Raymond Burr was off sick and substitutes took over for him. The one with Ms. Davis(https://m.imdb.com/title/tt0673171/?ref_=ttep_ep_16) was the first and was followed by ones with Michael Rennie, Hugh O'Brien and Walter Pidgeon. Just offhand (and I'm not being disingenuous) but why is Errol Flynn an "ick"? I find it so hard to keep up with those that we're supposed to "ic.k"

Expand full comment
oscarphile's avatar

Sounds like Raymond Burr was ill the day the earth stood still...

Expand full comment
Tim Delaney's avatar

Thing about Bette Davis is that she did so much that it is hard to say where to start. Personally, I know her from Petrified Forest and All About Eve (pretty different characters, to say the least) as well as those gothic horror movies she did in the '60s. But one senses that even if you choose wrong, there are worse ways to spend your time than watching even a bad Davis movie.

Expand full comment
Always Be Ithacating's avatar

I find the way every one of her characters just radiates intelligence and energy fascinating.

Expand full comment
Jjamie's avatar

Those eyes! Right?!

Expand full comment
Tecolote's avatar

In Errol FLynn's autobiography, he mentioned working with Bette Davis in the movie, The Private Lives of Elizabeth and Essex. Davis did not respect Flynn as an actor, and she shared her feelings during a scene where her character, Queen Elizabeth, slaps Flynn's character, the Earl of Essex. She walloped him, hard. As the scene was going to be re-shot the next day, Flynn went to Davis and asked her to back off, but Davis refused, telling him that as a professional, she could not hold back. Flynn told her that if she hit him again, he would slap her back.

He spent the night fretting about what she would do, and what he would do if she smacked him with force again. The next day they re-did the scene and her hand swiftly moved past his cheek as she gave a perfect "stage" slap to complete the scene. Years later, Davis told her friend Olivia DeHavilland (who was also in the movie) that after viewing the completed film, she realized that Errol Flynn was a legitimate actor--he just didn't seem that way off-camera, compared to Davis, who researched the role and rehearsed constantly.

Expand full comment
Goonemeritus's avatar

Are you trying to tell us that Bette Davis isn't immortal? I am pretty sure she is happily living in Connecticut.

Expand full comment
Daniel O'Riordan's avatar

The first time I saw "Whatever Happened To Baby Jane," it was on VHS with a bunch of gay guys who treated it like Rocky Horror.

Expand full comment
Frank Talk, Action Pundit!'s avatar

Being a Southerner, I have a particular fondness for Bette Davis chewing ALL the scenery in "Hush, Hush, Sweet Charlotte" (1964).

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vrZLHSQMMlY

Expand full comment
Kris Bergeron's avatar

I don't know if you were already aware of this, but Bette Davis starred in an episode of Perry Mason--Season 6 Episode 16, The Case of Constant Doyle. She solves the case and defends the accused when Perry Mason is in the hospital. If you've never seen it, you're in for a real treat.

Expand full comment
LoCoJo's avatar

I bought Hollywood Babylon after hearing that most of the stories were not true, and that Kenneth Anger said that his sources/research for the book were through "mental telepathy".

Expand full comment
Renaissance Outlaw's avatar

Bette Davis was born in Lowell, MA.

There’s a lot of talent in the People’s Republic of Massachusetts

Expand full comment