Bette Davis Accepts the AFI Life Achievement Award in 1977

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Bette Davis accepts the 5th AFI Life Achievement Award (1977).
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[@mike48877]

Gone, but never forgotten. 2023, and we still love Bette. ❤️ There is no one else like her.

[@MontagZoso]

It’s 2024 and I have only recently started to discover Bette’s movies. I feel lucky! Better late than never! New fan here. ❤️

[@scotnick59]

A fascinating, versatile acting genius was Bette. She was indeed the Queen of "old" Hollywood!

[@melaniep6964]

So true!

[@pjchj3599]

Respect Bette But Katherine Hepburn is the Queen of golden ages of hollywood

[@nengaidah8380]

@@pjchj3599 oh No Comparison. Katherine is Another level. But Bette is Magnificent Actress.

[@purplemonkeydishwasher4241]

@@nengaidah8380 Davis was a much better actress than Hepburn and easily the Queen of Hollywood. She was much more versatile, took far bigger risks, and she dominated Hollywood when it was at it's peak in the 30s and 40s. You're right that there's no comparison, but that's because Bette Davis was clearly a far greater actress than Hepburn, who was great in her own right, but not comparable in talent or performance to Davis.

[@VigierArthur]

Greatest actress in motion picture history ! Bette Davis is the first actress who showed that women could have strong roles and not to be assert to men. A huge and brilliant talent (sorry for my approximative english, i'm french)

[@Tolly333]

She's my favorite actress of all time, legend.

[@angelacarleton9575]

Vicky - she's mine too! Love her!!

[@hotdawg1306]

Vicky Gold My fave actress of all time too!

[@adamjuarez340]

Vicky Gold mine too

[@adamjuarez340]

Mine too

[@Jorgemilio]

Mine too

[@MrCristoforoantonio]

I don't care how many years go by, I STILL consider Bette Davis the BEST actress in the history of film!

[@scotnick59]

Never will be another like her: and I mean that she was the Queen of Hollywood bar none

[@murrayaronson3753]

The New York Times obituary was on the front page - where else? The headline read BETTE DAVIS, A QUEEN OF HOLLYWOOD, DIES. And so she was, a queen of the Dream Factory who I hope will be remembered forever.

[@KingBuddha84]

I love her speaking voice!

[@MissTupsy]

Bette.....you were one of a kind!! Extremely talented actress and a tough cookie who took no one's crap!! Love her sense of humor!! You are truly missed but will live on always through your amazing work!!

[@BOHEMIANMEX]

She is a legend

[@gregherried5189]

My favorite actress of all time! I wanted her to live to be 100 but with all the problems she faced in her last years, she still made it to 81. I had watched this back when it was on t.v. and I had forgotten what a well-thought and emotional speech she had given. Thanks to the person who was able to post this! There will never be another actress like Bette Davis. That kind of class and exuberance is rare these days. At least we still have so many films to remember her by!

[@lucatiberi9285]

What an extraordinary actress and woman! I miss you!

[@dannysimion]

I love watching these AFI speeches. They are so full of history and so full of sincerity! She's a doll and a funny quote in the end. :) Bette Davis! WE love you!

[@tarnsand]

Whenever I see and hear the likes of Bette Davis and am completely entertained; I am also deeply saddened by what passes for talent/celebrity in Hollywood in the 21st century. Long live the Golden Age of entertainment!!!!.

[@mmjhcb]

Tarn Sand You can say that again!

[@gulmerton2758]

Let’s be frank: all those old legends are gone now and they took the Hollywood magic with them. Besides the name of Hollywood that can’t be changed and remains, there’s nothing left. When you think of Hollywood and the look of the so called “stars” of today let alone the reason they’re famous for….you just want to laugh ….or cry….it’s up to you…

[@alexstanton83]

She as a magnificent actress!! one of the best of all time!!

[@aldovinci9552]

Alex Treviño the best of all time

[@debbiemullen2574]

An Icon like we'll never see again. Amazing!! Rest in Peace, Miss Bette Davis!

[@BlytheWorld1972]

She is just so fascinating what a legend

[@zxingzxing]

Bette Davis is so deserving of the AFI Life Achievement Award, God Bless.

[@atiboyful]

I love the 3rd person speech! Bette pulls it off perfectly

[@edwardjames50]

+atiboyful It's a symptom of psychosis.

[@simaturna9765]

@@edwardjames50 a legend of all times

[@hairyscotman]

beyond a LEGEND....love her.

[@stephaniebridges8407]

To my mind, the greatest actress of all time. What a legend! I think she won only two Oscars, one for Dangerous and the other for All About Eve. She should have won many more. In any case, an Oscar in that era, with competition that included such Eternals as Katherine Hepburn, Judy Garland, Barbara Stanwyck, etc... one Oscar would then (1932-1952), be worth ten Oscars today.

[@David-dz3ig]

Miss Davis won for Jezebel and Dangerous and am still convinced she was robbed of All About Eve and Baby Jane.

[@MrAGr]

David Duryea Exactly.

[@JenniferBrigitteOpticalVortex]

I want to agree with All About Eve but Gloria Swanson deserved it too! They were both robbed that night!

[@lapislazuli7876]

Jennifer Brigitte it is very well known and documented that Joan Crawford campaigned heavily against Bette for the Oscar on Baby Jane. This was silly, because by doing that, she ended up robbing herself of the royalties that the picture would've garnered had Bette been allowed to win the Oscar. With an Oscar win, Baby Jane would've gone on to make a truckload more money for the two stars. That's how the system works. This is a good example of why pride go'est before the fall. Joan Crawford's huge ego, combined with what we would now understand to be childhood trauma and abuse, were what conditioned her to become so misguided, disillusioned and clinically depressed and reclusive in her later years. Stardom at that level comes at great cost to people's mental health. Movie stars today are just far more cunning in the way they (and the battery of staff and agents they pay) cover up and "manage" their images. In Joan's day, these washed up stars were hung out to dry. They also didn't have the interstellar incomes the modern day stars earn. Joan was wrong in what she did to Bette regarding the Oscar. This has to be said. But, While it's easy to paint such characters as evil, and while Excuse-making is not the motivation here, we should also investigate their pasts and childhoods and try to understand the bigger picture at work. Joan was a formidable professional, but not enlightened enough to be able to seperate the JC persona she had crafted with the studio bosses from reality. Identity dystopia as a result of deep childhood dysfunction and poverty from a very different world pre-war are some of the root causes here.

[@RCSFN]

A legend in her own time.

[@ncjeffhyder]

it's wonderful to see her give this heartfelt speech in an unhurried manner. so glad the audience applauded her acknowledgement of her mother. this is also before she had cancer, strokes, and many other severe health problems. the more interviews of hers I see, the more I like her. the Johnny Carson ones are pure delight. go watch!

[@MontagZoso]

Agreed, I love her Carson interviews!

[@loripatrick4652]

Bette Davis: A CLASS act all the way..

[@nathaninlondon]

I wish AFI would upload the entire ceremony

[@gatewayski1]

They are too Selfish!

[@dianemetzloff2608]

Me too, I've looked for it

[@mkuebler5]

@@dianemetzloff2608 here you go. Hopefully youtube will let me share the link. kzbin.info/www/bejne/eXi8l2d8pLGbmKM

[@MusiqalBridge]

This women was so excellent and because of film Bette still IS EXCELLENT!

[@danademartino2111]

What a great dame, and what an extraordinary body of work! They're all gone now from this Golden Age, but thank goodness for the films.

[@murrayaronson3753]

No there are some around. A few days ago Olivia de Havilland who was Bette Davis's pal turned 102 and today is Eva Marie Saint's 94th birthday.

[@pmajudge]

A GREAT ACTRESS INDEED. SEEN ALL OF HER MOVIES & WAS VERY IMPRESSED. TALENT, YES VERY MUCH SO! THANKS!! TO THE LATE BETTE DAVIS!!!

[@bduhe219]

i think she looked great here.

[@MrImiller07]

Davis' acceptance speech, in conjunction with the speech given by James Cagney in 1974, represents the best of the AFI life achievement presentations. Both recipients were well prepared for the honor and had scripted their remarks, unlike some of the honorees. Davis, like Cagney [ both Warner Bros. contract players ] made sure to give thanks to their family members and their co-stars and their directors- in Davis' case, she was indebted to William Wyler, who directed her best work [ Jezebel, The Little Foxes, The Letter ] and in Cagney's case he acknowledged his childhood friends, co-stars like Pat O, Brien and Doris Day and his artistic inspirations.

[@alfredodistefanolaulhe2212]

Frank Capra's is the greatest speech ever.

[@lapislazuli7876]

It's Miss Davis's command of language, Patrician phrasing, voice projection, clear and precise enunciation, emphasis on key signifiers and lilt, the killer staccato and punctured delivery, the raspiness caused by smoking and even the steely timbre of her voice well before the heavy smoking had any real effect... all of this weaponry within her canon of work, plus the underrated and understudied magic of "affect" and "affectation" (which is one of the great tools of a dramatic actor or actress). Bette Davis was THE great mannerist par excellence in modern times. Far better than any postmodern or neo-mannerist painter even. Her performances contain the aristocratic agency of mannerism within them. Watch the way she uses pause, or turns around at just the right moment, the way she flashes those saucer-like google eyes, or darts the eyeballs to the side, always at precisely the right moment. This is mannerism. A now forgotten art form which appeared in European art around 1520 and lasted until the end of the 16th century. However, art is a continuous phenomenon - not discontinuous - it is revived and reworked by other artists in later times in various formats and genres - and Bette Davis and other great actors of her generation developed this Italianate style and gave it life in the motion picture arts in Hollywood - which also owes a great deal to this late High Renaissance art form and to Græco-Roman artificiality in wet plasterwork, terracotta pottery, bas relief and the dramatic arts before that. These days we favour a more naturalistic acting style, more in keeping in the line of descent of the early phase Renaissance masters (Da Vinci, Michaelangelo) but Davisian mannerism has all the elements of a Bronzino Painting, or Cellini sculpture. It frightens us... no!! terrifies us by the slow burn of the artificial stare. The Davisian stare is Medusean in scale and penetrates the viewer viscerally. A Davis mannerist performance is intellectually sophisticated and favours a counterbalance of compositional tension (those fabulous staircase scenes in All About Eve, for example), and artificial elegance (the shoot out on the porch in The Letter). Modern day mannerists like Cate Blanchett and Meryl Streep have tried to imitate the style ad infinitem, but I have not seen it used anywhere so "affectedly" and economically as when Davis uploads it like a Master painter onto the canvas of the silver screen.

[@Magnetron33]

Thank you! That was poetic!

[@RC-vv6nr]

There will never be anyone else like Bette... RIP

[@CapeCanuck]

A legend. The greatest actress ever!!

[@jackt5617]

Eloquent, brilliant, intelligent, and a gifted actress almost her whole life. Such a legend and one I would have given anything to just spend a day with. They will never be another of her caliber.

[@superbird24]

I love seeing the legends appreciated while they are living.

[@josecandal9412]

One of the three or four greatest actresses of all time, maybe the best. A true legend R. I. P.

[@scottmiller6495]

They should have given her a standing ovation!!!!!

[@louleg23]

they did at the end for sure

[@scottmiller6495]

@@louleg23 What a wonderful woman in every way possible PERIOD!!!!!

[@lucy0537]

Love Bette Davis. Love everything about her.....even her voice. Wish I could have met her.

[@TheRmjr]

I saw this when it originally aired. Outstanding! So many great movies! All about Eve is one of my favorites and In This Our Life.

[@stephenedwards6912]

I was at the award ceremony I was 19 I have lived off it ever since. She was and is a very special part of my life. I miss her so very much.

[@MimiLovesMeryl]

This is brilliant, I LOVE BETTE, she was just awesome. Could we get some more videos from Bette's AFI? That'd be amazing

[@gusa8006]

Meryl Streep knew what Harvey Weinstein was doing and she did nothing

[@Magnetron33]

I have heard that my favorite of her films was also hers. Mr. Skeffington. An incredible character study of vanity with a twist at the end worth of O'Henry.Major tear-jerker

[@katievaughan7541]

Love her so much. The greatest actress of all time. No one can ever touch her. Amazing talent . Will never be forgotten.

[@MrCristoforoantonio]

I totally agree! She is my favorite film actress of all time!

[@Magnetron33]

The best dramatic actress that has ever lived.

[@tywilliamnash5078]

Lovely, smart and polish.I say, "Show them how it's done", thank you very much.

[@xxcharmed1xx]

I am so glad they did this for her before she died.. She totally deserved it!!

[@typicalhumandoingthings5174]

Her outstanding roles and talent are why she still to this day is a relatively household name and a figure of what success beauty and maturity truly is.

[@jpsned]

All About Eve... one of the best films of all time!

[@lala-gj4oo]

she was a pure pleasure to watch.

[@MrImiller07]

Initially, how wonderful that Bette Davis accepted the AFI Life Achievement Award when she still enjoyed good health and her voice and physical appearance was not ravaged by her subsequent stroke. She payed a deserved tribute to her Mother's support and the inestimable contribution of William Wyler to her career. What films! Jezebel, The Little Foxes, Now Voyager, Mrs. Skeffington, All About Eve, Dark Victory. Films that stood the test of time.

[@2legit64]

I watched when this when it initially aired when I was 12 years old and was completely enthralled.

[@ruthperes7093]

what an amazing such a great force...

[@jadalynn1994]

bette davis will be in my heart and will be dearly missed and will be rememeberd for her work with the hollywood canteen and her film roles and as a person she will be missed by everybody and will be in our hearts for ever this is my fav line from one of her movies fasten your seatbelts it,s going to be a bumpy night

[@donnababi5767]

She is one of my upmost favs of all time....I still watch all of her films...she gave me many "a bumpy night" watching them...her acting was superb...nothing in my era can touch her...she truly is one of the greats...I miss her....I hope to maybe get to meet her in the heavens above someday...🙏♥️

[@TotzkeMike]

Really fantastic speech: smart, succinct, funny, generous, genuine, very moving.

[@catman3552]

I saw this when it was first televised in '77. I would love to see the complete show again either on dvd or youtube. Bette was the best.

[@RC-vv6nr]

...a one & only true legend. RIP Bette !!

[@tharold8639]

The greatest, the best, the magnificent Bette Davis. She will never, ever be surpassed.

[@outinsider]

A legend in her own time, a legend for all time. She and the actresses and actors of her generation will never be replicated in today's films, no matter how hard modern actors try. She was one of the best actors on screen.

[@michaeljames3257]

Ms Davis is my all time favourite actress there will never be any one like our Miss Bette Davis.........

[@edwardnashen5960]

Davis, truly one daring unstoppable actress with super great talent! Iconic and unique, with her own signature style. Only one Bette. If I had to pick a film that speaks volumes of her talent, Now Voyager. I love her in every frame! She's amazing. Bravo Bette!

[@deonnethomas9615]

Love her! I watch "Now, Voyager" over and over.

[@cristif3703]

Amazing fashion style, attitude and great wisdom. So ahead of her times 👍

[@asteverino8569]

Thanks AFI and especially Bette Davis.

[@americanitalianisrael4008]

TO ME MRS. BETTE DAVIS IS THE GREATEST AMERICAN ACTRESS. AND IF NOT THE BEST ONE OF THE BEST IN THE WORLD. IN HER DAYS THERE WERE MANY SUPERB TALENTS. ACTORS AND ACTRESSES. R.I.P. MRS. DAVIS.

[@lolachiconila7650]

i Adore Bette Davis ! what a voice i get chills

[@carleavesceo709]

What a legend ! Bette Davis we love you with those Bette Davis eyes !

[@hugowilliams1988]

She is my favorite actress.

[@wildman0228]

Thanks for posting! It's been a long time since I have seen this! I remember watching on TV in 1977.

[@paulbarnhart210]

I have always loved Betty Davis

[@patrickdowdle5121]

I love this lady and todays actresses , cant hold a candle to her

[@lindaeasley4336]

One of the things I loved about Bette was the fact that she kept it real .She did not hide behind an image she created for herself like so many in Hollywood did ( Crawford)

[@4evertony1]

Legend. RIP Sweet Darling.

[@jameshamil1628]

This is a true legend.

[@wotan10950]

Everybody said she was impossible to work with, but my God, the iconic performances she left us! Anyway, all the brilliant ones are a bit difficult.

[@judynichols2904]

Impossible only if you didn't come prepared and ready to do your lines !

[@giv25]

She is one of the greatest actress. I love you for ever Ms Bette Davis!

[@fefejones81]

That dress is amazing!! Something you see on the red carpet in 2023!

[@astonvilla3607]

A Pure LEGEND !

[@mctalks]

She may not have seen herself as beautiful but I DO!!! As long as we agree that being sultry, seductive and brilliant on screen equates to beauty.

[@bannon1000]

Miss Davis broke the mold, that is why today she is still known by the young people and her name is instantly recognizable. In her time she took on gender inequality and sought equal treatmen, she stood her ground and fought. She had a deep family principle and took care of her mum, sister etc.More than that she was dazzlingly talented, massively capable and she stood head and shoulders above almost every one. A first class actress, a person true to herself and a professional. A ONE OF MODEL.

[@SaxonC]

She was and will always be a legend and superstar! God broke the mold when He created her. She was one of the only two female Actresses in the late 1940’s to carry a film on her name alone. The other was Judy Garland! Bette Davis was the greatest dramatic Actress in the history of movies. In my opinion, she surpassed even Katharine Hepburn. Garland was and still is The Greatest singer and Entertainer that God ever put on this Earth.

[@afi]

@mimzy84 Thank you for your feedback. We will be posting more great speeches from the AFI Life Achievement Award shows in the very near future. Hope you enjoy them all, including Lillian Gish!

[@MrImiller07]

The previous AFI honorees as of 1977, were giants in the film industry: John Ford, iconic director of Stagecoach, How Green Was My Valley, My Darling Clementine, Young Mr. Lincoln, The Quiet Man, The Searchers, and The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance. James Cagney, legendary actor, and star of Public Enemy, Angels With Dirty Faces, The Roaring Twenties, White Heat, Love Me Or Leave Me, Man Of A Thousand Faces, Yankee Doodle Dandy, and Mister Roberts. Orson Welles, the innovative director and actor, who directed Citizen Kane, arguably , the greatest American film, Touch Of Evil, Chimes At Midnight, and star of The Third Man. William Wyler, great director of Wuthering Heights, Dead End, Jezebel, The Best Years Of Our Lives, and The Little Foxes. Davis was delighted to join their ranks.

[@gabrielhalston6726]

#1 actress of all time!

[@belyndawilson3499]

Beautiful woman and a great actress.

[@mapaezpumar64]

FANTASTIC

[@wolfganrodriguez6891]

My favorite ese Bette Davis

[@labratamber]

I would love to see the entire episode of this

[@Carpenterdane]

Love her to pieces ❤

[@Briteside1159]

Forever Legend x

[@alexanders7685]

Maybe she didn't become the first woman with three Oscars, but still she became the first woman to win this award! And she deserves to be the first! Forever and ever! The best of the best! A woman who inspires and doesn't let you give up in whatever situation you are!

[@leonelcabrera7438]

What a beautiful lady. I was reading a book when Bette was almost Scarlett O Hara in “ Gone With The Wind “. They did not give her the role because she was not that beautiful enough that Vivien Liegh was perfection. First of all how dare you say that Bette Davis was not pretty!? I think that Bette was prettier than Vivien Liegh. We should have more actresses like Bette Davis and was an actress with such emotion. Bette Davis was an astonishing actress ahead of her time.

[@dariapoklemba2150]

Actually bette turned the role down because errol Flynn was supposed to be Rhett butler. She thought hr was handsome but couldn't act and he admitted to that he knew nothing about acting. She replied at least hes honest!

[@numidia2107]

*-* MARVELLOUS! What a lady! WHAT an actress! ♥ A legend!

[@juancarlosucedaperez3815]

A LEGEND. Bette Davis the greatest actrees in Hollywood's history and in the world along with Katharine Hepburn. Of human bondage, Dangerous, Jezebel, The letter, The little foxes, Now Voyager, All about Eve, What ever happened to Baby Jane?

[@luizmartins3679]

She's my prefered actrees of all times.

[@randyacuna3248]

The greatest actresses of all time!

[@savvy2172]

Loved this woman.

[@Makaylah13]

I love her

[@judywatson5674]

now that right there people is a star

[@a_leaf]

2:13 camera cuts to Ryan O'Neal, ironic....two legendary actors now reunited Rest in peace both ❤

[@jayiijay]

Greatest actress (or actor) in film history. The great Meryl Streep agrees (see her TCM tribute to David), among so many others.

[@mmjhcb]

Bette Kate Meryl Streep is not fit to tie Davis' shoe.

[@Chiszle]

We love you Ben Davis.