Claim: Bette Davis had a public persona.

Ruth Elizabeth `` Bette '' Davis -LRB- April 5 , 1908 -- October 6 , 1989 -RRB- was an American actress of film , television , and theater . Regarded as one of the greatest actresses in Hollywood history , she was noted for her willingness to play unsympathetic , sardonic characters and was reputed for her performances in a range of film genres , from contemporary crime melodramas to historical and period films and occasional comedies , although her greatest successes were her roles in romantic dramas .   After appearing in Broadway plays , Davis moved to Hollywood in 1930 . However , her early films for Universal Studios -LRB- and as a loanout to other studios -RRB- were unsuccessful . She joined Warner Bros. in 1932 and established her career with several critically acclaimed performances . In 1937 , she attempted to free herself from her contract . Although she lost the well-publicized legal case against the studio , it marked the beginning of the most successful period of her career . Until the late 1940s , she was one of American cinema 's most celebrated leading ladies , known for her forceful and intense style . Davis gained a reputation as a perfectionist who could be highly combative and confrontational . She clashed with studio executives and film directors as well as many of her co-stars . Her forthright manner , idiosyncratic speech and ubiquitous cigarette contributed to a public persona , which has often been imitated .   Davis was the co-founder of the Hollywood Canteen , and was the first female president of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences . She won the Academy Award for Best Actress twice , was the first person to accrue ten Academy Award nominations for acting , and was the first woman to receive a Lifetime Achievement Award from the American Film Institute . Her career went through several periods of eclipse , and she admitted that her success had often been at the expense of her personal relationships . Married four times , she was once widowed and three times divorced , and raised her children as a single parent . Her final years were marred by a long period of ill health , but she continued acting until shortly before her death from breast cancer , with more than 100 films , television and theater roles to her credit . In 1999 , Davis was placed second behind Katharine Hepburn on the American Film Institute 's list of the greatest female stars of classic Hollywood cinema .