Net Worth Ranker
What Is Bette Davis’s Net Worth?
At the time of her death on October 6, 1989, Bette Davis, the iconic American actress of Hollywood’s Golden Age, had a net worth of $1 million. Adjusting for inflation to today’s dollars, this equates to approximately $2.5 million.
Details of Bette Davis’s Estate and Career Earnings
The bulk of Bette Davis’s estate was bequeathed to her adopted son, Michael Merrill, and a close friend. Notably, she did not leave any inheritance to her biological daughter, Barbara Davis (nicknamed B.D.), nor to her grandchildren. This decision underscores the complexities of her personal relationships.
Bette Davis’s career spanned over five decades, during which she became one of the most celebrated actresses in Hollywood history. Her journey began with a contract at Warner Bros. in 1932. A pivotal moment arrived in 1934 with “Of Human Bondage,” which led to her starring in numerous films, including “Dangerous” (1935), for which she won her first Academy Award for Best Actress. This award significantly increased her market value within the studio system. Her compensation details from her early Warner Bros. contracts are not publicly available, but it is known that her success in the mid-1930s allowed her to negotiate more favorable terms.
In 1936, Davis’s attempt to breach her contract with Warner Bros. to pursue roles in English films led to a legal battle. While the exact financial implications of the lawsuit are not disclosed, it is believed that she incurred substantial legal costs. She ultimately lost the case in an English court and returned to Hollywood to fulfill her contract with Warner Bros. This period saw her star in “Marked Woman” (1937), “Jezebel” (1938), “Dark Victory” (1939), and “The Old Maid” (1939). These roles solidified her position as Warner Bros.’s most profitable actress.
During the late 1930s and early 1940s, Davis commanded significant salaries for her performances. Although specific figures for each film are not consistently available, her earnings for films like “All This and Heaven Too” (1940) and “The Letter” (1940) are estimated to have placed her among the highest-paid actresses of that time. Sources suggest that she was earning upwards of $300,000 per film during her peak years, a substantial sum adjusted for inflation.
In 1941, Bette Davis served as the first female president of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, marking a significant milestone in her career. During World War II, she co-founded the Hollywood Canteen, a club offering food, dancing, and entertainment for servicemen, showcasing her commitment to supporting the troops.
Davis’s career experienced a resurgence in the early 1960s with “What Ever Happened to Baby Jane?” (1962). She was nominated for her 10th Academy Award for her role in this film, which revitalized her career and increased her earnings. It is documented that the film earned over $9 million in its initial release, contributing substantially to Davis’s income through profit-sharing arrangements.
In 1977, Bette Davis received the AFI Lifetime Achievement Award, becoming the first woman to receive this honor. This recognition highlighted her enduring impact on the film industry. Her earnings from television appearances and roles in television films such as “The Judge and Jake Wyler” (1972) and “Madame Sin” (1972) added to her overall income during the later stages of her career.
Her later film roles in the 1980s, including “The Whales of August” (1987) and “Wicked Stepmother” (1989), were less financially rewarding than her earlier work, but they maintained her visibility and continued to contribute to her income. After filming a TV pilot, Davis was diagnosed with breast cancer and suffered four strokes, leaving her partially paralyzed. These health challenges likely impacted her ability to work and earn during her final years.
Bette Davis’s Early Life, Career Beginnings, and Personal Life
Ruth Elizabeth Davis, known professionally as Bette Davis, was born on April 5, 1908, in Lowell, Massachusetts, to Harlow and Ruth Davis. Her parents separated in 1915, after which Bette attended Crestalban boarding school in Lanesborough, Massachusetts, for three years. She then moved to New York City with her mother, where she became a Girl Scout patrol leader. She later attended Cushing Academy back in Massachusetts.
Bette Davis’s aspiration to become an actress was sparked by Rudolph Valentino’s performance in the 1921 film “The Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse.” She began her acting career in plays and debuted on Broadway in the 1929 production of “Broken Dishes.” A talent scout noticed her in a stage performance of “Solid South,” leading to an invitation to Hollywood and a contract with Warner Bros. in 1932.
Davis was married four times. Her first marriage was to Harmon O. Nelson in 1932, whom she met at Cushing Academy. They divorced in 1938. In 1940, she married innkeeper Arthur Farnsworth, who died in 1943. Her third marriage was to artist William Grant Sherry in 1945, with whom she had a daughter, Barbara Davis (B.D.). They divorced in 1950. Her fourth and final marriage was to actor Gary Merrill, with whom she starred in “All About Eve.” They adopted a baby girl named Margot and a baby boy named Michael. The family resided on the coast of Cape Elizabeth, Maine. Davis and Merrill divorced in 1960.
Film Breakthrough and Key Milestones
After appearing in over 20 films, Davis had her critical breakthrough with the RKO film “Of Human Bondage,” based on the W. Somerset Maugham novel. Her portrayal of Mildred Rogers earned her the distinction of being the first and only actor to receive a write-in nomination at the Academy Awards. She won her first Academy Award for Best Actress in 1935 for her role as Joyce Heath in “Dangerous,” and her second for her performance as Julie Marsden in “Jezebel” in 1938. From 1938 to 1942, she received five consecutive Academy Award nominations, underscoring her prominence in the film industry.
Her co-founding of the Hollywood Canteen during World War II and her tenure as the first female president of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences were significant achievements, although they did not directly contribute to her net worth but added to her legacy.
In 1983, Davis was diagnosed with breast cancer. Two weeks after undergoing a mastectomy, she suffered multiple strokes that paralyzed part of her face and left arm. Despite a period of physical therapy leading to a partial recovery, her health deteriorated. She collapsed at an awards show in 1989 and passed away in France at the age of 81. The circumstances surrounding her death and final travels added an element of drama to the end of her storied life.
Additional Information
Beyond acting, Davis had limited known commercial investments or endorsements that would have significantly affected her net worth. Her primary income sources were her salaries from film and television roles, as well as any profit-sharing arrangements she had with studios. She also earned income from personal appearances and occasional stage work.
While specific details about Bette Davis’s expenses, philanthropic contributions, or tax liabilities are not publicly available, these factors would have impacted the final net worth calculation at the time of her death. Her financial decisions, as reflected in her estate distribution, highlight her personal priorities and relationships during her life.
Bette Davis’s final net worth of $1 million (approximately $2.5 million in today’s dollars) reflects a combination of her career earnings, expenses, and personal choices. Although she was one of Hollywood’s most prominent stars, her estate was not exceptionally large compared to some of her contemporaries, partly due to the financial realities of the time and her personal circumstances.
