Bette Davis was 63 here. She lived to be 81. What an incredible interview - charm, wit, natural engaging personality,. Not what I expected, what a lovely lady.
I honestly think this interview represents her at her apogee. She seems absolutely at ease and like she would have answered almost anything she was asked. She didn’t always present this way in interviews but it is a joy when she does.
It's amazing how 50 years later, this interview is still relevant. Much has changed since then in our society, but Bette was and still is an ICON. I think the following applies really well in this situation: "You live as long as the last person who remembers you." And Bette will never be forgotten! Much love to her!
My greatest actress of all time. She really commands a screen. I'll watch anything she's appearing. She make you believe she is really the person she portraying...RIP
My favorite quote of Bette Davis' is "getting old isn't for sissies". Since turning 60 my health has deteriorated & boy, does that quote apply; it's the only thing that keeps me laughing. Bette Davis was certainly an icon.
Yes. I may be old fashioned but I was saddened when all actors adopted the masculine word.."Actor." I'd have loved to hear Davis' opinion on being lumped in with the men. She stated she's not a women's libber. The word actress was shorthand for a woman who acts. Why deny femininity?
In the book '"I'd love to kiss you..." about Bette Davis she revealed that when Dick Cavett tried to light many of his female guests' cigarettes, they were offended. Bette Davis recognized this as simply a gentlemanly gesture. She also had great respect for him. Bette Davis was THE star & Cavett was THE interviewer. It doesn't get better than this. Thank you for sharing this wonderful clip.
I always thought the same thing - I was born in 1969 and always thought when a man did things like that it was a kind gesture. Not as an insult to me as a woman. I sometimes feel sorry for men - when they try to be nice and do something - it’s an attack on feminism and when they don’t, they need to ‘ get in touch’ with their ‘feminine side ‘ and think about others. As a woman I sometimes think the problem isn’t always with the men. ( I wrote SOMETIMES) so no need for all feminists to get their knickers in a twist.
My mother do not like her, especially when I watch her films. She thought her movies will make us think women are bitchy and argumentative. How right she was!
'It's going to be a new world, we're not going to have that same kind of person anymore.'--Bette speaking of Gladys Cooper's death. If only she could see Hollywood now. It's boring.
Her life was an example of determination and self-will. She was and always will be the strongest and most talented person in the world! I love her so much!
Dick Cavett is the best! Hes so respectful, articulate, thoughtful and well researched. He cannot get a word in but its a great interview. Bless Bette Davis. She deserves the limelight and he lets her run with it.
Wow probably her best interview ever. What a pleasure to hear an actress being so smart. Late night hosts nowadays just can’t carry a conversation or have a long interview without dumb jokes or games.
Part of the problem is the audience. People are too caught up in the need to be constantly entertained by flashy nonsense. Nobody has the patience for an insightful interview. They'll just drone off into their smart phone.
@@sunflower4morning look up the night she was on Carson and she was terrific. Thst comedian trying to be funny and her not amused made it so funny. Carson was on egg shells afraid he was going to make her mad. It mad it so funny. I wish I could remember who the comedian was. She really is a delightful lady to hear her talking.
The thing I love above all else about Bette Davis is she allowed the world to watch her age. She worked continuously as she got older, and it wasn't an issue for her. She wasn't always graceful and she took risky roles but she OWNED them. Staight classy. And SO good at her craft. Thank you, Better Davis, for showing your peers how it's done and staying around for our pure enjoyment❤❤❤❤
I have always heard so many great things about Betty Davis my entire life and now I finally have watched an interview with her by the wonderful Dick Cavett and in all honesty I can't believe how awesome she was. I am completely blown away by her and now I know why she is so beloved and After experiencing this interview I believe Dick was the perfect person to have interviewed her. I'm glad this was my first exposure to her with him. Her Inner Strength and sense of fairness about everything along with her incredible wit and charm is beyond captivating it is mesmerizing. Could you imagine having someone like her as your mother or even an aunt that would just be too awesome. We all need wonderful people like her in our life and the sad thing today there are fewer and fewer of them. God bless her soul and God bless Dick Cavett!
I'm so glad you're joigning the team! You'll have the greatest time discovering every one of her interviews and I would definitely recommend her two autobiographies "The Lonely Life" and "This 'N That" along with Kathryn Sermak's "Miss D & Me". You'll enjoy everything you described and many other amazing things. Anyway: welcome 😊🎉
I was surprised when she said that she never had sex until she was married at age 26. I always had the impression that she was considered to be a "tart" when she was young. How wrong they were!!!
What amazes me is this show had a live audience but the set is as quiet as if Davis and Cavett were speaking to each other alone. Back then audiences knew how to behave.
Well ... the one chief reason for that might be .. no more have 'Stars' or 'Hosts' anything substantial to say or ask . let alone the 'Audience' who would not possibly follow an advanced concept of speech for longer than thirty consecutive seconds ... thats probably why the world is going to melt into one huge potato chip i. a. n. t. d. f. :)
Indeed❣️ This was clearly an intelligent and engaging audience, not prompted with applause or laughter cues. And yes, Davis and Cavett were in top form. I’ve always enjoyed listening to his show and the manner in which the conversations organically evolved.
When adults were adults and knew how to have adult conversations with substance. Even her attire speaks volumes about her character; elegant and poised most of all confident not arrogant, vain, and raunchy. Money is only a small part of it.
I feel like Madonna true to be like Betty Davis except Madonna doesn't know how to be classy and elegant. She gives off a dirty vibe; women should be classy in public.
Madonna and others like her are into some very weird and demented stuff in their private lives - believe it or not, Satanism is very prevalent in Hollywood and the music industry today and it explains a lot of why the quality of entertainment has taken such a drastic turn for the worse and why it's all about money and sex instead of talent and art.
You're very welcome and thank you for your comment! It's a privilege to share such amazing content with the world. I'm thrilled so many people enjoy it. Have a great day!
This guy was really something! Best interviewer of big hollywood stars I've ever seen. Bette Davis wasn't an easy person to interview at all, and she shined throughout the entire hour.
It's so strange that she, a legend, says how sad it will be when these people die...but she was one of them. Lovely soul, I could watch interviews with her for hours and hours.
What a great interview! She was so right when she said not to seek the fame but to act for the love of it. These days it's the fame and celebrity that is the driving force. So many non talented people end up famous, particularly on reality shows. What a dame Bette was!😍👏👏
This is what quality television looks like, it disappeared years ago, at the same time we don't have people like Dick Cavett and Bette Davis. I watch this whole program in 1 go and I didn't move from my seat, not a second of boredom, not stupid questions, no fake drama, no superficial crap, you really get a sense of who the person interviewed really is instead of a feeling it was a chance for the "star" to make some self advertisement. This was brilliant!
Cavett didn't have the comic talent of Carson but he had the best interviews ever aired on TV.. He got icons like Marlon Brando, Janis Joplin, Bette Davis, John Lennon, Muhammad Ali, Orson Wells and Katharine Hepburn to open up. Today's TV host and guest just make a few jokes and talk about their next film..
Thank you Major. I like your comment/poem. I love Bette Davis more & more as the years went by. Dick Cavett had such a great, great, program. I wish he'd have had 90 minutes shows. I loved Henry Fonda all my life, early on Henry F. was not so well known at all but to me he had something that I followed his films put out. Bill Holden is another and I discovered (usually long after it seems) that for example, Bette, Holden for certain, others are not so hung up on themselves & would be glad to talk to us. Anyway, I like Betty. Dick C. is great. Carson on his "Tonight" show I admire such talent that he had and never have I seen anyone so able, so excellent at dealing with all sorts of people, always he had a comeback and that beautiful memory he had.
Either you're about 25, and think 63 is ancient, or you're a lot older and need your prescription checked. In this interview she cleverly wore shaded glasses to hide the heavy bags under her eyes. But she always looked at least 10, if not 15 years older than her age -- especially with good lighting -- thanks to her extreme chain smoking and heavy drinking.
@@DDumbrille I agree. She’s fantastic, but she looks older, just as a lot of smokers do - and I think she did drink a bit too- not alcoholically - but booze, cigarettes and no sunblock are killers on the face.
The most naturally gifted actress in the entire annals of American cinema, there's no question! Witty, unpretentious, charming, charismatic and as sharp as a cut throat - a few synonyms to describe the Goliath that is Bette Davis. By her own admission, she wasn't tall and willowy, nor was she pretty in the conventional sense and her much repeated comparisons with Jean Harlow and how horrified the studio were and befuddled as to what to do with her when she first walked through the gates of Universal Studios, only serves to highlight just how determined, unapologetic and self assured she was in both herself and her capabilities as an actress. Yep, in my view, the greatest female star of the 20th century and possibly beyond.... Put simply, a colossal and towering talent and doyenne of the big screen. Chris (UK).
She’s just wow, not watched anything with her before. What a no nonsense fun personality, intimidating a little with a hint of mischief. My nannio had Bette Davis eyes and I have them myself and always hated them, but she was truly beautiful. Her outfit here is 👌🏻 she looks amazing and is fascinating. Dick was thee best interviewer.
I loved this so much I literally just read ALL the comments AND the replies. Like, I don't think I've ever made it to the bottom of ANY comment thread before...LOL...but this was so good I guess I didn't want to leave even when the interview was over. Thanks for posting this complete interview. Truly a treat!
Totally glad to read your post. Wow! Checkout Cavett's interview with Robert Altman, Mel Brooks, Peter Bogdanovich and the great Frank Capra; equally as entertaining and moving.
I adore Bette Davis. I've seen this interview several times on TV, so I was happy to find it here. They don't make them like Bette Davis anymore. She was a wonderful actress. As others have said, a true gem.
Sadly this era of acting and TV interviews are long since gone , a time when there was class and people were actually interesting and had something meaningful to say unlike the empty vesicles that abound today
This is truly the best interview of Betty Davis I’ve ever seen. It so humanized her and made her appealing to watch. I could listen to all of her incredible stories for hours! What a great lady she was!
Bette Davis erupting in crazy, cackling laughter is just miles beyond delightful and you sense the energy. She was simply a treasure. And so charming. And - sex appeal underneath all that. What an amazing, wise, funny, beautiful woman. All About Eve and Now, Voyager are movies, one crackling with wit, one so romantic and tender, that I watch and watch and never tire of.
I always respected Bette but was never a huge fan. I saw this when it aired originally and I guess i was taken aback seeing her as an "old lady" me in my 20s. But watching this now I am becoming a big fan. She is very open, honest, humorous and lovely. A legend.
Im so glad Dick's show existed. Giving guests not just the time to speak but actively listening. To have almost a full hour of Bette Davis speaking is amazing.
When she wistfully speaks of the legends that came before her, and how an era had gone, she didn't realize she was prophesying what we would feel today about losing her.
Kim R your comment blew me away when i read it , because when she spoke that , I thought the exactly same thing. I just wonder if she knew that she was speaking that into existence some fifty one years later, Because that is how we feel about Ms Bette Davis now here in 2022..I adore, and love all of her movies. There will never be another Ms Davis.
In actual fact, Juldy Garland and M. Monroe were both younger than her...they just took their lives or sadly died prematurely. Anyway, she showed class by acknowledging their talent
@@f.p.3975 It’s not them. By legends, the comment probably meant when she was talking about people like Gladys Cooper, Walter Houston etc. who came before Davis. Of course Monroe and Garland are legends in our day now.
I was feeling a bit sad and weak and this video was recommended to me. I feel much better know. Watching and listening to such a strong woman is realing uplifting.
I would recommend every interview of Miss Davis. She's clever, honest, respectful, charming and so incredibly human. I hope you're feeling better, thank you for your comment ✨
What I liked most about Bette Davis was that she wasn't really egotistical and narcisstic, like many big stars are like nowadays. She wasn't afraid of looking her age in front of the cameras. These modern day stars that are addicted to plastic surgery and cosmetic procedures make it really difficult for women to get older in our culture.
Yep! And without even trying she looks younger than 63 here! Especially for the 1970s. People in their 60s never looked this young back then and she just aged gracefully before us, even after her stroke!
I don't think Bette Davis had any FEAR what so ever....she gave of herself entirely too much because she loved her craft and was a true one of a kind!!
Dick was so great. He asked all the questions we wanted to. He was so cute & so comfortable, you feel like you’ve known him for years. Bette was the best actress. A different person with every part. What a talent! Really enjoyed that the audience enjoyed this show as much as I did!
That's because he learned from the best (Carson). If you watch him closely, you can see the resemblances ... the double-takes, the type of questions, lack of so much political commentary, etc
I've been on a bit of a Dick Cavett kick lately, and I'm so impressed with how he always comes across as cordial and interested in his interview subjects, though in this particular case, Miss Davis made it easy on his. The don't seem to make journalists like him anymore and they certainly don't make them like Bette anymore.
Well said Nathan and so very true. She was one of a kind on so many levels. And it's amazing how many still seek her movies to watch or interviews like this and documentaries about her. Now, that's legendary.
This has to be the best interview I have ever seen in my life. It's perfect in every way. Entertaining and funny. Betty Davis is spectacular, wonderful and dynamite. What a incredible actress she was and she is still performing somewhere in heaven. I just know it. Fabulous stuff. 💋💋💋
so lovely! It is amazing how the interviewer bounced off what Bette Davis was saying, and you never thought he had a list of questions to ask. Also, he had obviously done some homework, knew how to fit personal feelings and comments, just enough to make this look like a chat between friends.
Hearing Bette talk about fame towards the end is almost prophetic when you think of how obsessed people are with fame today regardless of how they achieve it.
Oh I love this interview. I’ve been binge watching her films, mostly her earlier films in the 30s. She’s awesome. This new generation is just so soft and speak soooo badly with horrendous vocabulary. I wish I could have talked with her when she was young but this is still very much a treat. She lived a life I can only dream of. She’s iconic. In every sense of the word, not the shallow valid way the youth use that word today.
Man, Dick Cavett was so gorgeous here....and what a Fantastic interview with Bette Davis...I watch this over and over. Nothing like this to watch these days....sadly.
A great interview. The best interview I've ever seen with Bette Davis, whom I I admire as an actress and person. Dick Cavvett is excellent. He shows respect and lets the guest talk..
Wow what a great interview. You really get to see Ms Bette Davis for a real person of substance and realize she had compassion for her other fellow women actors.
I love this interview. Nov. 17 is my birthday so I was 22. Such a long time ago and yet still so interesting and relevant. Two of my favorite British actors are Ronald Coleman and Leslie Howard. Bette Davis was truly one of a kind.♥
I've watched as many performances of Bette's as I find - but anyone who hasn't seen her in Of Human Bondage has missed her at her most devastating. Just knock your socks off amazing.
@@stxrstrxckmxteo515 No Jack Warner sent letters out to everyone so they wouldn't vote for her (leaving her out of the Oscar nominations) because "Of Human Bondage" was an RKO production so they would've earned lots of money with their star. That's also why Miss Davis got her first "consolation" Academy Award the next year for "Dangerous" which was a Warner production - and not a very good one at that. There's so much to learn about Bette Davis, like you wouldn't believe! Fascinating woman and actress, the best of them all.
That was such a great moment - she was so tickled by the notion of all her actor friends with poles. So revealing. And she's just such fun - when discussing Rex Reed and when Dick asked about him on the floor - her mind travelled so fast and was so joyful that he got there first but she was right there with him. So many little slices of joy.
The first time I watched “What Ever Happened to Baby Jane” I remember so well saying “This actress is so good omg” but I didn't even know it was Bette Davis. When I found out, I fell in love with her authenticity. We can say that Hollywood has had very few memorable and talented stars like her. Rest in peace, Betty. You will always be remembered!!!
The Dick Cavett Show is a priceless archive of personalities in politics, theatre, film, music and so many other areas of the public interest. The interviews were done with professionalism, wit and insight. I have no way of proving this, but I believe after watching Mr. Cavett do an interview, our collective IQ’s go up at least 5 points.
Yes , its now July 2021 & can't get enough of the stories Bette told back in 1971. Sadly I was probably too young back then but now I'll get into the older movies she starred in like Dangerous / Of Human Bondage / Jezebel. Dick Cavett was under rated as a host. His questions & humor to bring out those stories was spot on ! I get a real sense of who Bette Davis really was !