Following is a scrapbook of digital clippings highlighting the beginning of Bette Davis’s career. From the stage in Rochester to Broadway and on to Hollywood, headlines, excerpts and advertisements provide an overview of her career until the time of her first major breakthrough in Of Human Bondage in 1934.
Bette Davis isn’t named in the ad above for Cukor-Kondolf company’s performance of Cradle Snatchers (and yes, George Cukor is the Cukor in question), but she is listed among cast members in the snippet from the accompanying article found below. Both items, above and below, were found on page 90 of the Rochester Evening Journal and the Post Express, October 23, 1928
Bette Davis is the last actor mentioned in this brief promotional article for Ibsen’s The Wild Duck at the Boulevard Theater in Jackson Heights. Discovered in the Brooklyn Daily Eagle, April 5, 1929, page A16.
Broken Dishes comes to Brooklyn. Brooklyn Daily Eagle, October 22, 1929. The same page also included a photo of 21-year-old Bette Davis:
Months later the Eagle would include this illustration of Davis in promotion of Broken Dishes, now at the Masque Theater. Artist unattributed, from page 2E of the March 23, 1930 edition of the Eagle.
The Moorhead Daily News published this small photo of Bette Davis to announce she would be appearing in Richard Bennett’s production of The Solid South. October 31, 1930, page 6.
But even better than a photo was Bette’s inclusion in this cartoon by Helen Worden. Found in the San Antonio Express, November 2, 1930, page 49. It’s mentioned in the original caption above, but in case that is illegible Bette Davis is the figure at the left.
A movie career is brewing for Bette Davis according this this snippet from the Syracuse Herald, November 19, 1930, page 10.
Film Daily made mention of Universal signing Davis a couple of weeks later in their December 24, 1930 edition. Page 4.
An ad for Bette Davis’ movie debut, The Bad Sister, does not mention Davis but does include a small image of her to the left of a larger likeness of star Sidney Fox. Co-star Humphrey Bogart completely escapes mention. This ad clipped from the Cumberland Evening Times, May 25, 1931, page 10.
But after appearing in supporting roles in Seed and Waterloo Bridge Universal loaned Davis out a couple of times before deciding not to renew her contract. George Arliss provided a huge helping hand in selecting Davis to play opposite him in The Man Who Played God (1932) at his home studio, Warner Brothers. The film released in February 1932, a couple of months after the clipping that follows:
New Year’s Eve 1931 edition, Film Daily, Warner Brothers announces that they’ve signed Bette Davis to a long term contract.
At Warner Brothers Davis played support to top actresses Barbara Stanwyck in So Big (1932) and Ruth Chatterton in The Rich Are Always With Us (1932) before becoming Warren William’s leading lady in The Dark Horse later that year. Ad discovered in the Appleton Post Crescent, June 18, 1932, page 5.
Bette Davis couldn’t compete with Ann Dvorak in another Warren William title from 1932, Three on a Match. Ad from the Daily Capital News and Post Tribune, November 13, 1932, page 6.
Charleston Gazette headline, November 20, 1932, page 16.
Bette Davis with Spencer Tracy in an ad for 20,000 Years in Sing Sing. From the Logansport Pharos Tribune, April 1, 1933, page 3.
Bette Davis and Douglas Fairbanks, Jr. unattributed illustration in promotion of Parachute Jumper. Spotted in the Laredo Times, January 29, 1933, page 6.
Newspaper ad teases Ex-Lady and really puts the emphasis on Bette Davis over her three male co-stars, named in much smaller type. Found in the Cumberland Times, May 7, 1933, page 7.
And her home town seems pretty proud of her by this point! The Lowell Sun, June 24, 1933, page 13.
Several entertaining titles followed for Bette Davis at Warner Brothers: Bureau of Missing Persons with Pat O’Brien to close 1933 and then The Big Shakedown with Charles Farrell, Fashions of 1934 with William Powell, Jimmy the Gent with Cagney and, best of all, starring in Fog Over Frisco, before she was loaned out to RKO to co-star with Leslie Howard in her biggest breakthrough to date:
Of Human Bondage ad found in the Uniontown Morning Herald, August 8, 1934, page 9.
Bette Davis is sure to be a popular selection of other film bloggers contributing to the Summer Under the Stars Blogathon (2013 edition) at Sittin’ On a Backyard Fence and ScribeHard on Film.
What a cutie patootie!
She’s definitely a young ‘un in all of these pics! Thanks for checking them out.
I’m watching “Dark Victory” as I’m going through these photos & clippings. Even in these early photos, she looks like a compelling person, doesn’t she? She was destined to be famous!
You know what it is, she’s not beautiful but she is interesting looking. Though I do think she’s prettiest in the early and mid-30s too.
Bette was not what you’d call a “conventional beauty” but she had a look and she had glamour.And most importantly? She had the attitude!
These clippings are amazing. Thank you so much for putting this together.
Attitude to spare! Glad you liked the clippings, I never know what I might find when I start on one of these.