--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I always felt that Bette Davis was one of…" description: "\"I always felt that Bette Davis was one of the great screen actresses who never really got her due - she won two Oscars, but the last was in 1938, and t..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1f9/robert-osborne-12721_actress_i-always-felt-that-bette-davis-was-one-o_1218944.png" --- # I always felt that Bette Davis was one of the great screen… ![“I always felt that Bette Davis was one of the great screen actresses who never really got her due - she won two Oscars, but the last was in 1938, and that was really before all the great work that she did.” quote by Robert Osborne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1f9/robert-osborne-12721_actress_i-always-felt-that-bette-davis-was-one-o_1218944.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1f9/robert-osborne-12721_actress_i-always-felt-that-bette-davis-was-one-o_1218944.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1f9/robert-osborne-12721_actress_i-always-felt-that-bette-davis-was-one-o_1218944.png) > “I always felt that Bette Davis was one of the great screen actresses who never really got her due - she won two Oscars, but the last was in 1938, and that was really before all the great work that she did.” [Robert Osborne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-osborne/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Bette Davis was under‑recognized despite her talent and awards, especially before her later acclaimed work. **In simple terms:** Bette Davis didn’t get full credit for her talent. Key Takeaway Advocate for recognizing overlooked talent. Themes recognition gender film history talent Mood respectful critical Type historical analytical When to use this quote - award ceremonies - film retrospectives - career retrospectives - industry bias discussions Key Concepts feminist historical critique Questions to Reflect On - How can we better honor past artists? - What factors cause talent to be overlooked? A Different Perspective Historical context may differ on “due.” ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Bette](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bette/) [Oscars](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/oscars/) [Work](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/work/) ## Related quotes > [Even as a kid, I was more enchanted watching Bette Davis than Errol Flynn.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-lagravenese/even-as-a-kid-i-was-more-enchanted-watching-bette-davis-than-errol/) [Richard LaGravenese](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-lagravenese/) > [It's weird, because American films in the 1930s and '40s, particularly melodramas, were made for woman, from Bette Davis to Joan Crawford to Barbara…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-gray/it-s-weird-because-american-films-in-the-1930s-and-40s-particularly/) [James Gray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-gray/) > [When I was a kid, it was Bette Davis. She was my idol. I used to cut school and sit in the back of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lauren-bacall/when-i-was-a-kid-it-was-bette-davis-she-was-my-idol-i-used-to-cut/) [Lauren Bacall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lauren-bacall/) > [I love beautiful black-and-white movies - anything Bette Davis, especially 'Now', 'Voyager', 'Casablanca', 'Mildred Pierce'; anything by Orson Welles, Truffaut, or Godard; and 'Paper…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/suzan-lori-parks/i-love-beautiful-black-and-white-movies-anything-bette-davis/) [Suzan-Lori Parks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/suzan-lori-parks/) > [I've been close to Bette Davis for thirty-eight years - and I have the cigarette burns to prove it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-fonda/i-ve-been-close-to-bette-davis-for-thirty-eight-years-and-i-have-the/) [Henry Fonda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-fonda/) > [Back in the days of Barbara Stanwyck and Bette Davis, beauty wasn't the be-all and end-all it is today.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcia-gay-harden/back-in-the-days-of-barbara-stanwyck-and-bette-davis-beauty-wasn-t/) [Marcia Gay Harden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcia-gay-harden/) > [I watch an awful lot of old Hollywood movies - I'll devour anything with Bette Davis or Joan Crawford. My absolute favourite is 'Sunset…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amanda-donohoe/i-watch-an-awful-lot-of-old-hollywood-movies-i-ll-devour-anything/) [Amanda Donohoe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amanda-donohoe/) > [I'd love to play a femme fatale in a film noir. I'm thinking of one of those roles that Lauren Bacall or Bette Davis…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/diana-quick/i-d-love-to-play-a-femme-fatale-in-a-film-noir-i-m-thinking-of-one-of/) [Diana Quick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/diana-quick/) > [Oh, yes, we were on location with Another Man's Poison, which I wrote for Bette Davis.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/val-guest/oh-yes-we-were-on-location-with-another-man-s-poison-which-i-wrote/) [Val Guest](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/val-guest/) > [My favourite actors are all dead or dying. I just love Jimmy Stewart, Bette Davis, Katharine Hepburn - I was named after her -…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katharine-isabelle/my-favourite-actors-are-all-dead-or-dying-i-just-love-jimmy-stewart/) [Katharine Isabelle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katharine-isabelle/) > [I always knew I was going to be successful in some way with films. I don't know why. I had no particular talent, but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-osborne/i-always-knew-i-was-going-to-be-successful-in-some-way-with-films-i/) [Robert Osborne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-osborne/) > [I don't think I had the aspiration to be a star growing up. I loved Madonna and Bette Midler, and I had my karaoke…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mandy-moore/i-don-t-think-i-had-the-aspiration-to-be-a-star-growing-up-i-loved/) [Mandy Moore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mandy-moore/) > [If it weren't for Liberace, there would be no Madonna or Lady Gaga, Elton John, Bette Midler, or Elvis because it was Liberace who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robin-leach/if-it-weren-t-for-liberace-there-would-be-no-madonna-or-lady-gaga/) [Robin Leach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robin-leach/) > [A lot of people have called me the black Bette Midler, and I regard that as a compliment.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vesta-williams/a-lot-of-people-have-called-me-the-black-bette-midler-and-i-regard/) [Vesta Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vesta-williams/) > [There will be no 'Mommie Dearest' in the lives of my children, and no books like the one the Crosby boy wrote about Bing,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/don-ameche/there-will-be-no-mommie-dearest-in-the-lives-of-my-children-and-no/) [Don Ameche](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/don-ameche/) ## More by Robert Osborne > [I think that no matter whether you're Quentin Tarantino or any other kind of a rebel, or whatever, everyone who makes movies still wants…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-osborne/i-think-that-no-matter-whether-you-re-quentin-tarantino-or-any-other/) [Robert Osborne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-osborne/) > [Of all the jaw-droppingly beautiful women who've become genuine movie stars, none has had a longer film career (62 years), has been filmed in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-osborne/of-all-the-jaw-droppingly-beautiful-women-who-ve-become-genuine-movie/) [Robert Osborne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-osborne/) > [In a business like the movie business, you're going to have a lot of people competing. Somebody is always coming behind them who wants…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-osborne/in-a-business-like-the-movie-business-you-re-going-to-have-a-lot-of/) [Robert Osborne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-osborne/) > [When I was growing up, you'd read about actors, and they'd never tell you their age and how much they made a year as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-osborne/when-i-was-growing-up-you-d-read-about-actors-and-they-d-never-tell/) [Robert Osborne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-osborne/) > [For a lot of filmmakers, their first goal is to be successful and make some money. But once people start doing that, the real…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-osborne/for-a-lot-of-filmmakers-their-first-goal-is-to-be-successful-and-make/) [Robert Osborne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-osborne/) > [One movie I think is just terrific is 'Bernie,' with Jack Black and Shirley MacLaine. That was a great surprise to me - so…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-osborne/one-movie-i-think-is-just-terrific-is-bernie-with-jack-black-and/) [Robert Osborne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-osborne/) > [You see a Clint Eastwood movie, and you might not know if it's from Universal or Warner Bros. or another studio. He has affiliations…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-osborne/you-see-a-clint-eastwood-movie-and-you-might-not-know-if-it-s-from/) [Robert Osborne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-osborne/) > [I think 'Elf' is funny, with Will Ferrell. That's a great Christmas movie.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-osborne/i-think-elf-is-funny-with-will-ferrell-that-s-a-great-christmas-movie/) [Robert Osborne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-osborne/) > [I think Kennedy being assassinated changed the world. That shot changed everything about America, and made us cynical, made people discontent and angry.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-osborne/i-think-kennedy-being-assassinated-changed-the-world-that-shot/) [Robert Osborne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-osborne/) > [I did love 'The Artist.' I've seen it four times, and every time I see it, it gets better and better.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-osborne/i-did-love-the-artist-i-ve-seen-it-four-times-and-every-time-i-see-it/) [Robert Osborne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-osborne/) > [There’s something about Olivia de Havilland that has always set her apart from other actresses. Maybe it’s the combination of warmth, sensitivity and intelligence…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-osborne/there-s-something-about-olivia-de-havilland-that-has-always-set-her/) [Robert Osborne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-osborne/) > [If I didn't have my little schedule book, I wouldn't get out of bed in the morning.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-osborne/if-i-didn-t-have-my-little-schedule-book-i-wouldn-t-get-out-of-bed-in/) [Robert Osborne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-osborne/) > [I went to California at a perfect time... when many of those people that I had admired so much in films were not working…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-osborne/i-went-to-california-at-a-perfect-time-when-many-of-those-people-that/) [Robert Osborne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-osborne/) > [Seeing New York in the movies is what made me want to live in Manhattan one day. 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She was very smart, very astute and a good businesswoman.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lawrence-schiller/marilyn-was-a-great-actress-not-a-dumb-blond-bombshell-she-was-very/) [Lawrence Schiller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lawrence-schiller/) > [I'm an actress, not a pin-up.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francesca-annis/i-m-an-actress-not-a-pin-up/) [Francesca Annis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francesca-annis/) > [My father was a GP; my mother was a teacher and amateur actress. My father was a bit of a storyteller, but the acting…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ciaran-hinds/my-father-was-a-gp-my-mother-was-a-teacher-and-amateur-actress-my/) [Ciaran Hinds](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ciaran-hinds/) > [I never wished that I was a superstar. Hell, I never even wished that I was an actress.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/diane-lane/i-never-wished-that-i-was-a-superstar-hell-i-never-even-wished-that-i/) [Diane Lane](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/diane-lane/) > [Many of the heroines from outside Karnataka have worked in my films, but the attitude and adjusting nature of top South Indian actress Nayantara…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rockline-venkatesh/many-of-the-heroines-from-outside-karnataka-have-worked-in-my-films/) [Rockline Venkatesh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rockline-venkatesh/) > [There are a lot of great actresses out there. 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But when an actress does the same, it becomes news.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vijayashanti/when-an-actor-charges-high-fees-nobody-says-anything-but-when-an/) [Vijayashanti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vijayashanti/) > [I am going to be a great actress.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vivien-leigh/i-am-going-to-be-a-great-actress/) [Vivien Leigh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vivien-leigh/) > [As a black actress you've got to work doubly hard. 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