Bette Midler is an American singer, actress, and comedian, also known by her informal stage name,
The Divine Miss M. She became famous as a cabaret and concert headliner, and went on to star in successful and acclaimed films such as
The RoseThe Rose is a 1979 American musical drama film which tells the story of a self-destructive 1960s rock star who struggles to cope with the constant pressures of her career and the demands of her ruthless business manager...
,
Ruthless PeopleRuthless People is a 1986 black comedy written by Dale Launer, starring Danny DeVito, Bette Midler, Judge Reinhold and Helen Slater. It also features Bill Pullman as a supporting role in his film debut....
,
BeachesBeaches , is a 1988 American comedy-drama film adapted by Mary Agnes Donoghue from the Iris Rainer Dart novel of the same name...
, and
For The BoysFor the Boys is a 1991 film which tells the story of Dixie Leonard, a 1940s actress/singer who teams up with Eddie Sparks, a famous performer to entertain American troops. The film traces her life through 50 years. The original music score was composed by Dave Grusin.The film was adapted by...
. During her more than forty-year career, Midler has been nominated for two Academy Awards, and won four
Grammy AwardA Grammy Award — or Grammy — is an accolade by the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences of the United States to recognize outstanding achievement in the music industry...
s, four Golden Globes, three
Emmy AwardAn Emmy Award, often referred to simply as the Emmy, is a television production award, similar in nature to the Peabody Awards but more focused on entertainment, and is considered the television equivalent to the Academy Awards and the Grammy Awards .A majority of Emmys are presented in various...
s, and a special
Tony AwardThe Antoinette Perry Award for Excellence in Theatre, more commonly known as a Tony Award, recognizes achievement in live Broadway theatre. The awards are presented by the American Theatre Wing and The Broadway League at an annual ceremony in New York City. The awards are given for Broadway...
. She has sold over 30 million albums worldwide.
Early life and family
Midler was born in
Honolulu, HawaiiHonolulu is the capital and the most populous city of the U.S. state of Hawaii. Honolulu is the southernmost major U.S. city. Although the name "Honolulu" refers to the urban area on the southeastern shore of the island of Oahu, the city and county government are consolidated as the City and...
. Her parents moved from
Paterson, New JerseyPaterson is a city serving as the county seat of Passaic County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, its population was 146,199, rendering it New Jersey's third largest city and one of the largest cities in the New York City Metropolitan Area, despite a decrease of 3,023...
to Honolulu before she was born, and hers was one of the few Jewish families in a mostly Asian neighborhood. Her mother, Ruth (
néeA married name is the family name adopted by a person upon marriage. When a person assumes the family name of her spouse, the new name replaces the maiden name....
Schindel), was a seamstress and housewife, and her father, Fred Midler, worked at a Navy base in Hawaii. She was named after actress
Bette DavisRuth Elizabeth "Bette" Davis was an American actress of film, television and theater. Noted for her willingness to play unsympathetic characters, she was highly regarded for her performances in a range of film genres, from contemporary crime melodramas to historical and period films and occasional...
, though Davis pronounced her first name in two syllables, and Midler uses one, ˈbɛt. She was raised in [[ʻAiea, Hawaii|Aiea]] and attended
Radford High SchoolAdmiral Arthur W. Radford High School, known as Radford High School, is a public high school in the City and County of Honolulu, Hawaii, adjacent to the Halawa CDP.-Admiral Arthur W. Radford :...
, in Honolulu. She was voted "Most Talkative" in the 1961 school Hoss Election, and in her Senior Year (Class of 1963), "Most Dramatic". Midler majored in drama at the
University of HawaiiThe University of Hawaii System, formally the University of Hawaii and popularly known as UH, is a public, co-educational college and university system that confers associate, bachelor, master, and doctoral degrees through three university campuses, seven community college campuses, an employment...
, but left after three semesters. She earned money in the 1966 film
HawaiiHawaii is a 1966 American film directed by George Roy Hill and based on the novel of the same name by James A. Michener. It tells the story of an 1820s Yale University divinity student who, along with his new bride , becomes a Calvinist missionary in the Hawaiian Islands...
as an
extraA background actor or extra is a performer in a film, television show, stage, musical, opera or ballet production, who appears in a nonspeaking, nonsinging or nondancing capacity, usually in the background...
, playing an uncredited
seasickSeasickness is a form of motion sickness characterized by a feeling of nausea and, in extreme cases, vertigo, experienced after spending time on a craft on water. It is typically brought on by the rocking motion of the craft. Some people are particularly vulnerable to the condition with minor...
passenger.
Midler married Martin von Haselberg on December 16, 1984, about six weeks after their first meeting. Their daughter, Sophie, was born on November 14, 1986.
Theater work
In the summer of 1965, Midler relocated to
New York CityNew York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
, using the money from her work in the film
Hawaii. She landed her first professional onstage role in
Tom EyenTom Eyen was an American playwright, lyricist, television writer and theatre director.Eyen is best known for works at opposite ends of the theatrical spectrum...
's
Off-Off-BroadwayOff-Off-Broadway theatrical productions in New York City are those in theatres that are smaller than Broadway and Off-Broadway theatres. Off-Off-Broadway theaters are often defined as theaters that have fewer than 100 seats, though the term can be used for any show in the New York City area that...
plays in 1965,
Miss Nefertiti Regrets and
Cinderella Revisited, a children's play by day and an adult show by night. From 1966 to 1969, she played the role of Tzeitel in
Fiddler on the RoofFiddler on the Roof is a musical with music by Jerry Bock, lyrics by Sheldon Harnick, and book by Joseph Stein, set in Tsarist Russia in 1905. It is based on Tevye and his Daughters by Sholem Aleichem...
on
BroadwayBroadway theatre, commonly called simply Broadway, refers to theatrical performances presented in one of the 40 professional theatres with 500 or more seats located in the Theatre District centered along Broadway, and in Lincoln Center, in Manhattan in New York City...
. After
Fiddler, she joined the original cast of
SalvationSalvation was a 1969 Off-Broadway rock musical with music, lyrics, and book by Peter Link & C.C. Courtney. It opened on September 24, 1969 at the Jan Hus Playhouse and ending on April 19, 1970 after 239 performances.-Production:...
in 1969.
In the summer of 1970, Midler began singing in the
Continental BathsIn 1968, Steve Ostrow opened the Continental Baths in the basement of the Ansonia Hotel in New York City. Continental Baths was advertised as reminiscent of "the glory of ancient Rome."-Facilities:...
, a
gay bathhouseGay bathhouses, also known as gay saunas or steam baths, are commercial bathhouses for men to have sex with other men. In gay slang in some regions these venues are also known colloquially as "the baths" or "the tubs," and should not be confused with public bathing.Not all men who visit gay...
in the city. During this time, she became close to her piano accompanist,
Barry ManilowBarry Manilow is an American singer-songwriter, musician, arranger, producer, conductor, and performer, best known for such recordings as "Could It Be Magic", "Mandy", "Can't Smile Without You", and "Copacabana ."...
, who produced her first album in 1972,
The Divine Miss MThe Divine Miss M is the debut album by American female vocalist Bette Midler, released in 1972 on the Atlantic Records label. The title of the album refers to Midler's famous stage persona...
. It was during her time at the Continental Baths that she built up a core following. In the late 1990s, during the release of her album
Bathhouse BettyBathhouse Betty is the ninth studio album by the American singer Bette Midler, released in 1998. Bathhouse Betty was Midler's debut album for Warner Bros...
, Midler commented on her time performing there, "Despite the way things turned out [with the AIDS crisis], I'm still proud of those days. I feel like I was at the forefront of the gay liberation movement, and I hope I did my part to help it move forward. So, I kind of wear the label of 'Bathhouse Betty' with pride".
In 1971, Midler starred in the first professional production of
The WhoThe Who are an English rock band formed in 1964 by Roger Daltrey , Pete Townshend , John Entwistle and Keith Moon . They became known for energetic live performances which often included instrument destruction...
's
rock operaA rock opera is a work of rock music that presents a storyline told over multiple parts, songs or sections in the manner of opera. A rock opera differs from a conventional rock album, which usually includes songs that are not unified by a common theme or narrative. More recent developments include...
TommyTommy is the fourth album by English rock band The Who, released by Track Records and Polydor Records in the United Kingdom and Decca Records/MCA in the United States. A double album telling a loose story about a "deaf, dumb and blind boy" who becomes the leader of a messianic movement, Tommy was...
, with director
Richard PearlmanRichard Pearlman was an American theatre and opera director and educator known for his encyclopedic knowledge on every aspect of opera from stage direction to makeup....
and the
Seattle OperaThe Seattle Opera is an opera company located in Seattle, Washington. Founded in 1963 by Glynn Ross, who served as the company's first general director through 1983, Seattle Opera's season runs from August to late May, with five or six operas offered and with eight to ten performances each, often...
. It was during the run of
Tommy that Midler first appeared on
The Tonight ShowThe Tonight Show is an American late-night talk show that has aired on NBC since 1954. It is the longest currently running regularly scheduled entertainment program in the United States, and the third longest-running show on NBC, after Meet the Press and Today.The Tonight Show has been hosted by...
.
1972–1980: The Divine Miss M and success
Midler released her debut album,
The Divine Miss M, on
Atlantic RecordsAtlantic Records is an American record label best known for its many recordings of rhythm and blues, rock and roll, and jazz...
, in December 1972. It reached Billboard's Top 10 and became a million-selling Platinum-certified album, earning Midler the 1973 Grammy Award for Best New Artist. It featured three hit singles, with "Do You Want To Dance?", "
Friends"Friends" is a 1973 hit single by Bette Midler. It was written by Buzzy Linhart and Mark "Moogy" Klingman. In the United States, the song reached #9 on the Adult Contemporary chart and reached #40 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart.-Background:A version of "Friends" was recorded by one of the song's...
", and "
Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy"Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy" was a major hit for The Andrews Sisters and an iconic World War II tune. This song can be considered an early jump blues recording...
", which became Midler's first #1 Adult Contemporary hit. Her self titled follow-up album was released at the end of 1973. It reached Billboard's Top 10 and eventually sold close to a million copies in the United States alone. Midler returned to recording with the 1976 and 1977 albums,
Songs for the New DepressionSongs for the New Depression is the third studio album by American female vocalist Bette Midler, released in early 1976 on the Atlantic Records label. The album which saw Midler making her debut as a composer Songs for the New Depression is the third studio album by American female vocalist Bette...
and
Broken BlossomBroken Blossom is the fourth studio album by American singer Bette Midler, her second album release in 1977 and her fifth on the Atlantic Records label...
.
In 1974, she received a Special
Tony AwardThe Antoinette Perry Award for Excellence in Theatre, more commonly known as a Tony Award, recognizes achievement in live Broadway theatre. The awards are presented by the American Theatre Wing and The Broadway League at an annual ceremony in New York City. The awards are given for Broadway...
for her contribution to Broadway, with
Clams on the Half Shell Revue playing at the Minskoff Theater. From 1975–1978, she also provided the voice of Woody the Spoon on the PBS educational series
Vegetable Soup. In 1977, Midler's first television special,
Ol' Red Hair is Back, premiered, featuring guest stars
Dustin HoffmanDustin Lee Hoffman is an American actor with a career in film, television, and theatre since 1960. He has been known for his versatile portrayals of antiheroes and vulnerable characters....
and
Emmett KellyEmmett Leo Kelly , a native of Sedan, Kansas, was an American circus performer, who created the memorable clown figure "Weary Willie", based on the hobos of the Depression era.- Career development :...
. It went on to win the Emmy Award for Outstanding Special — Comedy-Variety or Music.
In 1979, Midler made her first motion picture, starring in the 1960s-era
rock and rollRock and roll is a genre of popular music that originated and evolved in the United States during the late 1940s and early 1950s, primarily from a combination of African American blues, country, jazz, and gospel music...
tragedy
The RoseThe Rose is a 1979 American musical drama film which tells the story of a self-destructive 1960s rock star who struggles to cope with the constant pressures of her career and the demands of her ruthless business manager...
, as a drug-addicted rock star modeled after
Janis JoplinJanis Lyn Joplin was an American singer, songwriter, painter, dancer and music arranger. She rose to prominence in the late 1960s as the lead singer of Big Brother and the Holding Company and later as a solo artist with her backing groups, The Kozmic Blues Band and The Full Tilt Boogie Band...
. That year, she also released her fifth studio album,
Thighs and WhispersThighs and Whispers is the fifth studio album by American singer Bette Midler. Released in 1979, the album reached #65 on the Billboard Pop Albums chart.-Album information:...
. Midler's first foray into disco was a commercial and critical failure and went on to be her all-time lowest charting album, peaking at #65 on the
BillboardBillboard is a weekly American magazine devoted to the music industry, and is one of the oldest trade magazines in the world. It maintains several internationally recognized music charts that track the most popular songs and albums in various categories on a weekly basis...
album chart. Soon afterward, she began a world concert tour, with one of her shows in Pasadena being filmed and released as the concert film
Divine Madness (1980).
In 1979, she was nominated for the
Academy Award for Best ActressPerformance by an Actress in a Leading Role is one of the Academy Awards of merit presented annually by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences to recognize an actress who has delivered an outstanding performance while working within the film industry...
for
The Rose, a role for which she won the Golden Globe for Best Actress (Comedy or Musical). The film's acclaimed soundtrack album sold over two million copies in the United States alone, earning a Double Platinum certification. The single version of the song held the #1 position on Billboard's Adult Contemporary chart for five consecutive weeks and reached #3 on Billboard's Hot 100. It earned Midler her first Gold single and won the Grammy award for Best Pop Vocal Performance, Female.
1981–89: Wind Beneath My Wings and Beaches
In 1981, Midler worked on the troubled project
Jinxed!Jinxed! is a 1982 comedy-drama film starring Bette Midler, Rip Torn and Ken Wahl. Directed by Don Siegel, the veteran filmmaker would suffer a heart attack during the troubled production...
. It was a comedy, but during production, there was friction with co-star
Ken WahlKen Wahl is an American film and television actor, popular in the 1980s and 1990s. He twice won the title of Sexiest Man on TV, earned an Emmy nomination and won a Golden Globe.-Career:...
and the film's director (veteran
Don SiegelDonald Siegel was an influential American film director and producer. His name variously appeared in the credits of his films as both Don Siegel and Donald Siegel.-Early life:...
). Released in 1982, the film was a major flop. Midler would appear in no other films until 1986. During those four years, she concentrated on her music career and in 1983, released the album
No Frills, produced by
Chuck PlotkinChuck Plotkin is a recording engineer and producer, best known for his work with Bruce Springsteen and Bob Dylan.-Recording engineer:Plotkin has recorded, engineered, mastered and produced albums by Bruce Springsteen, Bob Dylan, and many other artists, starting with The Floating House Band in 1972...
, who was best known for his work with
Bob DylanBob Dylan is an American singer-songwriter, musician, poet, film director and painter. He has been a major and profoundly influential figure in popular music and culture for five decades. Much of his most celebrated work dates from the 1960s when he was an informal chronicler and a seemingly...
and
Bruce SpringsteenBruce Frederick Joseph Springsteen , nicknamed "The Boss," is an American singer-songwriter who records and tours with the E Street Band...
. The album included three single releases: the ballad "All I Need To Know", a cover of Detroit native
Marshall CrenshawMarshall Crenshaw is an American singer, songwriter and guitarist best known for his song "Someday, Someway".-Biography:...
's "You're My Favorite Waste of Time" - which Midler fell in love with after flipping his 45 of "Someday Someway" - and Midler's take on the Rolling Stones cover "
Beast of Burden"Beast of Burden" is a song by English rock band The Rolling Stones, featured on the 1978 album Some Girls. In 2004 Rolling Stone magazine ranked the song #435 on their list of the 500 Greatest Songs of All Time and #433 on the 500 Greatest Rock and Roll Songs of all time.-Inspiration and...
". The rock and
New WaveNew Wave is a subgenre of :rock music that emerged in the mid to late 1970s alongside punk rock. The term at first generally was synonymous with punk rock before being considered a genre in its own right that incorporated aspects of electronic and experimental music, mod subculture, disco and 1960s...
album went on to become Midler's third lowest charting album in the U.S.
Midler was a performer on
USA for AfricaUSA for Africa was the name under which forty-seven predominantly U.S. artists, led by Michael Jackson and Lionel Richie, recorded the hit single "We Are the World" in 1985. The song was a US and UK Number One for the collective in April of that year...
's 1985 fund-raising single "
We Are the World"We Are the World" is a song and charity single originally recorded by the supergroup USA for Africa in 1985. It was written by Michael Jackson and Lionel Richie, and produced by Quincy Jones and Michael Omartian for the album We Are the World...
", and participated at the '
Live AidLive Aid was a dual-venue concert that was held on 13 July 1985. The event was organized by Bob Geldof and Midge Ure to raise funds for relief of the ongoing Ethiopian famine. Billed as the "global jukebox", the event was held simultaneously in Wembley Stadium in London, England, United Kingdom ...
' event at
JFK StadiumJohn F. Kennedy Stadium was an open-air stadium in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania that stood from 1925 to 1992. The South Philadelphia stadium was situated on the east side of the far southern end of Broad Street at a location that is now part of the South Philadelphia Sports Complex...
in Philadelphia. Also in 1985, she signed a multi-picture deal with
Touchstone PicturesTouchstone Pictures is an American film production label and is one of several film labels of the Walt Disney Motion Pictures Group. Established in 1984, its releases typically feature more mature themes and darker tones than those that are released under the Walt Disney Pictures banner.Touchstone...
. She was subsequently cast by director
Paul MazurskyPaul Mazursky is an American film director, screenwriter and actor.-Personal life:He was born Irwin Mazursky in Brooklyn, New York, the son of Jean , a piano player for dance classes, and David Mazursky, a laborer. Mazursky was born to a Jewish family; his grandfather was an immigrant from...
in
Down and Out in Beverly HillsDown and Out in Beverly Hills is a 1986 American comedy film based on the French play Boudu sauvé des eaux, which had previously been adapted on film in 1932 by Jean Renoir. Down and Out in Beverly Hills was directed by Paul Mazursky, and starred Nick Nolte, Bette Midler and Richard Dreyfuss...
, beginning a successful comedic acting career. She followed that role with
Ruthless PeopleRuthless People is a 1986 black comedy written by Dale Launer, starring Danny DeVito, Bette Midler, Judge Reinhold and Helen Slater. It also features Bill Pullman as a supporting role in his film debut....
(1986),
Outrageous Fortune (1987), and
Big BusinessBig Business is a 1988 American comedy film farce starring Bette Midler and Lily Tomlin . It was produced by Touchstone Pictures, with the plot loosely based on The Comedy of Errors by William Shakespeare....
(1988). Later in 1988, Midler lent her voice to the animated character Georgette, a snobbish poodle, in Disney's
Oliver & CompanyOliver & Company is a 1988 American animated film in which a homeless kitten named Oliver joins a gang of dogs to survive on the 1980s New York City streets. The film was produced by Walt Disney Feature Animation and became the twenty-seventh animated feature released in the Walt Disney Animated...
, and had a hit with the tearjerker
BeachesBeaches , is a 1988 American comedy-drama film adapted by Mary Agnes Donoghue from the Iris Rainer Dart novel of the same name...
, co-starring
Barbara HersheyBarbara Hershey , also known as Barbara Seagull, is an American actress. In a career spanning nearly 50 years, she has played a variety of roles on television and in cinema, in several genres including westerns and comedies...
. The accompanying soundtrack remains Midler's all-time biggest selling disc, reaching #2 on Billboard's album chart and with U.S. sales of four million copies. It featured her biggest hit, "
Wind Beneath My Wings"Wind Beneath My Wings" is the title of a song written in 1982 by Jeff Silbar and Larry Henley. They recorded a demo of the song, which they gave to musician Bob Montgomery. Montgomery then recorded his own demo version of the song, changing it from the mid-tempo version he was given to a ballad...
", which went to #1 on Billboard's Hot 100, achieved Platinum status, and won Midler her third
Grammy AwardA Grammy Award — or Grammy — is an accolade by the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences of the United States to recognize outstanding achievement in the music industry...
- for
Record of the YearThe Record of the Year is one of the four most prestigious Grammy Awards presented annually. It has been awarded since 1959.-History:The honorees through its history have been:*1959-1965: Artist only.*1966-1998: Artist and producer....
- at the 1990 telecast.
1990–2000: Chart comeback
In 1990, Midler's "
From A Distance"From a Distance" is a song written in 1985 by American singer-songwriter Julie Gold. Some think this song was inspired by a PF Sloan song of the same name. Gold was working as a secretary at the time for Home Box Office and writing songs in her free time...
" was another chart-topping Platinum single for her. The next year, Midler co-starred with
Woody AllenWoody Allen is an American screenwriter, director, actor, comedian, jazz musician, author, and playwright. Allen's films draw heavily on literature, sexuality, philosophy, psychology, Jewish identity, and the history of cinema...
in
Scenes from a MallScenes from a Mall is a 1991 satirical film directed by Paul Mazursky with a screenplay by Roger L. Simon and Mazursky, starring Bette Midler and Woody Allen. Woody Allen's character, Nick, is married to author Deborah, played by Midler. After years of a happy marriage, Nick reveals to her he's had...
, again for Mazursky. She earned another Academy Award nomination for Best Actress for 1991's
For the BoysFor the Boys is a 1991 film which tells the story of Dixie Leonard, a 1940s actress/singer who teams up with Eddie Sparks, a famous performer to entertain American troops. The film traces her life through 50 years. The original music score was composed by Dave Grusin.The film was adapted by...
, co-starring with James Caan and directed by
Mark RydellMark Rydell is an American actor, film director and producer.-Career:Rydell's initial training was in music. As a youth, he wanted to be a conductor. He began his career as an actor and first became known for his role as Walt Johnson on The Edge of Night and as Jeff Baker on As the World Turns,...
, who also directed
The Rose. For the latter, she was awarded another Golden Globe for Best Actress (Comedy or Musical). She reportedly turned down the lead role in 1992's
Sister ActSister Act is a 1992 American comedy film released by Touchstone Pictures. Directed by Emile Ardolino, it features musical arrangements by Marc Shaiman and stars Whoopi Goldberg as a Reno lounge singer who has been put under protective custody in a San Francisco convent and has to pretend to be a...
, which instead went to
Whoopi GoldbergWhoopi Goldberg is an American comedian, actress, singer-songwriter, political activist, author and talk show host.Goldberg made her film debut in The Color Purple playing Celie, a mistreated black woman in the Deep South. She received a nomination for the Academy Award for Best Actress and won...
. In 1993, she starred with
Sarah Jessica ParkerSarah Jessica Parker is an American film, television, and theater actress and producer.She is best known for her leading role as Carrie Bradshaw on the HBO television series Sex and the City , for which she won four Golden Globe Awards, three Screen Actors Guild Awards, and two Emmy Awards...
and
Kathy NajimyKathy Ann Najimy is an American actress, most notable as Olive Massery on the television series Veronica's Closet, Sister Mary Patrick in Sister Act and the voice of Peggy Hill on the animated television series King of the Hill. Prior to her film work, she was best known for two Off Broadway shows...
in the movie,
Hocus Pocus, as Winifred "Winnie" Sanderson, the head witch of the Sanderson Sisters.
Midler's other films include
StellaStella is a 1990 American drama film produced by The Samuel Goldwyn Company and released by Touchstone Pictures. The screenplay by Robert Getchell is the third feature film adaptation of the 1920 novel Stella Dallas by Olive Higgins Prouty....
(1990),
The First Wives ClubThe First Wives Club is a 1996 comedy film, based on the best-selling 1992 novel of the same name by Olivia Goldsmith. Narrated by Diane Keaton, it stars Keaton, Goldie Hawn, and Bette Midler as three divorced women who seek revenge on their husbands who left them for younger women...
(1996), and
The Stepford WivesThe Stepford Wives is a 1972 satirical thriller novel by Ira Levin. The story concerns Joanna Eberhart, a photographer and young mother who begins to suspect that the frighteningly submissive housewives in her new idyllic Connecticut neighborhood may be robots created by their husbands.Two films of...
(2004). Her television work includes an Emmy-nominated version of the stage musical
GypsyGypsy is a musical with music by Jule Styne, lyrics by Stephen Sondheim, and a book by Arthur Laurents. Gypsy is loosely based on the 1957 memoirs of Gypsy Rose Lee, the famous striptease artist, and focuses on her mother, Rose, whose name has become synonymous with "the ultimate show business...
and a guest appearance as herself in
Fran DrescherFrancine Joy "Fran" Drescher is an American film and television actress, comedian, screenwriter, director, producer, author, singer, talk show host, political lobbyist and health activist...
's
The NannyNanny may refer to:* Nanny, a child's caregiver* A grandmother * A Cajun word for godmother * A female goat* Nanny , a 1981–83 British drama series starring Wendy Craig* Nanny of the Maroons...
. In 1997, Midler, along with her co-stars from
The First Wives Club,
Goldie HawnGoldie Jeanne Hawn is an American actress, film director, producer, and occasional singer. Hawn is known for her roles in Rowan & Martin's Laugh-In, Private Benjamin, Foul Play, Overboard, Bird on a Wire, Death Becomes Her, The First Wives Club, and Cactus Flower, for which she won the 1969...
, and
Diane KeatonDiane Keaton is an American film actress, director, producer, and screenwriter. Keaton began her career on stage, and made her screen debut in 1970...
, was a recipient of the Women in Film Crystal Award, which honors "outstanding women who, through their endurance and the excellence of their work, have helped to expand the role of women within the entertainment industry".
Midler won an
Emmy AwardAn Emmy Award, often referred to simply as the Emmy, is a television production award, similar in nature to the Peabody Awards but more focused on entertainment, and is considered the television equivalent to the Academy Awards and the Grammy Awards .A majority of Emmys are presented in various...
in 1992 for her performance on the next-to-last episode of
The Tonight Show Starring Johnny CarsonThe Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson is a talk show hosted by Johnny Carson under the Tonight Show franchise from 1962 to 1992. It originally aired during late-night....
in May 1992, during which she sang an emotion-laden "
One for My Baby (and One More for the Road)"One for My Baby " is a popular song written by Harold Arlen and Johnny Mercer for the musical The Sky's the Limit and first performed in the film by Fred Astaire. It was popularized by the American singer Frank Sinatra...
" to
Johnny CarsonJohn William "Johnny" Carson was an American television host and comedian, known as host of The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson for 30 years . Carson received six Emmy Awards including the Governor Award and a 1985 Peabody Award; he was inducted into the Television Academy Hall of Fame in 1987...
. That night, Midler began singing "
Here's That Rainy Day"Here's That Rainy Day" is a popular song with music by Jimmy Van Heusen and lyrics by Johnny Burke, published in 1953. It was introduced by Dolores Gray in the Broadway musical Carnival in Flanders...
", Carson's favorite song; Carson joined in a few lyrics later. She appeared on
SeinfeldSeinfeld is an American television sitcom that originally aired on NBC from July 5, 1989, to May 14, 1998, lasting nine seasons, and is now in syndication. It was created by Larry David and Jerry Seinfeld, the latter starring as a fictionalized version of himself...
in the episode "The Understudy," which was the season finale of that show's sixth season in 1995.
Her 1997 HBO special
Diva Las Vegas earned her a third Emmy Award, for Outstanding Performance in a Variety or Music Program.
In 1995 and 1999, she reached the top of the US Dance Charts with remixes of her hits "To Deserve You" on Atlantic and "I'm Beautiful" on Warner Brothers Records.
2000–01
Midler has guest-starred in various sitcoms over the years, including
The SimpsonsThe Simpsons is an American animated sitcom created by Matt Groening for the Fox Broadcasting Company. The series is a satirical parody of a middle class American lifestyle epitomized by its family of the same name, which consists of Homer, Marge, Bart, Lisa and Maggie...
in the episode "
Krusty Gets Kancelled"Krusty Gets Kancelled" is the twenty-second and final episode of The Simpsons fourth season. It first aired on the Fox network in the United States on May 13, 1993. In the episode, a new show featuring a puppet named Gabbo premieres in Springfield and competes with Krusty the Clown's show...
" (she is first seen traversing a highway picking up trash when she is approached by
BartBartholomew JoJo "Bart" Simpson is a fictional main character in the animated television series The Simpsons and part of the Simpson family. He is voiced by actress Nancy Cartwright and first appeared on television in The Tracey Ullman Show short "Good Night" on April 19, 1987...
and
LisaLisa Marie Simpson is a fictional main character in the animated television series The Simpsons. She is the middle child of the Simpson family. Voiced by Yeardley Smith, Lisa first appeared on television in The Tracey Ullman Show short "Good Night" on April 19, 1987. Cartoonist Matt Groening...
with a request for Midler to appear on a show to revive Krusty's dying career). She also appeared on
The NannyNanny may refer to:* Nanny, a child's caregiver* A grandmother * A Cajun word for godmother * A female goat* Nanny , a 1981–83 British drama series starring Wendy Craig* Nanny of the Maroons...
in the aptly titled episode "You Bette Your Life". In 2000, Midler starred in her own sitcom,
Bette. Airing on
CBSCBS Broadcasting Inc. is a major US commercial broadcasting television network, which started as a radio network. The name is derived from the initials of the network's former name, Columbia Broadcasting System. The network is sometimes referred to as the "Eye Network" in reference to the shape of...
, initial ratings were high but soon declined and the show did not last a full season, being cancelled in early 2001. During the show's short lifespan, Bette's daughter (played by
Lindsay LohanLindsay Lohan is an American actress, pop singer and model. She began her career as a child fashion model before making her motion picture debut in Disney's 1998 remake of The Parent Trap at the age of 11...
in the pilot, then by Marina Malota starting with the third episode) and her husband were recast (
Robert HaysRobert Hays is an American actor and is arguably most well known for his role in the movie Airplane!-Life and career:...
succeeded
Kevin DunnKevin Dunn is an American actor who has appeared in supporting roles in a number of films since the 1980s. His roles include Colonel Hicks in the 1998 version of Godzilla, Sam Witwicky's father in Transformers, and Oscar Galvin, the primary antagonist in the 2010 action thriller...
in the final episode aired). The show was also reportedly rocked by backstage turmoil. Also in 2001,
Bette or Bust, a book chronicling Midler's "Divine Miss Millennium Tour", was released.
Music
Midler has won three
Grammy AwardA Grammy Award — or Grammy — is an accolade by the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences of the United States to recognize outstanding achievement in the music industry...
s. Her rendition of the 1990 "
From a Distance"From a Distance" is a song written in 1985 by American singer-songwriter Julie Gold. Some think this song was inspired by a PF Sloan song of the same name. Gold was working as a secretary at the time for Home Box Office and writing songs in her free time...
" also earned a Grammy award (for the song's composer
Julie GoldJulie Gold is a New York singer-songwriter. She is best known for Bette Midler's version of her song "From a Distance" which won the Grammy for Song of the Year in 1991....
), and became her longest running #1 - six consecutive weeks - on Billboard's Adult Contemporary chart. It also reached #2 Pop and was another Platinum-selling single for Bette. When the
American Film InstituteThe American Film Institute is an independent non-profit organization created by the National Endowment for the Arts, which was established in 1967 when President Lyndon B. Johnson signed the National Foundation on the Arts and the Humanities Act...
announced "The 100 Years of the Greatest Songs" on June 22, 2004, two of Midler's recordings were selected by the board: "Wind Beneath My Wings" (#44) and "
The Rose"The Rose" is a pop song written by Amanda McBroom and made famous by Bette Midler, who performed it in the 1979 movie, The Rose. Since then it has been covered by a variety of artists.-Bette Midler version:...
" (#83). However, after years of erratic record sales, Midler was dropped from the Warner Brothers label in 2001, after nearly three decades with
Warner Music GroupWarner Music Group is the third largest business group and family of record labels in the recording industry, making it one of the big four record companies...
.
After a reported long-standing feud with Barry Manilow, the two joined forces after many years in 2003 to record
Bette Midler Sings the Rosemary Clooney SongbookBette Midler Sings the Rosemary Clooney Songbook is an album by the American singer Bette Midler. It was produced by Barry Manilow and marked the first time that Midler had worked with Manilow in more than twenty years...
. Of the project, Manilow said he'd had a dream that he was recording with Midler again, so he called her up with the idea and she agreed that it was due time to work together again. Manilow duetted with Midler on the song "(I'd Like to Get You on a) Slow Boat to China", after a little dialogue between the two artists at the start of the track. Now signed to
Columbia RecordsColumbia Records is an American record label, owned by Japan's Sony Music Entertainment, operating under the Columbia Music Group with Aware Records. It was founded in 1888, evolving from an earlier enterprise, the American Graphophone Company — successor to the Volta Graphophone Company...
, the album was an instant success, being certified gold in only a few weeks. One of the
Clooney Songbook selections, "This Ole House," became Midler's first Christian radio single shipped by
Rick HendrixRichard Binghames Hendrix Jr. , better known by the name Rick Hendrix, is an American entertainment promoter and songwriter of southern gospel, country music and pop music...
and his positive music movement. The album was nominated for a Grammy the following year.
In 2003–04, Midler toured the U.S. in her new show,
Kiss My BrassBette Midler hit the road for the first time in four years with her 2003–2004 Kiss My Brass concert tour. The first leg of the tour kicked off on December 10 in Chicago, Illinois and went through the middle of February. The tour hit the top 40 cities across the U.S. with one stop in Toronto, Ontario...
, to sell-out audiences. In early 2005, an Australian tour,
Kiss My Brass Down Under, was equally successful. Midler joined forces again with Manilow for another tribute album,
Bette Midler Sings the Peggy Lee SongbookBette Midler Sings the Peggy Lee Songbook is an album by Bette Midler. The album was produced by Barry Manilow as a follow-up to their grammy-nominated album Bette Midler Sings the Rosemary Clooney Songbook. ...Peggy Lee Songbook was Bette's first album released in the DualDisc format...
. Released in October 2005, the album sold 55,000 copies the first week of release and returned Midler to the Top 10.
Ongoing work
In 2006, Midler released a new Christmas album,
Cool YuleCool Yule is a holiday album by Bette Midler released on October 10, 2006. The album features many Christmas tunes as well as a reworking of her Grammy-winning hit "From a Distance"....
, featuring the title song (written by
Steve AllenSteve Allen may refer to:*Steve Allen , American musician, comedian, and writer*Steve Allen , presenter on the London-based talk radio station LBC 97.3...
) and a duet of "
Winter Wonderland"Winter Wonderland" is a winter song, popularly treated as a Christmastime pop standard, written in 1934 by Felix Bernard and Richard B. Smith . Through the decades it has been recorded by over 150 different artists.-History:...
/
Let It Snow"Let It Snow! Let It Snow! Let It Snow!", also known as "Let It Snow", is a song written by lyricist Sammy Cahn and composer Jule Styne in 1945. The song was written in July 1945 in Hollywood, California during one of the hottest days on record. First recorded by Vaughn Monroe, it became a popular...
" with
Johnny MathisJohn Royce "Johnny" Mathis is an American singer of popular music. Starting his career with singles of standards, he became highly popular as an album artist, with several dozen of his albums achieving gold or platinum status, and 73 making the Billboard charts...
. Midler starred in the 2007 film
Then She Found MeThen She Found Me is a 2007 American comedy-drama film directed by Helen Hunt. The screenplay by Hunt, Alice Arlen, and Victor Levin is based on the 1990 novel of the same name by Elinor Lipman...
, directed by
Helen HuntHelen Elizabeth Hunt is an American actress, film director, and screenwriter. She starred in the sitcom Mad About You for seven years, before being cast in the romantic comedy As Good as It Gets...
and starring Hunt,
Matthew BroderickMatthew Broderick is an American film and stage actor who, among other roles, played the title character in Ferris Bueller's Day Off, Adult Simba in The Lion King film series, and Leo Bloom in the film and Broadway productions of The Producers.He has won two Tony Awards, one in 1983 for his...
, and
Colin FirthSirColin Andrew Firth, CBE is a British film, television, and theatre actor. Firth gained wide public attention in the 1990s for his portrayal of Mr. Darcy in the 1995 television adaptation of Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice...
, and appeared on the
American Idol season 6The sixth season of American Idol premiered on the Fox Broadcasting Company as a two-night, four-hour premiere special on January 16 and January 17, and ran until May 23, 2007. Simon Cowell, Paula Abdul, and Randy Jackson returned to judge once again, and Ryan Seacrest returned as host...
finale, singing "
Wind Beneath My Wings"Wind Beneath My Wings" is the title of a song written in 1982 by Jeff Silbar and Larry Henley. They recorded a demo of the song, which they gave to musician Bob Montgomery. Montgomery then recorded his own demo version of the song, changing it from the mid-tempo version he was given to a ballad...
" live at the
Kodak TheatreThe Kodak Theatre is a live theatre in the Hollywood and Highland shopping mall and entertainment complex on Hollywood Boulevard and North Highland Avenue in the Hollywood district of Los Angeles...
.
On December 6, 2007, Midler's album
Cool Yule received a Grammy nomination for Best Traditional Pop Vocal Album.
Midler had a
VegasThe Las Vegas Strip is an approximately stretch of Las Vegas Boulevard in Clark County, Nevada; adjacent to, but outside the city limits of Las Vegas proper. The Strip lies within the unincorporated townships of Paradise and Winchester...
show entitled
Bette Midler: The Showgirl Must Go OnThe Showgirl Must Go On was a show at The Colosseum at Caesars Palace in Las Vegas that starred pop diva Bette Midler. Showgirl premiered on February 20, 2008 and closed on January 31, 2010. Midler signed for 300 shows from 2008 to 2010 at a pace of 100 performances a year...
at The Colosseum at Caesars Palace. The show comprised The Staggering Harlettes, 20 female dancers called The Caesar Salad Girls and a 13-piece band. Midler was reportedly paid $120 million per year for her 200 shows. The show debuted on February 20, 2008, and played its final performance on January 31, 2010, after a two-year run.
A new "best of" album,
Jackpot: The Best BetteJackpot! The Best Bette is a compilation album of recordings by American singer Bette Midler released on September 23, 2008...
, was released in 2008 and reached #66 on the U.S. charts, and #6 in the U.K., where it was certified Platinum.
In June 2009, Midler appeared on the Bravo TV show
My Life on the D-List with
Kathy GriffinKathleen Mary "Kathy" Griffin is an American actress, stand-up comedienne, television personality, New York Times best-selling author and an LGBT rights advocate. Griffin first gained recognition for appearances on two episodes of Seinfeld, and then for her supporting role on the NBC sitcom...
. December 2009 saw Midler appear on the British Royal Variety Performance in front of Her Majesty, Queen Elizabeth II. She performed "In My Life" and "Wind Beneath My Wings" as the closing act.
In 2010, Midler voiced the character Kitty Galore in the animated film
Cats & Dogs: The Revenge of Kitty GaloreCats & Dogs: The Revenge of Kitty Galore is a 2010 family action comedy film directed by Brad Peyton. The film stars Chris O'Donnell and Jack McBrayer. The film also stars the voices of James Marsden, Nick Nolte, Christina Applegate, Katt Williams, Bette Midler, and Neil Patrick Harris...
. In November 2010, Midler also released another compilation of lesser known tracks from her catalog, entitled
Memories of You.
Midler is one of the producers of the
Broadway productionBroadway theatre, commonly called simply Broadway, refers to theatrical performances presented in one of the 40 professional theatres with 500 or more seats located in the Theatre District centered along Broadway, and in Lincoln Center, in Manhattan in New York City...
of the musical
Priscilla Queen of the Desert which opened in February 2011.
Midler will be co-starring alongside Billy Crystal in the movie
Parental Guidance due to be released in 2012. Midler also is auctioning her outfits and achievements from her 40 year career in November 2011 in order to raise money for NYRP
Charity work
In 1995, Midler founded the
New York Restoration ProjectNew York Restoration Project, a non-profit organization, is the private partner in Mayor Bloomberg's MillionTreesNYC campaign to plant one million new trees in New York City by 2017.- History :...
(NYRP), a non-profit organization with the goal of revitalizing neglected neighborhood parks in economically disadvantaged neighborhoods of New York City. These include
Highbridge ParkHighbridge Park is located in Washington Heights on the banks of the Harlem River near the northernmost tip of the New York City borough of Manhattan, between 155th Street and Dyckman Street...
, Fort Washington Park, and
Fort Tryon ParkFort Tryon Park is a public park located in the Washington Heights section of the borough of Manhattan in New York City, USA. It is situated on a 67 acre ridge in Upper Manhattan, with a commanding view of the Hudson River, the George Washington Bridge, the New Jersey Palisades and the Harlem River...
in upper Manhattan and
Roberto Clemente State ParkRoberto Clemente State Park is a state park in the South Bronx, New York in the USA. The park is in the northern part of New York City, adjacent to the Harlem River, the Major Deegan Expressway and the Morris Heights station on Metro-North's Hudson Line...
and
Bridge Park in the Bronx.
In 1999, the city planned to auction 114 community gardens for commercial development. Midler led a coalition of greening organizations to save them. NYRP took ownership of 60 of the most neglected plots. Today, Midler and her organization work with local volunteers and community groups to ensure that these gardens are kept safe, clean and vibrant. In 2003, Midler opened Swindler Cove Park, a new 5 acres (20,234.3 m²) public park on the
Harlem RiverThe Harlem River is a navigable tidal strait in New York City, USA that flows 8 miles between the Hudson River and the East River, separating the boroughs of Manhattan and the Bronx...
shore featuring specially designed educational facilities and the Peter Jay Sharp Boathouse, the first community
rowingRowing is a sport in which athletes race against each other on rivers, on lakes or on the ocean, depending upon the type of race and the discipline. The boats are propelled by the reaction forces on the oar blades as they are pushed against the water...
facility to be built on the Harlem River in more than 100 years. The organization offers free in-school and after-school
environmental educationEnvironmental education refers to organized efforts to teach about how natural environments function and, particularly, how human beings can manage their behavior and ecosystems in order to live sustainably. The term is often used to imply education within the school system, from primary to...
programming to students from high-poverty Title I schools.
Discography
- 1972: The Divine Miss M
The Divine Miss M is the debut album by American female vocalist Bette Midler, released in 1972 on the Atlantic Records label. The title of the album refers to Midler's famous stage persona...
- 1973: Bette Midler
Bette Midler is the eponymous second studio album by American female vocalist Bette Midler, released in 1973 on the Atlantic Records label...
- 1976: Songs for the New Depression
Songs for the New Depression is the third studio album by American female vocalist Bette Midler, released in early 1976 on the Atlantic Records label. The album which saw Midler making her debut as a composer Songs for the New Depression is the third studio album by American female vocalist Bette...
- 1977: Live at Last
- 1977: Broken Blossom
Broken Blossom is the fourth studio album by American singer Bette Midler, her second album release in 1977 and her fifth on the Atlantic Records label...
- 1979: Thighs and Whispers
Thighs and Whispers is the fifth studio album by American singer Bette Midler. Released in 1979, the album reached #65 on the Billboard Pop Albums chart.-Album information:...
- 1983: No Frills
No Frills is the sixth studio album by American singer Bette Midler, released on Atlantic Records in 1983. No Frills was Midler's first studio album in four years, following the movies The Rose, Divine Madness! and the ill-fated Jinxed!...
- 1990: Some People's Lives
Some People's Lives is the seventh studio album by American singer Bette Midler, released on the Atlantic Records label in 1990. It contains one of her biggest hits, "From A Distance", which won her a Grammy for Song of the Year in 1991....
- 1995: Bette of Roses
Bette of Roses is the eighth studio album by American singer Bette Midler, released on Atlantic Records in 1995. It became Midler's final album for the label, twenty-three years after the release of her debut and breakthrough The Divine Miss M Bette of Roses is the eighth studio album by American...
- 1998: Bathhouse Betty
Bathhouse Betty is the ninth studio album by the American singer Bette Midler, released in 1998. Bathhouse Betty was Midler's debut album for Warner Bros...
- 2000: Bette
Bette is a self titled album by Bette Midler, released in 2000 .- Track listing :#"That's How The Heartaches Are Made" - 3:08#"In These Shoes" - 3:41...
- 2003: Bette Midler Sings the Rosemary Clooney Songbook
Bette Midler Sings the Rosemary Clooney Songbook is an album by the American singer Bette Midler. It was produced by Barry Manilow and marked the first time that Midler had worked with Manilow in more than twenty years...
- 2005: Bette Midler Sings the Peggy Lee Songbook
Bette Midler Sings the Peggy Lee Songbook is an album by Bette Midler. The album was produced by Barry Manilow as a follow-up to their grammy-nominated album Bette Midler Sings the Rosemary Clooney Songbook. ...Peggy Lee Songbook was Bette's first album released in the DualDisc format...
- 2006: Cool Yule
Cool Yule is a holiday album by Bette Midler released on October 10, 2006. The album features many Christmas tunes as well as a reworking of her Grammy-winning hit "From a Distance"....
- 2008: Jackpot: The Best Bette
Jackpot! The Best Bette is a compilation album of recordings by American singer Bette Midler released on September 23, 2008...
- 2010: Memories of You
"Memories of You" is a popular song with lyrics written by Andy Razaf and music composed by Eubie Blake and published in 1930.-Song history:The song was introduced by singer Minto Cato in the Broadway show Lew Leslie's Blackbirds of 1930...
Tours
- 1970-1972: Continental Baths
In 1968, Steve Ostrow opened the Continental Baths in the basement of the Ansonia Hotel in New York City. Continental Baths was advertised as reminiscent of "the glory of ancient Rome."-Facilities:...
- 1972: Cross Country Tour
- 1973: The Divine Miss M Tour
- 1975: Clams on the Half Shell Revue
- 1975-1976: The Depression Tour
- 1977-1978: An Intimate Evening with Bette
- 1978: The Rose Live In Concert
- 1978: World Tour (Bette Midler)
- 1979-1980: Bette! Divine Madness
- 1980: Divine Madness - Pasadena
- 1982-1983: De Tour
- 1993: Experience the Divine
Experience the Divine: Greatest Hits is a compilation album by American singer Bette Midler, featuring many of her best-known songs. The fourteen track compilation was released on Atlantic Records in 1993....
- 1994: Experience The Divine Again!
- 1997: Diva Las Vegas
The Divine Miss "M" takes center stage at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas for this performance of raucous music and comedy show. Featuring Ms. Midler's signature mix of heavenly singing, bawdy comedy, and brazen costumes, Diva Las Vegas is proof that Midler has the right to refer to herself as 'The...
- 1999: Bathhouse Betty Club Tour
- 1999-2000: The Divine Miss Millennium Tour
- 2003-2004: Kiss My Brass
Bette Midler hit the road for the first time in four years with her 2003–2004 Kiss My Brass concert tour. The first leg of the tour kicked off on December 10 in Chicago, Illinois and went through the middle of February. The tour hit the top 40 cities across the U.S. with one stop in Toronto, Ontario...
- 2005: Kiss My Brass Down Under
- 2008-2010: The Showgirl Must Go On
The Showgirl Must Go On was a show at The Colosseum at Caesars Palace in Las Vegas that starred pop diva Bette Midler. Showgirl premiered on February 20, 2008 and closed on January 31, 2010. Midler signed for 300 shows from 2008 to 2010 at a pace of 100 performances a year...
Film
| Year |
Title |
Role |
Notes |
| 1966 |
Hawaii Hawaii is a 1966 American film directed by George Roy Hill and based on the novel of the same name by James A. Michener. It tells the story of an 1820s Yale University divinity student who, along with his new bride , becomes a Calvinist missionary in the Hawaiian Islands...
|
Passenger |
uncredited |
| 1969 |
Goodbye, Columbus Goodbye, Columbus is a 1969 American romantic comedy drama film starring Richard Benjamin and Ali MacGraw, directed by Larry Peerce and based on the novella of the same name by Philip Roth...
|
Wedding Guest |
uncredited, cut scene |
| 1972 |
Scarecrow in a Garden of Cucumbers |
unknown |
voice |
| 1974 |
|
Virgin Mary |
Also known as The Divine Mr. J; blocked distribution of film |
| 1979 |
|
Mary Rose Foster |
Golden Globe Award for Best Actress – Motion Picture Musical or Comedy
Nominated — Academy Award for Best ActressPerformance by an Actress in a Leading Role is one of the Academy Awards of merit presented annually by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences to recognize an actress who has delivered an outstanding performance while working within the film industry...
Nominated — BAFTA Award for Best Actress in a Leading RoleBest Actress in a Leading Role is a British Academy Film award presented annually by the British Academy of Film and Television Arts to recognise an actress who has delivered an outstanding leading performance in a film.- Winners and nominees :...
|
| 1980 |
Divine Madness! Divine Madness is a 1980 concert film directed by Michael Ritchie, and featuring Bette Midler during her 1979 concert at Pasadena's Civic Auditorium...
|
Herself/
Divine Miss M. |
concert film
Nominated — Golden Globe Award for Best Actress – Motion Picture Musical or Comedy |
| 1982 |
Jinxed! Jinxed! is a 1982 comedy-drama film starring Bette Midler, Rip Torn and Ken Wahl. Directed by Don Siegel, the veteran filmmaker would suffer a heart attack during the troubled production...
|
Bonita Friml |
|
| 1986 |
Down and Out in Beverly Hills Down and Out in Beverly Hills is a 1986 American comedy film based on the French play Boudu sauvé des eaux, which had previously been adapted on film in 1932 by Jean Renoir. Down and Out in Beverly Hills was directed by Paul Mazursky, and starred Nick Nolte, Bette Midler and Richard Dreyfuss...
|
Barbara Whiteman |
Nominated — Golden Globe Award for Best Actress – Motion Picture Musical or Comedy |
| 1986 |
Ruthless PeopleRuthless People is a 1986 black comedy written by Dale Launer, starring Danny DeVito, Bette Midler, Judge Reinhold and Helen Slater. It also features Bill Pullman as a supporting role in his film debut....
|
Barbara Stone |
American Comedy Award for Funniest Actress in a Motion Picture |
| 1987 |
Outrageous Fortune |
Sandy Brozinsky |
American Comedy Award for Funniest Actress in a Motion Picture
Nominated — Golden Globe Award for Best Actress – Motion Picture Musical or Comedy |
| 1988 |
Beaches Beaches , is a 1988 American comedy-drama film adapted by Mary Agnes Donoghue from the Iris Rainer Dart novel of the same name...
|
C. C. Bloom |
|
| 1988 |
Oliver & CompanyOliver & Company is a 1988 American animated film in which a homeless kitten named Oliver joins a gang of dogs to survive on the 1980s New York City streets. The film was produced by Walt Disney Feature Animation and became the twenty-seventh animated feature released in the Walt Disney Animated...
|
Georgette |
voice |
| 1988 |
Big Business Big Business is a 1988 American comedy film farce starring Bette Midler and Lily Tomlin . It was produced by Touchstone Pictures, with the plot loosely based on The Comedy of Errors by William Shakespeare....
|
Sadie Shelton/Sadie Ratliff |
American Comedy Award for Funniest Actress in a Motion Picture |
| 1989 |
|
|
Short film |
| 1990 |
Stella Stella is a 1990 American drama film produced by The Samuel Goldwyn Company and released by Touchstone Pictures. The screenplay by Robert Getchell is the third feature film adaptation of the 1920 novel Stella Dallas by Olive Higgins Prouty....
|
Stella Claire |
|
| 1991 |
For the Boys For the Boys is a 1991 film which tells the story of Dixie Leonard, a 1940s actress/singer who teams up with Eddie Sparks, a famous performer to entertain American troops. The film traces her life through 50 years. The original music score was composed by Dave Grusin.The film was adapted by...
|
Dixie Leonard |
Golden Globe Award for Best Actress – Motion Picture Musical or Comedy
Nominated — Academy Award for Best ActressPerformance by an Actress in a Leading Role is one of the Academy Awards of merit presented annually by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences to recognize an actress who has delivered an outstanding performance while working within the film industry...
|
| 1991 |
Scenes from a Mall Scenes from a Mall is a 1991 satirical film directed by Paul Mazursky with a screenplay by Roger L. Simon and Mazursky, starring Bette Midler and Woody Allen. Woody Allen's character, Nick, is married to author Deborah, played by Midler. After years of a happy marriage, Nick reveals to her he's had...
|
Deborah Fifer |
|
| 1992 |
Hijinx |
... The Ringmaster |
|
| 1993 |
Gypsy Gypsy is a 1993 musical television film directed by Emile Ardolino. The teleplay by Arthur Laurents is an adaptation of his book of the 1959 stage musical Gypsy: A Musical Fable, which was based on Gypsy: A Memoir by Gypsy Rose Lee....
|
Mama Rose |
Television film
Golden Globe AwardThe Golden Globe Award is an accolade bestowed by the 93 members of the Hollywood Foreign Press Association recognizing excellence in film and television, both domestic and foreign...
for Best Performance by an Actress in a Mini-Series or Motion Picture Made for TV
Nominated — Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actress – Miniseries or a Movie |
| 1993 |
Hocus Pocus |
Winifred 'Winnie' Sanderson |
Nominated — Saturn Award for Best Actress |
| 1995 |
Get Shorty Get Shorty is a 1995 crime-comedy film based on Elmore Leonard's novel of the same name. Directed by Barry Sonnenfeld and starring John Travolta, Gene Hackman, Rene Russo, and Danny DeVito, the plot remained true to the book except for a few minor details....
|
Doris Saphron |
uncredited
American Comedy Award for Funniest Supporting Actress in a Motion Picture |
| 1996 |
|
Brenda Cushman |
National Board of Review Award for Best Cast The National Board of Review Award for Best Acting by an Ensemble is an annual film award given by the National Board of Review.-1990s:...
Nominated — Satellite Award for Best Actress - Motion Picture Musical or ComedyThe Satellite Award for Best Actress in a Motion Picture Musical or Comedy is one the Satellite Awards, given annually by the International Press Academy.- 1990s :- 2000s :- 2010–2019 :...
|
| 1997 |
That Old Feeling |
Lilly Leonard |
|
| 1999 |
Get Bruce |
Herself |
|
| 1999 |
Fantasia 2000 Fantasia 2000 is a 1999 American animated film produced by Walt Disney Feature Animation and released by Walt Disney Pictures. It was the 38th feature in the Walt Disney Animated Classics series and a sequel to 1940's Fantasia...
|
Herself / Hostess |
(segment "Piano Concerto No. 2, Allegro, Opus 102") |
| 2000 |
What Women Want What Women Want is a 2000 American romantic comedy film, directed by Nancy Meyers and starring Mel Gibson and Helen Hunt. The movie was a box office success with a domestic gross of $182,811,707 and a worldwide gross of $374,111,707, against a budget of $70 million.-Plot:Nick Marshall, a Chicago...
|
Dr. J.M. Perkins |
uncredited |
| 2000 |
Isn't She Great Isn't She Great is a 2000 American biographical film.A highly fictionalized account of the life and career of best-selling author Jacqueline Susann, the Universal Pictures release focuses on her early struggles as an aspiring actress relentlessly hungry for fame, her relationship with press agent...
|
Jacqueline Susann Jacqueline Susann was an American author known for her best-selling novels. Her most notable work was Valley of the Dolls, a book that broke sales records and spawned an Oscar-nominated 1967 film and a short-lived TV series.-Early years:Jacqueline Susann was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania to...
|
|
| 2000 |
Drowning MonaDrowning Mona is a 2000 comedy-mystery film starring Danny DeVito as Wyatt Rash, a local police chief from Verplanck, New York, who investigates the mysterious death of Mona Dearly, a spiteful, loud-mouthed, cruel and highly unpopular woman, who drove her son's car off a cliff and drowned in a...
|
Mona Dearly |
|
| 2004 |
|
Bobbie Markowitz |
|
| 2007 |
Then She Found Me Then She Found Me is a 2007 American comedy-drama film directed by Helen Hunt. The screenplay by Hunt, Alice Arlen, and Victor Levin is based on the 1990 novel of the same name by Elinor Lipman...
|
Bernice Graves |
|
| 2008 |
|
Leah Miller |
|
| 2010 |
Cats & Dogs: The Revenge of Kitty Galore Cats & Dogs: The Revenge of Kitty Galore is a 2010 family action comedy film directed by Brad Peyton. The film stars Chris O'Donnell and Jack McBrayer. The film also stars the voices of James Marsden, Nick Nolte, Christina Applegate, Katt Williams, Bette Midler, and Neil Patrick Harris...
|
Kitty Galore |
|
| 2012 |
Parental Guidance |
Diane Decker |
|
Television
| Year |
Title |
Role |
Notes |
| 1976 |
Vegetable Soup |
Woody the Spoon |
Voice role |
| 1976 |
The Bette Midler Show The Bette Midler Show is a HBO Video special of one of Bette Midler's tours entitled 'The Depression Tour', The video is of her show during her tour in Cleveland, during February of 1976...
|
Herself |
Television special |
| 1977 |
Ol' Red Hair is Back |
Herself |
Television special
Primetime Emmy AwardThe Primetime Emmy Awards are awards presented by the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences in recognition of excellence in American primetime television programming...
for Outstanding Comedy-Variety or Music Special
Nominated — Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Writing for a Variety, Music or Comedy ProgramThe Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Writing for a Variety, Music or Comedy Program debuted in 1957, and has been annually awarded most years since 1964. It has had many slight name changes, mostly involving the addition or subtraction of the word comedy. Generally, the category has...
|
| 1984 |
Art Or Bust |
Herself/
Divine Miss M. |
Television special |
| 1984 |
Video Music Awards |
Herself/
co-host |
Awards Show |
| 1989 |
|
Music teacher |
Created to demonstrate special effects; shot entirely and shown only at Disney-MGM Studios in Florida |
| 1990 |
Earth Day Special |
Mother Nature |
|
| 1993 |
|
Herself |
"Krusty Gets Kancelled"Krusty Gets Kancelled" is the twenty-second and final episode of The Simpsons fourth season. It first aired on the Fox network in the United States on May 13, 1993. In the episode, a new show featuring a puppet named Gabbo premieres in Springfield and competes with Krusty the Clown's show...
" |
| 1995 |
SeinfeldSeinfeld is an American television sitcom that originally aired on NBC from July 5, 1989, to May 14, 1998, lasting nine seasons, and is now in syndication. It was created by Larry David and Jerry Seinfeld, the latter starring as a fictionalized version of himself...
|
Herself |
"The Understudy" |
| 1997 |
Diva Las VegasThe Divine Miss "M" takes center stage at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas for this performance of raucous music and comedy show. Featuring Ms. Midler's signature mix of heavenly singing, bawdy comedy, and brazen costumes, Diva Las Vegas is proof that Midler has the right to refer to herself as 'The...
|
Herself/
Divine Miss M. |
Television special
Primetime Emmy Award for Individual Performance in a Variety or Music ProgramThis is a list of winners of the Primetime Emmy Award for Individual Performance In A Variety Or Music Program. Awards in this category from 1974 through 1978 were presented for Outstanding Supporting Actor or Actress in A Variety Show or Special...
Nominated — Primetime Emmy AwardThe Primetime Emmy Awards are awards presented by the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences in recognition of excellence in American primetime television programming...
for Outstanding Comedy-Variety or Music Special |
| 1997 |
|
Herself |
"You Bette Your Life" |
| 1998 |
|
Herself |
"Never Can Say Goodbye" |
| 1999 |
Jackie's Back Jackie's Back is a 1999 television movie directed by Robert Townsend. It premiered on the Lifetime Television Network on June 14, 1999.-Plot:...
|
Herself |
|
| 2000–01 |
Bette |
Bette |
18 episodes
TV Guide Award - Actress of the Year in a New Series
Nominated — Golden Globe Award for Best Actress – Television Series Musical or Comedy |
| 2008 |
Strictly Come DancingStrictly Come Dancing is a British television show, featuring celebrities with professional dance partners competing in Ballroom and Latin dances. The title of the show suggests a continuation of the long-running series Come Dancing, with an allusion to the film Strictly Ballroom...
|
Herself |
Performed Wind Beneath My Wings "Wind Beneath My Wings" is the title of a song written in 1982 by Jeff Silbar and Larry Henley. They recorded a demo of the song, which they gave to musician Bob Montgomery. Montgomery then recorded his own demo version of the song, changing it from the mid-tempo version he was given to a ballad...
|
| 2009 |
Loose WomenLoose Women is a British lunchtime television programme, first broadcast in 1999 on ITV. It consists of a panel of four women who interview celebrities and discuss topical issues, ranging from daily politics and current affairs, to celebrity gossip...
|
Herself |
Guest Host |
| 2009 |
Dancing on Ice Dancing on Ice is a British television show co-hosted by Christine Bleakley and Philip Schofield, in which celebrities and their professional partners figure skate in front of a panel of judges. The format, devised by LWT and Granada Television, has been a prime-time hit in eight different...
|
Herself |
Performed |
| 2009 |
Strictly Come DancingStrictly Come Dancing is a British television show, featuring celebrities with professional dance partners competing in Ballroom and Latin dances. The title of the show suggests a continuation of the long-running series Come Dancing, with an allusion to the film Strictly Ballroom...
|
Herself |
Performed The Rose "The Rose" is a pop song written by Amanda McBroom and made famous by Bette Midler, who performed it in the 1979 movie, The Rose. Since then it has been covered by a variety of artists.-Bette Midler version:...
|
| 2009 |
|
Herself |
Guest |
| 2009 |
|
Herself |
Performed |
| 2009 |
|
Herself |
Guest |
| 2009 |
Kathy Griffin: My Life on the D-ListKathy Griffin: My Life on the D-List is a reality show starring Kathy Griffin. The series aired on Bravo. It debuted in August 2005, and was cancelled in November 2010....
|
Herself |
Guest / toured Las Vegas nightlife w/Kathy |
| 2010 |
|
Herself |
HBO TV Special (December 31) |
| 2010 |
Paul O'Grady's Christmas |
Herself |
Guest |
See also
Further reading
- A View From A Broad 1981
- The Saga of Baby Divine (Crown Publishers, 1984), ISBN 978-0-517-55040-3
- Bette: An Intimate Biography of Bette Midler by George Mair (Birch Lane Press, 1995), ISBN 1-55972-272-X
External links