Bette Davis, the two-time Academy Award winner, was a force both on and off the screen. In 1936, she sued Warner Bros., her contracted studio, for saddling her with inferior roles. Though she lost the case, Davis continued to challenge Hollywood’s expectations of its leading ladies, adopting complex, unsympathetic, and unglamorous roles.
“I do not regret one professional enemy I have made,” Davis wrote in her memoir, The Lonely Life. “I suppose I’m larger than life. That’s my problem. Created in a fury, I’m at home in a tempest.”
A Life of Constant Movement
Davis’s personal life was marked by constant relocation, with at least 75 residences throughout her lifetime. “Playing house is a childhood game I’ve never put away,” she once said. “My home has always meant so much to me.”
Her early life in Massachusetts was shaped by her father’s abandonment when she was just seven. This event, she later reflected, had a profound impact on her life and relationships.
Early Family Life and Personal Struggles
Bette Davis’s early years were marked by her father’s departure when she was seven, an event she later linked to her own marital history. Her sister, Bobby, struggled significantly after their father left. The family eventually moved to a house in West Hollywood, where Davis’s mother and sister stayed in an ADU on the property.
Davis’s love for dogs began early and remained a constant throughout her life. She later became president of Tailwaggers, an organization dedicated to rescuing abandoned and lost dogs. Her own dogs, including a Sealyham terrier and a Scottish terrier, were frequent companions at her Brentwood Heights home.
Her personal life included a brief stay in Malibu with her fourth husband, Gary Merrill, shortly after their marriage. They chose a rental home to accommodate their growing family, which included Davis’s daughter and two adopted children. This move reflected her commitment to creating a stable environment for her children.
Homes Across the Country
Davis’s residences spanned from Malibu to Maine, each reflecting her evolving life and career. In 1932, she lived in at least four different houses with her first husband, Harmond Nelson, her mother, and her sister. By year’s end, they settled into a “dream cottage” in West Hollywood.
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Her 1937 move to 1700 Coldwater Canyon Drive marked a significant upgrade. The hacienda-style house featured a swimming pool, tennis court, and an acre of land. Here, Davis indulged in her love for croquet, a popular pastime among Hollywood’s elite in the 1930s and ’40s.
Davis’s love for books was well-known. She often preferred reading at home to socializing with Hollywood’s glamorous crowds. Her first husband cited her reading habits as a reason for their divorce, claiming she read to an “unnecessary degree.”
By 1942, Davis owned a modest Tudor home in Glendale, California, complete with a pool, stables, and access to equestrian trails. In the 1950s, she resided in a three-story clapboard house in Cape Elizabeth, Maine, which she affectionately called “Witch-way.”
Davis’s final Los Angeles home, before moving to Westport, Connecticut, featured a porch adorned with bright red bougainvillea, reflecting her love for flowers and gardening.
A Life Dedicated to Family
Davis’s personal life was not just about her many homes, but also her dedication to family. She stepped away from her career for three years during her fourth and final marriage, focusing entirely on being a wife and mother.
A Love for Dogs and Nature
Her homes often reflected her love for nature and animals. The property in Cape Elizabeth, Maine, featured a pond where her family would skate during winters, and her final Los Angeles home was adorned with lively bougainvillea, showcasing her appreciation for flowers and gardening.
In 1951, Davis and her fourth husband, Gary Merrill, lived in a rental home in Malibu, which they chose for its suitability for their growing family. This period highlights her commitment to creating a stable and loving environment for her children.
