Bette Davis

Inspired by Peg Entwistle’s performance on the stage production titled The Wild Duck, Bette Davis immediately pursued a career in the acting scene. Debuting as a stage actress for the play Broadway, Davis continued with roles in productions such as The Earth Between, Solid South, and of course, The Wild Duck. To make matters more interesting, she portrayed Hedwig, Entwistle’s role during The Wild Duck’s previous run.

A few years later, Davis made her way into the Hollywood film industry. While her earlier roles were mostly for panned films, the actress eventually got her first shot to fame with 1934’s Of Human Bondage. Since then, she has garnered an even higher degree of success thanks to her performance in Jezebel, The Letter, Now, Voyager, and Dark Victory. “She did it the hard way” is written on her tombstone, a nice note commemorating her contributions to the industry and to the people around her.