A big-screen heroine, in what was a male-dominated industry, Bette Davis was born on April 5, 1908, in Massachusetts. She began her career on Broadway at age 21. In 1932 she reached stardom by signing a contract with Warner Bros. to star in the film, The Man Who Played God. Her performances in Dangerous and Jezebel earned her Oscar awards as Best Actress. With a total of 123 performances, Davis became not only a highly regarded actress, but also the “highest-paid woman in America,” according to her biographical site. Sadly, in 1989, she passed away after losing her fight against breast cancer.