Bette Midler facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Bette Midler
Midler in 2021
Born	(1945-12-01) December 1, 1945 (age 79) Honolulu, Territory of Hawaii, U.S.
Other names	"The Divine Miss M"
Occupation	Actress comedian singer author
Years active	1965–present
Political party	Democratic
Spouse(s)	Martin von Haselberg ​ (m. 1984)​
Children	Sophie von Haselberg
Awards	Full list
Musical career
Genres	Traditional pop vocal pop musical comedy
Instruments	Vocals ukulele
Labels	Atlantic Warner Bros. Columbia Warner Music Group
Associated acts	Barry Manilow

Bette Midler (born December 1, 1945) is a famous American actress, comedian, singer, and author. She has had a successful career for over five decades. Bette has won many important awards, including four Golden Globe Awards, three Grammy Awards, three Primetime Emmy Awards, and two Tony Awards. She also received a special Kennedy Center Honor.

Bette was born in Honolulu, Hawaii. She started her acting career in plays in New York City in the late 1960s. She became well-known in 1970 when she began singing at a club called the Continental Baths, where she gained many fans. Since 1970, Bette has released 14 studio albums and sold over 30 million records worldwide. Many of her songs became big hits, like "The Rose" and "Wind Beneath My Wings". She won Grammy Awards for Best New Artist and for her hit songs.

Bette Midler made her first big movie appearance in the musical drama The Rose (1979). This role earned her a Golden Globe Award and a nomination for an Academy Award. She has starred in many popular films, including Beaches (1988), Hocus Pocus (1993) and its sequel (2022), and The First Wives Club (1996). She also won more Golden Globe Awards for her roles in For the Boys (1991) and Gypsy (1993).

From 2008 to 2010, Bette had a popular show in Las Vegas called Bette Midler: The Showgirl Must Go On. In 2017, she returned to Broadway in the musical Hello, Dolly!, where she won a Tony Award for Best Actress in a Musical.

Early Life and Education

Bette Midler was born in Honolulu, Hawaii, on December 1, 1945. Her family was one of the few Jewish families in their neighborhood. Her mother, Ruth, was a seamstress, and her father, Fred, was a painter for the U.S. Navy. Both of her parents were from New Jersey.

Bette was named after the famous actress Bette Davis. However, Bette Midler pronounces her first name with one syllable, like "Bet." She grew up in Aiea and went to Radford High School in Honolulu. In school, she was known for being very talkative and dramatic.

She studied drama at the University of Hawaii at Manoa but left after three semesters. In 1966, she appeared as an extra in the film Hawaii.

Career Beginnings

Starting in Theatre (1965–1971)

In the summer of 1965, Bette Midler moved to New York City. She used money she earned from her work in the film Hawaii. She studied acting at HB Studio. Her first professional stage roles were in Tom Eyen's plays in 1965.

In October 1966, she joined the Broadway show Fiddler on the Roof. She played a small role and was an understudy for the oldest daughter, Tzeitel. In February 1967, she took over the role of Tzeitel and played it until 1970. After Fiddler, she joined the cast of Salvation in 1969.

In 1970, Bette started singing at the Continental Baths, a club in the basement of the Ansonia Hotel. Here, she became close with her piano player, Barry Manilow. Barry later produced her first album in 1972, called The Divine Miss M. It was at this club that she built a strong group of fans.

Bette also starred in the first professional show of the Who's rock opera Tommy in 1971. During this time, she made her first appearance on The Tonight Show.

First Album and Early Success (1972–1980)

Midler with Dustin Hoffman on a Bette Midler TV special (1977)

Bette released her first album, The Divine Miss M, in December 1972. Barry Manilow helped produce it. The album became very popular, selling over a million copies, and Bette won the 1973 Grammy Award for Best New Artist. It included hit songs like "Do You Wanna Dance?" and "Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy". "Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy" was a cover of a classic song by the Andrews Sisters, who Bette admired.

Her next album, Bette Midler, came out in late 1973 and also sold very well. In 1974, she received a Special Tony Award for her work on Broadway. From 1975 to 1978, she was the voice of Woody the Spoon on the TV show Vegetable Soup. In 1977, her first TV special, Ol' Red Hair is Back, won an Emmy Award.

Bette made her first movie, The Rose, in 1979. She played a rock star facing challenges. Her performance earned her an Academy Award nomination and a Golden Globe Award. The movie's soundtrack also sold over two million copies, and the song "The Rose" became a number one hit, winning Bette her first Gold single and a Grammy Award.

Big Hits and Film Roles (1981–1989)

Midler in Amsterdam promoting the 1980 film Divine Madness

In 1981, Bette worked on the comedy film Jinxed!, which was not very successful. She did not appear in any other films until 1986. During this time, she focused on her music. In 1983, she released the album No Frills. She also released a comedy album called Mud Will Be Flung Tonight in 1985.

Bette was part of the "We Are the World" song in 1985, which raised money for charity. She also performed at the Live Aid concert. In 1985, she signed a deal with Walt Disney Studios and starred in several successful comedies. These included Down and Out in Beverly Hills (1986), Ruthless People (1986), and Big Business (1988).

In 1988, Bette voiced Georgette, a poodle, in Disney's Oliver & Company. She also starred in the hit movie Beaches. The soundtrack for Beaches became her best-selling album, with four million copies sold in the U.S. It featured her biggest hit, "Wind Beneath My Wings", which reached number one and won Bette her third Grammy Award.

More Acting and TV (1990–1999)

Midler in 1990

In 1990, Bette's cover of "From a Distance" became a platinum hit. That same year, she starred in the drama film Stella. She played a single mother who makes sacrifices for her daughter's happiness.

She co-starred with Woody Allen in the 1991 film Scenes from a Mall. She also reunited with the director of The Rose for the film For the Boys (1991). In this musical drama, Bette played a singer who entertains American troops. She received great reviews for her role, winning another Golden Globe and a second Academy Award nomination.

In 1992, Bette won an Emmy Award for her performance on The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson. In 1993, she starred with Sarah Jessica Parker and Kathy Najimy in the Halloween comedy Hocus Pocus. Bette played Winifred Sanderson, the leader of three witches brought back to life. This film has become a cult classic over the years.

Midler with producer Arif Mardin after winning two trophies at the 32nd Grammy Awards for the Record and the Song of the Year for "Wind Beneath My Wings", 1990

Bette appeared on Seinfeld in 1995. Her 1997 HBO special Diva Las Vegas earned her a third Emmy Award. She also starred in The First Wives Club (1996). In 1997, Bette and her co-stars from The First Wives Club, Goldie Hawn and Diane Keaton, received the Women in Film Crystal Award for their contributions to the entertainment industry.

In 1998, Bette released her album Bathhouse Betty. In 1999, she appeared in an episode of Murphy Brown and in the animated film Fantasia 2000.

TV Show and Tribute Albums (2000–2005)

In 2000, Bette starred in her own TV show called Bette on CBS. She played a version of herself, a famous celebrity. The show had high ratings at first, and Bette won a People's Choice Award for her performance.

She also had an uncredited cameo in the romantic comedy What Women Want (2000). In this film, she played a therapist. Bette also starred in Isn't She Great and Drowning Mona in 2000.

After some time, Bette teamed up with Barry Manilow again in 2003 to record Bette Midler Sings the Rosemary Clooney Songbook. This album was very successful and was nominated for a Grammy.

From 2003 to 2004, Bette toured the United States with her show Kiss My Brass, which sold out many venues. In 2004, she appeared in the science fiction film The Stepford Wives. Bette worked with Manilow again for another tribute album, Bette Midler Sings the Peggy Lee Songbook, released in 2005, which was also nominated for a Grammy Award.

Vegas Show and Recent Work (2006–Present)

In 2006, Bette released a Christmas album called Cool Yule, which received a Grammy nomination. In 2007, she appeared in the film Then She Found Me.

Midler at the 2010 HRC Annual Dinner

Bette's Las Vegas show, Bette Midler: The Showgirl Must Go On, opened in February 2008 at The Colosseum at Caesars Palace. The show ran until January 2010 and was nominated for an Emmy Award. In 2008, she also had a small role in the film The Women.

In 2010, Bette voiced Kitty Galore in the animated film Cats & Dogs: The Revenge of Kitty Galore. In 2011, she was one of the producers for the Broadway musical Priscilla, Queen of the Desert.

Midler (in costume as her character Winifred Sanderson from Hocus Pocus) performing on her Divine Intervention Tour in 2015

Bette received the Sammy Cahn Lifetime Achievement Award in 2012 for her amazing voice and performances. That same year, she co-starred with Billy Crystal in the family film Parental Guidance.

In 2013, Bette returned to Broadway in the play I'll Eat You Last: A Chat with Sue Mengers. She performed "Wind Beneath My Wings" at the Academy Awards in 2014. In November 2014, she released her 25th album, It's the Girls!, which celebrated famous girl groups.

She returned to the stage in the main role of Hello, Dolly! for the 2017 Broadway revival, winning a Tony Award. Bette also voiced Grandmama in the animated film The Addams Family (2019) and its sequel (2021). She played Bella Abzug in the 2020 film The Glorias.

Midler performing the titular song in Hello, Dolly! on Broadway in 2017

In December 2021, Bette Midler received the Kennedy Center Honors for her lifetime achievements in the performing arts. She reprised her role as Winifred Sanderson in Hocus Pocus 2 for Disney+ in October 2022. In 2023, she starred in the comedy-drama film Sitting in Bars with Cake.

Personal Life

Bette Midler married artist Martin von Haselberg on December 16, 1984. They have one daughter, actress Sophie von Haselberg, who was born on November 14, 1986.

Charity Work

Bette Midler is also known for her charity work. In 1991, she was an early supporter of the Adopt-a-Highway program, paying to keep a section of the Ventura Freeway clean in Burbank, California.

In 1995, she founded the New York Restoration Project (NYRP). This non-profit organization works to improve neglected neighborhood parks in New York City. They help revitalize parks like Highbridge Park and Fort Washington Park.

When the city planned to sell 114 community gardens in 1991, Bette led a group of environmental organizations to save them. Her organization, NYRP, took over 60 of these gardens. They work with volunteers to keep these gardens safe and clean. In 2003, Bette opened Swindler Cove Park, a new public park on the Harlem River.

After the events of September 11, 2001, Bette started programs through her foundation to help wounded service members and their families. These programs provide resources, including custom homes. She also visits USO centers and military bases to thank service members.

In 2020, Bette Midler pledged to match a donation of $500,000 to help Australia during the wildfires.

Filmography

Film

Television

Stage Performances

Music Albums

• The Divine Miss M (1972)
• Bette Midler (1973)
• Songs for the New Depression (1976)
• Broken Blossom (1977)
• Thighs and Whispers (1979)
• No Frills (1983)
• Some People's Lives (1990)
• Bette of Roses (1995)
• Bathhouse Betty (1998)
• Bette (2000)
• Bette Midler Sings the Rosemary Clooney Songbook (2003)
• Bette Midler Sings the Peggy Lee Songbook (2005)
• Cool Yule (2006)
• It's the Girls! (2014)

Concert Tours

Awards and Honors

Bette Midler has received many awards throughout her career. She is one of the few artists to have been nominated for an Emmy, a Grammy, an Oscar, and a Tony (EGOT). She has won all of these except for the Oscar. Her wins include three Emmys, three Grammys, two Tonys, and four Golden Globe Awards.

The Academy of Motion Picture Arts & Sciences (AMPAS) has nominated Bette twice for an Academy Award for Best Actress:

• For The Rose (1979)
• For For the Boys (1991)

Both of these performances also won her the Golden Globe Award for Best Actress. She also won a Golden Globe for Best New Female Star of the Year for The Rose and Best Actress in a Miniseries or Television Film for Gypsy (1993).

See also

In Spanish: Bette Midler para niños

• List of number-one hits (United States)
• List of artists who reached number one on the Hot 100 (U.S.)
• List of number-one dance hits (United States)
• List of artists who reached number one on the U.S. Dance chart
• Midler v. Ford Motor Co.