She was one of the last of the Hollywood starlets from the "Golden Age" of Hollywood. Here, at almost 80, she still shined in spite of her stroke. They just don't make 'em like they used to. An irreplaceable classic.
Bette Davis was not a "starlet," she was a Star. A Star is someone whose name goes above a film's title; a starlet is a female who has the potential to be a star, but isn't (in the mid 1930's, Lana Turner was a starlet).
Bette is a phenomenon, very very few actors int he world, with the exception of Meryl Streep, was able to create a multitude of personalities and have a stellar career and talent. Bravo from Russian fans.
Davis was completely correct in her anger. She was trying to give Newman his just due and they dared to turn off her mic, say things like she's too slow! Or she hasn't recovered from her stroke! I don't care if the woman wants a lounge to lay across, eat stuffed mushrooms, and drink a cocktail while reading off a fellow actors accomplishments! She's a Screen Legend! Without her fellow actors there wouldn't be a point to have an academy award show! This women paid her dues, several times over! Sit back and let her go! (Next page) Joan is surely enjoying her own paid dues in Heaven with Greats like herself! Kudos for you Joan! God and we all love you!
This was wonderful to find. This is a broadcast of 'The Late Show Starring Joan Rivers' from FOX. I saw it back in '86, I believe it was, loved it and am glad to find it again.
Great interview among legends. I haven't read all the other comments here, so someone else may have already noted this, but the interview is not from Joan's guest hosting of The Tonight Show but from her own show The Late Show which was broadcast on the then new Fox Network. Brings back a lot of good memories. R.I.P. Joan Rivers and Bette Davis.
Thank you. Teedeeies! I'd also like to add that she was one of the old screen women I wanted to be like since I was a little girl! She combined the feminine aspect with an iron will. She was strong, bold, and sassy! A woman to admire like Lauren Bacall. Women who weren't fragile lilies but, roses with thorns!
Bette Davis was NO ONE to insult ,,,If you crossed her she would CROSS back with a much bigger MARKER!!!! and I respect her for being like that ...Much Love I miss you Honey!!
my cousin Shannon, rest her beautiful sole, loved bette davis! I fell in love with her by watching a simple little movie of hers when i was in 8th grade, I miss my cousin every day. But when i listen to bette davis eyes or watch something about bette davis i feel like a part of her is in the room watching/listening with me
A friend of mine who died last year used to hang at the beach in Gloucester MA in the 1950's. . He always saw this woman with a big hat and sunglasses walking, and never spoke. But one day a friend said, "That is Bette Davis, did you know?" . He never knew it was Bette. She would drive from Lowell MA her home town, when she came east. Bette always loved Gloucester MA and the ocean. . So there's a cool story. No one bothered her, she enjoyed herself there..
Bee Jackson-Allison In fairness, Joan had a massive amount of work done over the years (especially over the last decade of her life, during her 70's), and in the above clip Bette had been recovering from a stroke which left her emaciated compared to how she looked just a couple years before, so of course she didn't look as comparatively good as Joan did at the comparable age.
funny Joan says right off the bat "Fasten your safety belt it's going to be a bumpy night" and then says how she can recite every line from All About Eve by heart except that it's not "safety" belt it's "seat" belt
I like how Joan says she can name the whole all about eve script right after she said the most famous line from it wrong. It's seatbelts, not safetybelts lol.
@seonidh Bette Davis was a Larger than Life Living Legend @ the time. Even though she was about 79 at the time when she did this show, she was always very honest,truthful & upfront no matter who she spoke to. No matter if she was 29 or 79, she stood up for herself, her career & knew she deserved respect. Bette knew she was a Great Star & made no bones about it. She & Judy Garland always knew they had the talent to back up their personalities & never apologized for their lives or career chocies.
@empressoffrance I couldn't agree with you more! Bette Davis is the Best dramatic actress of all time. I have two favorites one is "Now, Voyager & All about eve" Ican watch her work and interviews all day long!!
@jowett467 there is no need to judge Joan or to compare the two - Joan gave Bette the respect she deserves and was obviously honored to interview her. I think her sense of humor makes her graceful. People shouldn’t be judged for having plastic surgery, it’s a personal decision.
Today I just ordered the Hardcopy of "This N That" through Amazon.com. I cannot wait until I read it. Joan Rivers showed her great respect and was great at interviewing guests especially Legends. I remember when this was aired on The new FOX network. She would have been perfect to replace Johnny Carson instead of Jay Leno, Gary Shandling or Conan O'Brien. Joan River's Show got a lot of hype and in one season got canceled. The Same went for The Judy Garland Show, The network execs were idiots.
@seonidh Yes I quite agree - and very kind of Scotish Water too!!! But then again it's maybe guilt as the CEO IS a Scotsman.... altho ...whats that on the wire??? He has just resigned - Im afraid they are all a bunch of jerks - Betty would have flushed the lot out!!!!!!! Cheers
It was Joan's Husband Edgar that was the one who laid heavily on her to take the deal he had negotiated for her with Fox, He would latter take his own life in a Philadelphia hotel room after it all fell apart believing he had ruined her career.
@BoudiccaBlanc Aww, so sad that she had to go thru all that, but thank you for the helpful info! I'm a huge fan of hers and just ordered the book!! :) Great Post!
Problem with Davis was that she could never get over the fact that Joan Crawford was a natural beauty and, though immensely talented, a homely woman trapped in an "I want to be beautiful" body ..... She competed from the start with Crawford and there was never any competition. Crawford was a timeless beauty and Davis could never forgive her.
Mr Pacetta who bashed Bette should've considered himself lucky to have see, The greatest actress, Bette Davis, speaking to her "peers". I suppose it is an understatement, because she was "Peerless". The Academy lost their Greatest star on 10/06/89. I had already lost my respect for the Academy, when I read Judy Garland lost her 1954 A.A. to Grace Kelly. It was all Political to "punish" Garland her. MGM treated This Great Legend so shabbily for 15yrs. PPl still say she was robbed of her Oscar.
Joan was anything *but* shallow. Too many people focus on the cutting edge of her humor (which was very biting, no question) *but* overlook how insightful much of that humor really was; even on Fashion Police, it wasn't Joan just reading everybody for filth -- she also paid high compliments where appropriate, and would explain *why* this, that or the other was bad/funny/could be better, etc... She was also extremely generous, not only to her friends/family, but to many charities over the years. Joan's show in the 80's failed because she was not only going up against a very heavy, competitive time slot, but she also had Carson as a then mortal enemy; being on a different network did not protect her from his influence, as while she was able to get a number of good guests (such as Davis, above), she was also becoming increasingly black-balled for the premium celebrities, not due to her humor but because Carson was using his influence to cut in on her list of potential guests. Get your facts straight...
I consider Bette Davis to be the BEST screen actress that EVER lived.
She was one of the last of the Hollywood starlets from the "Golden Age" of Hollywood. Here, at almost 80, she still shined in spite of her stroke. They just don't make 'em like they used to. An irreplaceable classic.
+Dale Andrews 80?!? She looks like she's in her hundreds. Well, she was quite an incredible person...
Bette Davis was not a "starlet," she was a Star. A Star is someone whose name goes above a film's title; a starlet is a female who has the potential to be a star, but isn't (in the mid 1930's, Lana Turner was a starlet).
Two LEGENDS on one stage. What a lucky audience
Bette Davis was a real beauty when she was younger and very talented...
Deadly eyes and I loved her very much as a actress.
Bette is a phenomenon, very very few actors int he world, with the exception of Meryl Streep, was able to create a multitude of personalities and have a stellar career and talent. Bravo from Russian fans.
Davis was completely correct in her anger. She was trying to give Newman his just due and they dared to turn off her mic, say things like she's too slow! Or she hasn't recovered from her stroke! I don't care if the woman wants a lounge to lay across, eat stuffed mushrooms, and drink a cocktail while reading off a fellow actors accomplishments! She's a Screen Legend! Without her fellow actors there wouldn't be a point to have an academy award show! This women paid her dues, several times over! Sit back and let her go! (Next page) Joan is surely enjoying her own paid dues in Heaven with Greats like herself! Kudos for you Joan! God and we all love you!
Pitbull - Amen! Word for word PERFECT!! 9-20-14
This was wonderful to find. This is a broadcast of 'The Late Show Starring Joan Rivers' from FOX. I saw it back in '86, I believe it was, loved it and am glad to find it again.
Hehe. "I've always been like this. Are you insinuating that as you get older you shrivel?" I love her!
1986/87 is when Joan Rivers had her late night talk show. Great interview with a great Star
Great interview among legends. I haven't read all the other comments here, so someone else may have already noted this, but the interview is not from Joan's guest hosting of The Tonight Show but from her own show The Late Show which was broadcast on the then new Fox Network. Brings back a lot of good memories. R.I.P. Joan Rivers and Bette Davis.
Loooove her, she is sharp as a razor!!!
Thank you. Teedeeies! I'd also like to add that she was one of the old screen women I wanted to be like since I was a little girl! She combined the feminine aspect with an iron will. She was strong, bold, and sassy! A woman to admire like Lauren Bacall. Women who weren't fragile lilies but, roses with thorns!
Bette Davis was a better actress than Lauren Bacall.
Bette Davis was NO ONE to insult ,,,If you crossed her she would CROSS back with a much bigger MARKER!!!! and I respect her for being like that ...Much Love I miss you Honey!!
Tony Shelton You never met her, fantasy land?
Tony Shelton pas
awww the lovely bette davies...she was a great actress
Two thumbs up Betty Davis ❤️❤️❤️
Betty Davies grew old gracefully and without plastic surgery, which is more than can be said for Joan Rivers.
GENIUS ACTRESS!!! The best of all time!!!
I've spent my life learning to speak slowly
Indominable, powerful, took NO S##T!! GOD BLESS HER!.
Betty Davis you're such a good actress
my cousin Shannon, rest her beautiful sole, loved bette davis! I fell in love with her by watching a simple little movie of hers when i was in 8th grade, I miss my cousin every day. But when i listen to bette davis eyes or watch something about bette davis i feel like a part of her is in the room watching/listening with me
love Bette
A friend of mine who died last year used to hang at the beach in Gloucester MA in the 1950's.
.
He always saw this woman with a big hat and sunglasses walking, and never spoke. But one day a friend said, "That is Bette Davis, did you know?"
.
He never knew it was Bette. She would drive from Lowell MA her home town, when she came east. Bette always loved Gloucester MA and the ocean.
.
So there's a cool story. No one bothered her, she enjoyed herself there..
Interestingly, Joan Rivers would die at age 81(same age that Bette Davis passed away). I guess you can't really predict those type of coincidences....
Davis looked older than Joan when she died.
Bee Jackson-Allison In fairness, Joan had a massive amount of work done over the years (especially over the last decade of her life, during her 70's), and in the above clip Bette had been recovering from a stroke which left her emaciated compared to how she looked just a couple years before, so of course she didn't look as comparatively good as Joan did at the comparable age.
OH JOAN WE MISS YOU SO MUCH. SO GLAD TO BE ABLE TO SEE YOU AGAIN PRETTY AS EVER.
Bette knows when to stand up to a bully. RIP, sweet Bette. Enjoy your reward in the next life. We will always love you!
Queen Betty enters. 👸👏👏
Bette was Fun. RIP
Joan was the Best. RIP
Love this woman.
"It was a loooovely evening." -Classic.
BRAVO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Davis always has a goblet on all later year interviews.
funny Joan says right off the bat "Fasten your safety belt it's going to be a bumpy night" and then says how she can recite every line from All About Eve by heart except that it's not "safety" belt it's "seat" belt
I like how Joan says she can name the whole all about eve script right after she said the most famous line from it wrong. It's seatbelts, not safetybelts lol.
pure class
Betty should have been head of NI Water.. please google if u do not understand!
@PinkPoodleSkirt77
At least 1987 (the year she wrote her book). Ms. Davis had a mastectomy and a series of strokes in 1983. She passed on in 1989
@seonidh Bette Davis was a Larger than Life Living Legend @ the time. Even though she was about 79 at the time when she did this show, she was always very honest,truthful & upfront no matter who she spoke to. No matter if she was 29 or 79, she stood up for herself, her career & knew she deserved respect. Bette knew she was a Great Star & made no bones about it. She & Judy Garland always knew they had the talent to back up their personalities & never apologized for their lives or career chocies.
@empressoffrance I couldn't agree with you more! Bette Davis is the Best dramatic actress of all time. I have two favorites one is "Now, Voyager & All about eve" Ican watch her work and interviews all day long!!
Bette Davis, we love you.
What a legend!
1:38 her beautiful smile is still the same!
@jowett467 there is no need to judge Joan or to compare the two - Joan gave Bette the respect she deserves and was obviously honored to interview her. I think her sense of humor makes her graceful. People shouldn’t be judged for having plastic surgery, it’s a personal decision.
yes- this is Joan's show, not the Tonight Show
Feisty till the end...
damn she was a supre actess I love her love her love her one of my best movies was the little foxes she act her azz of in that movie
Today I just ordered the Hardcopy of "This N That" through Amazon.com. I cannot wait until I read it. Joan Rivers showed her great respect and was great at interviewing guests especially Legends. I remember when this was aired on The new FOX network. She would have been perfect to replace Johnny Carson instead of Jay Leno, Gary Shandling or Conan O'Brien. Joan River's Show got a lot of hype and in one season got canceled. The Same went for The Judy Garland Show, The network execs were idiots.
This was not The Tonight Show, it was from The Late Show Starring Joan Rivers on Fox, probably 1987.
two of my favorite girls!!!!!!!!! but how old was bette here???? i mean im just really getting into ms davis
@seonidh Yes I quite agree - and very kind of Scotish Water too!!! But then again it's maybe guilt as the CEO IS a Scotsman.... altho ...whats that on the wire??? He has just resigned - Im afraid they are all a bunch of jerks - Betty would have flushed the lot out!!!!!!!
Cheers
Look at this fierce old pro, never forget MAMA knows how read scripts and people, wurk!
@astucity Yeah Joan was actually good looking with pretty hair!
NBC was never going to give the Tonight Show to a woman. Let's face it - it's still an old boys club out there.
It was Joan's Husband Edgar that was the one who laid heavily on her to take the deal he had negotiated for her with Fox, He would latter take his own life in a Philadelphia hotel room after it all fell apart believing he had ruined her career.
@BoudiccaBlanc Aww, so sad that she had to go thru all that, but thank you for the helpful info! I'm a huge fan of hers and just ordered the book!! :) Great Post!
This is not "the tonight show" this is from Joan's late night talk show on FOX 1986
Your still the best never going happen again
Podrian subtitular y/o traducir para los q no hablamos ingles. Aunque sean los subtitulos en ingles!
DIVA!
I like her back bone.. she's always had one! She shows don't push women around cause she will back slap a bitch!! lol
...yep, she even mentions Fox in this.
did joan rivers say, " her recovery from a VASECTOMY and a stroke"? at :25-:27?
Mastectomy
Problem with Davis was that she could never get over the fact that Joan Crawford was a natural beauty and, though immensely talented, a homely woman trapped in an "I want to be beautiful" body ..... She competed from the start with Crawford and there was never any competition. Crawford was a timeless beauty and Davis could never forgive her.
"Yes indeed, it said that."
That is your prerogative. Everyone has their own favourite, who they consider to be the most talented & accomplished.
Nice!...but isn't this from Rivers' Fox show? (not The Tonight Show)
Oh God how many times would she have to hear that song !! Poor girl
who is your favorite? Just curious. I realize that there are many great actresses out there, especially from the "golden age" of cinema.
@mcqueen12345667 she was born in 1908. She would have been 98 in 2006.
So when was this show filmed?
People seem to think that just because people get older that they don't have any sense and don't let them get sick god for bed can you recover
Joan should have held out for the Tonight Show.
Mike Becker You are right Johnny could have kept on doing that show for a very long time to come. She had no guarantees.
Mr Pacetta who bashed Bette should've considered himself lucky to have see, The greatest actress, Bette Davis, speaking to her "peers". I suppose it is an understatement, because she was "Peerless". The Academy lost their Greatest star on 10/06/89. I had already lost my respect for the Academy, when I read Judy Garland lost her 1954 A.A. to Grace Kelly. It was all Political to "punish" Garland her. MGM treated This Great Legend so shabbily for 15yrs. PPl still say she was robbed of her Oscar.
I only liked to watch the tonight show when Joan Rivers was the host.
@Bansheeeyes78 How about Meryl Streep?
anyone know what year this was???
0.o I forgot Joan used to actually look like that.
They look related.
@enigmaticnewboi 88 or early 89
Not sure why Joan faltered on her own show.
What you say is interesting. But women it seems don't do late night talk.
her n Mae West. But i guess Mae gave a more predictable performance
MASTECTOMY
Whoa...a pre-plastic surgery Joan Rivers....
ew!
JOAN FALTERED ON HER OWN SHOW BECAUSE PEOPLE SAW THROUGH HER SHALLOWNESS FINALLY.
Joan was anything *but* shallow. Too many people focus on the cutting edge of her humor (which was very biting, no question) *but* overlook how insightful much of that humor really was; even on Fashion Police, it wasn't Joan just reading everybody for filth -- she also paid high compliments where appropriate, and would explain *why* this, that or the other was bad/funny/could be better, etc... She was also extremely generous, not only to her friends/family, but to many charities over the years. Joan's show in the 80's failed because she was not only going up against a very heavy, competitive time slot, but she also had Carson as a then mortal enemy; being on a different network did not protect her from his influence, as while she was able to get a number of good guests (such as Davis, above), she was also becoming increasingly black-balled for the premium celebrities, not due to her humor but because Carson was using his influence to cut in on her list of potential guests. Get your facts straight...
This is not the Tonight Show..it's Joan River's show--the traitor to Mr. Carson.