"The Dick Cavett Show" Bette Davis (1971)

Writer:

Jim Mulholland (writer)

TV Series:

"The Dick Cavett Show" (1968)

Original Air Date:

18 November 1971

Genre:

Music | Talk-Show

Plot:

Plot Keywords:

Reference To Raquel Welch | Reference To Bob Hope | Kissing | Reference To Walter Huston | Fake Accent

Cast

Dick Cavett	...	Himself - Host
Bette Davis	...	Herself

Trivia:

In this show, Dick Cavett asks Bette Davis if her mother told her about the "birds and the bees". Davis responds: "No, there was no sort of real education. If you want to come to my home in Connecticut, some night in front of the fireplace, I'd tell you about my wedding night. You'd be on the floor for three hours". The audience howls with laughter. Davis then realizes why the audience is laughing, and quickly says: "No, I did not mean THAT! I meant LAUGHING on the floor!"

Movie Connections:

Featured in "Zomergasten: (#22.4)" (2009)

One of the Best Interviews of Bette Davis

Dick Cavett cut to the chase interviewing the 63yo Bette Davis. With a colorful 'flower power' transition screen to break between commercials and his interview, Cavett asks Davis extremely personal questions. Unashamed of her life and usually quite direct and forthcoming, Bette Davis responded to Cavett's question, "How did you loose your virginity?" His question itself had the live audience on the floor rolling with laughter. Davis's answer (after a commercial break of course) . . . is classic, the truth, and reveals her sexosophy on life.

Cavett's interview reveals much more detail about Davis's career life experiences than any of the biopics about her (such as "Stardust"). Davis recalls so much with keen insight to the politics of show business. I can watch this interview repeatedly and find new morsels of genuine Davis being a down to Earth as a human gets. To know her from this interview is surely to fall in love with her. It's incredible to learn how she worked the show business system in order to invent one of the most brilliant acting careers of the 20th century. To imagine that she began at the age of 15 and was a star by 25 years old makes a head spin.

Cavett's interview helps Davis convey that becoming a great actress early one wasn't as difficult as remaining a great actress with the best scripts for the long haul of her lifetime. The Queen of the Screen has quite a sense of humor, as is evident throughout this show. Watch and thoroughly enjoy!