Bette Midler

From ArticleWorld

Bette Midler is an actress, singer, and comedian. She was born on December 1, 1945 in Honolulu, Hawaii into a Jewish family. She attended the University of Hawaii where she majored in drama. She first began singing at a gay bathhouse in New York City with Barry Manilow as her pianist.

Her first appearance on the big screen was in Hawaii, but it was singing that Midler would become known for. She starred on the Broadway show Fiddler on the Roof and in 1974 was awarded a Special Tony Award for her performance in "Clams on the Half Shell Review". She starred in The Rose as a drug addict and rock music star. Her portrayal of the character modeled after Janis Joplin got her nominated for an Academy Award.

Her comedy career began when she was cast in Down and Out in Beverly Hills. She also appeared in Ruthless People, Big Business, and Outrageous Fortune in the mid 1980’s.

She has won a total of four Grammy Awards and was voted the Best New Artist in 1973 and won the Record of the Year award in 1989 for her chart topping "Wind Beneath My Wings". The American Film Institute chose "Wind Beneath My Wings" and "The Rose" for their list of "The 100 years of the Greatest Songs".

Other movies that Midler has made appearances in include "Scenes From a Mall", "For the Boys", Hocus Pocus, The First Wives Club, and "The Stepford Wives". She has also made several television appearances, including one memorable episode of ‘’The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson.