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Who Is Bette Midler?
Bette Midler made her Broadway debut in Fiddler on the Roof (1966–1969) and soon became a celebrated performer. Following her successful nightclub act, she garnered an Academy Award nomination for her role in The Rose (1979). Her talents extended beyond acting, as she won Grammy Awards for songs featured in that film and Beaches (1988), while also receiving a second Oscar nomination for For the Boys (1991). Over the years, Midler has released numerous studio albums and starred in various film and stage productions, including a acclaimed revival of Hello, Dolly!, for which she won the Tony Award for Best Actress in a Musical in 2017.
Early Life
Born on December 1, 1945, in Honolulu, Hawaii, Midler experienced a modest upbringing as the daughter of a house painter and a homemaker. She and her three siblings endured what she described as a “hard-scrabble childhood,” often finding solace in nature’s beauty, including the picturesque skies, sea, and flowers. A naturally shy child, Midler’s passion for the dramatic arts blossomed over time. She won multiple talent competitions and graduated as valedictorian from Radford High School before pursuing her studies in drama at the University of Hawaii.
Early Theater Career and Nightclub Act
After completing her drama studies, Midler gained her first film role as an extra in the 1965 adaptation of James Michener’s novel Hawaii. She then moved to New York City to chase her aspirations. Her breakthrough came in 1966 with her role in Fiddler on the Roof, although she later sought a new platform for her talents when Broadway success proved elusive.
Midler found a weekend gig at the Continental Baths, a gay bathhouse, where she developed a popular nightclub act, adopting the persona of “The Divine Miss M.” Her performances, characterized by outrageous humor and boldness, drew a significant following, notably accompanied by the then-unknown Barry Manilow on piano.
First Albums and Awards
After impressing Ahmet Ertugun, president of Atlantic Records, Midler was signed to the label. Her debut album, The Divine Miss M (1972), achieved platinum status and earned her a Grammy Award for Best New Artist. She subsequently released Bette Midler and Songs for the New Depression in 1973 and 1976, respectively. Midler also received a special Tony Award in 1974 for her contributions to Broadway. During this period, she toured with Bette Midler’s Clams On the Halfshelf Revue, a show that briefly ran on Broadway in 1975.
Movies: The Rose, Beaches, and For the Boys
Midler showcased her acting abilities in The Rose (1979), where she portrayed a self-destructive rock star, earning an Academy Award nomination and accolades, including two Golden Globes and a Grammy for the title song. Despite initial struggles after the failure of Jinxed (1982), she rebounded with success in Down and Out in Beverly Hills (1986) and Ruthless People, leading to further acclaim with the drama Beaches (1988), featuring her Grammy-winning ballad “Wind Beneath My Wings.”
The 1990s saw Midler continue to thrive on-screen, co-starring with Woody Allen in Scenes from a Mall (1991) and receiving a second Oscar nomination for her role in For the Boys. She later charmed audiences in the comedy The First Wives Club (1996), alongside Diane Keaton and Goldie Hawn.
Later Films, Albums, and Residency
As the millennium approached, Midler launched her television series, Bette, though it concluded after one season. She starred in a remake of the 1975 comedy-thriller The Stepford Wives (2004) alongside Nicole Kidman and Glenn Close, followed by Then She Found Me (2007) with Helen Hunt and Colin Firth.
In 2006, she released a holiday album titled Cool Yule, which earned a Grammy nomination in 2007. The following year, she entered into a residency agreement with AEG Live, performing at the renowned Caesar’s Palace in Las Vegas. Her show, Bette Midler: The Showgirl Must Go On, ran from February 2008 for two years. In 2012, Midler received the Sammy Cahn Lifetime Achievement Award at the Songwriters Hall of Fame and appeared in the family comedy Parental Guidance alongside Billy Crystal.
Return to Broadway and Hello, Dolly!
Bette Midler made her much-anticipated return to the Broadway stage with I’ll Eat You Last: A Chat with Sue Mengers, where she portrayed the legendary Hollywood agent Sue Mengers in this acclaimed one-woman show. In 2014, Midler further showcased her talent by performing at the Academy Awards, marking her debut as a performer at this prestigious event. That same year, she released the album It’s the Girls!, featuring covers of iconic girl-group hits, including the Ronettes’ “Be My Baby.” Midler returned to Broadway in the 2017 revival of Hello, Dolly!, taking on the titular role of Dolly Gallagher Levi. Her performance garnered widespread critical acclaim and earned her a Tony Award for Best Actress in a Musical.
Personal Life
In 1995, Midler established the New York Restoration Project (NYRP), a non-profit organization dedicated to revitalizing green spaces in low-income neighborhoods across New York City. Since its inception, she and the NYRP have successfully planted over one million trees in the city.
Midler has been married to artist Martin Rochus Sebastian von Haselberg since 1984. The couple tied the knot in a small chapel, where an Elvis impersonator officiated the ceremony. They have one daughter, Sophie, who graduated from Yale in 2008 and has pursued a career in acting.