A Century of Bette

UPDATE: Turner Classic Movies will run a marathon of classic Bette Davis movies to mark her centennial, kicking off early Saturday. Check their schedule for details.

April marks the 100th anniversary of the birth of Bette Davis, the tiny, fierce actress who clawed her way through a film career spanning more than 60 years. Never a classic Hollywood beauty, Davis was born to play roles that required what my mother would call a "witch with a capital 'B'."

From a hard-hearted floozy in The Razor's Edge to the deluded, demented former child star of Whatever Happened to Baby Jane?, Davis never failed to fascinate. Love her or hate her, you just had to keep watching.

Married four times, famous for her scathing one-liners off-screen and her career-long feud with the equally fierce Joan Crawford, Davis became a huge star at Warner Brothers early in her career, but turned down a number of choice roles and began to fade. She battled her way back, made a celebrated comeback, and never stopped working.

Just about anything she made is worth watching, but try my favorite to celebrate her centennial. Watch her shine as a boozy, fading stage actress in her comeback film and the 1950 Best Picture winner, All About Eve.