Profile of the Day: Bette Midler

Today Bette Midler celebrates her 77th birthday!

Image: Bette Midler / Alan Light, Wikimedia Commons (CC BY 2.0)

The celebrated singer and actress was born on December 1, 1945 in Honolulu, Hawaii to Ruth Schindel and Fred Midler, who worked at a Navy base in Hawaii as a painter. She was named after actress Bette Davis, although she pronounces her name as one syllable. Her sisters, Susan and Judy, were also named after Hollywood stars, Susan Hayward and Judy Garland.

She got her start singing at public bathhouses in the 1970s. Accompanying her on the piano was a then-unknown Barry Manilow. During this time, the pair formed a close partnership and eventually, he helped produce her first album, The Divine Miss M. The success of her debut album launched her to superstardom and earned Midler her first Grammy Award. In addition to her singing career, Midler has also found much success as an actress. In 1979, she earned her first Academy Award nomination for her performance in The Rose.

Since launching her career, Midler has sold over 35 million albums and earned multiple awards for both her musical and acting talents. What’s your favorite song or film?

View Bette Midler’s Geni Profile