Donald's Encyclopedia of Popular Music

A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z

MIDLER, Bette

(b 1 Dec. '45, Honolulu) Singer, actress; the only authentic cabaret star to emerge in rock- oriented '70s. Father was a house painter for the US Navy; mother '...sewed beautifully. She made all our clothes for years, until my parents discovered the Salvation Army.' Began as extra in film Hawaii '66, also played in Fiddler On The Roof and Tommy; performing at gay venues in NYC early '70s her pianist/mus. dir. was Barry Manilow. The Divine Miss M '72 won her a Grammy and made her a star, capturing her image as 'trash with flash'; enthusiastic cover of old Andrews Sisters hit 'Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy' was no. 8 hit '72; Bette Midler '73 was less inspired follow-up, but excellent Songs For The New Depression '76 incl. duet with Bob Dylan on his 'Buckets Of Rain'. Broken Blossom and Live At Last '77 kept her cult happy; she found a likely companion in duet with Tom Waits on his Foreign Affairs same year. Played Janis Joplin character in film The Rose '79, was nominated for an Oscar; soundtrack LP sold a million and title track was no. 3 hit '80. Thighs And Whispers '79 was followed by film and album Divine Madness '80, incl. unique interpretations of songs by Bruce Springsteen, Bob Seger and Rolling Stones. Film Jinxed! '82 was unsuccessful; album No Frills '83 was not; film Down And Out In Beverly Hills '86 (with Little Richard) was tenth biggest grosser of the year and Ruthless People was eighth that year, the latter a fine farce with Danny DeVito; then Outrageous Fortune '87, Beaches (also a no. 2 album), Big Business '88, Stella '90, Scenes From A Mall '91 (badly cast with Woody Allen), For The Boys '91 (big role, flop film, chart album), Hocus Pocus '93; on TV, Rose in Gypsy '93. Get Shorty '95 reunited her with DeVito as well as Gene Hackman and John Travolta in one of the year's big films, based on an Elmore Leonard story. She also published a best- selling children's book The Saga Of Baby Divine '83; Mud Will Be Flung Tonight! '85 was her first comedy album, in Joan Rivers mould. Some People's Lives '90 was still on Atlantic; Bette Of Roses '95 was on Eastwest in the UK.