Lowell marks birthday of Bette Davis
She was known for her powerful film roles, her fights with movie executives, and, of course, her eyes.
But here's a hardly known fact about Oscar-winning actress Bette Davis - she was born in Lowell. And this month marks the 100th anniversary of her birth.
The iconic movie star and her family spent little time in Lowell after she was born, but that's not stopping city officials and the National Park Service from honoring the Hollywood great in the mill city. During a recent film festival, the city sponsored a walking tour of Lowell highlighting city life during the year of Davis's birth. A panel discussion on her life followed the tour.
In addition, informational pamphlets about Davis were passed out along with an aggressive campaign to let residents know that another local made it big, Jack Kerouac. Free Bette Davis magnets were distributed, and the city even hosted a Bette Davis look-alike contest.
"Uncovering the secrets to our towns and cities is important to economic development in our area," said Joseph J. Bevilacqua, president of the Merrimack Valley Chamber of Commerce. "Sometimes our own residents don't even know the histories of their towns."
Promotional events that highlight a hometown product like Davis can generate tourist dollars, Bevilacqua said. "Tourism is key to economic development, since it's the third-largest industry in the state," he said.
Born Ruth Davis in Lowell on April 5, 1908, Davis and her family moved to Winchester shortly after. Before Davis turned 10, her father left the family, and her mother, Ruthie, sent Davis and her sister to boarding school at Cushing Academy in Ashburnham.
Davis went on to star in more than 100 films, changing the way women were portrayed in movies. In 1977, she became the first woman to be honored with the American Film Institute's Lifetime Achievement Award, according to her official website. She died in Neuilly-sur-Seine, France, in 1989.
