Bette Midler.Photo: Julieta Cervantes
Happy Birthday,Bette Midler!The Divine Miss M has had, well, a pretty divine life, hitting it big in her 20s on Broadway and moving on to film, music, television, philanthropy, marriage, motherhood and everything in between in the years since.Here, as she turns 78 years old on Dec. 1, 2023, celebrate Bette Midler’s life in photos.
Happy Birthday,Bette Midler!
The Divine Miss M has had, well, a pretty divine life, hitting it big in her 20s on Broadway and moving on to film, music, television, philanthropy, marriage, motherhood and everything in between in the years since.
Here, as she turns 78 years old on Dec. 1, 2023, celebrate Bette Midler’s life in photos.
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Bette Midler’s Early Years
Bette Midler.Courtesy Bette Midler
02of 18Bette Midler in High SchoolBette Midler.Courtesy Bette MidlerMilder (far right), seen as a high schooler in Honolulu in 1963, was voted “Most Talkative” in 1961 and “Most Dramatic” in 1963 and went on to study drama at the University of Hawaii. She left after three semesters before heading to New York City in 1965.
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Bette Midler in High School
Milder (far right), seen as a high schooler in Honolulu in 1963, was voted “Most Talkative” in 1961 and “Most Dramatic” in 1963 and went on to study drama at the University of Hawaii. She left after three semesters before heading to New York City in 1965.
03of 18Bette Midler on BroadwayBette Midler.Michael Ochs Archives/GettyThe singer’s first big break came when she joined the Broadway cast ofFiddler on the Roofin 1966. Her star began to rise in 1970 (the year this shot was snapped) when she began singing in a gay bathhouse in New York City. Her piano player,Barry Manilow, produced her first album,The Divine Miss M, in 1972.
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Bette Midler on Broadway
Bette Midler.Michael Ochs Archives/Getty
The singer’s first big break came when she joined the Broadway cast ofFiddler on the Roofin 1966. Her star began to rise in 1970 (the year this shot was snapped) when she began singing in a gay bathhouse in New York City. Her piano player,Barry Manilow, produced her first album,The Divine Miss M, in 1972.
04of 18Bette Midler and CherBette Midler and Cher.CBS/LandovMidler guest-starred on the Feb. 12, 1975, premiere of theChershow on CBS, where the duo performed “Trashy Ladies Medley” and sang “Ain’t No Mountain High Enough” and other Motown hits with guest starsElton Johnand Flip Wilson.
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Bette Midler and Cher
Bette Midler and Cher.CBS/Landov
Midler guest-starred on the Feb. 12, 1975, premiere of theChershow on CBS, where the duo performed “Trashy Ladies Medley” and sang “Ain’t No Mountain High Enough” and other Motown hits with guest starsElton Johnand Flip Wilson.
05of 18Bette Midler in New York CityBette Midler.Richard Corkery/NY Daily News Archive/GettyA sign she was making it: The young star was photographed leaving her apartment on Barrow Street in Manhattan’s artsy Greenwich Village on Feb. 19, 1975, before hopping into a chauffeured limo to head to a public appearance.
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Bette Midler in New York City
Bette Midler.Richard Corkery/NY Daily News Archive/Getty
A sign she was making it: The young star was photographed leaving her apartment on Barrow Street in Manhattan’s artsy Greenwich Village on Feb. 19, 1975, before hopping into a chauffeured limo to head to a public appearance.
06of 18Bette Midler’s Broadway RevueBette Midler.Ian Steinberg/GlobeMidler had a hit in 1975’sClams on the Half Shell, her Broadway revue (here, she’s seen in her dressing room). The year before, she won a special Tony Award for her contributions to the Broadway season.
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Bette Midler’s Broadway Revue
Bette Midler.Ian Steinberg/Globe
Midler had a hit in 1975’sClams on the Half Shell, her Broadway revue (here, she’s seen in her dressing room). The year before, she won a special Tony Award for her contributions to the Broadway season.
07of 18Bette Midler at HarvardBette Midler.APOn Feb. 17, 1976, Midler basked in the adulation from cheering fans in a parade leading to Harvard Square in Cambridge, Massachusetts, where she was named theHasty Pudding Woman of the Year.
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Bette Midler at Harvard
Bette Midler.AP
On Feb. 17, 1976, Midler basked in the adulation from cheering fans in a parade leading to Harvard Square in Cambridge, Massachusetts, where she was named theHasty Pudding Woman of the Year.
08of 18Bette Midler’s Social Justice WorkBette Midler.APMidler used her fame for good, too (and continues to today); here, she commiserated withJack Nicholsonat an Equal Rights Amendment gathering at actress Joan Hackett’s Beverly Hills home in March 1978.
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Bette Midler’s Social Justice Work
Midler used her fame for good, too (and continues to today); here, she commiserated withJack Nicholsonat an Equal Rights Amendment gathering at actress Joan Hackett’s Beverly Hills home in March 1978.
09of 18Bette Midler with Andy WarholBette Midler.Bertrand Rindoff Petroff/GettyShe’s been framed! Midler dished with pop artist Andy Warhol on Oct. 11, 1978, at The Palace Theatre in New York City after she’d performed.
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Bette Midler with Andy Warhol
Bette Midler.Bertrand Rindoff Petroff/Getty
She’s been framed! Midler dished with pop artist Andy Warhol on Oct. 11, 1978, at The Palace Theatre in New York City after she’d performed.
10of 18Bette Midler on the RunwayBette Midler.Nick Ut/APWork it, Bette! Midler modeled a Holly Harp dress during a celebrity fashion show in Beverly Hills on April 11, 1985, to raise funds for the Summer Arts Festival.
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Bette Midler on the Runway
Bette Midler.Nick Ut/AP
Work it, Bette! Midler modeled a Holly Harp dress during a celebrity fashion show in Beverly Hills on April 11, 1985, to raise funds for the Summer Arts Festival.
11of 18Bette Midler’s FamilyBette Midler.John Barrett/GlobeMidler with her husband of 40 years,Martin von Haselberg, and their daughter, Sophie von Haselberg, now 37, in 1987. “She is my best friend,” Midler told PEOPLE of her daughter, also an actress.
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Bette Midler’s Family
Bette Midler.John Barrett/Globe
Midler with her husband of 40 years,Martin von Haselberg, and their daughter, Sophie von Haselberg, now 37, in 1987. “She is my best friend,” Midler told PEOPLE of her daughter, also an actress.
12of 18Bette Midler’s Philanthropic WorkBette Midler.Sonia Moskowitz/GlobeThe actress founded theNew York Restoration Projectin 1995 to improve gardens and parks in New York City. “I love the planet,” she told PEOPLE. Here, she’s seen at a NYRP event with daughter Sophie in 2006.
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Bette Midler’s Philanthropic Work
Bette Midler.Sonia Moskowitz/Globe
The actress founded theNew York Restoration Projectin 1995 to improve gardens and parks in New York City. “I love the planet,” she told PEOPLE. Here, she’s seen at a NYRP event with daughter Sophie in 2006.
13of 18Bette Midler in Las VegasBette Midler.Ethan Miller/GettyMidler performed during the opening ofher Vegas revue"The Showgirl Must Go On" at The Colosseum at Caesars Palace in Sin City on Feb. 20, 2008. She hit the stage for 300 shows before ending the run in January 2010.
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Bette Midler in Las Vegas
Bette Midler.Ethan Miller/Getty
Midler performed during the opening ofher Vegas revue"The Showgirl Must Go On" at The Colosseum at Caesars Palace in Sin City on Feb. 20, 2008. She hit the stage for 300 shows before ending the run in January 2010.
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Bette Midler’s Screen Roles
Bette Midler.Paramount/Kobal/Shutterstock
15of 18Bette Midler’s Broadway ReturnBette Midler.Julieta CervantesIn 2017, Midler charmed audiences (and earned her second Tony Award) as the lead in a revival ofHello, Dolly.When tickets went on sale, the show broke the record for the best first day of sales in the history of Broadway with more than $9 million.
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Bette Midler’s Broadway Return
Bette Midler.Julieta Cervantes
In 2017, Midler charmed audiences (and earned her second Tony Award) as the lead in a revival ofHello, Dolly.When tickets went on sale, the show broke the record for the best first day of sales in the history of Broadway with more than $9 million.
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Bette Midler.NICOLE RIVELLI/NETFLIX
During her 2020 stint onThe Politician,Midler earned her ninth Emmy nomination, for outstanding guest actress in a comedy series.
17of 18Bette Midler’s Kennedy Center HonorBette Midler.Ron Sachs/UPI/ShutterstockAt the Kennedy Center Honors in late 2021,Midler was celebratedalongside Justino Díaz, Berry Gordy,Lorne MichaelsandJoni Mitchell.
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Bette Midler’s Kennedy Center Honor
Bette Midler.Ron Sachs/UPI/Shutterstock
At the Kennedy Center Honors in late 2021,Midler was celebratedalongside Justino Díaz, Berry Gordy,Lorne MichaelsandJoni Mitchell.
18of 18Bette Midler in ‘Hocus Pocus 2’Bette Midler.Walt Disney Pictures/Disney+Most recently, Midler returned to her witchy roots in the long-anticipatedHocus Pocus 2,alongside costarsKathy NajimyandSarah Jessica Parker.“We all wanted to do it,“Midler told PEOPLEat the premiere in September 2022. “What we couldn’t understand was after the thing snowballed, we couldn’t understand, as we spoke together, we would often speak together, and [think] why don’t they ever give us a sequel?““It wasn’t like a crazy, aggressive push,” she continued. “It was just that we felt that it had a life outside of what it had had. And eventually 30 years later, they came to their senses!”
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Bette Midler in ‘Hocus Pocus 2’
Bette Midler.Walt Disney Pictures/Disney+
Most recently, Midler returned to her witchy roots in the long-anticipatedHocus Pocus 2,alongside costarsKathy NajimyandSarah Jessica Parker.
“We all wanted to do it,“Midler told PEOPLEat the premiere in September 2022. “What we couldn’t understand was after the thing snowballed, we couldn’t understand, as we spoke together, we would often speak together, and [think] why don’t they ever give us a sequel?”
“It wasn’t like a crazy, aggressive push,” she continued. “It was just that we felt that it had a life outside of what it had had. And eventually 30 years later, they came to their senses!”
source: people.com
