An interest in Kim Carnes' "Bette Davis Eyes" (thanks to JoJo Siwa's cover) has sparked a reignited look inside the legacy of the star that inspired it, the legendary Bette Davis.
The Hollywood starlet rose to fame during the industry's studio system, setting box offices alight with her feisty characters and earning two Oscars from a whopping 10 nominations before she died in 1989.
However, the latter part of Bette's legacy was tainted by her famously strained relationship with her children, most notably her two daughters, B.D. Hyman and Margot Merrill.
© Getty ImagesBette's children
Barbara Davis "B.D." Hyman was born in 1947 to Bette and William Grant Sherry, while Margot, born in 1951, was adopted by Bette and her fourth husband, Gary Merrill. She and Gary later adopted Michael, born in 1952.
While the All About Eve star's relationship with her children remained relatively strong for years, things took a turn in 1985 when B.D. published the book My Mother's Keeper.
My Mother's Keeper
© Getty ImagesWritten in a similar vein to Christina Crawford's biography about her mother Joan Crawford Mommie Dearest, the 1985 work portrays Bette as a manipulative parent. She had dubbed her "an abusive, domineering and hateful mother," and "a grotesque alcoholic."
It further claimed that the actress often emotionally abused both B.D. and Margot, although added that she was not physically abusive. It also stated that she was a "battered" wife, suffering at the hands of Gary, who was a "violent alcoholic."
The book, and its 1987 sequel Narrow is the Way, essentially severed ties between Bette and B.D., even throwing Margot into the loop, with many critics also deriding not only the publication's subject matter but also its timing.
© Getty ImagesJoan had passed when Mommie Dearest was released, but not only was Bette still alive, she was also recovering from a debilitating stroke, and public sympathy turned drastically in her favor. Even Gary spoke out against B.D.
Cutting ties
Michael, meanwhile, severed all ties with B.D., vowing never to speak with her again, although he remained close with his sister Margot, who was born with developmental disabilities and was raised more privately.
This came to a head in 1989 when Bette passed away and her will was released. As it turns out, she had passed down her estate, valued at nearly $1 million at the time, to her son and her assistant and close friend Kathryn Sermak.
© Getty ImagesThe will
The Of Human Bondage star had cut her daughters and her two grandsons, B.D.'s sons Ashley and Justin, out of her will completely.
Per The Los Angeles Times, she had bluntly stated: “I have intentionally and with full knowledge omitted to provide herein for my daughter, Margot, and my daughter, Barbara, and/or my grandsons, Ashley Hyman and Justin Hyman."
© Getty ImagesTheir lives now
Since then, the siblings have taken different paths. Margot made headway with an appearance at the Special Olympics at a young age but lived a majority of her life outside of the spotlight. She passed away in 2022, with her obituary stating: "She had a love for people which was reciprocated by all who knew her."
B.D. was married to Jeremy Hyman until his death in 2017, with the pair tying the knot when she was just 16 and he was 29, with Bette's consent. She is now a pastor, writing more books that were published by her ministry.
© Getty ImagesMichael was close with his mother until her death and has spoken fondly of her in the years since as well, even working with the charitable institutions The Bette Davis Foundation and The Gary Merrill Memorial Foundation. He is currently a lawyer based in Boston, leading the firm Merrill & McGeary.
