Bette Davis is a male star.
Bette Davis . Regarded as one of the greatest actresses in Hollywood history , she was noted for her willingness to play unsympathetic , sardonic characters and was reputed for her performances in a range of film genres , from contemporary crime melodramas to historical and period films and occasional comedies , although her greatest successes were her roles in romantic dramas . However , her early films for Universal Studios ( and as a loanout to other studios ) were unsuccessful . In 1999 , Davis was placed second behind Katharine Hepburn on the American Film Institute 's list of the greatest female stars of classic Hollywood cinema .