Bette Davis theatrical actress Margo Channing in "All About Eve" (1950). Davis read the script, described it as the best she had ever read, and accepted the role. Within days, she joined the cast in San Francisco to begin filming. During production, she established what would become a life-long friendship with her co-star Anne Baxter and a romantic relationship with her leading man Gary Merrill, which led to marriage. The film's director, Joseph L. Mankiewicz, later remarked: "Bette was letter perfect. She was syllable-perfect. The director's dream: the prepared actress." Critics responded positively to Davis' performance, and several of her lines became
Carol Channing Andrews for helping her develop her character: "She will forever be my angel," she says. Due to her success on Broadway in "Hello Dolly!" and her co-starring role in "Thoroughly Modern Millie", Channing attracted the attentions of Lucille Ball and Desi Arnaz, who were interested in starring her in a sitcom. Directed and produced by Arnaz and written by Bob Carroll, Jr. and Madelyn Davis (who co-wrote "I Love Lucy" and "The Lucy Show"), "The Carol Channing Show" starred Channing as Carol Hunnicut, a small-town girl trying and failing to make it in New York City show business. Character actors