The Decorator- Bette Davis (Un-aired 1965 Aaron Spelling TV Pilot) PART 1

[DiscoVinyl]

"Likewise I'm sure!"

[rewardless]

thank you, ab fab!

[DreamsCumTrue469]

Bette's working with the ubiquitous Mary Wickes and Ed Begley . the little girl looks like that girl from the scary movie made around this same time period (the name of which escapes me) about the child with strange mind.

[unclealand]

Love how the audience laughs when someone picks up a coat.

[cfronck]

@ReasonedResponse I believe it didn't work due to it being a single-camera show without an audience. Bette was used to dramatic roles and didn't have the audience to react to her.

[tyjeffries]

I love at 3.10...its Bette doing Bette ..too fabulous! x

[beehmon]

This TV pilot was referenced with a brief clip in the wonderful new documentary film "Making the Boys" about playwright Mart Crowley who re-wrote this script before Ms. Davis would agree to do it. He says he originally wrote the assistant (played by Mary Wickes) to be a gay man played by Paul Lind.

[MrBadguitar]

Aaron Spelling pulled the plug before the pilot was even finished because Davis was taking too long and costing money. She demanded that the scenes be lit just like her old Warner Bros movies were, and she just couldn't adapt to the quick, down & dirty lighting of TV production. She spent hours arguing over such things, and Spelling realized it wold never work on a weekly basis and killed the show.

[markinpa1970]

I can't believe this never aired! This is great!

[creolelady182]

This show is hilarious-anybody know why it did not run?

[xtinaandravenfan]

'Anybody who knocks on this door before noon, better have a bloody good reason' haha hillarious, I should post that on my bedroom door lmao! Love Bette :) <3

[desasmujeres]

Really a must-see jewel. Forever great, Betty! Thanx.

[littlearmel]

Mary Wickes was awesome in Sister Act !!!!!!!!! Shame they didn't make the series...Would have been something !!!

[jmuslvr]

Bette as a 1960's Margo Channing. Mary Wickes as a 1960's Birdie. And the kid on the beach as a 1970's Eve Harrington!

[100Meadows]

Mary Wickes did a voice in the Disney animated "Hunchback of Notre Dame." I think that was her last role.

[littleyellowbear]

the man who came to dinner...

[jobyred]

Mary wickes was also the mothers nurse in Now Voyager again opposite Davis.

Great little peice of tv, i realy enjoyed it.

[punchcar]

she seemed dated for this pilot. It just wasn't funny....canned and a bit off.... notice the cast seemed afraid of her....

[100Meadows]

@punchcar I think Bette was out of her element. Also, I've read that Bette purposely intimidated her co-stars. If she wasn't treated like the legend she perceived herself to be, she was very difficult.

[hayamatsuka]

lol thanks for downloading these they are hilarious.

[MingnonDunn]

Bette played opposite Mary Wickes in "The Man Who Came for Dinner" circa 1943

[BrentAudi]

I think that this is just great!

Why was this not aired?

It was just as good if not better to what was offered on television during this period....

Thanks for posting this.

Brent

[PJCoan]

"Don't be absurd- everybody needs a decorator!" Too bad they didn't go on with this series- it looks like it would have been fun!

[sketchguy2006]

@PJCoan ...seriously? From Too Dumb For Television, The Best of the Bathroom Reader (1995): "Bette Davis stars as an interior decorator who insists on living with her clients, so that she can fit her design with their personalities. Each week she moves in with a different family and helps them solve their personal problems while helping them pick out drapes." At least Barbara Eden as "Jeannie" was seriously hot!

[nauort23]

Something disturbing about hearing the great Bette Davis' voice followed by canned tv sitcom laughter. Thank God it didn't fly!

[fromthesidelines]

The next time Aaron Spelling tried to cast Bette in a series was "Arthur Hailey's HOTEL", in 1983. She appeared in the two-hour pilot episode, but withdrew from the production afterward, due to her advanced age and health problems. Anne Baxter "replaced" her in the series.

[omeirdeleon]

The woman playing VY was the Nun Choir Director in Sister Act with Whoopi Goldberg.

[PJCoan]

@omeirdeleon She was also the nurse in the Bette Davis movie NOW VOYAGER. She was a Warner's girl, and played all sorts of secondary roles in the Warner's movies. She was also the maid in the TV series "Sigmund The Sea Monster" with Johnny Whittaker.

[dallyx66]

Mary Wickes. She was also in White Christmas. And Little Women with Winona Ryder.

[conchaperez]

No one could ever smoke a cigarette like Bette did!!!! Love this special gem!

[happylilsunbeam]

How amazing. I love when she takes the glasses off. She's so doing an impersonation of herself.

[fromthesidelines]

This unaired pilot was produced for consideration on ABC's 1965-'66 schedule. However, the network bought another Spelling/Four Star production instead: Anne Francis' "HONEY WEST", which lasted one season [30 episodes].

[tcrownprince]

hahahahhahaha hahahahahahaha

[tcrownprince]

this is HYLARIUS LOVE IT totally amazing =)

[TheeSleapinbeauty]

I think i want to be a decorator for parties the old red white and blue

[teddyblair]

I love this!!!!! I think it should be redone with Susan Sarandon as Bette Davis! I've met her (Susan) in person and there's nobody out there with the talent and the eyes to pull this off. This is the most exciting find in years! I do hope that someone is listening. The part of the millionaire could be played by Gary Marshall and the part of the assistant by Christine Baranski (from Cybil).... oh! I love this!

[THEKAYLAJONESSHOW]

mary wickes is the lady's name and she was also in Sister Act

[nandesneto]

where did you find it ???

[jett87rink]

Trivia: Whoopi Goldberg's production company and producer Susan Fales-Hill (The Cosby Show, A Different World) pitched an updated version of this in the '90s to star Jenifer Lewis, but it was never produced. It could have been a good show.

[nateboytwo]

that woman played the nurse in now voyager ?????

[maxflower13]

OIL CITY

[bigbenchevy]

Great!!!

[andyjet2]

thanks for superb comedy like this brilliant

[bluegobo]

If I hadn't been gay before watching this, I'd be gay now.

[DavidRobertLaman]

Holy smoke! The reason this intelligently written, produced and acted show wasn't picked up: it was ahead of its time in 1965 and people didn't curse on television with such words as "bloody." Bette Davis's entire vibe was too much for the small screen. Had it been in the 1970s, it would have been a smash hit.

[je3rowe]

I love watching Bette smoke! She makes me wanna light up and I've never smoked before in my life! Thanks for this! I didn't even know it existed! Love the amazing Bette!

[Zilly2dope]

Fantastic!

[miguelalvesmantero]

fantastic bette davis always good even in bad scripts!!

[k8nairne]

This is SUPERB!!! Isn't that Nurse Preen from 'The Man Who Came to Dinner'???

[SirVixsAtomic]

what a fun show! Gee wish it was picked up :(

[plappin]

She stole that look from Edie Beale....or vice versa!

[billybeyond]

so ultra fabulous. THANK YOU

[jefflavine]

Can't believe that I didn't know about this! Thanks Frankie!!!

[lizafan1]

""T H R O W  ON A W I G,A N D J U M P

I N T O S O M E H E E L 'S"" best line i've

heard all yr!! GOD HOW I MISS HER THE GREAT DIVINE BETTE DAVIS ,none

better,such flair,she was the real deal....

[winnerdaniel1]

This was ahead of its time.

[avelvetcrush]

AUNTIE MAME!!!!!!

[avelvetcrush]

...AND ditch diggers and drum majorettes!

[avelvetcrush]

EVERYBODY needs a decorator, you stupid bitch!  AAAAAAnd everyone needs a fuckin' MOAT!!!!

[Soulard12rh]

Love how she just puts her cigarette out in the sand right next to the kid's house.

[avelvetcrush]

I love the blooper where she puts it out in her eye!

[bettelane]

Who is the little kid?

[avelvetcrush]

that's no kid. that's Joan Crawford!

[pokkit]

This morning, I read about this show in "Uncle John's Readers" (in a list of TV flops, of course) and wondered if it could possibly be seen on YouTube. And here it is! It's so fun and dated. Thanks a bunch!

[bettebest]

oh thank you so much this is great =) I really ,really love it, x, miss davis is so funny here =)

[HeyDeyFan]

I just put part 2 and 3 up!

[BethBetteJulie]

I love it! Do you have more? :)