Bette Midler Bette Midler

Bette Midler
Study Guide
Proud Sponsor:
BIOGRAPHY: Bette Midler
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Fans and artistic collaborators often use the same word to describe the
force of Bette Midler’s performances: she is a steamroller. Her vibrancy,
her exuberance, and the depth of her talent demand the attention
of anyone in her orbit. This uplifting BIOGRAPHY traces Midler’s
route from an average girl growing up in Hawaii to one of the most
captivating entertainers to hit the contemporary stage and screen.
Not a person with remarkable credentials or powerful connections at
the start of her career, this documentary shows how Midler’s energy
and charisma were the real engines behind her rise to show business
stardom and success. What emerges from this BIOGRAPHY is a
woman who literally embodies the qualities so many of our favorite
entertainers have in common. Midler is a truly original artist
who exudes confidence and exemplifies in her performances the
humanity we all share.
This one-hour BIOGRAPHY features interviews with actors and musicians Midler has worked with
over the course of her career. From her early years on Broadway through her electrifying concerts and
film roles, this program includes recollections from Midler herself as she describes her experiences and
transformations over the years. The woman who has become known as the “Divine Miss M,” or simply as
Bette, is not solely focused on delighting audiences. A committed mother and family person, Midler has
also dedicated her time to a project close to her heart. She founded the New York Restoration Project
to help restore, maintain and develop community gardens in New York City. As a public advocate, a
private citizen, and a world-class entertainer, Midler is a prime example of someone who has used her
life to make a difference in both large and small ways. Clips in this program from her performance at a
September 11th benefit concert at Yankee Stadium sum up Midler’s appeal – she shows how, at its best,
our popular culture is not just a way to enjoy our free time, it is the medium through which we discover
and remember what unites us.
We would like to thank the makers of Tylenol® for their sponsorship of these educational materials.
Curriculum Links:
BIOGRAPHY: Bette Midler would be useful for Performing Arts, Current Events, and Journalism courses.
Due to some sensitive content, we recommend it for high school students. It would be an excellent
program for after school events and programs and for multi-generational community groups. Educators
may want to use clips from this program to highlight the meaning and importance of restoration
and conservation.
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Vocabulary:
adversity
aspiring
compassion
conservation
eclectic
individuality
restoration
tempestuous
versatile
Discussion Questions:
1. How do you think Bette Midler’s upbringing and family
relationships have influenced her career?
2. What was Midler’s approach to pursuing an acting career? Do
you think her success is attributable to luck, talent, or both?
3. How did the death of Midler’s sister affect her life and her
outlook? How do you think the death of a loved one can change
people’s lives?
4. What qualities do you think helped make Midler a success in
her public and personal life?
5. What were some of the challenges Midler faced throughout
her career? How has she dealt with them?
6. Which moments in Midler’s career do you think were the most
important?
7. What are Midler’s priorities other than performing? What are
Bette Midler shakes hands with George
Pataki, Governor of New York.
some examples of how she has pursued these priorities?
8. What do you think about Midler’s commitment to saving community gardens and building new
ones? How do you think these gardens can change the neighborhoods in which they are located?
9. How do you think it’s possible that so many people throughout our country and our world agree
that certain performers are the best? Why do you think so many people feel this way about
Bette Midler?
10. Think about the performers and artists you admire. What are the qualities all of them share?
Extended Activities:
1. A&E has a special campaign called Lives That Make a Difference™ which highlights the positive
contributions of celebrities and everyday people who make our local, national, and world communities
better places to live. Bette Midler has been chosen as an example of someone who has used her
celebrity status to help make change and inspire others to do the same. In many ways, the same
qualities that make Midler such a dynamic performer also play a role in her drive to make a difference.
Brainstorm five positive adjectives that you think most describe a successful person. Share your ideas
with your larger class or group, and choose one representative to write them down on a blackboard
or long piece of roll paper. Note the adjectives that are repeated and which ones you may not have
thought of yourself. Then, choose which quality you think is most important to professional and
personal success. Write a 1-page essay describing why you think this quality is so valuable. You may
want to include examples of people from your own life who share this quality as well.
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2. In 1995, Bette Midler founded an organization called the New York Restoration Project which
focuses on cleaning up and restoring community gardens in New York City and advocates for
the construction of new ones. You can find out more about this organization at their website
www.nyrp.org. Imagine that it is your task to build a community garden or park in your neighborhood.
Make a drawing or creative representation of your park or garden. Write a list of the essential areas,
items or themes you would include. (Note: Many of these spaces are named after notable people.
Whom would your garden or park be named after?)
3. In the feature film, For the Boys, Bette Midler plays a performer sent by the USO (United Service
Organizations) to entertain troops during World War II. This story is a fictional tale which portrays
an important tradition in which popular culture performers have been sent overseas to uplift the
spirits of service men and women and to connect them to home. At the library or using the Internet,
research the history and mission of the USO. In an essay of 2-3 pages, describe the work of this
organization. You may want to include the details of one show or concert in particular and be sure
to include the context in which it took place including the location, date, and conflict or war going
on at the time. (Bonus Question: If you were asked to organize one of these performances, which
entertainers would you invite?)
4. Throughout the country there are many organizations dedicated to helping people. Some of them
focus on specific causes such as finding cures for diseases or helping raise money for research.
Others provide services, giving food, housing, and companionship to those in need. Choose a
cause or issue that is important to you. At the library, or using the Internet, research the groups
which have been created to address this cause or issue. Think about how you might get involved
and “make a difference” yourself!
Additional Resources
Books:
Bego, Mark. Bette Midler: Still Divine (Cooper Square Press: 2003).
Huff, Barbara A. and Peter Ziebel (photographer). Greening the City Streets: The Story of Community Gardens
(Clarion Books: 1990).
Rybczynski,Witold. A Clearing in the Distance: Frederick Law Olmstead and America in the 19th Century
(Touchstone, 1999).
Wolf, Thomas, et al. Managing a Nonprofit Organization in the Twenty-First Century (Free Press: 1999).
©2005 AETN.
Websites:
A Bette Midler website with biography, music links, and more: www.bettemidler.com/index_nf.html
The official website for Midler’s New York Restoration Project: www.nyrp.org
The website of the American Community Garden Association: www.communitygarden.org
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