I . Bette Davis
(1908–89)
a US film actor for more than 50 years. She was famous for playing strong emotional parts and for smoking a lot. She received Oscars for Dangerous (1935) and Jezebel (1938). Her other films included All About Eve (1950) and Whatever Happened to Baby Jane? (1962).
II . Colin Davis
(1927– )
an English conductor who worked with the English National Opera in the 1960s and at the Royal Opera House in the 1970s and 1980s. He has also conducted the Boston Symphony Orchestra and has been the main conductor of the London Symphony Orchestra since 1995. He was made a knight in 1980.
III . Jefferson Davis
(1808–89)
the only President of the Confederate States (1861–5). He had earlier been a US Senator and Secretary of War. After the South lost the American Civil War , Davis was kept in prison by the US government for two years before being released without a trial.
IV . Joe Davis
(1901–78)
an English snooker player who won the World Professional Championship fifteen times in a row: every year from 1927 until 1940, and in 1946 when the competition started again after the Second World War. His younger brother, Fred Davis (1913–1998) won the same competition eight times between 1948 and 1956. Joe Davis was also the first player to achieve on television the maximum score in a single game of 147.
V . Miles Davis
(1926–91)
a US trumpet player who led a jazz band. He played with Charlie ‘Bird’ Parker in the 1930s, then helped to develop bebop in the 1940s, ‘cool’ jazz in the 1950s (with John Coltrane in his group) and modern jazz with an electronic trumpet in the 1960s.
VI . Sammy Davis Jr
(1925–90)
an African-American singer, dancer and actor. He was known for his energy and cheerful manner on stage. His successes included the film Porgy and Bess (1959), the Broadway show Golden Boy (1964) and the song Candy Man (1972).
VII . Steve Davis
(1957– )
an English snooker player who has won more titles than any other player in the world. In the 1980s he won the World Professional Championship six times. He is not related to the first holder of the world title, Joe Davis .