Altoona Mirror
February 3, 1989
â–º Entertainer BETTE MIDLER says her mother encouraged her, but her father didn’t think much of her career choice.
“ (My father) was one of those pooh-poohers – ”˜You’ll never amount to a hill of beans.’ Maybe it was reverse psychology, hoping against
hope that I would amount to something, but it was pretty painful for a long time,’’ Midler told Parade magazine in this Sunday^ issue.
“He couldn’t keep me down,’’ said Midler. “I had too much inner belief. That came from my mother, who always said, ”˜Kid, you’re going
to be fine.’’’
Although her father refused to attend her performances as her career took off, the pair had a reconciliation before his death in 1986,
Midler said.
Her flamboyant stage act doesn’t reflect her upbringing.
“My parents were two of the most conservative people you’ve ever seen in your life. They never went to a movie. And we didn’t get a TV
set until 1957 or a phone until 1962,” said Midler, whose latest film is “Beaches.”
