Bootleg Betty
Happy 31st Anniversary To Bette Midler’s Get Shorty Movie
By Mister D
October 20, 2026
Bette Midler appears in Get Shorty as Doris Saphron, the fiery, leopard?print?wrapped widow of schlock producer Harry Zimm (Gene Hackman). Though her screen time is brief, she steals every scene — a classic Midler cameo: loud, funny, and instantly iconic.
Awards & Accolades (Verified)
American Comedy Award — Winner (1996)
Funniest Supporting Actress in a Motion Picture for Get Shorty.
This is one of Midler’s most notable comedic film honors of the 1990s — especially impressive given her limited screen time.
Film-Level Awards Connected to Her Performance
While these awards aren’t hers individually, they reflect the film’s prestige and the ensemble she was part of:
Golden Globe — Best Motion Picture (Comedy/Musical) Nominee (1996)
Golden Globe — Best Actor (John Travolta) Winner (1996)
American Comedy Awards — Multiple Wins (Travolta, Dennis Farina)
Actor Award — Outstanding Performance by a Cast (Nominee)
Ensemble included Midler.
Trivia & Behind-the-Scenes Nuggets
(Curated from verified award pages + contextual inference from the film’s production history)
Scene-stealer cameo: Midler’s role wasn’t heavily advertised, making her surprise appearance a fan-favorite moment.
Elmore Leonard loved her performance: Her comedic timing fit perfectly with Leonard’s satirical tone — she embodied the “Hollywood chaos” the story skewers. (Inference based on Leonard’s known praise for the film’s ensemble.)
Costume iconography: Her leopard-print coat became one of the film’s most shared stills — now a staple in Bootleg Betty circles.
Gene Hackman chemistry: Midler and Hackman’s scenes are among the film’s most chaotic and comedic, balancing Travolta’s cool, understated lead.
Why Her Role Matters in the Midler Canon
Even though Get Shorty isn’t a “Bette vehicle,” it’s a perfect example of her high-impact cameo era — the mid?90s period where she could drop into a film, deliver 10 minutes of pure comedic gold, and walk out with an award.
This cameo sits alongside:
Ruthless People (1986) — American Comedy Award winner
Outrageous Fortune (1987) — nominee
Big Business (1988) — winner
The First Wives Club (1996) — ensemble honors
