Bette Midler — singer with roots in the Russian Empire
Bette Midler rose from Honolulu obscurity to become one of American entertainment's most durable forces, earning acclaim as a singer, actress, and comedian. Her Grammy, Emmy, Tony, and Golden Globe wins span six decades of relentless reinvention.
"Jewish grandparents fled the Russian Empire in the early 20th century, settling in the United States."
Migration storyTracing the roots — Russia / Poland
Her parents Fred and Ruth Midler were children of Jewish immigrants from the Russian Empire, part of the mass exodus fleeing poverty and persecution. Growing up the daughter of a Navy painter in Hawaii, Midler carried that outsider, immigrant-hustle energy into every stage persona she built.
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Russia / Poland. At the time, this region lay within the Russian Empire, which spanned from Poland to the Pacific.