Tallulah Bankhead

[Serendipity09]

Tallulah Bankhead
AKA Tallulah Brockman Bankhead

Born: 31-Jan-1902
Birthplace: Huntsville, AL
Died: 12-Dec-1968
Location of death: New York City
Cause of death: Pneumonia
Remains: Buried, Saint Paul's Churchyard, Chestertown, MD


Gender: Female
Religion: Methodist
Race or Ethnicity: White
Sexual orientation: Bisexual
Occupation: Actor

Nationality: United States
Executive summary: Lifeboat


I found no surprises in the Kinsey Report. The good doctor's clinical notes were old hat to me. [...] I've had many momentary love affairs. A lot of these impromptu romances have been climaxed in a fashion not generally condoned. I go into them impulsively. I scorn any notion of their permanence. I forget the fever associated with them when a new interest presents itself.

Father: William Brockman Bankhead (Speaker of the U.S. House, d. 15-Sep-1940)
Mother: Adelaide Eugenia Bankhead
Sister: Ada Eugenia (b. 24-Jan-1901)
Husband: John Emery (actor, m. 31-Aug-1937, div. 1941)
Girlfriend: Billie Holiday
Boyfriend: Anthony De Bosdari (businessman, b. 1904, d. 1989, engaged 1928, called off)
Boyfriend: William Langford (actor, b. 1920, affair in mid 1940s, d. 1955)
Boyfriend: Napier George Henry Sturt Alington (d. 1940)
Boyfriend: Douglas Fairbanks, Jr.
Boyfriend: Gary Cooper
Girlfriend: Patsy Kelly (long term affair)


Hollywood Walk of Fame 6141 Hollywood Blvd (motion pictures)
Tonsillectomy
Coma 1968
Hysterectomy
Risk Factors: Smoking, Alcoholism, Emphysema, Gonorrhea, Cocaine, Marijuana


FILMOGRAPHY AS ACTOR
Fanatic (21-Mar-1965)
A Royal Scandal (26-Mar-1945)
Lifeboat (11-Jan-1944)
Stage Door Canteen (24-Jun-1943) Herself
Devil and the Deep (12-Aug-1932)


Appears on the cover of:
Time, 22-Nov-1948

[opheliahardin]

And who could forget her famous line, "I'll come and make love to you at five o'clock. If I'm late start without me."

[poppie]

This was one hell of a woman!!! It would have been such a pleasure to know her. Outrageous and then even more outrageous were her everyday actions. There is no one celebrity now who even comes close to Tallulah Bankhead.

[Darrianne]

And who could forget her famous line, "I'll come and make love to you at five o'clock. If I'm late start without me."

Now, that is funny!

[hrhdiesel]

she was as funny as mae west when it came to one liners!

Cocaine habit-forming? Of course not. I ought to know. I've been using it for years.

Here's a rule I recommend: Never practice two vices at once.


I have three phobias which, could I mute them, would make my life as slick as a sonnet, but as dull as ditch water: I hate to go to bed, I hate to get up, and I hate to be alone.

I read Shakespeare and the Bible, and I can shoot dice. That's what I call a liberal education.

I'd rather be strongly wrong than weakly right.

I'm as pure as the driven slush.

I've been called many things, but never an intellectual.

If I had to live my life again, I'd make the same mistakes, only sooner.

If you really want to help the American theater, don't be an actress, dahling. Be an audience.

It's one of the tragic ironies of the theatre that only one man in it can count on steady work - the night watchman.

It's the good girls who keep diaries; the bad girls never have the time.

Nobody can be exactly like me. Even I have trouble doing it.

(On seeing a former lover for the first time in years) I thought I told you to wait in the car.

The less I behave like Whistler's mother the night before, the more I look like her the morning after.

The only thing I regret about my past is the length of it. If I had to live my life again I'd make all the same mistakes - only sooner.

There is less in this than meets the eye.

They made me sound as if I'd been castrated.

They used to photograph Shirley Temple through gauze. They should photograph me through linoleum.

[FloridaDeathHag]

My favorite of hers:

"My father always warned me about men and alcohol. Funny, he never said anything about cocaine and women."

She also accused Bette Davis of impersonating her (badly) in All About Eve.

[KELT]

When introduced to IRVING THALBERG at a party that he & his actress wife NORMA SHEARER were hosting at their Santa Monica Beach home, BANKHEAD' opening line was, "Dahling how does one get laid in this dreadful town ? "

Another pip from her mouth was once when TALLULAH was in a gathering the subject came up about a rape case in the current newspapers, " You know dahlings I was raped once when I was all of 11. Right in the driveway mind you. It was a terrible experience as we had all that gravel you know.... "

In the 1930s she suffered such an advance state of (a) venereal disease that she had to have a hysterectomy. Now the press knew why she had gone under the knife but they 'cleaned it up' for print. A bunch of them I think were waiting for her when she was released from the hospital weighing all of 75 pounds. BANKHEAD made the following statement: " Do not believe for an instant that this has taught me a thing ! "

You know that her father was the Speaker For The House (Of Representatives). He tried to use his clout to help get his daughter the part of Scarlett O'Hara. He damn near succeeded too; TALLULAH was oine of the top contenders for the coveted role, though frankly in her late 30s, she was too damn old ! (PAULETTE GODDARD came closest to getting the part, but the fact that she was openly living with CHARLIE CHAPLIN without a marriage license hurt her chances.)

TALLULAH' best friend was character actress ESTELLE WINWOOD. WINWOOD who had small parts in THE MISFITS & THE PRODUCERS (" Hold me , touch me ") lived to be 102, a good 35 years more than had her best friend TALULLAH.

She'd always faired far better on the stage than she had in HOLLYWOOD. One of her last play roles was in the TENNESSEE WILLIAMS' stinker THE MILK TRAIN DOESN'T STOP HERE ANYMORE. Cast in the play alongside her was TAB HUNTER. He went to her dressing room one day to discuss something or other and when he walked in TALLULAH (then over 60) was standing there stark naked. HUNTER' jaw dropped. TALLULAH looked over and inquired, " What's the matter dahling, never seen a natural blond before ? " The play was later made into the TAYLOR-BURTON equally stinky movie BOOM .

TALLULAH is buried over on our Eastern Shore. My aunt lives not far from there, so I went to the church cemetery once to see BANKHEAD' grave. Very simple, blended right in with the others.

TALLULAH at age 23

BANKHEAD in a portrait
for the stage play of
LILLIAN HELLMAN'
THE LITTLE FOXES (1940).



BANKHEAD with a load of 'Drag Queens'
at FINOCCHIO' in San Francisco 1964.


TALLULAH BANKHEAD
1902-1968

[knothere]

man she sounded hillarious
gotta love a person with strong sharp wit

[Yksguy]

I posted this in the Estelle Winwood thread a while ago, but thought I would insert it here as well:



Estelle Winwood was touring in a play with her friend, Tallulah Bankhead. In the middle of a performance, a prop telephone malfunctioned and started to ring. Tallulah ad libbed to Estelle, "Aren't you going to get that?". Estelle glared at Tallulah, picked up the phone, and handing the receiver to Tallulah said, "It's for you."

[Noelle Page]

I loved her in that old horror flick "Die! Die! My Darling" with Stephanie Powers.

[Mrs F]

Did I read somewhere she also had an affair with Hattie McDaniel from Gone With The Wind?

Tallulah always struck me as someone you would want to share a drink or 12 with.

[KELT]

I loved her in that old horror flick "Die! Die! My Darling" with Stephanie Powers.

[KELT]

This portrait commissioned by artist AUGUSTUS JOHNS
in 1929 was TALLULAH' most prized possession.

[theotherlondon]

Looking at the pictures of her I think she has nice (Big) hair.

[FloridaDeathHag]

Did I read somewhere she also had an affair with Hattie McDaniel from Gone With The Wind?

Tallulah always struck me as someone you would want to share a drink or 12 with.

I never heard that one. You'd have to be a real lesbian to do Hattie McDaniel.

[theotherlondon]

I think most of her films were class.

[KELT]

I never heard that one. You'd have to be a real lesbian to do Hattie McDaniel.

That information first came to light (for we mere mortals) in Ken Anger's
HOLLYWOOD BABYLON; I tend to have doubts though about some of what Anger wrote as I have found him to be one who is big on embellishing.

[MegantheMonster]

Lifeboat freaked me out and I have no idea why.

It was mostly her though. Something about her.

Plus the whole plot of the movie didn't go well for me.

Also, the more I see how many Hollywood Actresses are bisexual, I'm just wondering if they were just flat out lesbians and only dated men to play the part.

Hm.

Sidebar: Joan Crawford was a bisexual too. LoL.

Megan <3

[SueWahoo]

(On seeing a former lover for the first time in years) I thought I told you to wait in the car.

They used to photograph Shirley Temple through gauze. They should photograph me through linoleum.

Oh my god! Freakin' brilliant!

[KELT]

I read a book on TALLU a while back. Loads of funny as hell anecdotes about her life & times. Trying to remember who' political rally she was attending; I'm fairly sure that it was one for ADLAI STEVENSON sometime in '56.

Anyway, TALLULAH was scheduled to be a guest speaker. About 10 minutes before she was to speak she suddenly realized that she had to get to get to the bathroom, like NOW ! She dashed to the ladies room; went into a stall & did her business. When she went to get some toilet paper, she found that it was EMPTY. She could see by a pair of pumps that there was a woman sitting in the stall next to her:
"Excuse me dahling, any chance that you could pass me some toilet paper ?," inquired TALLU.
"I'm sorry, there's none (here)," came the reply from the next stall.
"Oh damn. How about passing me some KLeeNex then dahling ?" continued TALLU
"Madam, I don't have any........," came the answer from the lady next stall.
"Well then dahling, any chance that you have (2) Fives for a Ten ?," asked the frustrated TALLULAH

[leevancleef]

i've found this amazing illustrated report about Tallulah's home:

[leevancleef]

[BooMom]

Oh, DAMN !!! Can I plllleeease have that mirror in the 1st pic?? <drool>

I'd settle for the overdone chair on the 3 pg....*sigh*

[RoRo]

I loved LOVED loved Tallulah!! She was such a bigger than life bawdy broad in the best way!! Her one liners are classic....she had such a great wit. I thought she was so beautiful too!

[SinKittyVixen]

Shes was soo gorgeous!! Also, Demi Moore and Bruce Willis named their daughter after her.
~SKV

[a clever sheep]

I have appropriated her famous throaty, "Hello, dahling". It is my signature greeting at work. Nobody recognizes that it was Tallulah's trademark. Few remember her now, but I always liked her.

[fultondyke]

Tallulah! My fellow nonheterosexual Alabamian! One of my favorite quotes is her reply to someone who asked her if Tab Hunter was, indeed, gay...Tallulah's response: "Well I don't know, darling...He never sucked my dick!"

[ajlposh]

Here's a funny story Dick Cavett told about her and Chico Marx:

The young film ingenue, Tallulah Bankhead, was fresh on the scene and was being given a coming out party in New York to intoduce her to industry types and the like. Chico was invited, but was told by the Marx Brothers' manager that she was a delicate, very classy southern belle and urged him to be on his best behavior around her. Chico basically said, "Yeah, yeah, don't worry about it."

On the night of the party, he introduced himself to her, and Tallulah, excited to meet one of the Marx Brothers, who were huge stars at the time, was very gracious, charming and demure. Chico spent the next few minutes chatting her up, remarking occasionally on the young starlet's remarkable beauty, with each comment more forward than the last, until finally he became bold enough to simply tell her, "Y'know, I'd really like to fuck you." Miss Bankhead, laughing and batting her eyelashes, said, "And so you shall, you dear old-fashioned boy!"

[Giada]

Thank you for the thread ...

What a delight! Could she be any more real, snarky, or fun

[Georgiaguy1]

Queen of the one liners,..at a party some one detected a fowl smell and proclaimed''Tallulah did you fart?"she exclaimed''why dahling yes..you don't think I smell like this ALL the time,do you ? ''...LOL,got to luv her quick wit.

[Guest]

Always liked Tallulah! Her autobiography was great reading. Love her wit.

[lobosco107]

Does anyone remember the radio show she hosted called "The Big Show". It was radio's last gasp of a fight before television took over. It was a pretty good show.

[Sam]

Another pip from her mouth was once when TALLULAH was in a gathering the subject came up about a rape case in the current newspapers, " You know dahlings I was raped once when I was all of 11. Right in the driveway mind you. It was a terrible experience as we had all that gravel you know.... !

That made me laugh all day long at work!! I told the story to several people and they laughed too!!!

WOW!
That house is really beautiful. Is it still standing today?
You know the "Bankhead HWY" that runs across the Southern U.S. was named after her father?

[fultondyke]

That made me laugh all day long at work!! I told the story to several people and they laughed too!!!



WOW!
That house is really beautiful. Is it still standing today?
You know the "Bankhead HWY" that runs across the Southern U.S. was named after her father?

I used to work in Jasper, Alabama so I drove that hwy to work every day...The old Bankhead ancestral home is in Jasper, and is quite imposing...I would drive past it occaisionally and wonder what mischief the young Tallulah must have gotten into there...

[Fluffy-54]

i've found this amazing illustrated report about Tallulah's home:

OMG she smoked 150 cigarettes a day!!!!

I read her biography many years ago, can't remember who wrote it, but I do remember it was fascinating reading. Amazing lady. How could anyone smoke 150 cigarettes a day? ..... *coff*coff*

[sunshine74137]

Even if you could physically smoke that many you probably couldn't afford it.

[cindyt]

That's 7 and one half packs per day...hard to believe...maybe she didn't sleep?

[King Tut]

http://home.hiwaay.net/~oliver/tbintro.htm

You could spend hours at the above site. I did.

[opheliahardin]

http://home.hiwaay.net/~oliver/tbintro.htm

You could spend hours at the above site. I did.

As Achmed would say, "I KEEL YOU!"

:P

[hell0kitty]

THANK THANK YOU for posting this thread about a REAL movie star! its refreshing to come to FAD and actually find something written about a movie star anymore! i adored tallulah, the ultimate nut! thanks again! in fact dahlings, i wish someone would make a new category for this forum and entitle it 'your current whinge' ........

[ByrdSar]

Tallulah Bankhead sounds like one awesome lady! Too bad she's dead, I would have loved to have known her...

[radiojane]

Does anyone remember the radio show she hosted called "The Big Show". It was radio's last gasp of a fight before television took over. It was a pretty good show.

She was really funny on that. There's one episode where she's talking to Judy Holliday and cannot direct the conversation away from men. It's hilarious. She was the perfect host for a show that was overblown from the beginning.

I just read a Lucille Ball biography and there's a great passage about Tallulah's guest appearance either on I Love Lucy or on one of her and Desi's christmas specials. I can't remember the specifics, but apparently she took off her clothes in rehearsal. Lucy (not famous for her patience)had already had it with her because of her antics in previous rehearsals. Apparently her actual performance went off with out a hitch. Wouldn't you have loved to be a fly on the wall at Desilu that day?

[Alanwench]

While filming "Lifeboat," Alfred Hitchcock had to re-shoot some scenes from the vantage point of the interior of the boat when he discovered that Tallulah wasn't wearing panties. He remarked, "I didn't know if it was a situation for costuming or a hair dresser."

[ByrdSar]

Oh, wow. That Tallulah! What a crazy lady!

[opheliahardin]

While filming "Lifeboat," Alfred Hitchcock had to re-shoot some scenes from the vantage point of the interior of the boat when he discovered that Tallulah wasn't wearing panties. He remarked, "I didn't know if it was a situation for costuming or a hair dresser."

LOL! Classic!

[burgtwngrl]

I'm reading a book called "forbidden lovers" by Axel Madsen and it's said in there Tallulah was part of the "hollywood sewing circle" i.e closeted lesbian actresses. It's reported in the book her affair with Hattie McDaniel also.

[ByrdSar]

Sounds like an interesting read...

[RIPWELLSTONE]

How bizaare.. A friend of mine lives in Chestertown, and she took me to see her grave.. I didn't know who she was, but my (older) husband did.. I think we have a picture of her grave stone..I'll try to upload it ASAP.

[MoonRabbit]

And who could forget her famous line, "I'll come and make love to you at five o'clock. If I'm late start without me."

I love it!!!!

That line is so Tallulah!

[Noelle Page]

Wow, I had forgotten all about that I Love Lucy episode with Tallulah....funny, you never seem to see it in all the constant reruns....

What I remember very distinctly is being frightened of Tallulah. She had a Cruella DeVille quality that chilled me. I never totally shook that feeling, even though I appreciate all her qualities now.