I want someone to tell me why she wasn't a bigger star (besides she was her own worst enemy) and why isn't there more of her available to the public. Well????
My7 favorite Tallu story, and like all the others it happens to be true:
Tallu was on appearing Broadway when she decided to take the train down to Washington DC and have luncheon with her Daddy, Congressman Bankhead of Alabama. She gets to DC, hails a cab and instructs the cabbie to drive right under the stairs of the US Capital to the door used by House Members.
She alights from the cab, walks passed the doorman and gets on the levator that will take her to the floor where Daddy has his office.
The elevator arrives and is driven by a whizzened elevator operator - a WWI veteran who was injured in a poison gas attack and was given the job because his valor and service to country.
The elevator operator opens the gate, and in glides Miss Bankhead, stage of stage, screen and radio. In her deep throaty voice she instructs the operator to take her to daddies office on the third level, and he closes the door.
No sooner than the door is closed and elevator begins to elevate, Tallu lets rip one of the loudest, smelliest and nausiating "fahrts" let passed. The elevator operator hears it, and looks at Miss Bankhead who is looking stright ahead without any indication that she was going to excuse herself. By the time the elevator passes the second floor our operator is about to vomit - the odor is so bad.
When they get to the third floor, the operator stops the lift, opens the door and slides the cage grate aside and out glides Tallu who looks down and sees the man lunging for clean air. Tallu says to the man, as he is about to tumble out, "Yes, Dahling."
"Miss Bankhead, I don't mean to be rude, but did you break wind in the elevator?" he asks. "Would you like to excuse yourself?"
Tallu pulls up her fur collar and looks at the elevator operator and says "Well of course I did Dahling. Do you thing I smell like this all of the time?"
She turns on her foot and walks down the hall as if nothing has happened and no line has been crossed.
TB - I believe Bette got all Miss Bankhead's stage roles when they came to be filmed, including "Dark Victory". I don't think Miss Davis ever cartwheeled without underwear on, however...
From "Tallulah" by Brendan Gill, his caption for a similar picture reads in part, "Tallulah... at the Capote ball. As a party gag, she is wearing a sash that bears the name of her purported rival."
11 comments:
She looks more like she's channelling Hermione Gingold! Jx
I want someone to tell me why she wasn't a bigger star (besides she was her own worst enemy) and why isn't there more of her available to the public. Well????
My7 favorite Tallu story, and like all the others it happens to be true:
Tallu was on appearing Broadway when she decided to take the train down to Washington DC and have luncheon with her Daddy, Congressman Bankhead of Alabama. She gets to DC, hails a cab and instructs the cabbie to drive right under the stairs of the US Capital to the door used by House Members.
She alights from the cab, walks passed the doorman and gets on the levator that will take her to the floor where Daddy has his office.
The elevator arrives and is driven by a whizzened elevator operator - a WWI veteran who was injured in a poison gas attack and was given the job because his valor and service to country.
The elevator operator opens the gate, and in glides Miss Bankhead, stage of stage, screen and radio. In her deep throaty voice she instructs the operator to take her to daddies office on the third level, and he closes the door.
No sooner than the door is closed and elevator begins to elevate, Tallu lets rip one of the loudest, smelliest and nausiating "fahrts" let passed. The elevator operator hears it, and looks at Miss Bankhead who is looking stright ahead without any indication that she was going to excuse herself. By the time the elevator passes the second floor our operator is about to vomit - the odor is so bad.
When they get to the third floor, the operator stops the lift, opens the door and slides the cage grate aside and out glides Tallu who looks down and sees the man lunging for clean air. Tallu says to the man, as he is about to tumble out, "Yes, Dahling."
"Miss Bankhead, I don't mean to be rude, but did you break wind in the elevator?" he asks. "Would you like to excuse yourself?"
Tallu pulls up her fur collar and looks at the elevator operator and says "Well of course I did Dahling. Do you thing I smell like this all of the time?"
She turns on her foot and walks down the hall as if nothing has happened and no line has been crossed.
felix, i like your original thought very much.
Could it have anything to do with the filming of "The Little Foxes"? If I remember correctly Bankhead made famous on stage but Davis did the movie.
Cookie - love the story!
TB - I believe Bette got all Miss Bankhead's stage roles when they came to be filmed, including "Dark Victory". I don't think Miss Davis ever cartwheeled without underwear on, however...
Jx
From "Tallulah" by Brendan Gill, his caption for a similar picture reads in part, "Tallulah... at the Capote ball. As a party gag, she is wearing a sash that bears the name of her purported rival."
Doesn't look like the outfit she wore to the Capote ball, but does look as though she wore it just for shits and giggles.
The attire at the Capote ball, held at the Plaza, was formal black & white. So this is from another event.
I've heard that Margo Channing, Bette Davis' character in All About Eve was actually based on Tallulah. Any truth to that?
tallu always referred to that film as All About Me.
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