Tallulah Bankhead Headshot

Tallulah Bankhead

Date of Death: December 12, 1968 (66)

Birth Place: Hunstville, AL, USA

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Tallulah Bankhead BIO

Tallulah Bankhead was an American actress, born on January 31, 1902, in Huntsville, Alabama. She was the daughter of a prominent political family, but she chose to pursue a career in acting. Bankhead made her Broadway debut in 1918, at the age of 16, in a play called "The Squab Farm." She went on to become one of the most famous actresses of her time, known for her distinctive voice, her wit, and her larger-than-life personality.
Bankhead appeared in over 30 Broadway productions throughout her career, including "They Knew What They Wanted," "The Little Foxes," and "The Skin of Our Teeth." She was known for her ability to bring a sense of glamour and sophistication to the stage, and her performances were often praised for their energy and intensity.
In addition to her work on Broadway, Bankhead also appeared in a number of films, including "Tarnished Lady," "Lifeboat," and "A Royal Scandal." She was known for her sultry voice and her ability to command attention on screen, and she was often cast in roles that allowed her to showcase her wit and charm.
Bankhead was also a popular radio personality, hosting her own show called "The Big Show" in the 1950s. She was known for her quick wit and her ability to improvise on air, and her show featured a number of famous guests, including Ethel Merman, Judy Garland, and Frank Sinatra.
Despite her success on stage and screen, Bankhead was also known for her wild lifestyle and her struggles with addiction. She was often seen at parties and nightclubs, and she was known for her love of alcohol and drugs. Her personal life was the subject of much speculation and gossip, and she was often criticized by the media for her behavior.
Bankhead's last Broadway appearance was in a revival of "The Milk Train Doesn't Stop Here Anymore" in 1963. She continued to work in film and television throughout the 1960s, appearing in shows like "Batman" and "The Lucy Show."
Tallulah Bankhead died on December 12, 1968, at the age of 66. She left behind a legacy as one of the most talented and charismatic actresses of her time, known for her unique voice, her sharp wit, and her larger-than-life personality.

Tallulah Bankhead Photos

Tallulah Bankhead STAGE CREDITS

[Broadway]
1964
Mrs. Goforth

[Broadway]
1961
Midgie Purvis

[Broadway]
1957
Eugenia, Baroness Munster

[Broadway]
1954
Dolores

[Broadway]
1948
Amanda Prynne

[Broadway]
1947
The Queen

[Broadway]
1945
Sophie Wang

[Broadway]
1942
Sabina

[Broadway]
1941
Mae Wilenski

[Broadway]
1939
Regina Giddens

[Broadway]
1938
Elizabeth

[Broadway]
1937
Cleopatra

[Broadway]
1936
Miss Flood

[Broadway]
1935
Moncia Grey

[Broadway]
Broadway Revival, 1935
Sadie Thompson

[Broadway]
1934
Judith Traherne

[Broadway]
1933
Mary Clay

[Broadway]
1922
"Rufus" Rand

[Broadway]
1921
Phyllis Nolan

[Broadway]
1921
Hallie Livingston

[Broadway]
1920
Rose de Brissac

[Broadway]
1918
Performer


Tallulah Bankhead Movies

[1918]Who Loved Him Best? Nell

[1919]The Trap Helen Carson

[1928]His House in Order Nina Graham

[1931]My Sin Carlotta, Ann Trevor

[1931]The Cheat Elsa Carlyle

[1931]Tarnished Lady Nancy Courtney

[1932]Faithless Carol Morgan

[1932]Devil and the Deep Diana Sturm

[1932]Thunder Below Susan

[1943]Stage Door Canteen Tallulah Bankhead

[1944]Lifeboat Connie Porter

[1945]A Royal Scandal Catherine the Great

[1953]Main Street to Broadway Tallulah Bankhead

[1965]Die! Die! My Darling! Mrs. Trefoile

[1966]The Daydreamer The Sea Witch

Tallulah Bankhead Awards and Nominations

Tallulah Bankhead News


PRIVATE LIVES Comes to Marco Island in January

Private Lives by Nöel Coward comes to Marco Island Center For the Arts in January 2024. Performances run January 3-21, 2024. Learn more about the production here!

Review: IT'S ONLY A PLAY at The Bent

What did our critic think of IT’S ONLY A PLAY at The Bent?

Broadway Actress Sheila Smith Passes Away at 90

Broadway actress Sheila Smith passed away on Thursday, November 30 at the age of 90.

Castle Craig Players Revive Raunchy Seuss Parody WHO'S HOLIDAY!

Don't miss the raunchy one-woman parody 'WHO'S HOLIDAY!' at Castle Craig Players. Follow the bizarre journey of Cindy Lou Who, now bitter and living in a trailer home. A must-see for mischievous adult theater-goers this holiday season!

LOOPED is Now Playing at Westwego Cultural Center

Looped, a three-person play about Hollywood’s original diva Tallulah Bankhead, is now playing at Westwego Cultural Center. Performances run from November 9th through November 19th, 2023.

Tracie Bennett Will Portray Tallulah Bankhead In Industry Readings Of THE CODE

Tracie Bennett to portray Tallulah Bankhead in industry readings of 'The Code' - a new play by Michael McKeever. Christopher Renshaw directs.Jim Kierstead will present two private industry readings (by invitation only) of The Code, a new play by Michael McKeever (Daniel's Husband, Mr. Parker).

Stage West Opens Season With ONCE UPON A MATTRESS

How do you tell a real princess from a wannabe?  You’ll have a grand time finding out, as Stage West, in a co-production with Theatre TCU, presents the charming, classic fairytale musical Once Upon a Mattress, which begins a 3-week run on Thursday, October 19.  Learn more about the production here!

Ethan Watermeier & Rachel Stern to Star in FIDDLER ON THE ROOF at Olney Theatre Center

Discover Olney Theatre Center's production of 'Fiddler on the Roof' with a fresh global perspective. This timeless musical explores themes of rising anti-Semitism, Russian aggression, refugee crises, and women's struggles against patriarchal authority. Don't miss this captivating show running from November 8 to December 31 in Olney, Maryland.

STEEL MAGNOLIAS Opens September 21 At Westwego Cultural Center

Jefferson Performing Arts Society kicks off its Westbank 46th season stage productions with Steel Magnolias this month at the Westwego Cultural Center on Sala Avenue in Westwego.

Gamm Announces 2023/24 Season Fellows

The Sandra Feinstein-Gamm Theatre (The Gamm) will welcome three new fellows to its 2023-24 Gamm Fellowship Program.

Interview: Writer/Performer Romy Nordlinger on GARDEN OF ALLA: The Alla Nazimova Story at Theatre West

During the Roaring 1920s until its closing on July 27, 1959, West Hollywood’s landmark Garden of Allah Hotel on Sunset Blvd. hosted the Hollywood elite looking to have a great time socializing and mingling without the prying eyes of the media or autograph seekers in their faces, or their beds for that matter. I decided to speak with Romy Nordlinger, the playwright and performer of Garden of Alla in which she shares the life of Alla Nazimova, a Jewish immigrant from Tsarist Russia who became a Broadway and silent film superstar, visionary Hollywood director and producer, LGBTQIA trailblazer, and creator of the hotel which became world famous on many levels, both famous and infamous.

27 Theater Books for Your Summer 2023 Reading List

From theatre biographies to theatre fiction; theatre books for kids to theatre history; check out our collection of 27 new Broadway books for every theatre lover's Summer reading list.

Cast Revealed For THE WIND AND THE RAIN at the Finborough Theatre

A unique rediscovery of one of the biggest hits of the 1930s, Merton Hodge's The Wind and the Rain opens at the Finborough Theatre for a four week limited season on Tuesday, 11 July 2023. 

Tallulah Bankhead Wreaks Havoc In Comedy LOOPED At Drama Works Theatre

Drama Works Theatre Company, a resident theatre company in Old Saybrook, will continue its 2023 season with the razor-sharp comedy Looped, described by the Washington Times as 'Pure theatrical magic! Scathingly funny! Deliciously inappropriate.'

West Coast Premiere of GARDEN OF ALLA is Coming to Theatre West This Summer

Theatre West will present playwright and performer Romy Nordlinger in the West Coast premiere of Garden of Alla: The Alla Nazimova Story. Learn how to purchase tickets!

See Chita Rivera, Cabarets, Drag Shows and More at Olney Outdoors This Summer

Olney Theatre Center has unveiled its summer schedule of 30 events on its newly renovated Root Family Stage at Omi’s Pavilion. 

Out Of The Box Theatre Company to Present Noël Coward's FALLEN ANGELS in June

Out of the Box Theatre Company will conclude its 2022-23 season with an Actors' Equity Association-approved showcase production of the 1925 classic comedy Fallen Angels by Noël Coward, June 7-11.

West Bay Community Theater to Present Noel Coward's PRIVATE LIVES

West Bay Community Theater will present Noel Coward's classic comedy of manners, PRIVATE LIVES, June 29thand 30th (8pm) and Saturday, July 1st (2pm) at the Courthouse Center for the Arts in West Kingston, RI.

23 Theater Books for Your Spring 2023 Reading List

Need a great book  to spring into the new season? This spring, Broadway's best have put pen to paper to turn out theatre page-turners of every kind. From theatre biographies to theatre fiction; theatre books for kids to theatre history; check out our collection of 23 new Broadway books for every theatre lover's spring reading list.

Tallulah Bankhead FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

Tallulah Bankhead has appeared on Broadway in 22 shows.

Tallulah Bankhead has not appeared in the West End

Tallulah Bankhead has been nominated for the Tony Award for Best Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role in a Play for her role as Midgie Purvis.

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