The deliciously unique Tallulah Bankhead was an absolute gift to old Hollywood fans. Not only are her films wonderful, her quotes and charisma… the very essence of her spirit and humor… are possibly even more entertaining!
And that’s saying quite a bit.
You can get to know more about this fascinating and colorful actress by spending a little time with her wonderful quotes and by reading her excellent autobiography, Tallulah: My Autobiography (Amazon link). It’s one of my favorite old Hollywood books and I should have the review published on Hollywood Yesterday in the coming weeks. I HIGHLY recommend it!
Below are a few of my favorite Tallulah Bankhead quotes… she was one in a billion!
(When asked why she called everyone “darling”) “Because all my life, I’ve been terrible at remembering people’s names. I once introduced a friend of mine as Martini. Her name was actually Olive.”
“I read Shakespeare and the Bible, and I can shoot dice. That’s what I call a liberal education.”
“Nobody can be exactly like me. Even I have trouble doing it.”
“No man worth his salt, no man of spirit and spine, no man for whom I could have any respect, could rejoice in the identification of Tallulah’s husband. It’s tough enough to be bogged down in a legend. It would be even tougher to marry one.”
“I’m as pure as the driven slush.”
“Say anything about me, dahling, as long as it isn’t boring.”
(About Bette Davis) “Don’t think I don’t know who’s been spreading gossip about me. After all the nice things I’ve said about that hag. When I get hold of her, I’ll tear out every hair of her mustache!”
(Again about Bette Davis!) “[on Bette Davis] Bette and I are very good friends, There’s nothing I wouldn’t say to her face, both of them.”
“The only thing I regret about my past is the length of it. If I had to live my life again, I’d make the same mistakes, only sooner.”
When she saw a former flame who she hadn’t seen in years, she exclaimed, “I thought I told you to wait in the car!”
(When she was once told there wasn’t any toilet paper available..) “Well, do you have two fives for a ten?”
And possibly my favorite…
When gossip columnist Earl Wilson asked if she had ever been mistaken for a man on the telephone, she responded, “No. Have you?”