33 Tallulah Bankhead Quotes That Are Just Fabulous, Darling

Tallulah Brockman Bankhead was born on 31 January 1902, in Huntsville, Alabama.

She was named after Tallulah Falls in Georgia. She belonged to the Bankhead family, which had a political stronghold in Alabama and the U.S Senate.

Tallulah was brought up by her grandmother, since her mother passed away a few days after giving birth to her, which turned her father, William B. Bankhead, into a depressed alcoholic.

Tallulah, always astonished by theatre, soon found her way on stage after winning a beauty contest at 15. In 1918, she made her debut in 'The Squab Farm' where she was praised for her charm. She acted in a few plays like 'Footloose' (1919), 'Everyday' (1921), 'Her Temporary Husband' (1922).  In 1923, she moved to London and became a popular Broadway star after a few years. Tallulah's award-winning performances as a theatre artist were 'The Rope Dancers' (1923), 'They Knew What They Wanted' (1925), 'The Little Foxes' (1939), 'The Skin of Our Teeth' (1942). The actress also made a name in movies like 'Tarnished Lady' (1931), 'Devil and the Deep' (1932),  and the famous 'Lifeboat' (1944) by Alfred Hitchcock. Bankhead also hosted NBC's ninety-minute radio show 'The Big Show' aired from 1950 to 1952.

She forthrightly spoke of political issues that were often against the standing party, expressing deeply on civil rights and racism issues. Despite her diminishing career, Tallulah Bankhead never stayed out of headlines. Tallulah Bankhead died at a hospital in Manhattan at the age of 66 in 1968.

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Tallulah Bankhead quotes show how she had a flamboyant personality and was a controversial actress known for her frank attitude, vocal remarks, and amusing bisexual life, which attracted newspapers and radio channels for interviews with the star. She was often cited as "unsuitable for the public". The actress suffered from alcoholism and shrunk over the years. Tallulah Bankhead almost died for being underweight in 1933 and said "Don't think this has taught me a lesson!", to her doctor after surgery. Read on for these famous Tallulah Bankhead quotes.

1."Nobody can be exactly like me. Sometimes even I have trouble doing it."

-Tallulah Bankhead

2."If I were well behaved, I'd die of boredom."

-Tallulah Bankhead.

3.“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”

-Tallulah Bankhead.

4."I'm as pure as the driven slush."

-Tallulah Bankhead.

5.“I'd rather be strongly wrong than weakly right.”

-Tallulah Bankhead.

6."I'll come and make love to you at five o'clock. If I'm late start without me."

-Tallulah Bankhead.

7."What would I do where platforms, microphones and screens denied me? That's easy. I'd go to the races."

-Tallulah Bankhead.

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

-Tallulah Bankhead.

9."I'm the foe of moderation, the champion of excess."

-Tallulah Bankhead.

10."Despite all you may have heard to the contrary, I have never had a ride in a patrol wagon."

-Tallulah Bankhead.

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

-Tallulah Bankhead.

In 1952, she wrote and released the best-selling book 'Tallulah: My Autobiography' which was an instant hit. The autobiography contained real-life instances which the actress wrote about impeccably. She expressed her opinion on physical appearances and how much she loved the way she looks and talks. Her remarks on everything have turned to be famous Bankhead quotes.

12."Even the ushers traffic with different people every night. But the actress? She's a caged parrot."

-Tallulah Bankhead.

13."Acting is a form of confusion."

-Tallulah Bankhead.

14."Only good girls keep diaries. Bad girls don't have time."

-Tallulah Bankhead.

15.“Fill what is empty, empty what is full, and scratch where it itches.”

-Tallulah Bankhead.

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

-Tallulah Bankhead.

17."Too many of our countrymen rejoice in stupidity, look upon ignorance as a badge of honor. They condemn everything they don't understand."

-Tallulah Bankhead.

18."The fearful monotony, the boredom of saying the same words every night, at the same minute, has unhinged the mind of more than one actress."

-Tallulah Bankhead.

19."I don’t know what I want. Nobody knows - or if they do, they don’t know for long. "

-Tallulah Bankhead.

20.“In the theater, lying is looked upon as an occupational disease.”

-Tallulah Bankhead.

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

-Tallulah Bankhead.

22."Bette and I are very good friends, There's nothing I wouldn't say to her face, both of them."

-Tallulah Bankhead.

Nothing could ever stop her from being the person she was. Tallulah Bankhead was famously known to refer to everyone as "Darling", and the world went bonkers over the way she said it. Find audacious Tallulah Bankhead quotes here, Darling.  

23."(On why she called everyone darling) Because all my life I've been terrible at remembering people's names. Once I introduced a friend as 'Martini'. Her name was actually 'Olive'."

-Tallulah Bankhead.

24."I'm not childless, darling. I am childfree."

-Tallulah Bankhead.

25.“If you really want to help the American theater, don't be an actress, darling. Be an audience.”

-Tallulah Bankhead.

26.“For acting, darlings, is the world's most perilous trade. Compared with actors, steeplejacks and deep-sea divers lead snug and placid lives.”

-Tallulah Bankhead.

27."There have been only two geniuses in the world, Willie Mays and Willie Shakespeare. But, darling, I think you'd better put Shakespeare first."

-Tallulah Bankhead.

28.“Say anything about me, darling, as long as it isn't boring.”

-Tallulah Bankhead.

29.“I'd like to kiss you, Darling, but I just washed my hair.”

-Tallulah Bankhead.

30"Darling, they've absolutely ruined your perfectly dreadful play."

-Tallulah Bankhead.

31."(When someone asked her for details about her sex life) Of course, darling, if you'll tell me yours."

-Tallulah Bankhead.

32."Do you want to know why the Giants are going to win the pennant? Well, darlings, I can tell you in two words: Willie Mays."

-Tallulah Bankhead.

33."Having a talent can be a real bonus if the rest of your life is a mess."

-Tallulah Bankhead.

Here at Kidadl, we have carefully created lots of interesting family-friendly quotes for everyone to enjoy! If you liked our suggestions for Tallulah Bankhead quotes then why not take a look at Hollywood quotes, or James Dean quotes.