Tallulah : The Life and Times of a Leading Lady

Outrageous, outspoken and uninhibited, Tallulah Bankhead was an actress renowned as much for her vices - cocaine, alcohol and scandalous affairs with both men and women - as for her ferocious performances on stage. Born in 1902, Tallulah's theatre career began at the age of 15, when she left her established, conservative Alabama family and fled to New York City, taking up residence at the infamous Algonquin hotel and becoming a fixture of the Algonquin Round Table. At 19, Tallulah pulled strings to engineer a move to London, where she stayed for the next eight years. Her deep voice and flamboyant style made her the most popular star of the West End stage - and captured the attention of Paramount movie executives, who brought her back to the States to try her luck in Hollywood. But Tallulah's personality did not shine as brightly on screen; although she made a total of 18 movies, for the most part she returned to her first love, the stage; a live audience would always show gratitude. She was famous for throwing wild three-day parties, bedding her favourite actors and actresses - and neglecting to keep any of it from the press. Tallulah died of pneumonia in 1968 in her beloved New York City.