Tallulah Bankhead

Tallulah Brockman Bankhead (January 31, 1902 – December 12, 1968) was an American actress. Primarily an actress of the stage, Bankhead also appeared in several films including an award-winning performance in Alfred Hitchcock's Lifeboat (1944). She also had a brief but successful career on radio and made appearances on television. In all, Bankhead amassed nearly 300 film, stage, television and radio roles during her career. She was inducted into the American Theater Hall of Fame in 1972 and the Alabama Women's Hall of Fame in 1981.

Bankhead was a member of the Bankhead and Brockman family, a prominent Alabama political family. Her grandfather and her uncle were U.S. senators, and her father was Speaker of the House of Representatives. Bankhead supported liberal causes, including the budding civil rights movement. She also supported foster children and helped families escape the Spanish Civil War and World War II. Bankhead was an alcohol and drug user; she reportedly smoked 120 cigarettes a day and talked candidly about her vices. She also had a series of sexual relationships with both men and women.

Birth and Death Data: Born January 31, 1902 (Huntsville (county seat of Madison County, Alabama, United States)), Died December 12, 1968 (New York City (most populous city in the United States) )

Date Range of DAHR Recordings: 1951

Roles Represented in DAHR: speaker

= Recordings are available for online listening.
= Recordings were issued from this master. No recordings issued from other masters.

Recordings

Company Matrix No. Size First Recording Date Title Primary Performer Description Role Audio
Decca 80739 3/23/1951 The little foxes, part 1 Tallulah Bankhead ; Kent Smith speaker  
Decca 80740 3/23/1951 The little foxes, part 2 Tallulah Bankhead ; Kent Smith speaker  

Citation

Discography of American Historical Recordings, s.v. "Bankhead, Tallulah," accessed December 25, 2025, http://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/302967.

Bankhead, Tallulah. (2025). In Discography of American Historical Recordings. Retrieved December 25, 2025, from http://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/302967.

"Bankhead, Tallulah." Discography of American Historical Recordings. UC Santa Barbara Library, 2025. Web. 25 December 2025.

DAHR Persistent Identifier

URI: http://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/302967

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