Saturday, April 23, 2011

TANTALIZING, TUMULTUOUS, AND TENACIOUS ... THE ALABAMA FOG HORN BLOWING THROUGH.


Happy Saturday all. Well it's the end of another exciting week in the A-Z challenge. Only one more week and we made it through this years challenge! My entry today is about a legend. Let's see if you can guess who this person is. What a character! I hope you enjoy it.

Dahling. Although I have been long dead, I will never be forgotten. As a senator’s daughter, my creativity was stifled and I was a shadow to my gorgeous older sister, who got all the attention. Could you imagine doing cartwheels just for a pat on the back? 
Well, dahling, luckily by my fifteenth birthday in 1917, I blossomed into a ravishing beauty. My older sister married and I was free. Father dragged me to washington which was so not me. 
Then dahling it happened, I saw an opportunity and I pounced on it. I sent my photo into a magazine contest to win a a part in a movie filming in New York. Could you believe I forgot to put my name and address on the back? Here I am at the local drug store and I see my picture splashed on a magazine cover with the caption “Who is she?” 
Chaperoned by my aunt Louise, I arrived at the Algonquin Hotel in 1918, the only place to be dahling ... where the creme de la creme of actors, artists, and cultural elite meet. 
I wanted to experience everything dahling, and I did! At eighteen auntie took a hike and I moved into an apartment with my friend Bijou Martin. Lord did that girl know how to party. Only the best cocaine and marijuana, not to mention the hundred cigarettes a day I inhaled! I never drank because I promised father I wouldn’t.
I acted as I pleased and said anything to shock people. I remember this one party, dull as doornails and the hostess mentioned the subject of rape. Then I just happen to blurt out that "I was raped in our driveway when I was eleven. You know, dahling, it was a terrible experience because we had all that gravel." You could well imagine how the party picked up then ...
As much as I adored the New York scene, my career just sat there like a dead tortoise. I decided to go to this divine astrologer and she told me, "Your future lies across the water. Go if you have to swim." We, dahling, as luck would have it, I received a telegram from this fabulous London theatre director. He recommended me to play a pivotal role in Gerald Du Maurier’s play THE DANCERS.
London was my future. Toasted all over town my fans chanted the moment I stepped on stage, “Tallulah! Tallulah! Tallulah!”



23 comments:

Roland D. Yeomans said...

Tallulah was certainly a presence to be dealt with and that's for sure. The childhood of Hollywood was a chaotic scene, filled with attractive, colorful personalities, ill-equiped to handle all that fame and influence.

Great job as always, Roland

Luanne G. Smith said...

I had to read to the end to know who this one was. What a life. What an attitude! Where's the movie?

Robyn Campbell said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Robyn Campbell said...

I had an ugly typo in my deleted comment. You'd thing a writer would at least read her comment over to make sure there are no typos.

Tallulah Bankhead was quite a character. I didn't get who it was until I read her name. Great job, Michael.

I love this quote from her: “If I had to live my life again, I'd make the same mistakes, only sooner.” -Tallulah Bankhead

Heather said...

Wow what a voice! She sounds like a lady who would have been an adventure to know! I loved this introduction to her. Thank you!

Danette said...

I didn't know much about Tallulah Bankhead so didn't know who you were talking about until the end, dahling, but enjoyed the story!

Unknown said...

Ok, I don't think I know about this person, but the story about her life was definitely interesting! Thanks for sharing it :)

N. R. Williams said...

Thanks for introducing me to a legend I didn't know. Shocking, wasn't she?
Nancy
N. R. Williams, The Treasures of Carmelidrium.

Karen Martin Sampson said...

The moment I read "Dahling" I knew is it was Tallulah! I used to see her on the Tonight show when it was hosted by Jack Paar (I was 12 or 13). She was something! I never could decide if I liked her - or whether her persona was real or put on, but she was charismatic - she was the center of attention without even trying.

Golden Eagle said...

I hadn't heard of Tallulah before--she sounds like she had a lot of personality. :P

LTM said...

I didn't really know much about Tallulah Bankhead, so I probably wouldn'tve guessed it from your description. But what other famous Tallulahs are there? :D good one!

Nicki Elson said...

Oh that was totally fun! What a hoot. She promised daddy she wouldn't drink...*shakes head*

Another great on, Michael. I don't know how you do it, but only one week left, then we'll allow you a break. ;)

Lisa Potts said...

Cool story. I love learning about old Hollywood. It's fascinating. Happy Easter, Michael!

Anonymous said...

Oh, the glory days of Hollywood!

dolorah said...

I thought Zaza Gabore (I know, I spelled it wrong). What an interesting person Tallulah was.

Happy Easter Michael :)
.....dhole

Pearson Report said...

I confess, dahling...my naivety will be glaringly obvious when I declare myself unfamiliar with this siren.

You, my dear Mr. Di Gesu, shall receive my sincerest gratitude for this delightfully revealing narrative introducing Miss Bankhead to me, finally.

With warmest regards,
Jenny

(I couldn't resist!) ;-)

Talei said...

Oh, fabulous Dahling! She was quite a lady, non? Wonderful voice here, Michael! ;-)

PK HREZO said...

I'm not familiar with her, but I sure would've liked her. I love a girl who can stir things up a bit. ;)

Happy Easter weekend, Michael!

Unknown said...

Like a few of the people I had to cheat and see who it was!! What fun! I've loved your rendition of the challenge!!!!

;) Happy Easter ;)

Summer Ross said...

Learn something new everyday- the name is familiar but I didn't know who it was.

Unknown said...

I don't know this person but from what you've said about her life, I want to learn more.

Nas said...

I also didn't know of this person, but her life journy sounds interesting. Thanks for introducing me to her!

Denise Covey said...

Beautiful homage to one of the great dames. Also read your past entry.

I'm up to U is for Utopia. Do pay me a visit. I'll be back in Italy for V.

Denise<3