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| Talking a selfie at Tullulah Bankhead's grave side |
I love the internet. I learn little bits of unimportant information almost daily that sudden become important to me. Several years ago on one of my internet searches I learned that Tallulah Bankhead was buried in Maryland. Suddenly this little morsel of unimportant information became a fixation for me. I wanted to find her grave and visit it. So with a little more research I found out that she was buried in Rock Hall, Maryland. I talked for several years about taking the drive from Baltimore across The Bay Bridge to find the grave but never made the journey. Last year Mark and I went to see Stephanie Powers in the play Looped. It's a very funny play about Tallulah Bankhead looping her voice for her for a scene in the movie Die Die My Darling. While Stephanie was in Baltimore doing the play she took the cast down to Rock Hall to visit Tallulah's grave. Once again I read this on the internet. I thought it was a very classy thing for Stephanie to do. I am a huge fan of Stephanie Powers. I met her back stage years ago here in Baltimore when she was touring with the musical Applause. Because I had made a donation to the William Holden Wildlife Fund I was allowed to meet her back stage, have a brief moment to speak with her and received a personalized photo from her. I was thrilled. Everyone in front of me was telling her how much they loved her in Hart To Hart. When I got my turn I told her I was a fan from way back. I told her how I had first seen her in Palm Springs Weekend and loved her on The Girl From U.N.C.L.E. She smiled graciously and replied "Oh that makes you a true fan." The fact that Stephanie visited the grave of Tallulah renewed my interest in visiting the grave also.
I think my interest in Tallulah Bankhead goes back to my childhood. For some reason my mother used to sing with a Tallulah Bankhead voice to entertain me. It always made me hysterical. Even as I got older I still loved to hear her sing like Tallulah Bankhead. She also used to sing like Marlene Dietrich sometimes also. I am not sure why she did this. Most kids that age have no idea who Tallulah Bankhead is in the first place. Or Marlene Dietrich for that matter. I can remember watching Jack Paar with my mother when I was very young. Dad would go to bed because he had to go to work in the morning and Mom and I would stay up to watch The Tonight Show with Jack Paar. I can remember watching Tallulah Bankhead on his show. I didn't understand most of what she talked about but I was fascinated with her voice and mannerisms. I was introduced to so many fascinating characters watching Jack Paar with my mother. Bette Davis, the writer Alexander King, humorist Jack Douglas, Zsa Zsa Gabor, and Genevieve a French chanteuse. I always loved to her Genevieve speak. She had terrible broken English, which I am sure was all part of her act, and her accent fascinated. To this day French is my favorite language and I am fascinated by all thinks French. This all must go back to those childhood nights watching Jack Paar with Mom. I have a photo above of Jack Paar and one of Genevieve. Funny but when I look at her photo I can still her voice in my head.
So thanks Mom for the introductions to a strange world of celebrities. And thanks Tallulah for keeping me fascinated all these years and making it to my personal bucket list.
