Bankhead returned to the United States in 1931, but Hollywood success eluded her in her first four films of the 1930s.
She rented a home at 1712 Stanley Street in Hollywood (now 1712 North Stanley Avenue) and began hosting parties that were said to "have no boundaries".
Bankhead's first film was Tarnished Lady (1931), directed by George Cukor, and the pair became fast friends.
Bankhead behaved herself on the set and filming went smoothly, but she found film-making to be very boring and did not have the patience for it.
After over eight years of living in Great Britain and touring on their theatrical stages, she did not like living in Hollywood; when she met producer Irving Thalberg, she asked him "How do you get laid in this dreadful place?"
Thalberg retorted "I'm sure you'll have no problem.
Ask anyone."
Although Bankhead was not very interested in making films, the opportunity to make $50,000 per film was too good to pass up.
Her 1932 movie Devil and the Deep is notable for the presence of three major co-stars, with Bankhead's receiving top billing over Gary Cooper, Charles Laughton, and Cary Grant; it is the only film with Cooper and Grant as the film's leading men.
She later said "Dahling, the main reason I accepted [the part] was to fuck that divine Gary Cooper!"
Later in 1932, Bankhead starred opposite Robert Montgomery in Faithless.
Bankhead returned to the United States in 1931, but Hollywood success eluded her in her first four films of the 1930s. She rented a home at 1712 Stanley Street in Hollywood (now 1712 North Stanley Avenue) and began hosting parties that were said to "have no boundaries". Bankhead's first film was Tarnished Lady (1931), directed by George Cukor, and the pair became fast friends. Bankhead behaved herself on the set and filming went smoothly, but she found film-making to be very boring and did not have the patience for it. After over eight years of living in Great Britain and touring on their theatrical stages, she did not like living in Hollywood; when she met producer Irving Thalberg, she asked him "How do you get laid in this dreadful place?" Thalberg retorted "I'm sure you'll have no problem. Ask anyone." Although Bankhead was not very interested in making films, the opportunity to make $50,000 per film was too good to pass up. Her 1932 movie Devil and the Deep is notable for the presence of three major co-stars, with Bankhead's receiving top billing over Gary Cooper, Charles Laughton, and Cary Grant; it is the only film with Cooper and Grant as the film's leading men. She later said "Dahling, the main reason I accepted [the part] was to fuck that divine Gary Cooper!" Later in 1932, Bankhead starred opposite Robert Montgomery in Faithless.
Tallulah Bankhead