Bankhead Family History & Genealogy

Tallulah Brockman Bankhead was born on January 31, 1902 in Huntsville, Alabama. Her father was a mover and shaker in the Democratic Party who served as Speaker of the United States House of Representatives from June 4, 1936, to September 16, 1940. Tallulah had been interested in acting and, at age 15, started her stage career in the local theater troupes of Huntsville and the surrounding areas. At age 16, she won a beauty contest and, bolstered by this achievement, moved to New York City to live with her aunt and to try her hand at Broadway. She was offered a role in Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde (1920), but did not take it after she refused John Barrymore's invitation for a visit to the casting couch. Unfortunately, for the young Miss Bankhead, she did not make any headway on the stages of New York, so she pulled up stakes and moved to London, in 1923, to try her luck there. For the next several years, she was the most popular actress of London's famed West End, the British equivalent of Broadway. After starring in several well-received plays, she gained the attention of Paramount Pictures executives and returned to the United States to try her hand at the film world. Her first two films, Woman's Law (1927) and His House in Order (1928), did not exactly set the world on fire, so she returned to do more stage work. She tried film work again with Tarnished Lady (1931), where she played Nancy Courtney, a woman who marries for money but ultimately gets bored with her husband and leaves him, only to come back to him when he is broke. The critics gave it a mixed reception. Tallulah's personality did not shine on film as Paramount executives had hoped. She tried again with My Sin (1931) as a woman with a secret past about to marry into money. Later that year, she made The Cheat (1931), playing Elsa Carlyle, a woman who sold herself to a wealthy Oriental merchant who brands her like she was his own property and is subsequently murdered. The next year, she shot Thunder Below (1932), Faithless (1932), Make Me a Star (1932) (she had a cameo role along with several other Paramount stars) and Devil and the Deep (1932). The latter film was a star-studded affair that made money at the box-office due to the cast (Gary Cooper, Charles Laughton and newcomer Cary Grant). The films she was making just did not do her talent any justice, so it was back to Broadway--she did not make another film for 11 years. She toured nationally, performing in all but three states. She was also a big hit at social affairs, where she often shocked the staid members of that society with her "untraditional" behavior. She chain-smoked and enjoyed more than her share of Kentucky bourbon, and made it a "habit" to take her clothes off and chat in the nude. A friend and fellow actress remarked on one occasion, "Tallulah dear, why are you always taking your clothes off? You have such lovely frocks." She was also famous--or infamous--for throwing wild parties that would last for days. She returned to films in 1943 with a cameo in Stage Door Canteen (1943), but it was Lifeboat (1944) for director Alfred Hitchcock that put her back into the limelight. However, the limelight did not shine for long. After shooting A Royal Scandal (1945) she did not appear on film again until she landed a role in Die! Die! My Darling! (1965). Her film and small-screen work consisted of a few TV spots and the voice of the Sea Witch in the animated film The Daydreamer (1966), so she went back to the stage, which had always been first and foremost in her heart. To Tallulah, there was nothing like a live audience to perform for, because they, always, showed a lot of gratitude. On December 12, 1968, Tallulah Bankhead died at age 66 of pneumonia in her beloved New York City. While she made most of her fame on the stages of the world, the film industry and its history became richer because of her talent and her very colorful personality. Today her phrase, "Hello, Dahling" is known throughout the entertainment world. - IMDb Mini Biography By: Denny Jackson

Betty Bankhead has siblings Shane Jeffrey Bankhead and Johnathan Owen Foote. Betty Bankhead was married to Stanley B Bankhead, and has children Donald Allen Bankhead, David Lee Bankhead, Lloyd Bankhead, and Melissa Anne Bankhead. Family, friend, or fan, this family history biography is for you to remember Betty Bankhead.

Family, friend, or fan, this family history biography is for you to remember Lloyd Bankhead.

Family, friend, or fan, this family history biography is for you to remember Donald Allen Bankhead.

Marie N Bankhead of Orlando, Orange County, FL was born on March 21, 1930, and died at age 63 years old on July 29, 1993. Marie Bankhead was buried at Long Island National Cemetery Section Z Site 488 2040 Wellwood Avenue, in Farmingdale, Ny.

Stanley B Bankhead of Pompano Beach, Broward County, FL was born on January 5, 1935, and died at age 63 years old on January 18, 1998.

Carnis Bankhead was born on May 1, 1934, and died at age 47 years old in July 1981. Family, friend, or fan, this family history biography is for you to remember Carnis Bankhead.

Family, friend, or fan, this family history biography is for you to remember David Lee Bankhead.

Family, friend, or fan, this family history biography is for you to remember Melissa Anne Bankhead.

Ada Ellen (Newman) Bankhead of Victoria, Victoria County, Texas was born on July 29, 1907, and died at age 67 years old in December 1974 at Hospital in Victoria.

Patsy S Bankhead of Dallas County, TX was born circa 1951. Patsy Bankhead was married to Leander J. Bankhead Jr on September 23, 1970 in Dallas County, TX and they separated on March 26, 1981. Family, friend, or fan, this family history biography is for you to remember Patsy S. (Mcmurrian) Bankhead.

Leander J Bankhead Jr of Dallas County, TX was born circa 1949. Leander Bankhead was married to Patsy S. (Mcmurrian) Bankhead on September 23, 1970 in Dallas County, TX and they separated on March 26, 1981. Family, friend, or fan, this family history biography is for you to remember Leander J. Bankhead Jr.

Jolynn Bankhead of TX was born circa 1983. Jolynn Bankhead was married to Jeremy L. Bankhead on April 14, 2007 in Montgomery County, TX. Family, friend, or fan, this family history biography is for you to remember Jolynn (Lawson) Bankhead.

Jane D Bankhead of Rockingham, Richmond County, NC was born on September 2, 1916, and died at age 85 years old on March 5, 2002.

Harry L Bankhead of Savannah, Chatham County, GA was born on July 5, 1914, and died at age 83 years old on May 17, 1998.

Willard J Bankhead of Winston Salem, Forsyth County, NC was born on August 26, 1929, and died at age 79 years old on July 9, 2009.

Steven E Bankhead of Cleveland, Cuyahoga County, OH was born on June 22, 1958, and died at age 34 years old on March 26, 1993.

Charles Bankhead of Philadelphia, Philadelphia County, Pennsylvania was born on August 17, 1915, and died at age 66 years old in May 1982.

Vincent E Bankhead was born on March 2, 1964, and died at age 40 years old on June 12, 2004. Family, friend, or fan, this family history biography is for you to remember Vincent E Bankhead.

Vincent Lamont Bankhead of Ohio was born on October 28, 1984, and died at age 25 years old on September 17, 2010.