Wednesday, November 22, 2006

Tallulah Bankhead in Cardiff


In 1929 notorious actress Tallulah Bankhead arrived in Cardiff for a week of performances. She was touring the play Her Cardboard Lover at the Empire Theatre on Queen Street.

Ms Bankhead was delighted to be in Cardiff which she said was a beautiful city with little parks everywhere. In particular she thought the castle was wonderful.

Her car, with its distinctive mascot featuring her pekinese dog Napoleon, could often be spotted around town.

Although in 1929 theatre audiences were generally on the decline the Welsh public flocked to see her. It was her celebrity status and notoriety which attracted them rather than the light romantic comedy in which she starred. An artistic disrobing scene also helped.

And what did Tallulah think of her Cardiff fans? "They were simply marvellous," she said.