"Dahling, I love your gown but your purse is on fire."
Words supposedly spoken by Talluhah Bankhead, which are quoted in several different versions. Please don't quote the really naughty versions in the comments. You know who you are. Thanks. :-)
Stolen outright and without shame from John Chilton at The Lead, with the thought that if I'm going to steal, I will steal something valuable.
In the version I first heard it was said, most appropriately, to Francis, Cardinal Spellman.
ReplyDeleteI thought it happened at Smokey Mary's in NY and she said it to the thurifer.
ReplyDeleteDo the words fit the picture? As Hamlet said, "That is the question."
ReplyDelete"I love the drag, Dahling, but your purse is on fire."
ReplyDeleteI was unaware that there were naughty versions of this. Feel free to enlighten me by personal correspondence, unless you fear it might corrupt my morals.
ReplyDeletePaul, do you realize what you're asking of me?
ReplyDeleteOh, all right.
Carbon Copy me, Mimi! I need a good laugh! Even if it is dirty.
ReplyDeleteCan I be in on the joke too? ...
ReplyDeleteLapinbizarre, I heard it was addressed to Sister Mary Spellman also.
ReplyDeleteI'm with Susan. I've always heard the story she quotes. I'm told that Talullah used to be a regular at Smokey Mary's on 46th street, and that she was usually schnockered from the night before.
ReplyDeleteIf that line was said to Sister Mary Spellman, even better. He may have been a little tipsy Sunday mornings after wild nights on Roy Cohn's yacht with all those Broadway chorus boys.
Who knows? I read somewhere that if Tallulah had said everything that was attributed to her, she'd never have had time to do all that drinking and smoking.
ReplyDeleteI'm sure, Mimi, that it's just one more "Silly Queen Urban Legend". It's also attributed to Truman Capote (who else?!) Which leads, talking of silly queen urban legends, directly to the O Wilde/J M Whistler exchange: "You will, Oscar, you will"
ReplyDeleteI suspect Lapin is right, though I still pray to Saint Talullah when I'm firing up the coals in the thurible.
ReplyDeleteIf she can swing a pot, she must be okay.
ReplyDeleteOh my. What fun. I'll bet St. Tallulah smiles down on us.
ReplyDeleteI've heard it (attributed to Talloo) as "Dahling, your dress is DIVINE but..." [and yes, re "Cardinal Mary-Francis Spellman": in a church full of swishy men of the cloth, he was supposed to be (literally!) FLAMING!]
ReplyDelete