Above is a pen and ink illustration study of 1940s actress Tallulah Bankhead. 

 

Bankhead enjoyed a long and prosperous career in Hollywood and on Broadway. She was born and lived in Alabama until she moved to New York City when she was 15. She claimed her first performance was seen by the Wright brothers in her aunt's home on Montgomery, Alabama. 

 

Between 1918, Bankhead made her New York stage debut, making her London debut a few years later in 1923 at the Wyndham's Theatre. During the next 8 years, Bankhead would star in a number of plays. 

 

When Bankhead moved to Hollywood in 1931, she began making films with filmstars like Cary Grant and Gary Cooper. She continued making films throughout the 1930s before returning to the Broadway stage in the 40s.