7. Actress Tallulah Bankhead Had Gonorrhea
Tallulah Bankhead was born into Southern aristocracy who, despite a strict upbringing by conservative parents, had a penchant for garnering attention, particularly for her looks. She began acting in 1918, at the age of 16. Despite a lack of formal training, her beauty and profound, baritone voice helped create an indomitable stage presence. She traveled extensively as part of her acting career and became known for scandalous behavior, both on stage and off: she had multiple romances and would even go on stage wearing nothing more than lingerie, even if the script didn’t call for it.
The starlet’s pleasure-seeking lifestyle came at a cost, as alcoholism and drug use led to declining health by the time she was in her forties. She also contracted gonorrhea, something that may have been expected given her extravagant lifestyle. By the time it was discovered, it had progressed so severely that she had to have an emergency hysterectomy. She famously declared, referring to the disease, “Don’t think this has taught me a lesson!” Still, she continued to act in both movies and television series, including Alfred Hitchcock’s Lifeboat and the Batman series. In addition to a licentious lifestyle, she was known for works of charity, including helping disadvantaged foster children.