A Streetcar Named Desire

With Gerald O'Laughlin

Theater: City Center
Opening Date: Feb. 15, 1956
Performances: 16

Playwright: Tennessee Williams
Director: Herbert Machiz
Producer: New York City Center Company

Partial Cast: Gerald O'Laughlin, Frances Heflin, Rudy Bond, Bruno Damon, Pablo Gonzales, Jean Ellyn

Tallulah's Role: Blanche DuBois

Although Tennessee Williams originally wrote Streetcar with Tallulah in mind, the star was not interested, nor did producer Irene Selznick feel that the actress was right for the part of Blanche DuBois. Ten years later, however, Tallulah was again offered the part in a revival and this time accepted. Her strong personality and distinctive mannerisms were at over-powering odds with the fragile character of Blanche (thus reinforcing Selznick's assessment) and reviews were poor. Gay men flocked to see Tallulah play Blanche and she ended up camping it up a bit for her admirers. The critics were not amused and felt that she was vulgarizing the play to pacify her audiences.


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