Libby Holman, 1928
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Libby Holman, a Jewish girl from Cincinnati, arrives in Manhattan in 1925 and begins to make a name for herself as a torch singer, trading on her racially-ambiguous skin tone and deep voice at a time when white hipsters think the height of cool can be found in Harlem. Libby and friends like Tallulah Bankhead sojourned uptown not just to listen to Black music, but also to explore their bisexuality. Through mutual co-star Clifton Webb, Libby meets Jeanne Eagels – one of the greatest actresses of her generation, and a high-profile casualty of Roaring 20s debauchery.
(00:00) Torch Singer, Accused Murderess, Bisexual
(09:05) A Confederate Jew
(17:53) Sex Appeal to Burn
(25:59) “Coon Shouting” and Libby’s Racial Ambiguity
(41:32) Blackface on Broadway with “Moanin’ Low”
(49:10) Sex Tourism in Harlem
(58:28) Jeanne Eagels
Poster for Man, Woman and Sin, a 1927 film starring John Gilbert and Jeanne Eagels
SHOW NOTES:
Sources:
Anything Goes: A Biography of the Roaring Twenties by Lucy Moore
The Girls: Sappho Goes to Hollywood by Diana McLellan
Fearless and Free: A Memoir by Josephine Baker
Dreams That Money Can Buy: The Tragic Life of Libby Holman by Jon Bradshaw
The Sewing Circle: Hollywood’s Greatest Secret—Female Stars Who Loved Other Women by Axel Madsen
Jeanne Eagels: A Life Revealed by Eric Woodard and Tara Hanks
“The Not-So Lost Cause of Moses Ezekiel,” Lara Moehlman, Moment, September 21, 2018
“An Interview with Josephine Baker,” Tim Murari, The Guardian, August 26, 1974 (Reprinted in 2015)
“The East St. Louis Riot,” Marcus Garvey: Look for Me in the Whirlwind, PBS, February 12, 2001
This episode contains archival audio sourced from the Libby Holman collection at Boston University, digitized by Paul Adams.
Some preliminary transcriptions of audio interviews were produced with aTrain. These transcripts were checked and corrected by Karina Longworth and Brendan Whalen. More information about aTrain can be found here.
Please note: as an Amazon Associate, Karina earns from qualifying purchases. #ad
Tallulah Bankhead in a 1925 UK production titled The Green Hat
Music:
The music used in this episode, with the exception of the intro, was sourced from royalty-free music libraries and licensed music collections. The intro includes a clip from the film Casablanca.
Excerpts from the following songs were used throughout the episode:
Evan Viola - Exposition A
Sourdough - Frontana
Sourdough - Lerma Rojo
Sourdough - Farro
Switching Yard - Feltham
Warmbody - Big Ten
Sourdough - The Extension
Aeronaut - Floating Whist
Switching Yard - Godfry Road
Evan Viola - Theme Alt A
Chris Zabriskie - Undercover Vampire Policeman
Evan Viola - Exposition A (Ambient)
Sheet music cover for “I’ve Made a Habit of You” from The Little Show
This episode was written, narrated, edited and produced by Karina Longworth.
Our editor this season is Evan Viola.
Research, production, and social media assistant: Brendan Whalen.
Special research assistance provided by Audrey Fox
You Must Remember This and “The Bisexuals” Logo design: Teddy Blanks.
Actress Jeanne Eagels in 1923