I just love Beatrice Lillie.
“Louis Sobel is authority for the story that Miss Beatrice Lillie toyed with the notion of vacationing in Bermuda after her last play ended its run. She contacted the owner of an estate there and asked for particulars by mail. The owner answered, “My place is on a small island, so you will need my boatman to ferry you to Hamilton and back. The estate rents for $25,000, but with the boatman’s services included, the price will be $30,000.” Miss Lillie cabled, “Kindly rush photograph of the boatman.”
From “Shake Well Before Using,” Bennett Cerf, 1950
In the video below, Bea performs one of her classic skits, ‘Double Damask Dinner Napkins.’