--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: There have only been two authentic…" description: "\"There have only been two authentic geniuses in the world, Willie Mays and Willie Shakespeare and I think you'd better put Shakespeare first, darling.\" ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e6a/tallulah-bankhead-8506_darling_there-have-only-been-two-authentic-geniu_63628.jpg" --- # There have only been two authentic geniuses in the world… ![“There have only been two authentic geniuses in the world, Willie Mays and Willie Shakespeare and I think you'd better put Shakespeare first, darling.” quote by Tallulah Bankhead](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e6a/tallulah-bankhead-8506_darling_there-have-only-been-two-authentic-geniu_63628.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e6a/tallulah-bankhead-8506_darling_there-have-only-been-two-authentic-geniu_63628.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e6a/tallulah-bankhead-8506_darling_there-have-only-been-two-authentic-geniu_63628.jpg) > “There have only been two authentic geniuses in the world, Willie Mays and Willie Shakespeare and I think you'd better put Shakespeare first, darling.” [Tallulah Bankhead](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tallulah-bankhead/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The speaker humorously elevates Shakespeare’s literary genius above Mays’ athletic brilliance, implying that cultural impact outweighs sports fame. **In simple terms:** Shakespeare’s influence surpasses even legendary athletes. Key Takeaway Cultural legacy matters more than fame. Themes humor comparison cultural legacy celebrity sports vs arts Mood playful ironic witty Type humorous observation celebratory When to use this quote - discussing cultural icons - debating sports vs art - light‑hearted banter - celebrating achievements Key Concepts genius legacy influence valuation Practical Applications - writing a witty essay - creating a meme Questions to Reflect On - What defines true genius? - Why do we value art over sport? ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Genius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/genius/) [Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/shakespeare/) [Thinking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thinking/) [World](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/world/) ## Related quotes > [“There have only been two geniuses in the world — Willie Mays and Willie Shakespeare.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tallulah-bankhead/there-have-only-been-two-geniuses-in-the-world-willie-mays-and-willie/) [Tallulah Bankhead](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tallulah-bankhead/) > [Mel Brooks is one of the few authentic geniuses working in comedy in America today.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gene-wilder/mel-brooks-is-one-of-the-few-authentic-geniuses-working-in-comedy-in/) [Gene Wilder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gene-wilder/) > [“She knows that soon she will have escaped into the world of the people better than us, the great objective world better than Shakespeare…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christina-stead/she-knows-that-soon-she-will-have-escaped-into-the-world-of-the/) [Christina Stead](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christina-stead/) > [Things you think you're saying for the first time ever, have been said better before by Shakespeare, though they may need saying again.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ken-kesey/things-you-think-you-re-saying-for-the-first-time-ever-have-been-said/) [Ken Kesey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ken-kesey/) > [By the year 2070 we cannot say, or it would be imbecile to do so, that any man alive could understand Shakespearean experience better…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-p-snow/by-the-year-2070-we-cannot-say-or-it-would-be-imbecile-to-do-so-that/) [C.P. Snow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-p-snow/) > [I hate Shakespeare. I think Shakespeare's rubbish.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-hate-shakespeare-i-think-shakespeare-s-rubbish/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [ Shakespeare, who never could think up a plot by himself, found this one \[Macbeth\] in Holinshed's Chronicles, changing it just enough so that no… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-armour/shakespeare-who-never-could-think-up-a-plot-by-himself-found-this-one/) [Richard Armour](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-armour/) > [T. Ray said 'Who do you think you are? Julias Shakespeare?' 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And Willie's bottom line…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mickey-mantle/if-you-want-to-know-who-was-better-me-or-willie-mays-you-have-to-look/) [Mickey Mantle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mickey-mantle/) > [“A Clinton staffer tells me his theory. Think about Frank Sinatra, he says: born to sing. Think about Willie Mays: born to play ball.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-saunders/a-clinton-staffer-tells-me-his-theory-think-about-frank-sinatra-he/) [George Saunders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-saunders/) ## More by Tallulah Bankhead > [“I have three phobias which, could I mute them,would make my life as slick as a sonnet,but dull as ditch water:I hate to go…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tallulah-bankhead/i-have-three-phobias-which-could-i-mute-them-would-make-my-life-as/) [Tallulah Bankhead](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tallulah-bankhead/) > [Working on television is like being shot out of a cannon. They cram you all up with rehearsals, then someone lights a fuse and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tallulah-bankhead/working-on-television-is-like-being-shot-out-of-a-cannon-they-cram/) [Tallulah Bankhead](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tallulah-bankhead/) > [If you really want to help the American theater, don't be an actress, dahling. Be an audience.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tallulah-bankhead/if-you-really-want-to-help-the-american-theater-don-t-be-an-actress/) [Tallulah Bankhead](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tallulah-bankhead/) > [Don't be taken in by the guff that critics are killing the theater. Commonly they sin on the side of enthusiasm. 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It makes living more tolerable.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tallulah-bankhead/a-frozen-daiquiri-of-a-scorching-afternoon-is-soothing-it-makes/) [Tallulah Bankhead](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tallulah-bankhead/) > [I'm as pure as the driven slush.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tallulah-bankhead/i-m-as-pure-as-the-driven-slush/) [Tallulah Bankhead](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tallulah-bankhead/) > [I'd rather be strongly wrong than weakly right.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tallulah-bankhead/i-d-rather-be-strongly-wrong-than-weakly-right/) [Tallulah Bankhead](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tallulah-bankhead/) > [I thought I told you to wait in the car.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tallulah-bankhead/i-thought-i-told-you-to-wait-in-the-car/) [Tallulah Bankhead](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tallulah-bankhead/) > [I've tried several varieties of sex. The conventional position makes me claustrophobic, and the others either give me a stiff neck or lockjaw.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tallulah-bankhead/i-ve-tried-several-varieties-of-sex-the-conventional-position-makes/) [Tallulah Bankhead](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tallulah-bankhead/) [Explore all 79 Tallulah Bankhead quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tallulah-bankhead/) ## More Darling quotes > [Darling, replied Valentine, has not the count just told us that all human wisdom was contained in these two words,- "Wait and hope"?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexandre-dumas/darling-replied-valentine-has-not-the-count-just-told-us-that-all/) [Alexandre Dumas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexandre-dumas/) > ["Natural" is a very dangerous word to use about sexuality ... Our society's notions of normality are completely fake and meta-trendy, since they rely…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susie-bright/natural-is-a-very-dangerous-word-to-use-about-sexuality-our-society-s/) [Susie Bright](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susie-bright/) > [And the Devil did grin, for his darling sin is pride that apes humility.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-taylor-coleridge/and-the-devil-did-grin-for-his-darling-sin-is-pride-that-apes-humility/) [Samuel Taylor Coleridge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-taylor-coleridge/) > [Mom?" I said. She turned. "Can I talk to you about something?" "Of course, darling. Come here." I took a few steps into the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicole-krauss/mom-i-said-she-turned-can-i-talk-to-you-about-something-of-course/) [Nicole Krauss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicole-krauss/) > [Tonight, darling, we are going to right a lot of wrongs.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-green/tonight-darling-we-are-going-to-right-a-lot-of-wrongs/) [John Green](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-green/) > [Oh, darling, I've been so miserable.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ernest-hemingway/oh-darling-i-ve-been-so-miserable/) [Ernest Hemingway](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ernest-hemingway/) > [The only siblings I have are half-siblings. My nuclear family would have been an extra-suffocating threesome. 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You’ll get to Pittsburgh yet.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kurt-vonnegut-jr/then-you-ll-do-it-brilliantly-darling-you-ll-get-to-pittsburgh-yet/) [Kurt Vonnegut Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kurt-vonnegut-jr/) > [Oh, darling, you will be good to me, won’t you? Because we’re going to have a strange life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ernest-hemingway/oh-darling-you-will-be-good-to-me-won-t-you-because-we-re-going-to/) [Ernest Hemingway](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ernest-hemingway/) > [Enough of self, that darling luscious theme, O'er which philosophers in raptures dream; Of which with seeming disregard they write Then prizing most when…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-churchill/enough-of-self-that-darling-luscious-theme-o-er-which-philosophers-in/) [Charles Churchill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-churchill/) > [You were joking about the whole please and thank you thing, right?" "Meant every word." 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