Mae West's interest in the occult is discussed in a book by Brad Steiger and Sherry Hanson Steiger, authors of "Hollywood and the Supernatural" (St. Martin's, 1990).
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A colleague of Mae's, Stanley Musgrove had helped organize some of her spiritual evenings that sometimes took place at his home [near Universal Studios]. Musgrove invited the Canadian psychic-astrologer Clarisa Bernhardt to conduct a seance on the occasion of a book launch. Musgrove had written a Mae West biography with George Eels.
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Musgrove and Eels arranged for numerous press people to attend, including Variety, The Hollywood Reporter, The National Enquirer, as well as other reporters from the L. A. area.
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Also attending the seance: several of Mae's closest friends including Sibyl Brand and her close friend and bodyguard who had been with her for years.
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According to Brad Steiger's book, Mae does not like the term seance -- and she prefers to refer to that experience as an "interdimensional communication" instead.
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One reporter from a newspaper published in Oklahoma [on the edge of the Bible Belt] wrote an article about that event. Instead of using the phrase "Inter-dimensional Communication," the news man wrote, "Mae did not like the term 'seance" and she preferred to refer to it as an Inter-denominational Communication."
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Of interest to Mae West fans: "Hollywood and The Supernatural" (St. Martin's, 1990).
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Stanley Musgrove was an old friend of Mae West. Musgrove was quick to say he was not her agent, but he was [or became] her publicist. He often "ran interference" for the star, screening her visitors, as well as autograph-hunters or admirers who were after her picture. He signed some of her correspondence and was privy to her thoughts on everything from her attendance at functions, to what were the appropriate fees she received for appearances, interviews, and the like. Musgrove came to know many Hollywood personalities, from actors to directors. In 1982 he collaborated with George Eells on Mae West: A Biography [NY: William Morrow].
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mae west
Looooved Mae West. Visted at her home and she gave me 2 signed pics. She was also up at the house where I once lived (Known as the Sharon Tate House) or Manson House) to try to contact Sharon Tate. I don't think she ever had a successful seance (although she probably said she did) which she called "interdenominational communication". What a character. Mae should have lived forever because there could never be anyone else come along to take her place.
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