• • It was OCTOBER 1968. Newspapers were filled with up-dates from Rome: Federico Fellini planned to conjure up a silver-screen carnival called "Satyricon," with appearances by a host of American celebrities including walk-ons by John Lennon and Ringo Starr.
• • The N.Y. Times printed this dispatch from journalist Mark Shivas: "FELLINI'S BACK, AND MAE WEST'S GOT HIM!" [N.Y. Times 13 October 1968].
• • Federico Fellini [20 January 1920 - 31 October 1993] had met Mae West in 1963 and had been wooing her from then, cooking her pots of pasta and coaxing her to appear in one of his projects. "Mae West is the mother of the empress," announced Fellini. "An erotic witch. She knows everything about the ancient ritual of bedrooms. I met her five years ago and she looked more like 45 than 75. Molto Simpatico. Intelligent. Full of humor. . . ."
• • But Mae West was more interested in protecting her brand than chasing after Fellini's carrot. When asked by reporters to confirm her role in this film, Mae replied: "I will not sign until I see the script" [17 October 1968].
• • Meanwhile, Avant-Garde Magazine, armed with Fellini's press releases, placed ads in newspapers advertising that their next issue would show photos from Italy - - on the set with Fellini and a cast that included MAE WEST, Groucho Marx, Anna Magnani, Jimmy Durante, Michael Pollard, Danny Kaye, and the Beatles. . . all devotees of Petronius the Arbiter, no doubt.
• • Ultimately Mae West sent her regrets to the auteur. She refused to play a witch who is a mother.
• • Federico Fellini died in Rome of a heart attack on Hallowe'en 31 October 1993.
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Source:http://maewest.blogspot.com/atom.xml
Mae West
• • Illustration: Mae West types surround Fellini • • artist: Walter Molino • •
NYC
Mae West.
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