Mae West: Hoyt's Hit

As a teenager, MAE WEST was cast in the Broadway musical "A Winsome Widow," which was onstage from 11 April 1912 — 7 September 1912. During the second act, one of her ensemble numbers was "Toodle-oodle-oodle on Your) Piccolo" — — billed as a performance by Willie Grow and Girls — — which gave one trade paper another chance to swat the jazzy brunette. Perhaps the critics ought to have slammed the composer Henry Irving Marshall [1883 — 1958] and the Dublin-born lyricist Stanley Murphy [1875 — 1919] for not doing their best, eh?
• • Despite the razzing she got for "Toodle-oodle . . .," Mae West's character La Petite Daffy won some acclaim for her display of vivacity and sauciness. "Mae West assaults the welkin vigorously," applauded the New York Dramatic Mirror from their tony offices on West 42nd Street right opposite the New York Public Library.
• • "A Winsome Widow" was the retooling of a far more successful Broadway show "A Trip To Chinatown" — — a solid-gold sensation for Charles Hale Hoyt [1859 — 1900] which opened at Broadway’s Madison Square Theater on 9 November 1891 and ran for 657 performances (close to two years) on East 24th Street and Madison Avenue.
• • Charles H. Hoyt wrote farcical stuff, low on plot but high on hijinks, silly stage business and boisterous antics that were frequently revised and replaced, which kept ticket-buyers returning. Though he was not much of a songwriter, his fortunate teamwork with composer Percy Gaunt [1852 —1896] created two hits for this comedy, songs that were featured on the show poster and are still known today. One number made a lasting impression on Mae West.
• • New England native Charles H. Hoyt was born in Concord, New Hampshire during the month of July — — on 26 July 1859. Dead at 41 years old, he never got to enjoy the 1912 transformation of "A Trip to Chinatown" nor the pleasure of watching Mae clowning as La Petite Daffy in "A Winsome Widow."
• • However, his long-lasting chart-topper refused to die. Curiously, even though this patently "down low" New York City song had absolutely nothing to do with the plot of "A Trip to Chinatown," a show set in San Francisco, the number was so popular that it proved to be a major factor in the show's success. Set in three-quarter time, the comical lyrics warned good citizens about the dangers of Mae's favorite part of town, the Bowery.
• • • • "The Bowery" [a short excerpt] • • • •
• • Words by Charles H. Hoyt & Music by Percy Gaunt • •
• • Published by T.B. Harms & Co. (NYC) in 1892 • •
• • • • Verse 1 • • • •
• • Oh! the night that I struck New York,
• • I went out for a quiet walk;
• • Folks who are "on to" the city say,
• • Better by far that I took Broadway;
• • But I was out to enjoy the sights,
• • There was the Bow'ry ablaze with lights;
• • I had one of the devil's own nights!
• • I'll never go there anymore.
• • • • Refrain • • • •
• • The Bow'ry, the Bow'ry!
• • They say such things,
• • And they do strange things
• • On the Bow'ry! The Bow'ry!
• • I'll never go there anymore! . . .
• • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •
• • Inspired by Hoyt's song and enchanted by the Bowery, Mae was determined to revisit the glory days of "the liveliest mile" and so she wrote "Diamond Lil" in 1928, a most profitable trip to Chinatown.
• • Come up and see Mae every day online: http://MaeWest.blogspot.com/
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Mae West
• • Photo: • • Mae West's inspiration • • 1891 poster • •
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