• • George Raft, who began his career as a taxi dancer, was born in a tough neighborhood of New York City, long known as Hell's Kitchen, in the month of September — — on 26 September 1895. He was the oldest of nine boys by Conrad Ranft (a German immigrant) and Eva Glockner, who soon relocated their family further uptown to Washington Heights.
• • According to Turner Classic Film's cinema historian Lorraine LoBianco: Mae West appeared with Raft in her first film "Night After Night" (1932), which was his first starring film. "Working with George Raft was a real inducement, if you know what I mean. There was a thing between me and him after Night After Night. We stayed friends for life. We had a kind of bond. George Raft gave up being a gangster in real life for being a movie gangster. Good trade. I thought he'd be a big star. Well, he didn't make that, but he had a swell career. I think it was because he didn't have enough drive. He settled for what came easy, and was easily satisfied, where his career was concerned. There were people who called him a lowlife, and they said he wasn't good for me personally or professionally. What did they know? I had my intuition, and he had a good heart — — and more."
• • Lorraine LoBianco noted: Raft, for his part, revealed in 1978 that he spoke to Mae every day on the phone, something he'd done for years. She was his favorite co-star and Raft appeared in her final film, "Sextette" (1978). The life-long friends would pass away within two days of each other in 1980.
• • Come up and see Mae every day online: http://MaeWest.blogspot.com/
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Mae West
• • Photo: • • Mae West • • with Raft in 1932 • •
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