Sunday, January 30, 2011

Mae West: Mass Appeal

Actors portraying characters such as MAE WEST will take to the stage and delight ticket-holders during early February on behalf of an annual local fundraiser as well as a centennial.
• • Founded a century ago in 1911, The Winton Club is a women’s organization with one unified goal: to support Winchester Hospital. Celebrating their history, their upcoming “Wincentennial” will feature popular music, 42 songs in all, with hits from each decade since the club was organized — — from World War I-era favorites to the Black-Eyed Peas and Bon Jovi, according to show producer Debbie Williams Chasse.
• • WHEN: February 1st — 5th, 2010.
• • WHERE: Winchester Town Hall Auditorium, 71 Mount Vernon St., Winchester, Mass.
• • INFO: Gayle O'Grady at 781-729-5307.
• • Tell them you heard about it on the MAE WEST BLOG.
• • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •
• • Remembering Jimmy Durante, who died on January 29th • •
• • During 1922, Mae West was writing a new stage act, material for herself and an accompanist, featuring fast-paced skits and songs. Faced with choosing a pianist, Mae had auditioned two unknowns, Brooklynite Jimmy Durante [10 February 1893 — 29 January 1980] and Harry Richman [10 August 1895 — 3 November 1972]. Mae selected Richman, a tall, handsome, dapper fellow. Stagebills soon offered her new show: "Bits of Musical Comedy — — Mae West assisted by Harry Richman." After some good notices, Mae snagged a booking at the Palace.
• • Even though he missed his chance to appear with Mae, Jimmy's career continued to blossom. His distinctive clipped gravelly speech, nasal Brooklyn accent, mangled comic language, jazz-influenced songs, and a large, distinctive "schnozzola" helped make this unique performer one of America's most familiar and popular personalities from the 1920s through the 1970s.
• • In 1935, both Brooklynites appeared on this amusing bookcover.
• • In March 1951, Jimmy Durante was featured at the Copacabana, a Manhattan night spot that also booked The Mae West Revue.
• • Interesting, is it not, that both were born in 1893 and died in 1980 and yet these two vaudevillians never shared a stagebill.
• • Come up and see Mae every day online: http://MaeWest.blogspot.com/
________
Source:http://maewest.blogspot.com/atom.xml
Add to Google
• • Photo: • • Mae West • • 1935 • •
• • Feed — — http://feeds2.feedburner.com/MaeWest
Mae West.

No comments:

Post a Comment