Mae West: Jewel Caper

In reality, there really was a daring, dangerous jewel heist and MAE WEST was the victim. Months later on 16 January 1934 in Los Angeles, the movie queen gave testimony in the trial of Edward Friedman, who had robbed her. Mae said she knew Friedman as Harry Voiler (an alias he used). However, these crooks were actually two people. In February 1934, when Friedman was in jail, he refused to testify against Harry O. Voiler, therefore, Voiler was released from police custody.• • Thinking about trading on Mae's popularity and celebrity, a broadcast pioneer decided this would make a great episode. And in the month of February — — on 21 February 1934 — — the radio program "Calling All Cars" aired "The Mae West Jewel Robbery," a production put together entirely without Mae's participation.
• • According to J. David Goldin, "Calling All Cars" — — Program #13 — — was aired on CBS Pacific net (also known as the Don Lee network at this time). "The Mae West Jewel Robbery" was sponsored by the Rio Grande Oil Company. Goldin notes: "The story of the real robbery of Miss West's jewels and $3000 in cash is dramatized. Well done! Martha Wentworth impersonates Mae West. The program was broadcast on the day one of the robbers was caught. The script was used on "Calling All Cars" again on 19 March 1935." The run time is 28 minutes, 30 seconds.
• • Martha Wentworth as Mae West • •
• • Born on 2 June 1889 in New York City, voice actress Martha Wentworth certainly had the right regional accent and attitude for her Brooklyn bombshell impressions — — and she was also the voice of Jenny Wren (based on Mae) for that Silly Symphony cartoon "Who Killed Cock Robin?" [1935] as well as the "Calling All Cars" episode. After a long, busy career as "the actress of 100 voices," Martha Wentworth died at age 84 on 8 March 1974 in Sherman Oaks, California. 
• • Availability of "The Mae West Jewel Robbery" • •
• • Currently, you can purchase this on Amazon.com for under $1. The segment featuring Mae West is on the album series "Calling All Cars, Vol. 6."
• • Thanks to the web site Radio Lovers [www.radiolovers.com], several of the "Calling All Cars" episodes have been archived. Go to their site and listen to Martha Wentworth cast as Mae West in this drama based on true events. It is free to listen.
• • You can also download an mp3 file of "The Mae West Jewel Robbery" [30 minutes long] from 1934 at this Old Time Radio site: www.freeotrshows.com
• • 21 February 1936 • •
• • On this date the motion picture "Klondike Annie" was released starring Mae West. 
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• • Come up and see Mae every day online: http://MaeWest.blogspot.com/

________Source:http://maewest.blogspot.com/atom.xmlMae West• • Photo: • • Mae West • • 1934 • • 
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NYC  Mae West.