Mae West: Bling Abroad

N.Y. Times reporter David Belcher does not remember the motion picture "Night After Night" too clearly (heck, no one does) — — but he did not forget MAE WEST.

• • David Belcher began his May 16th article this way: “Goodness, what lovely diamonds,” a hat-check girl said to a bejeweled and brash Mae West at a black-tie party [sic] in the 1932 film “Night After Night.” “Goodness had nothing to do with it, dearie,” West quipped.  . . .  Harry Winston’s contribution will be part of a major exhibition, “Hollywood Costume,” at the Victoria and Albert Museum in London, opening in October, which will illustrate jewelry’s presence on screen and off, Belcher explains in his article "Hollywood Fame Shifts but Jewels Remain Forever."

• • The Bling King: When Harry Dressed Mae • •

• • In February 1949, when Mae West walked out onstage as Diamond Lil during her triumphant return to Broadway [at the Coronet Theatre, 230 West 49th Street), it was Harry Winston who had supplied an Ali Baba's cave worth of glitter for this revival.

• • Mae West's adornments in 1949 included: “Seven part waist decoration, $500,000; necklace, $100,000; three bracelets, $200,000; 46-carat emerald-cut diamond ring, $300,000; 30-carat oval-cut diamond ring, $75,000…”

• • These industrial-strength carats were ferried by couriers each night to the vault — — and brought back to the Coronet Theatre, heavily guarded, in time for each performance. Splendor such as this was never seen on the Bowery during the 1890s.

• • Harry Winston is at 718 Fifth Avenue between West 55th — West 56th Street, NYC; T. (212) 245-2000. Be sure to phone them to ask if Mae is in the exhibit.

• • Bridgette Andersen [11 July 1975 — 18 May 1997] • •

• • In 1982, she portrayed Mae West as an adorable child.

• • Born in California on 11 July 1975, Bridgette Andersen embarked upon an acting career in her youth — — not unlike Mae.

• • By her 7th birthday, Bridgette was buzzing and busy. First she was selected for a TV movie "Washington Mistress" [1982]. Later that year, Bridgette Andersen appeared in her most memorable role as the title character in "Savannah Smiles," followed by roles in "Family Ties," "Remington Steele," and as a young Mae West in the TV bio-pic of the actress' life.

• • In 1983, she was cast in a horror flick, a few short-lived sit-coms, and was nominated twice for a Young Artist Award.

• • Though she worked steadily throughout the mid-1980s in feature films and on the small screen, by 1987 the 12-year-old was much less in demand.

• • Unlike Mae West, Miss Andersen was not close to her family. As a teen, she became a heroin addict, which distanced her further from career aspirations or contact with loved ones. Reportedly, she was trying to clean up and get back on track by 1997 when she was employed by Erewhon Health Food Store in Los Angeles, California.

• • Unfortunately, during May — — on 18 May 1997 — — her screen dreams ended with a fatal overdose of alcohol and drugs. Bridgette Andersen was 21 years old. So sad.

• • On Saturday, 18 May 1912 in Variety • •

• • Frank Bohm bought a generous ad in Variety (issue dated for 18 May 1912) to help publicize his client Mae West as "The Scintillating Singing Comedienne, Late of Ziegfeld's Moulin Rouge." Billboard gave the vaudevillian's act a favorable review the following month.

• • On Thursday, 18 May 1933 in Camperdown Chronicle • •

• • Costume designer Travis Banton spoke about beauty standards in motion pictures and the measurements of Mae West, Claudette Colbert, and other top actresses. The Australian newspaper Camperdown Chronicle printed the article in a Thursday issue on 18 May 1933.

• • In Her Own Words • •

• • Mae West said: "Diamonds is my career."

• • Mae West said: "It isn't what I do, but how I do it. It isn't what I say, but how I say it, and how I look when I do it and say it."

• • Quote, Unquote • •

• • An article about a movie mentioned Mae West.

• • Reviewing the new screen comedy "Bridesmaids," Carrie Rickey wrote: Instead, I submit Exhibits A through J as proof of Why Women Are Funny:

• • Exhibit A: Mae West calculating Cary Grant's assets while explaining her hobby in She Done Him Wrong: "It was a toss-up whether I went out for diamonds or sang in the choir. The choir lost." ...

• • Source: Article: "Bridesmaids, why women are funny, and who makes you laugh?" written by Carrie Rickey for Philly.com; posted on Wednesday, 18 May 2011

• • By the Numbers • •
• • The Mae West Blog was started seven years ago in July 2004. You are reading the 2304th blog post. Unlike many blogs, which draw upon reprinted content from a newspaper or a magazine and/ or summaries, links, or photos, the mainstay of this blog is its fresh material focused on the life and career of Mae West, herself an American original. 

• • Come up and see Mae every day online: http://MaeWest.blogspot.com/
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