Tuesday, August 21, 2012

Mae West: Friz Freleng

MAE WEST, who used to enjoy going to the famous hotspot Cocoanut Grove, lights up the animated film feature "Coo-Coo Nut Grove" [1936] directed by Friz Freleng.
• • The playful storyline escorted a viewer through an amusing visit to a Hollywood night club, featuring caricatures of (among others): Mae West, Walter Winchell, Hugh Herbert, W.C. Fields, Katharine Hepburn, Johnny Weissmuller, Harpo Marx, Stan Laurel, Oliver Hardy, Clark Gable, Groucho Marx, Edward G. Robinson, etc.
• • The 60-minute cartoon feature was first aired in November — — on 28 November 1936.  The cartoon was supervised (directed) by Friz Freleng, with animation done by Robert McKimson and Sandy Walker and musical score by Carl Stalling.
• • Friz Freleng [21 August 1905 — 26 May 1995] • •
• • Born in Kansas City, Missouri on Monday, 21 August 1905, Isadore "Friz" Freleng was an American animator, cartoonist, director, and producer best known for his work on the Looney Tunes and Merrie Melodies series of cartoons from Warner Brothers.
• • On 26 May 1995, Friz died of natural causes in Los Angeles, California, aged 89.
• • Gene Richee [21 August 1896 — 21 April 1972] • •
• • Born in Denver, Colorado, Eugene Robert Richee came into this world in the month of August — — on Friday, 21 August 1896.
• • Photographer Eugene Robert Richee was employed by Paramount Studios between 1925 and 1935. He took pictures of Mae West chiefly for "She Done Him Wrong" and "Belle of the Nineties." Beginning in 1932, he took head-to-toe studies of the Brooklyn bombshell as well as several eye-catching close-ups of Mae in millinery.
• • He also often photographed Louise Brooks, whose striking hair-do made her one of his favorite Hollywood subjects. Additionally, Richee did striking portraits of Veronica Lake, Marlene Dietrich, Claudette Colbert, Clara Bow, Kay Francis, Carole Lombard, and other stars. One of Richee's trademarks was his placement of lights, especially the tiny finishing spots that highlighted hair and cast long eyelash shadows onto cheeks. You can see an example of that trick in his portraits of Marlene Dietrich.
• • Unfortunately, Richee's name is less well-known than it ought to be — — but his portraits speak for themselves. With a still camera, he invented fantasy images whose sheen and seduction became the ultimate Tinseltown trademark.
• • Eugene Robert Richee died in Orange County, California on 21 April 1972.  He was 75.
• • On Monday, 21 August 1944 in Life • •
• • An article "'Catherine Was Great' but Mae West Makes Her Dull" was printed along with photos in Life Magazine (pages 71— 72) in the issue dated for Monday, 21 August 1944.
• • On Saturday, 21 August 1971 • •
• • It was on 21 August 1971 — — on a TV program called "The Anthony Newley Show" — — that "I Wonder Where My Easy Rider's Gone" was performed by Liza Minnelli. Was Mae West watching Liza on television that evening?
• • In Her Own Words • •
• • Mae West said: "If you can't go straight, you've got to go around."
• • Quote, Unquote • •
• • An article about a fundraiser mentioned Mae West.
• • Jodie Jacobs wrote:  Sonny returned to Cher, and W.C. Fields paired up again with Mae West, and it was all for a good cause. The star look-alikes were among the 130 people who turned out last weekend for the Lake County Family YMCA Scholarship Fund's movie-couple-themed "A Night to Remember V" at Midlane Country Club in Wadsworth.  . . .
• • Source: Article: "The Stars Come Out" written by Jodie Jacobs for Chicago Tribune; published on 21 August 1994  
By the Numbers • •
• • The Mae West Blog was started eight years ago in July 2004. You are reading the 2402nd 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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• • Photo:
• • Mae West • 1932
• •
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