Friday, August 24, 2012

Mae West: Gala Midnight

There was a special screening in Western Australia to welcome a new motion picture by MAE WEST — — "I'm No Angel" on Friday, 24 August 1934.  Let's go back in time.
• • "Gala Midnight Show for Mae West Picture" • • 
• • Mae West pictures; Mae West books, Mae West styles, and Mae West stories are as prominent today as any other motion picture subject; and it is little short of amazing how this actress, even allowing for brilliant publicity, has become — — with only one starring picture ("She Done Him Wrong") — — such a well-known world personality.
• • Although well known on the American stage, she first gained world prominence with a minor part in "Night After Night" and then, in "She Done Him Wrong" went right to the forefront. Recent censor action on her latest picture "The Belle of the Gay Nineties" (formerly "It Ain't No Sin") added further to the publicity and it is certain that any records made in Western Australia by "She Done Him Wrong" are likely to be broken by "I'm No Angel."
• • The West Australian premiere of "I'm No Angel" will take place at a gala midnight show at the Grand Theatre next Thursday, August 30, beginning at 11:30 o'clock. Already more than 50 seats have been booked for this premiere screening. Regular showings of "I'm No Angel" will commence at 10:00 a.m. next Friday and the picture will be a feature of the 14th annual  Paramount Week, Miss West being, with Marlene Dietrich, the most popular of the Paramount stars.
• • Miss West, who added to contemporary slang of all English-speaking races the phrase "Come up and see me sometime" has one scene in "I'm No Angel" which is more entertaining than the other sequences, uniformly good as they are.  She is the plaintiff in a breach of promise action and conducts her own case to the accompaniment of continuous mirth.  She outwits judges, barristers, and jury to win her action easily — —  and to the amused interest of audiences. 
• • Source: Article: "I'm No Angel" printed (on page 3) of The West Australian; published on Friday, 24 August 1934.
• • Lew Kelly [24 August 1879 — 10 June 1944] • •
• • Born in St. Louis, Missouri on Sunday, 24 August 1879, Lew Kelly was seen briefly as the animal keeper for the circus that employs Tira in "I'm No Angel" [1933]. The same year, Lew Kelly was also seen as Sourdough, the hotel manager in "Tillie and Gus," which starred W.C. Fields as Augustus Winterbottom and Alison Skipworth as Tillie Winterbottom, two performers who also worked with Mae West.
• • The busy bit parts player, first hired in 1928, was subsequently attached to 217 titles and ended his silver screen career with "Barbary Coast Gent" [1944], where he was briefly seen as a stage passenger. Employed right up to the end in minor roles, Lew Kelly died in Los Angeles in the summer on 10 June 1944. He was 64.
• • On Wednesday, 24 August 1921 • •
• • With "The Mimic World of 1921," the Shuberts had hoped for a big hit and especially since this revue was inaugurating the family's new roof theatre that featured a restaurant and a promenade overlooking Central Park.
• • Mae West wore a daring black velvet dress onstage, "cut at either side to display her bare hips," wrote Women's Wear [Wednesday, 24 August 1921], quaking under such a sartorial shock. Jack Dempsey must have liked what he saw because he went to Mae's dressing room on opening night — — and the two hit it off big-time.
• • On Monday, 24 August 1931 • •
• • When Mae West brought her play "The Constant Sinner" to Atlantic City for a try-out in August 1931, the crowds lined up for tickets, noted The New York Times: "With two rows of standees and chairs in the aisles for extra celebrants, last Monday night saw Mae West run through her latest daisy chain, "The Constant Sinner," at the Apollo Theatre in Atlantic City. . ." [NY Times on 30 August 1931].
• • The play opened out of town in New Jersey's resort town at the Apollo Theatre on Monday, 24 August 1931.
• • In Her Own Words • •
• • Mae West said: "My corseted silhouette — — what is it but a return to normal, the ladies' way of saying the depression is over?"
• • Quote, Unquote • •
• • An item on the Shubert's next attractions mentioned Mae West.
• • Billboard wrote: Mae West will be the opener for the Shubert, coming September 2nd for a 3-week stay in "Come On Up." "The Fortune Teller" is supposed to follow, coming from the West Coast, with Helen Hayes . ...
• • Source: Article: "Mae West Opens Shubert" written by Billboard staff for Billboard Magazine ("Legitimate" on page 44), Vol. 58, No. 34; published on Saturday, 24 August 1946
By the Numbers • •
• • The Mae West Blog was started eight years ago in July 2004. You are reading the 2405th 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/
________

Source:http://maewest.blogspot.com/atom.xmlAdd to Google

• • Photo:
• • Mae West • 1934
• •
Feed — — http://feeds2.feedburner.com/MaeWest
  Mae West.

No comments:

Post a Comment