Mae West: Held Over

When MAE WEST starred as Tira in "I'm No Angel," her Australian audience was in heaven. 
• • Grand Theatre — Second Week for Mae West • •
• • Film World wrote: Only films that prove more than usually popular are permitted to occupy the screen for two weeks at the Grand Theatre and, naturally, the Mae West success, "I'm No Angel," falls into this class. It will enter on its second and final week today, giving way to the fine Claudette Colbert comedy, "Three-Cornered Moon" (Paramount), next Friday.
• • Film World added: There may be different opinions about Mae West, but there is no doubt of her popularity today. She has undoubtedly capitalised expertly on her unusual style of sophisticated humour and works up her situations cleverly. Her dialogue is always daring and generally humourous, the line "Peel me a peach" (sic) causing laughter at all performances.
• • Here's the ad Paramount ran on September 7th.  Fabulous.
• • Source: The West Australian (on page 3); published on Friday, 7 September 1934.
• • Roscoe Karns [7 September 1891 — 6 February 1970] • •
• • Born in San Bernardino, California on Monday, 7 September 1891, Roscoe Karns started his showbiz career onstage when he was a teenager. His street-wise demeanor and five-foot-ten stature was put to use on the silver screen often as the leading man's buddy. Often given a role with a don't-him-seriously-name such as Stubby, Shorty, Cuffy, Kangaroo, Mopsy, 'Pighead' Larrabee, Irish McGurn, 'Rip' Harrigan, Doc 'Short Circuit' Wilson, Spud McGurke, etc., Roscoe Karns stayed busy from 1915 — 1964 in 149 projects for Tinseltown as well as a turn on the tube.
• • Let's face it: who would even remember "Night After Night" [1932] if it were not for Mae West? Without a doubt, Mae West's portrayal of Maudie Triplett stole the show from George Raft, Roscoe Karns (who played Leo), and Constance Cummings, who were supposed to be the stars of the 73 minute speakeasy drama.
• • Later on, Roscoe's son Todd Karns (born 1921) worked with his father for 5 years on the live television show "Rocky King, Detective."
• • Roscoe Karns died in Los Angeles on 6 February 1970. He was 78.
• • 100 Years Ago Today on Saturday, 7 September 1912 • •
• • In New York City, the musical "A Winsome Widow" was staged on The Gay White Way from 11 April 1912 — 7 September 1912 at Moulin Rouge [1514 — 1516 Broadway at W. 44th St.]. Mae West, who was performing as Le Petite Daffy in that show, was taking her final bows, yes, a century ago on September 7th.
• • On Wednesday, 7 September 1949 • •
• • The "Diamond Lil" revival enjoyed great success at the venerable Plymouth Theatre [236 West 45th Street]. It opened there on Wednesday, 7 September 1949 — — and had four months of performances (182 performances) on Broadway.
• • In his admiring review of her 1949 reinvigorated Bowery queen romp through her popular "naughty nineties" hit, The New York Times drama critic Brooks Atkinson admitted he was moved to acknowledge what he called — — in an atypically poetic effusion — — ''the sublime fatalism of the entire business,'' and he went on to ask: ''Is she kidding or is she serious?''
• • On Friday, 7 September 2001 • •
• • "Mae West and Ten Good Men" written by Jerry Boswell was staged at Yellow Springs Center Stage until Friday, 7 September 2001.  This wonderful community theatre in Ohio shut its doors in 2003.
• • In Her Own Words • • 
• • Mae West said: "Don't try to make me respectable.  My public expects me to be bad."
• • Quote, Unquote • •
• • An article about California mentioned Mae West.
• • "Go Left on Clark Gable, Then Right on Mae West" was the title.  Alas, the article itself was not sufficiently sprightly to repost.
• • Source: Article: "Go Left on Clark Gable, Then Right on Mae West" written by Burt Prelutsky for The L.A. Times; published on 8 January 2005

• • By the Numbers • •
• • The Mae West Blog was started eight years ago in July 2004. You are reading the 2419th 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 • • 1934 ad • •
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