Mae West: Leonard Sues

MAE WEST starred in "The Heat's On" [1943] — — and  Leonard Sues did a cameo as a trumpet player during a musical number.
• • Leonard Sues [3 April 1921 — 24 October 1971] • •
• • The child prodigy was born in El Paso, Texas on 3 April 1921 and began his sojourn on the screen at age 14.  From 1935 — 1949, he appeared in 32 feature films.
• • Mae West performed several numbers by W.C. Handy and Leonard Sues like him, too.  He recorded Handy's iconic "Memphis Blues," arranging the music so he could do his trumpet solo.
• • Leonard Sues contracted cancer and died in Los Angeles on Sunday, 24 October 1971.  He was 50.
• • Barry Benton Bonds [25 October 1925 — 23 November 2007] • •
• • According to his family members, Barry Benton Bonds was born on 25 October 1925. He had a long and happy marriage and fathered two children: Alexis Greer and Gregor. His grandchildren described him as a proud WWII veteran, an avid sailor, and a skillful fisherman. Mr. Bonds performed in original national tours of ''On Your Toes'' and ''High Button Shoes'' — — and toured with Mae West. Theatre was in his blood and, after his performing days were over, he worked on Broadway in the box office for over 50 years. He died on 23 November 2007. 

Artist: David G. Lee

• • David G. Lee • •
• • Happy Birthday to David G. Lee, born on 25 October 1964 in Corinth, MS.  Here's one of his actress caricatures, a 1970s-era Mae West.
• • Saturday, 25 October 1930 • •
• • In their issue dated for Saturday, 25 October 1930, Publishers Weekly announced the clever contest Mae West's publisher Macauley came up with to draw more attention to her novel titled "Babe Gordon."  
• • Asking a reader to rename it, Macauley offered a prize of $100. The winning title was "The Constant Sinner."
• • On Tuesday, 25 October 1932 • •.
• • Variety reviewed "Night After Night," the motion picture debut of Mae West.  A display advertisement for the film was printed in Variety's issue dated for Tuesday, 25 October 1932.
• • On Wednesday, 25 October 1933 • •
• • Under the headline "Chicago Likes Her" was a smiling portrait of Mae West by George Hurrell. The caption explained that "I'm No Angel" was in movie-houses in The Windy City during that week.  The Chicago Herald and Examiner ran the coverage on Wednesday, 25 October 1933.  Stunning photo.
• • In Her Own Words • •
• • Mae West said: "The box office business in the entire industry has dropped off 30 per cent in the past four months."
• • Quote, Unquote • •
• • An article about a late editor mentioned Mae West.
• • Liz Smith wrote: "Too much of a good thing is wonderful," said Mae West. And leaving the Helen Gurley Brown memorial the other day reminded me of that quote. ...
• • Liz Smith explained: But back to my point, that the sex symbol Mae West somewhat resembled Helen, in philosophy, at least. Helen's famous motto, "Good girls go to Heaven. Bad Girls go Everywhere," seemed straight from Miss West's handbook of female sexual empowerment.
• • Liz Smith continued: Helen was the woman who made Cosmopolitan magazine and sexual freedom and entrepreneurship for women — — a "brand." It is still a "brand," one of the first and remains an international beacon for the rising women of the Middle East, Asia and the world.
• • Liz Smith added: Mae and Helen were both autonomous. Mae West was perhaps the only truly autonomous female star of the screen in the 1930s and 1940s. (Or maybe of any decade.) She did as she pleased and she was pleased with what she did.  No man ruled her.  She did not compromise, on screen or off. She told women it was okay to love sex. ...
• • Source: Article: "Trailblazer and Friend Remembered" written by Liz Smith for Huff-Post; posted on Monday, 22 October 2012

• • By the Numbers • •
• • The Mae West Blog was started eight years ago in July 2004. You are reading the 2468th 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 • • 1970s • •
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