Mae West: Gentlemen's Choice

Paramount's Christmas tree blazes brightly with two of the year's big hits: MAE WEST in "Gentlemen's Choice" and Bing Crosby and Kitty Carlisle in "Here Is My Heart' — — delivered to you for holiday business.
• • That was the studio's prediction for the Santa season as it appeared in the industry publication Motion Picture Daily on Sunday, 8 July 1934.
• • On Friday, 25 December 1914 • •
• • Readers of Variety could not help but notice the ornate half-page advertisement for handsome Guido Deiro — — "The Master of the Piano Accordion, The Incomparable in His Line" (on the left, seated and displaying his accordion) — — and Mae West — — "The Original Brinkley Girl, A Style All Her Own" (on the right, wearing a lovely gown) who were "Engaged Jointly as Headline Features."
• • The final line, along the bottom margin of their promotional ad, offered a seasonal greeting in all caps: "WISHING THE ENTIRE WORLD A MERRY XMAS AND A HAPPY NEW YEAR. This eye-catching ad ran on page 73 of Variety in the issue dated 25 December 1914.
• • On Thursday, 25 December 1919 • •
• • Cast in the successful Broadway hit "Sometime" [October 1918 — June 1919] as Mayme Dean, a vamp whose suitors always seem to decamp, Mae West was in the unusual position of putting across a few comically wistful laments in the show.
• • The 26-year-old performer was made up as a vamp, a la Theda Bara, after her appearance in Ned Wayburn's "Demitasse Revue" — — on the cover of a prestigious magazine, New York's Dramatic Mirror, 25 December 1919. This was quite a front page and it has become a fabulous collector's item.
• • In Her Own Words • •
• • Mae West said: "Santa Baby, come and trim my Christmas tree."
• • Quote, Unquote • •
• • The Film Daily mentioned Mae West and Texas Guinan intently watching the movie "Little Caesar" in Manhattan.  Supposedly, the character of Joe Massara was based on their friend George Raft.
• • "Little Caesar" officially debuted at the Strand Theatre in New York City on 9 January 1931.
• • Though the motion picture was reviewed in Photoplay Magazine in their December 1930 issue, and was ready for general release during the twelfth month of the year, Warner Brothers felt it was not a Christmas film.
• • The Film Daily wrote: Zeb Epstein and his assistants made a list of the notables who entered the Strand, to see "Little Caesar," during the 24 hours ending Monday midnight. Here they are: Mae West, Eddie Leonard, Texas Guinan, Bill Tilden, Pauline Starke, George Bancroft, Irving Berlin, Grant Withers, Tammany Young, Primo Camera, and "Shipwreck" Kelly, who tried to crash the gate with his wife and whole family. ...
• • Source: Item: "'Little Caesar' Draws Notables" in The Film Daily; published on Wednesday, 21 January 1931  
• • By the Numbers • • 
• • The Mae West Blog was started eight years ago in July 2004. You are reading the 2526th 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 • •
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