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MAE WEST starred in "Go West Young Man" and Elizabeth Patterson was seen as Aunt Kate Barnaby.
• • Elizabeth Patterson [22 November 1875 — 31 January 1966] • •
• • Born in Savannah, Tennessee on 22 November 1875 was a little sweet face named Mary Elizabeth Patterson. When she showed a taste for the dramatic arts, her strict Southern-bred parents balked, adjuring her to come to her senses. Instead she came to Chicago, where she joined the Ben Greet Players and did plays by Shakespeare. Honing her skills in stock, she made to Broadway in 1913 in a revival of "Everyman" when she was in her mid-30s. Performing in both comedies and dramas, she accrued 26 credits for shows on The Great White Way between 1913 — 1954; the comedy "His and Hers" would be her last time onstage in Times Square.
• • It seems no one tires of "The Boy Friend" and a silent era version in 1926 would be her first screen role; when Elizabeth Patterson played Mrs. Harper she was 51. Also in the cast was Maidel Turner, who also met Mae West and worked with her in "Klondike Annie"; Maidel's character was Lydia Bowley.
• • Elizabeth Patterson enjoyed performing so much — — with Mae West and others — — that casting directors often found use for the versatile five-foot-five character actress. Though she once played a baroness, she was more frequently cast in featured roles as a plain-faced neighbor, stern schoolteacher, meddler, town gossip, care-worn mother, grandma, difficult relative, pesky senior, or difficult customer.
• • During the 1950s — 1960s, TV watchers saw her on "Playhouse 90," "Alfred Hitchcock Presents," "I Love Lucy" (playing Lucille Ball's elderly neighbor and part-time babysitter, Mrs. Trumbull), and "The Barbara Stanwyck Show" [1961], after which she decided to retire. She was 86 years old by then.
• • Between 1926 — 1961, she participated in 135 productions on the big screen and on TV. Elizabeth Patterson died of pneumonia in Los Angeles in January — — on Monday, 31 January 1966. She was 90.
• • On Monday, 31 January 1927 in Bridgeport • •
• • Despite the public's curiosity about the controversial vaudevillian Mae West, and her latest play "The Drag," Jim Timony could only manage to secure half a week at Poli's Park, which was then in use as a burlesque house in Bridgeport.
• • It was a dreary and wintery Monday on 31 January 1927 when the Morals Production Company hoisted a banner over the trolley cars criss-crossing Main Street. Pedestrians were intrigued by this saucy announcement: "'The Drag' by the author of SEX — — more sensational than Rain or The Captive!" It was Mae West’s intention to give gay characters a voice and a spotlight. The police were lying in wait for her.
• • These true events are dramatized in Act I, Scene 2 of the stage play "Courting Mae West" by LindaAnn Loschiavo. Why not bring this astonishing 95-page play to your theatre?
• • On Tuesday, 31 January 1933 • •
• • Vaudeville star Elsie Janis dated her synopsis for a "Mae West Talking Picture" for Tuesday, 31 January 1933 — — but the project was deemed unsuitable for Mae.
• • On Friday, 31 January 1936 • •
• • According to the archives of The Hutchinson News [published in Hutchinson, Kansas]: In Hollywood, police raided an alleged "indecent" stage show and arrested the business manager for Mae West, along with 13 of the cast of "Ladies by Request." The play had run for several weeks. [This news item ran on Friday, 31 January 1936 and refers to a Los Angeles production produced by Jim Timony in a theatre owned by Mae.]
• • On Tuesday, 31 January 2006 • •
• • The Original Air Date for the episode "Dead Famous: Mae West" was broadcast on Tuesday, 31 January 2006. Stars: Gail Porter, Chris Fleming, and Mae West in archival footage.
• • In Her Own Words • •
• • Mae West said: "What I mean is I was coming to the conclusion that boys made much better playmates than girls."
• • Quote, Unquote • •
• • The Chicago Tribune mentioned Mae West.
• • Rick Kogan wrote: The list goes on, a gathering so eclectic as to be almost surreal: Jerry Garcia, Barbra Streisand, Woody Allen, Orson Welles, Johnny Depp, Mae West, Satchel Paige, Ray Charles, Frank Sinatra, Ringo Starr, Ike and Tina Turner (together), Buster Keaton, Richard Pryor, Sophia Loren — is that enough? Those are just some of the people in Schapiro's latest book, "Steve Schapiro: Then and Now," published in November. ...
• • Source: Article: "Steve Schapiro, a fly on the wall — with a camera" written by Rick Kogan for the Chicago Tribune; published on Sunday, 27 January 2013
• • By the Numbers • •
• • The Mae West Blog was started eight years ago in July 2004. You are reading the 2563rd 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.xml
Mae West
• • Photo: • • Mae West • • 1936 • •
• • Feed — — http://feeds2.feedburner.com/MaeWest
NYC Mae West
In 1933 MAE WEST worked with the versatile actress Hattie McDaniel.
• • After years as a radio and vaudeville performer, Kansas native Hattie McDaniel [10 June 1895 — 26 October 1952] began her film career in the early 1930s playing bit parts such as Marlene Dietrich's servant in "Blonde Venus" [1932] — — and one of Mae West's jovial maids in "I'm No Angel" [1933].
• • You have a few more days to catch the bio-musical “Hattie…What I Need You To Know!” — — a solo show written and performed by Vickilyn Reynolds. Her script commemorates the versatile woman who worked with Mae West and who won an Oscar in 1940 for her performance in "Gone with the Wind" as Mammy. This show was seen in NYC's Harlem and Denver before wending its way to the Hollywood area.
• • When: Fridays, Saturdays, 8 pm; Sundays, 3 pm. Continues till 3 February 2013.
• • Where: Elephant Stages, 6322 Santa Monica Blvd., Los Angeles.
• • On Sunday, 30 January 2011 in Germany • •
• • On 29 — 30 January 2011, the Mae West sculpture at Effnerplatz (in Munich, Germany) had its final assembly.
• • On Sunday, 30 January 2011 in Florida • •
• • Words of Mae West come to life in “The Drag” • •
• • Orlando-based columnist Dawnn Behrens wrote this for Examiner.com: Originally written in 1926, the words of Mae West come to life in “The Drag” tonight [on January 30th] at the Lowndes Shakespeare Center (Studio B). Directors Michael Wanzie, John DiDonna and their group received permission from the estate of the late Mae West to present the show. It will be present tonight as the last night of an exclusive 2 night performance as part of their “Dangerous Plays Series — Giving breath to dissenting voices” series. . . .
• • In Her Own Words • •
• • Mae West said: "My mother tried in every way to understand me, and she succeeded. It was this deep, loving understanding as long as she lived that more than anything else helped and sustained me on my way to success."
• • Quote, Unquote • •
• • The Straits Times in Singapore mentioned Mae West.
• • "Lord Byng at a Mae West Tea-Party — Star Will Be In London For Jubilee Celebration."
• • Lord Byng and Lady Byng joined Mae West for tea and tried to butter her up with some friendly persuasion. The Straits Times in Singapore ran an article with all the particulars on page 6 on Wednesday, 30 January 1935.
• • The NYC newsman wrote: "Miss West entertained Lord and Lady Byng at tea in her dressing room at Paramount Pictures. She soon put her guests at their ease with a few simple Westisms." ...
• • Before he left, Lord Byng suggested that she should come to London. "Sure," said Miss West. "It would fascinate me." ...
• • "Tea began formally but Miss West soon broke the ice," the journalist noted.
• • Source: Article: "Lord Byng at a Mae West Tea-Party — Star Will Be in London for Jubilee Celebration" printed in The Straits Times; published on Wednesday, 30 January 1935
• • By the Numbers • •
• • The Mae West Blog was started eight years ago in July 2004. You are reading the 2562nd 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.xml
Mae West
• • Photo: • • Mae West • • 1935 • •
• • Feed — — http://feeds2.feedburner.com/MaeWest
NYC Mae West
After she became a wealthy Hollywood movie queen, MAE WEST was on the look-out for anyone who tried to exploit her iconic character Diamond Lil or launch their own Diamond Lil act. But years before the mantle of stardom settled on her shoulders, Mae perhaps realized that impersonations were a sign of her growing popularity.
• • It was in late January — — on Friday, 29 January 1932 — — that a popular mimic was offering her own version of Mae West on Broadway at the Booth Theatre.
• • Back in 1928, when "Diamond Lil" was onstage at the Royale Theatre, comedienne Dorothy Sands boosted her visibility with her Mae West imitations in the "Grand Street Follies."
• • Reviewing the acts for The New York Sun on Tuesday, 29 May 1928, critic Stephen Rathbun wrote: But the high spot of the evening was the second act finale, "Romeo and Juliet, According to Max Bernhardt," with the scene transpiring on the steps of the New York Public Library, with those funny looking library lions very much in the foreground. With Albert Carroll as the Moissi Romeo speaking only in German, with Miss Sands's exceedingly amusing Mae West — Juliet, and with characters appearing suddenly from holes cut in the steps, this Max Reinhardt satire was something to be long remembered, especially by persons who saw his "A Midsummer Night's Dream" production in German, at the Century. ...
• • Again on Friday, 22 January 1932 and Friday, 29 January 1932, Dorothy Sands reprised her Mae West impressions at the Booth Theatre, calling her routine "Our Stage and Stars."
• • Dorothy Sands [5 March 1893 — 11 September 1980] • •
• • Like Mae West, Dorothy Sands was born in 1893 and died in 1980. On 5 March 1893, Dorothy Sands was born in Cambridge, Massachusetts.
• • Dorothy Sands began her performance career on Broadway in 1924, and was steadily cast on the legitimate stage until 1970. Her last Broadway credit was her role as Hattie Fields in the comedy "Paris Is Out!" [2 February 1970 — 18 April 1970].
• • On the vaudeville circuit, she also did impressions of Sophie Tucker, Eva Tanguay, Ethel Barrymore, Mary Pickford, Mrs. Fiske, Lotte Crabtree, and others.
• • After a long career onstage and in TV shows, Dorothy Sands died in Croton-on-Hudson, NY on 11 September 1980.
• • On Monday, 29 January 1917 in Brooklyn • •
• • Mae West was a witness at her younger sister's wedding, which took place on a weekday, Monday, 29 January 1917 in Brooklyn City Hall, not far from the West family's Brooklyn residence.
• • On Sunday, 29 January 1978 in Sunday Express • •
• • Since "Sextette" had a British director, articles discussing what happened on the set in Hollywood popped up in the British tabloids. An article discussing a scene filmed in a mock elevator appeared in Sunday Express on 29 January 1978.
• • In Her Own Words • •
• • Mae West said: "I don't remember how many lovers I've had, there were so many. I was never interested in the score, though — — only the game. Like my line, 'It's not the men in my life that counts but the life in my men.' ... I'm never dirty, dear. I'm interestin' without bein' vulgar. I have taste. I kid sex. I was born with sophistication and sex appeal. But I'm never vulgar, and I don't like obscenity. I just suggest."
• • Quote, Unquote • •
• • A book about female celebrities mentioned Mae West.
• • Faye Hammill wrote: In 1928, Dorothy Sands in the Grand Street Follies impersonated Mae West ... The only imitator Mae West countenanced was her sister, whose Diamond Lil act Mae described (in her memoir) as “the best imitation of me ever done to that time" [Goodness . . . p. 165]. ...
• • Source: Book: "Women, Celebrity, and Literary Culture Between the Wars" written by Faye Hammill [University of Texas Press, 2007]
• • By the Numbers • •
• • The Mae West Blog was started eight years ago in July 2004. You are reading the 2561st 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.xml
Mae West
• • Photo: • • Mae West • • and mimic Dorothy Sands, 1928 • •
• • Feed — — http://feeds2.feedburner.com/MaeWest
NYC Mae West
