Friday, June 28, 2013

Mae West: Henry Roquemore

MAE WEST worked with some intriguing cast mates when she filmed "Goin' to Town" [1935]. Mae, of course, starred as Cleo Borden in this comedy — — and portly Henry Roquemore was seen as one of Cleo's unsuitable suitors.
• • Henry Roquemore [13 March 1886 — 30 June 1943] • •
• • Born in Marshall, Texas on 13 March 1886, Roquemore grew up to be short and fat but hungered for a career in entertainment. In his hometown, he began to organize and produce local talent shows, inviting members of Texas clubs to participate.  Eventually, he joined the Masonic Order.  During the silent era, at the age of 40, he started to appear in silent films.
• • From 1926 — 1943, Henry Roquemore played minor bits in 285 motion pictures. The five-foot-six character actor carved out a niche for himself by snagging fat man roles; he  worked with many big-name directors such as Preston Sturges, Frank Capra, and Orson Welles.
• • A typical Roquemore characterization was "The Match King," one of Mae West's many over-the-hill suitors in "Goin' to Town" [1935]. He was 49 years old at the time.
• • For his farewell to the screen, he played a New York Herald Reporter in "The Great Moment" [1944].  On the set, he rubbed shoulders with Grady Sutton, who had the privilege of working with Mae West in 1970 in "Myra Breckinridge" when he was cast as Kid Barlow.
• • Henry Roquemore died from a heart attack in Beverly Hills, Los Angeles, California on Wednesday, 30 June 1943. He was 57.  He was interred in a Masonic plot in the Forest Lawn Memorial Park Cemetery in Glendale, California.
• • On Friday, 28 June 1946 • •
• • Mae West was starring in "Come On Up" at Cass Theatre in Detroit on Friday, 28 June 1946. The Playgoer's cover featured a beautiful portrait of Mae West perched on a divan wearing a beautiful gown with a floral pattern.
• • On Thursday, 28 June 1956 in Los Angeles • •
• • Bodybuilder Mickey Hargitay filed assault charges against Charles Krauser, who punched him out in Mae West's dressing room.  Krauser pleaded self defense.  The trial was set for Thursday, 28 June 1956 in Los Angeles.
• • In Her Own Words • •
• • Mae West said: "It was wonderful in England, in London. The men are a little reserved. And I'm not."
• • Quote, Unquote • •
• • The Nevada State Journal mentioned Mae West.
• • On Thursday, 28 June 1934 this article appeared in the Nevada State Journal as well as other newspapers in the USA and abroad.
• • "It Ain't No Sin," starring Mae West, Hit by Churchmen • •
• • New York, June 27, AP — — A Mae West movie of the same type that established the swaggering actress as the premier screen siren and one featuring Dolores Del Rio as the French Madame du Barry became the first victims of a militant church campaign for decency in pictures. ...
• • Both the Mae West "Ain't No Sin" and the Miss Del Rio biographical picture were withdrawn from application for licensing in New York. The censors did not know what "sin" referred to in the Mae West film.
• • Paramount Productions Inc., producers of Miss West's pictures, announced it was being sent back to Hollywood for revision and would be reissued another time. ... The announcements came a few days after leaders of Catholic and Jewish faiths joined in a nationwide drive against indecent movies.  ...
• • Source: Article:  "'It Ain't No Sin,' starring Mae West, Hit by Churchmen" written by AP; reprinted on page 1 by Nevada State Journal; published on Thursday, 28 June 1934
• • By the Numbers • • 
• • The Mae West Blog was started eight years ago in July 2004. You are reading the 2681st 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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• • Mae West "Goin' to Town" in 1935

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