• • "Dubbo Seeks Lady Godiva — — Mae West Refuses" • •
• • Bosomy actress Mae West and fan dancer Sally Rand have been invited to play Lady Godiva in Dubbo's Jubilee Week procession in October. In New York, Mae said she couldn't come down and see Dubbo this time. She is sorry American commitments made it impossible for her to accept the invitation. "They probably have not seen a horse out there in a long time," she said.
• • Dubbo Jubilee organiser J. Miles cabled both women, asking them to state terms on which they would be prepared to be the town's lady Godiva.
• • "The one that makes the best offer will be Lady Godiva," he said. "Appearance of either Mae West or Sally Rand in the flesh would be a tremendous attraction, and would put Dubbo on the map," Mr. Miles said. "If neither can come, the Lady Godiva position will be advertised tthroughout Australia. ...
• • Source: Article in Singleton Argus (NSW); published on Monday, 9 July 1951.
• • On Wednesday, 2 August 1944 • •
• • It was Wednesday, August 2nd and the applause rang out from the Shubert Theatre [225 West 44th Street], signaling the gala Broadway debut of "Catherine Was Great," when Mae West portrayed the Empress of Russia. Produced by Mike Todd, the show starred Mae as the Empress of Love who handled her men as skillfully as she handled affairs of state.
• • Save the Dates: August 12th and August 17th and 18th • •
• • What: three events timed to celebrate the 120th birthday of Mae West, born in Brooklyn, NY on August 17, 1893
• • One afternoon only! • •
• • When: Monday, August 12, 2013 from 4:00pm — 5:45pm [Seating from 3:45pm]
• • Where: Hudson Branch Library, 66 Leroy St., New York, NY 10014; NOT accessible to wheelchairs
• • Who + What: "Diamond Lil" by Mae West as a Reader's Theatre Experience with words and period songs and live music — a unique, unforgettable presentation
• • Cast: Costumed in 1890s Bowery style, actress Darlene Violette and actor Sidney Myer present the 1932 novel "Diamond Lil" written by Mae West in Mae's words — enhanced with period songs and live music by Brian McInnis. At intervals, historian and playwright LindaAnn Loschiavo leads an "Armchair Tour" through the boisterous Bowery and Chinatown of the 1890s with rare vintage images you have never seen before.
• • What else: The ever-popular Mae West Raffle.
• • August 12th Admission and Raffle Tickets: FREE.
• • RSVP: Email MaeWestDiamondLil (at) gmail (dot) com
• • Closest MTA subway stations: Christopher St. or West Fourth St.; or the M7 bus.
• • Closest PATH station: Christopher St.
• • The public is invited (suitable for age 18 and over)
• • The library has a spacious auditorium so tell your fun-loving friends about this!
• • All of the sex and none of the censorship . . . • •
• • The novel "Diamond Lil" closely follows the 3-hour production Mae performed onstage from 1928 — 1951, and it is much more exciting than the family-friendly screen version. Playwright LindaAnn Loschiavo massaged Mae's 1928 Bowery melodrama in three acts into a pared-down 85-minute adaptation featuring all of the sex and none of the censorship. No intermission.
• • Find out more details (both addresses, performance times, ticket prices, cast) here: http://maewest.blogspot.com/2013/07/mae-west-3-events-in-august.html
• • Updates: facebook.com/MaeWestDiamondLil
• • In Her Own Words • •
• • Mae West said: "Sex is good for you."
• • Mae West said: "No slapping, grabbing, or pinching for me — — when I see a man slapping or pinching a woman I'm disgusted. So unnecessary."
• • Quote, Unquote • •
• • Bangor Daily News wrote about Mae West.
• • "Mae West played Bangor’s Bijou" • •
• • Wayne E. Reilly wrote: Hardeen, the handcuff king, also known as Harry Houdini’s brother, was the headliner at the Bijou in Bangor in mid-December, 1912, a century ago. The next week, the top billing went to Mae West, fresh from Hammerstein’s Victoria Theater in New York.
• • Wayne E. Reilly wrote: The teenage “singing comedienne” impressed audiences with her cleverness and her fancy gowns, but not her singing ability. Mae, then a brunette, was still perfecting her art. Bangor folks were used to the best Broadway had to offer — — up around the corner at the Bangor Opera House on Main Street.
• • Wayne E. Reilly wrote: Hardeen and Mae West were just two examples of the acts topping the playbill at Bangor’s plush new vaudeville theater, which opened for business on Exchange Street in late August. ...
• • Wayne E. Reilly continued: A local review in the BDN declared Mae to be “a butterfly transplanted” from The Great White Way to Exchange Street. “She is typical of the gay life of Broadway. You see her prototypes in the feverish, scintillating, clever entertainments of the Winter Garden and the Moulin Rouge. In short, she is a certain New York type personified. Now please don’t gather from this there is anything in her act to disturb our chilled New England propriety; for there isn’t — — no, not in the slightest degree. It is a very good little act, clever, pretty and refined,” wrote a Bangor Daily News reviewer on 17 December 1912. He was probably trying to convince himself as much as the police who undoubtedly had taken a look for themselves.
• • Wayne E. Reilly concluded: Mae West topped the bill that night over an acrobat with “a little snow-white fluffy dog who seems almost human,” a trio “snappy and bright,” and a playlet entitled “‘Bixby’s Baby,’ which is perhaps above the average.” Steve Bogrett, the manager, had seldom offered up a better-balanced show, declared the reviewer.
• • Source: Wayne E. Reilly’s column in Bangor Daily News; published on Friday, 23 December 2012
• • By the Numbers • •
• • The Mae West Blog was started nine years ago in July 2004. You are reading the 2707th 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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