Tuesday, August 13, 2013

Mae West: Max Lucke

An enormous international cast was assembled to do justice to MAE WEST's ambitious screenplay "Now I'm a Lady" centered around the horsey set. The motion picture was released by Paramount Pictures under the new title "Goin' to Town" [1935].  Max Lucke was used as a Swedish butler.
• • Max Lucke [14 August 1876 — 17 February 1958] • •
• • Born in Berlin on Monday, 14 August 1876 was a little boy named Maximilian Lucke. In 1931, when he was 55 years old, he began his career in Tinseltown.  Thanks to his accent and mature look, the casting offices tended to select his resume when a foreign character was called for.  Lucke played modest roles as a  French waiter, German commander, German chef, doctor, doorman, wine waiter, court reporter, foreign citizen, and the like.
• • In 1935, the 59-year-old was cast as a butler and got to work with Mae West in  "Goin' to Town."
• • From 1931 — 1943, Max Lucke was seen in sixteen motion pictures.  When he made his last screen appearance in "The Amazing Mrs. Holliday" [1943], Max Lucke got to meet others on the set who had once had the privilege of being in a Mae West movie such as Philip Ahn, Irving Bacon, Wade Boteler, Bess Flowers, Eddie Dunn, and others.
• • Max Lucke died in Los Angeles on 17 February 1958.  He was 81.
• • On Sunday, 13 August 1961 in Miami • •
• • "Come On Up" was having a revival in the summer of 1961.
• • After touring the Midwest, "Come On Up" was staged in August in Miami's Cocoanut Grove Playhouse (air-conditioned, we hope).  "When the final curtain rang down, not a single customer made a rush to the exit. Everybody sat glued to his seat and Mae West took repeated curtain calls, from about the most enthusiastic audience I have ever seen in this theatre," gushed a critic for the Miami Beach Sun. Ticket-holders commented on "the fabulous appearance of Mae West," who was putting her energy into "Come On Up" when she was 68 years old and in full command of the crowd.
• • Source: Article: "Mae West Oomph Creates New Interest in Theatre" appeared in the Miami Beach Sun; published on Sunday, 13 August 1961.
• • N.B.: Years later the comedy "Come On Up" would morph into a cinematic venture named "Sextette."
• • Save the Dates: August 17th and August 18th • • 
• • What: two more events timed to celebrate the 120th birthday of Mae West, born in Brooklyn, NY on August 17, 1893
• • There are some seats left so tell your fun-loving friends about these special dates!
• • 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 classic opus into an 85-minute adaptation featuring all of the sex and none of the censorship. No intermission. 
• • There will be two stagings of "Diamond Lil" on August 17th and August 18th in NYC.
• • On Saturday, 17 August 2013 at 7:30pm on West 38th St. • •
• • One night only! • •
• • Where: John Strasberg Studios, 555 8th Avenue, Suite 2310, New York, NY 10018;  accessible to wheelchairs 
• • What: "Diamond Lil" by Mae West in a new adaptation for the stage by LindaAnn Loschiavo — and costumed in 1890s Bowery style
• • Cast: Starring Darlene Violette as Diamond Lil, Queen of the Bowery and also featuring Sidney Myer, Anthony DiCarlo, Joanna Bonaro, Gary Napoli, Juan Sebastian Cortes, Kimmy Foskett, Jim Gallagher and live music by Brian McInnis
• • August 17th Mae West Raffle Tickets are free
• • August 17th  Admission: $10 — must be pre-paid!
• • RSVP: Advance sale tickets: you must email MaeWestDiamondLil (at) gmail (dot) com
• • Closest MTA subway stations: 42nd St./ Times Sq. via A, C, E, 1, 2, 3 
• • The public is invited (suitable for age 18 and over)
• • Updates: facebook.com/MaeWestDiamondLil
• • On Sunday, 18 August 2013 at 7:00pm on West 46th St. • • 
• • One night only! • •
• • Where: Don't Tell Mama, 343 West 46th Street, NYC 10036; T. (212) 757-0788
• • What: "Diamond Lil" by Mae West in a new adaptation for the stage by LindaAnn Loschiavo — and costumed in 1890s Bowery style
• • Cast: Starring Darlene Violette as Diamond Lil, Queen of the Bowery and also featuring Sidney Myer, Anthony DiCarlo, Joanna Bonaro, Gary Napoli, Juan Sebastian Cortes, Kimmy Foskett, Jim Gallagher and live music by Brian McInnis
• • August 18th Mae West Raffle Tickets are free
• • RSVP: August 18th  Admission:  $15.00 cover charge plus a two drink minimum
• • Reservations: www.donttellmamanyc.com
• • Closest MTA subway stations: 42nd St./ Times Sq. via A, C, E, 1, 2, 3 
• • The public is invited (suitable for age 18 and over). Join us as we turn the iconic NYC nightspot Don't Tell Mama into Gus Jordan's "Suicide Hall"!
• • Updates: facebook.com/MaeWestDiamondLil 
• • In Her Own Words • • 
• • Mae West said: "I like Grauman's Chinese Theatre. It's rather nice to be in a place where they take your footprints instead of your fingerprints."
• • Quote, Unquote • •
• • The Australian press wrote about Mae West.
• • "Mae West Season Curtailed" • •
• • Barrier Miner wrote: The season of "I'm No Angel," starring Mae West, will finish at Johnson's Oxide Street Theatre after tonight's screening. Originally it was billed to appear for six nights, but the management has curtailed.the season.
• • "I'm No Angel" and "Happy Ever After" will be shown at the Hillside Theatre to-morrow (Tuesday) night.
• • Source: Australia's newsletter Barrier Miner; published on Monday, 13 August 1934
• • By the Numbers • • 
• • The Mae West Blog was started nine years ago in July 2004. You are reading the 2715th 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 Diamond Lil

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