Monday, October 28, 2013

Mae West: Safely Sanitized

October 27th - posing with our 2 lucky raffle winners
MAE WEST has been granting us gorgeous weather in New York City as we continue the joyful run of "Diamond Lil" at Don't Tell Mama on Sunday evenings.
• • Anthony DiCarlo, who plays a double role as the undercover detective who goes by the alias Captain Cummings as well as the Brooklyn gangster Barney Bledsoe, continues to attract a bevy of beautiful young women to each show.  Each time we pull the winning raffle tickets, it has become inevitable that Anthony's guests will win a prize. Can this be a coincidence?
• • Here's a photo from Sunday, 27 October 2013.  
• • The Safe House Scene in "Diamond Lil" • •
• • Numerous scenes from Mae's stage play — — for example, the powerful safe house scene — — are missing from "She Done Him Wrong," Paramount's safely sanitized motion picture version.  Last night, the safe house scene went off-script when the volatile prison escapee Chick Clark (actor Gary Napoli) got too rough with one of his cast mates and threw Tiny Jo Breslin (actor Jim Gallagher) over a bench during the melee.  Fortunately, no one got hurt — — but you should have heard the applause and foot stomping.
• • On Saturday, 28 October 1933 in Boston Herald • •
• • "Miss West in Her Victorious Course," an article in Boston Herald on Saturday, 28 October 1933, described the box office brouhaha in Beantown caused by "I'm No Angel." Crowds rushing to secure tickets reminded a local journalist of a "run on the neighboring bank."
• • On Tuesday, 28 October 1941 • •
• • On Tuesday, 28 October 1941, Hollywood columnists broke the story that Mae West was seeking a divorce. The Courier Mail (Brisbane) ran the piece on the front cover.
• • Hollywood, October 28 — Mae West, the film star, announced to-day that she was filing a suit for divorce against Frank Wallace, to whom she was married in 1911. The action will be a cross-complaint to Wallace's suit for separate maintenance.
• • Source: Article: "Mae West Seeks Divorce" written by A.A.P. and printed in The Courier-Mail (page 1); published on Wednesday, 29 October 1941.
• • Overheard in Hollywood • •
• • Hollywood Tour Guide:  "And now we are passing the home of Mae West."
• • College Boy (as he jumps off the tour bus):  "That's what you think!"
• • See "Diamond Lil" This Autumn! • • 
"Darlene Violette channels Mae West to perfection!" — Stu Hamstra
• • By popular demand, actress Darlene Violette — — and the wonderful cast who brought the Bowery denizens and Suicide Hall’s ne’er-do-wells to life — — will return in “Diamond Lil” for several evening performances at Don’t Tell Mama [343 W. 46th Street] on these dates in 2013:
• • 7:00pm on Sunday November 3rd — vote for Gus Jordan for Sheriff Night.
• • 8:30pm on Sunday November 10th
• • 7:00pm on Sunday November 17th
• • 7:00pm on Sunday November 24th
• • Phone after 4pm to reserve a seat: 212-757-0788; RSVP online: 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"! 
• • The 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
• • Director: Co-directed by Dena Tyler, The Actors Studio, and Darlene Violette.
• • Come up and see for yourself. You might even win a swell Raffle Prize.
• • Watch a short clip: Diamond Lil meets Pablo, a gigolo
• • Read a Review of "Diamond Lil" • •
• • L'Idea Magazine's editors attended four times and had a lot to say. Here's the link: http://www.lideamagazine.com/usa-still-entertaining-mae-wests-diamond-lil-makes-new-fans-in-new-york-city/
• • Staying faithful to the gritty themes in the novel, LindaAnn Loschiavo trimmed the work to 85 minutes for a cast of eight.
• • Audience Comments about "Diamond Lil" • •
• • Gigi Garcone said:  Just saw "Diamond Lil" — — a very entertaining production! This tribute to the sultry, irresistible diva Mae West is a must see! All the actors are very talented and you can see they put their hearts into their roles. I especially liked Darlene Violette as Mae West and Joanna Bonaro as Rita, a madam from Rio. Darlene encompassed the whole persona of Mae and Joanna was sublime as the madam — — she really has such a presence on stage. Very enjoyable performance and it's worth the trip!
• • Rick Baynes of Baltimore said: I second Gigi's comments. "Diamond Lil" brings the fabulous Mae West back to life. The wonderful Darlene Violette is spot-on in her portrayal of the lusty, bawdy Mae. Do yourself a favor and go see this lovely production.

• • Mrs. Jean McLoughlin of NYC said:   I recently saw "Diamond Lil" and loved every minute. The entire cast was top-notch, and I was impressed with their creative use of the entire space. The characters really came to life and I was transported back to the raunchy days of Mae West. Darlene Violette gave a great performance as Diamond Lil  — — but Joanna Bonaro really shone as the sultry, venomous Rita. Joanna commands attention and I was more than willing to give it. Fantastic show, I highly recommend that everyone see it! Even my husband, who does not like theater, really enjoyed it.
• • At Jefferson Market Library in NYC next month • •
• • Mae West's legal woes inspired the stage play "Courting Mae West." See it on 23 November 2013 in the very same room where Mae faced off with Judge George Donnellan and 12 jurors. 

• • Darlene Violette stars as Mae West and the rest of the cast will soon be announced. 
• • The play, based on true events, is set during the Prohibition Era when Mae's plays were padlocked and she was sent to jail. Talk about a woman who climbed the ladder of success wrong by wrong.. 
• • This free event is open to the public and there is ample seating. [Note: The humor and adult themes are not suitable for children under 13.]
• • In Her Own Words • •
• • Mae West said: "The women don't razz me because I don't make 'em jealous. The only censorship directed at me comes from men because intelligent men resent my satire. In one way I'm a regular Voltaire when it comes to satire, honey, because I show that bigshot guys with a lot of dough and tailcoats and culture will fall like shooting gallery ducks for a lady lion tamer or any Madame Honky Tonk that gets a range on them. Once in a while that burns up an intelligent man because it makes him feel inferior."
• • Quote, Unquote • •
• • The New Movie Magazine mentioned Mae West.
• • Nemo wrote:  And among the ten handsomest males I note my old favorite James Cagney [17 July 1899 — 30 March 1986].  I never realized Jimmy was beautiful. Even Mae West, who told me she considered him the most desirable of Hollywood males, chose him not for beauty but for the old animal in him. I suppose that eventually a freckle-remover will make Jimmy perfect.  ...
• • Source: "Nemo's Hollywood" — — Nemo, the mysterious reporter nobody knows, brings you the latest news from the cinema capital printed in The New Movie Magazine;  published in March 1935
• • By the Numbers • • 
• • The Mae West Blog was started nine years ago in July 2004. You are reading the 2774th 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 Diamond Lil returned for Mae's birthday

• • Feed — — http://feeds2.feedburner.com/MaeWest
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