Friday, February 28, 2014

Mae West: A Salary Increase

On Wednesday,  28 February 1934 MAE WEST was making headlines. In fact, people were starting to recognize the movie star by her first name only.
• • "Mae's Initial Success in Films Brought Rapid Increase in Income" • •
• • Hollywood — —Mae's unprecedented success was one of the most surprising cyclones that ever struck Hollywood and the picture business.
• • In her first film endeavor, "Night After Night," Mae achieved rousing success in a meager part. Then Mae made “She Done Him Wrong.“  . . .   But “She Done Him Wrong” had not played more than two or three days before the studio executives discovered the gold mine they had stumbled upon in Mae West. Record box-office receipts begin to be recorded.  It was not until then that the picture concern gave Mae West any special attention. When, however, this special attention did begin, it came in an avalanche.
• • "Special Press Agents" • •
• • Special press agents were placed In charge of her advertising and publicity matters. Mae’s first film. “Night After Night," was resurrected and re-released, with Mae given co-star billing with George Raft. The picture company began, also, to look into Mae’s contract to see whether or not she was getting enough salary to keep her satisfied. Well, Mae wasn’t getting enough to keep her satisfied, not by a long shot. She was in “big money," without doubt, getting approximately $2,010 a week, but weren’t other stars getting more? . . .
• • At the moment Mae and Jim Timony, her manager, are busy on the next picture, in which Mae will play the role of the owner of a drinking house in New Orleans when that city was known for its drinking houses.  ...
• • Source: Article in syndication rpt in Kingsport Times (Kingsport, Tenn); published on Wednesday,  28 February 1934.
• • On Tuesday, 28 February 1933 • •
• • An article on Mae's staying power — — "Paramount's Unusual 3d Week for Mae West" — — was printed in Variety on Tuesday, 28 February 1933.
• • On Friday, 28 February 2003 • •
• • In London, England Dr. James Pitt-Payne (in association with Doug Grierson) did a sequence and karaoke of "Good Night Nurse" by Mae West from 1912. Music by W. Raymond Walker; lyrics by Thomas J. Gray; copyright MCMXII by Jerome H. Remick and Co., N.Y. and Boston. You can download the midi of "Good Night Nurse" from his web site. The men completed this project on Friday, 28 February 2003 at 00.21.
• • Overheard in Hollywood • •
• • Emanuel Cohen gave a party in honor of Mr. and Mrs. Gary Cooper. Cohen, you know, is head of Paramount. Everybody from the Paramount studio was there.
• • Frances Drake came with Randy Scott, Mae West with James Timony, Gail Patrick with Lanny Ross, George Raft with Virginia Pine, Toby Wing with Jack Oakie.
• • In Her Own Words • •
• • Mae West said: “I have found men who didn't know how to kiss. I've always found time to teach them.“
• • Mae West said: “I'm much too busy to worry about the censor boards. ... If they don’t like me, well, that’s their business. In 'I'm No Angel' only one line was deleted by the censors, and that’s my business."
• • Quote, Unquote • •
• • The San Bernardino Sun discussed Mae West.  Nothing new here so it will be brief.
• • "Mae West's 'Husband' to Seek Forced Recognition" (by Associated Press) was reprinted.
• •  Source: San Bernardino Sun (page 4), Volume 42; published on Friday, 28 February 1936 
• • By the Numbers • • 
• • The Mae West Blog was started nine years ago in July 2004. You are reading the 2860th 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 in 1934

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Friday, February 21, 2014

Mae West: Linder's Lil Lawsuit

MAE WEST had an easier time onstage tussling with Chick Clark than she did with Mark Linder, who had named the jewel thief.
• • In January 1938, an Australian daily The Argus had announced: Miss Mae West, the film actress, and Paramount Pictures have been sued for 1,000,000 dollars (£A200,000) by Mr. Mark Linder, an author, who has charged them with fraud in connection with the story of the film "She Done Him Wrong," which, he alleges, was written by him. Mr. Linder claims that he was induced to sell his interest in the story for 25,000 dollars (£A5,000), while Paramount Pictures made 4,000,000 dollars (£A800,000) and Miss West earned 330,000 dollars (£A67,800).  ...
• • Can you believe it? This battle was still going strong two years later — — in February of 1940.
• • "Mae West Describes Film Studios' Fears" • •
• • Associated Press reported this: LOS ANGELES, Feb. 19. Mae West, defendant in a $1,000,000 suit brought by Mark Linder, veteran actor, testified today she practically had to cram "She Done Him Wrong," which became one of Hollywood's most profitable movies, down the throats of studio executives.
• • "They were a little afraid of it," explained Mae. "They didn't like the period In which It was set, and they were afraid of censor trouble."
• • Mark Linder, who said he was co-owner and co-author with the actress of the stage play "Diamond Lil," from which "She Done Him Wrong" was made, charges Miss West led him to believe the motion picture rights brought only $25,000. Linder says Miss West had a secret contract for a percentage of the gross.  ...
• • Source: Article (pages 1-2) in San Bernardino Sun; published on Tuesday, 20 February 1940.
• • If you've ever read the play, it's hard to believe a man would write that in 1928, actually. I especially love that whopper of an O.Henry ending (not to be confused with the warm and fuzzy and "proper" Hollywood version featuring Cary Grant).
• • On Friday, 21 February 1936 • •
• • Starring Mae West, "Klondike Annie" was in movie houses in the USA for the President's Day weekend — — on Friday, 21 February 1936.
• • The motion picture was released at a production cost of $1,000,000.
• • On Wednesday, 21 February 1940 • •
• • The headlines read: "Mae West Wins Stage Lawsuit." A happy outcome for Mae but bitter news for Mark Linder, who pursued her not unlike Inspector Javert tailed Jean Valjean.
• • The troubles between Mae and the Linder brothers began in 1928 when "Diamond Lil" was on Broadway for the first time and she starred in the title role.
• • Overheard in Hollywood • •
• • The Fiesta parade featured beautiful women and horses. A voluptuous senora leading a donkey with panniers of vegetables got wild acclaim from the boys. "There goes Mae West!" shouted a muchacho next to me.
• • "Boy!" yipped another, "if that was Mae West the parade would be over." 
• • In Her Own Words • •
• • Mae West said: "Atmosphere and locale! You can't copyright atmosphere and locale!"
• • Quote, Unquote • •
• • The North American Review mentioned Mae West.
• • Then the Supreme Court resurrected the Constitution as effectively as Mae West had restored the female form. ...
• • Source:  The North American Review (vol. 240, no. 2); published in September 1935
• • By the Numbers • • 
• • The Mae West Blog was started nine years ago in July 2004. You are reading the 2859th 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 in 1940

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Thursday, February 20, 2014

Mae West: Sang Like Amelita

"MAE WEST in opera?" was the title on Wednesday, 20 February 1935.
• • Her latest picture is directed by Alexander Hall. And Hall did his part nobly. When everything was ready on the set, the lady who has made his world conscious of the fact that she is in charge shouted loudly for silence.
• • Then Mae began to sing. Three different arias came from her throat without a single false note.  Her latest heroine Cleo Borden has grown highbrow on us! Yup, it's a fact. While lying in bed the other night, the utterly curvaceous blonde suddenly decided, "Let's throw 'em an opera!"
• • After her number, Mae asked, "How am I doin'?"
• • And we heard that Mae received a round of applause strong enough to have delighted Amelita Galli-Curci.  . . .  Now that Mae's had this fling, her fans are wondering: will she turn to grand opera seriously? . . .
• • Source: The Daily Times-News (Burlington, North Carolina); published on Wednesday, 20 February 1935.
• • On Thursday, 20 February 1936 in Hollywood • •
• • There is a Joseph Breen PCA office memo, dated 20 February 1936, in the "Klondike Annie" PCA case file. Alas, Breen felt that Mae West was "censorable" and he never let up.
• • On Thursday, 20 February 1936 in the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette • •
• • Many newspapers including the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reported on the script disputes and disagreements between Joe Breen and Mae West over "Klondike Annie" and these articles were published on 20 February 1936.
• • Overheard in Hollywood • •
• • Mae West said she thinks she is a narrow-minded woman. Well, we forgive her. It's the only place she is
• • In Her Own Words • •
• • Mae West said: "You'll never catch me in pants."
• • Quote, Unquote • •
• • The New Orleans City Guide mentioned Mae West.
• • Tom Anderson's name is in tile on the corner of Iberville and Saratoga Streets, and Lulu White's name may still be seen cut in the glass transom of her palace at 235 Basin Street; but the palace is now a warehouse. When Beth Brown wrote "For Men Only" in 1930, her heroine, Lily Love, flourished in the whale-bone period, as did Mae West in her cinematic portrayal of another sporting house Lulu, in "Belle of the Nineties," which at first was to be called "Belle of New Orleans."   . . .
• • Source: The New Orleans City Guide; published in 1938 
• • By the Numbers • • 
• • The Mae West Blog was started nine years ago in July 2004. You are reading the 2858th 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 with Alexander Hall in 1935

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