• • 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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