Tuesday, March 24, 2015

Mae West: Syd Saylor

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. Script approval was granted by the Hays Commission on 1 April 1935 and the motion picture had its USA release by Paramount Pictures on Friday, 25 April 1935 under a new title — —  "Goin' to Town."
• • The production began shortly before Christmas on  Wednesday, 19 December 1934. On Friday, 4 January 1935, Francois B. de Valdez was hired as technical adviser on South American sequences. The film wrapped up a month later on Saturday, 9 February 1935.  Syd Saylor played  a cowboy.  The actor was born in the month of March — — on March 24th.
• • Syd Saylor [24 March 1895 — 21 December 1962] • •
• • Born in Chicago, Illinois on Sunday, 24 March 1895 as "Leo Sailor," this little boy lost his father George, a notable engineer, to the devastating San Francisco earthquake in 1906.  Alas, George Sailor was never seen again.  His Uncle Ed tutored him, advising him to pursue the dramatic arts. Another uncle, who had been with Mack Sennett's comedy troupe, The Keystone Kops, encouraged him to break into the film trade.  When Syd went to the West Coast, his uncle used his connections to help him break in. In 1926 he played a tramp in a silent movie, a Western called "The Winking Idol."
• • Between 1926 — 1963, he was seen in about 395 motion pictures and numerous TV series.
• • The five-foot-ten character actor, whose trademark was his stuttering speech, bulging eyes, and a protruding Adam's apple that bobbed up and down, worked steadily. He appeared in everything from comedies, westerns, and dramas often cast as the bartender, cabbie, clerk, clown, customer, drunk, milkman, morgue attendant, patient, postman, prisoner, sheriff, theatre goer, tour guide, townsman, vendor, waiter, and the hero's sidekick.
• • In 1935, he had the privilege of working with Mae West; he was one of the cowboys in "Goin' to Town."
• • In the early 1960s, the prolific bit parts player bid farewell to his fans by portraying a Soda Shop Owner in a big screen Sci-Fi pleaser "The Crawling Hand" [released 1963] — — and during the filming he got to rub shoulders with another former Mae West cast mate, Kent Taylor who romanced  the daring circus star, Tira, in "I'm No Angel" in the role of the wealthy suitor Kirk Lawrence (the playboy with the jealous girlfriend whom Tira spits on).
• • Working right up to the end, Syd Saylor suffered a fatal heart attack in Hollywood, California. He died on Friday, 21 December 1962. He was 67.
• • On Saturday, 24 March 1934 in California • •
• • The recording of "My Old Flame" performed by Mae West, backed by Duke Ellington and His Orchestra, took place on Saturday, 24 March 1934.
• • Initially, it was released on an audio single. "My Old Flame" was first heard in the motion picture "Belle of the Nineties" [Paramount Pictures, 1934].
• • On Saturday, 24 March 1934 in Sydney • •
• • The Sydney Morning Herald announced on page 10, in the issue dated for Saturday, 24 March 1934, that "I'm No Angel" with Mae West is at the Prince Edward Theatre. "This Day and Age" is on the same programme.
• • On Saturday, 24 March 1951 in NYC • •
• • Billboard Magazine ran this item: NEW YORK, March 24 — Monte Proser is negotiating with Mae West to star in a cabaret version of "Diamond Lil" for his Cafe Theater. If the deal jells, "Lil" will come in to replace the current "Billion Dollar Baby," which is on a week-to-week notice.
• • On Tuesday, 24 March 1970 in Look Magazine • •
• • "Raquel Welch, Mae West Talk about Men, Morals and Myra Breckinridge," on page 45 in Look Magazine's weekly issue dated for Tuesday, 24 March 1970.
• • Overheard in Hollywood • •
• • It takes more than merely acting to become a national figure — an emblem — which, strange and contradictory as it may seem, is exactly what Mae West is.
• • In Her Own Words • •
• • Mae West said:  "I like my sexes stable."
• • Quote, Unquote • •
• • The Desert Sun mentioned Mae West.
• • Fly Western to the fun capital! It's showtime in Las Vegas.
• • EL RANCHO VEGAS has a French Review!
• • RIVIERA has George Gobel!
• • SAHARA has Mae West!
• • Also  FLAMINGO — Giselle Mac Kenzie; DESERT INN —Jimmy Durante; SANDS —Johnny Mathis; STARDUST — Lido de Paris; THUNDERBIRD — China Doll; TROPICANA — Spike Jones
• • Source: Ad in The Desert Sun; published on Tuesday, 24 March 1959 
• • The Mae West Blog celebrates its 10th anniversary • •    
• • Thank you for reading, sending questions, and posting comments during this past decade. The other day we entertained 1,430 visitors. We reached a milestone recently when we completed 3,100 blog posts. Wow! 
• • By the Numbers • • 
• • The Mae West Blog was started ten years ago in July 2004. You are reading the 3141st 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 • in 1935

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