Thursday, April 30, 2015

Mae West: When It's Good

Our indomitable friends in Australia have tipped us off to the "MAE WEST test."
• • News.com Australia wrote:  SIRI might pass muster as a casual acquaintance but nothing puts a relationship to the test like a 2000km road trip with Apple CarPlay.
• • News.com Australia explained:  And after driving from Melbourne to Brisbane with Siri as a sidekick, it seems CarPlay doesn’t yet meet the Mae West test.  When it’s good, it’s very, very good. When it’s bad, well, it’s just bad.
• • Doesn't meet "the Mae West test"!!!  Hey!  Enough said!
• • On Monday, 30 April 1956 in N.Y. World-Telegram Sun • •
• • It was on Monday, 30 April 1956 that Robert W. Dana's felicitous coverage of "The Mae West Review" appeared.
• • Robert Dana's popular daily dish "Tips on Tables" was published in the now defunct New York World-Telegram and Sun.
• • His column "Mae West's Show Grows" [dated April 30th] indicated Dana had seen the routine previously.
• • Robert W. Dana wrote: The old belief that everything should be bigger and better — — a thought most forcefully pronounced by Hollywood trailers — — can be applied with forthright honesty to Mae West, who has returned to the Latin Quarter [in New York City on West 48th Street], where she scored heavily in the fall [sic] of 1954.  ...
• • On Wednesday, 30 April 1969 in Los Angeles • •
• • On Wednesday, 30 April 1969, on light blue note paper (engraved Miss Mae West at the top), the Hollywood icon took time out to send a warm letter to her cousin Tillie.
• • The Delker Family: Mae's mother Matilda (Delker) West had 5 siblings who emigrated from Germany to the USA together. By the time the family reached New York, they were Lutherans.  Her brother Carl Delker married Miss Mathilde Misdorn on 26 May 1889. Notice the reference to Mae's "Aunt Tillie," her mother's sister-in-law. [I also noted the absence of the surname "Doelger." On Mae's marriage license in April 1911, her mother's maiden name was given as Matilda Dilker, probably a clerical error.]
• • Mae West wrote: Dear Tillie:  For a long time I have been wanting to write to you, and also send you these little gifts. Some years ago, I received them from Aunt Tillie Delker.  I believe they belonged to her daughter, our Cousin Eleanor.  I thought you might enjoy wearing them.  They are a lovely necklace of garnets and a cameo pin.  . . .
• • Overheard in Hollywood • •
• • Not so long ago, Mae West came to Hollywood with ominous prophecies echoing in her ears.  The smart fellows on Broadway opined that she could never get into a studio, let alone get herself a lucrative contract.
• • In Her Own Words • •
• • Mae West said: "A thrill a day keeps the pills away."
• • Quote, Unquote • •
• • The jazz radio station mentioned Mae West.
• • Arthur Johnston's "My Old Flame" • •
• • Jazz journalist Natasha Pepperl wrote: Accompanied by the Duke Ellington Orchestra, actress and vocalist Mae West first introduced "My Old Flame" in the 1934 film Belle of the Nineties.  Composed by Arthur Johnston with lyrics by Sam Coslow, it has been rumored that West - known for her "lightly-veiled eroticism" — — had some input in the song's racy (for the time) lyrics. 
• • Natasha Pepperl continued:  However, lines such as “I can’t even think of his name” and “my new lovers all seem so tame” might explain why the song never gained widespread popularity until later years.   ...
• • Source: Item in Kuvo.org; posted on Monday, 30 March 2015
• • 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 3168th 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 1955

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

Wednesday, April 29, 2015

Mae West: Barnstable Seniors

MAE WEST is one of the brain-exercising topics in a delightful free program for seniors in New England called "How to Remember Not to Forget Mini University."
• • Given from late April until June 18, 2015, here's what the course description promised:   The program explores skills to increase our brain cell functions. The additional session  will test your memory by presenting new topics and personalities such as Mae West, the Beatles, and Frank Sinatra. We will practice and evaluate our results.
• • If you are on Cape Cod, inquire here: The Barnstable Senior Center, 825 Falmouth Road, Hyannis, MA 02601.
• • On Monday, 29 April 1935 in the Cornell Daily Sun • •
• • The caption read: Autograph seekers drive Miss Lyn Olson, 22-year-old beauty parlor operator of Milwaukee, Wisconsin, "crazy" because she resembles Mae West, blonde screen actress of many marriage licenses. And the Associated Press b/w photo reveals so startling a likeness that Lyn Olson could have had a second career as a Mae West look-alike.  Were Lyn's eyes blue, too? 
• • Source: page 6 of Cornell Daily Sun; published on Monday, 29 April 1935.
• • On Friday, 29 April 1938 in the Boston Herald • •
• • Beantown readers were treated to this titillation on 29 April 1938, announced with a boldface headline:  Clutching, Squealing Crowd Greets Mae West with Mob Scene Here.
• • The Boston Herald reporter wrote: Complete with the publicized curves and husky, slurring accents that have made her practically a symbol of what she is pleased to call “the sex personality,” Mae West crashed into Boston yesterday morning through a clutching, squealing crowd of 3000 eager admirers who turned the South station into a mob scene.
• • The Boston Herald reporter noted: Cries of pain mingled with shouts of “There she is!” and “Give us a smile, Mae!” as the mob, in a surging onslaught, trampled on toes and barked shins to get closer to the object of it all. The plump blonde actress, in a trailing satin dress, with make-up thick on her features and a huge bunch of orchids clutched in a heavily jeweled hand, gave them the smile and was taken off to the Ritz-Carlton, where she is staying while appearing in person at the RKO Boston Theater this week.
• • On Saturday, 29 April 1950 in Pittsburgh • •
• • Pittsburgh's Mayor David Lawrence and Mae West shared the stage of the Nixon Theater on Saturday night, 29 April 1950, after the final performance of her play, "Diamond Lil." The 47-year-old playhouse was booked for bulldozing, making way for the new headquarters of the Aluminum Company of America.  Tsk.  But what do the citizens of Pittsburgh know about the magnificence of the theatre arts anyway?
• • On Sunday, 29 April 1984 in The N.Y. Times • •
• • N.Y. Times reporter Francis X. Clines was reviewing Peter Conrad's book and gave his 29 April 1984 column this spunky title: "Walt Whitman's and Mae Wests's New York."
• • Overheard in Hollywood • •
• • Mae West will visit Las Vegas soon to complete plans for building a gambling casino and restaurant. She will be featured in floor shows at the new establishment, which will be named "Mae West's Diamond Lil Casino Restaurant."
• • In Her Own Words • •
• • Mae West said:  "Mr. Dwight Eisenhower's a leader, and a leader has drive and decision and power, and that makes a man a sexy man."
• • Quote, Unquote • •
• • The Los Angeles Times mentioned Mae West.
• • "Mae West named Woman of the Century" • •
• • It was on Wednesday, 12 May 1971 when Mae West, UCLA’s Woman of the Century, spoke to students after a screening of her 1933 classic movie “I’m No Angel.”  . . .
• • Source: Item in The Los Angeles Times; published on Saturday, 15 May 1971
• • 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 3167th 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/
________

Source:http://maewest.blogspot.com/atom.xmlAdd to Google

• • Photo:
• • Mae West • in 1938

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

Tuesday, April 28, 2015

Mae West: Prison Panties

During the 1920s, Texas Guinan told her friend MAE WEST that she enjoyed posting her poems at the local bookshops. Some Greenwich Village booksellers charged their literary customers a nickel to post a poem for an entire week. Since Mae also penned poetry, she was intrigued by this novel way of sharing writing with an audience. Both women dabbled in what's called "light verse" and relied on amusing end rhymes (though the lines did not usually scan with metric precision).
• • For instance, when she was serving a jail term in 1927, Mae was inspired to write about the rough wool used to make scratchy, regulation prison underwear. She dedicated these playful verses to the amiable workhouse warden, Harry O. Schleth, and read her work aloud to the news reporters who gathered at the Women's Workhouse to see her exit after serving eight days. 
• • The date she was released was Wednesday, 27 April 1927.
• • We don't think Mae West will mind if we show off her "Panty Lines."
• • I was angry when I met him,
• • but the fault was all his own,
• • for he gave me funny undies
• • that scratched me to the bone.
• • I said, "Look here, Warden,
• • These things I cannot wear,
• • Just feel them," and he answered,
• • "But that's not on the square.
• • Not that I don't want to,
• • But, good God, I wouldn't dare!"
• • Mae's experiences during incarceration pushed her to produce several poems. We'll print more of her verse at a later date.  
• • At the next Mae West event, on Monday, 17 August 2015, her writing will be read aloud.
• • On Wednesday, 28 April 1926 in Variety • •
• • On Wednesday, 28 April 1926, Variety (usually hostile to Mae West and nasty) took an early stand against the play "Sex," which had just opened on Broadway.
• • Variety wrote: “Mae West … has broken the fetters and does as she pleases here. After three hours of this play’s nasty, infantile, amateurish, and vicious dialog, after watching its various actors do their stuff badly, one really has a feeling of gratefulness for any repression that may have toned down her vaudeville songs in the past. If this show could do one week of good business it would depart with a handsome profit, it’s that cheaply put on.”
• • Phooey on you, Variety. Unstoppable "Sex" not only sold out its premiere but it also offered 385 performances with general admission tickets sold for $3.50. According to Mae West, orchestra seats were $10.
• • On Friday, 28 April 1939 in Newsweek • •
• • Newsweek's issue dated for 28 April 1939 was filled with newsmakers such as Mae West and Lieutenant General Drum (for whom Fort Drum in New York is named). 
• • Overheard in Hollywood • •
• • William LeBaron enjoyed more success at Paramount Pictures, where he produced "She Done Him Wrong" starring Mae West, and "It's a Gift" starring W.C. Fields. 
• • In Her Own Words • •
• • Mae West said:  "Love means one thing to one's parents and something else to another. lt's a more or less powerful emotion beyond ordinary human control. Try it yourself sometime and you'll get what I mean."
• • Quote, Unquote • •
• • A Singapore newspaper mentioned Mae West.
• • The astrologer wrote: It is your week (as Mae West said) go ahead. But keep a check on expenditure and be careful you don't get the worst end of business deals. . . .
• • Mae West said that, huh?  Hmmm.
• • Source: Daily Horoscope (page 16) in The Straits Times; published on Sunday, 28 April 1940
• • 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 3166th 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/
________

Source:http://maewest.blogspot.com/atom.xmlAdd to Google

• • Photo:
• • Mae West • in 1926

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