Mae West: Casa D'oro

MAE WEST agreed to dine with the reporter and film critic Mal Vincent in 1969. He recently published an article about his evening with the movie queen at the Casa D'oro Restaurant on Santa Monica Boulevard in California. These memories were offered in March, linked to a film screening of "I'm No Angel."  This installment is Part 1 of 3.
• • "Mae West screening stirs memory of getting lucky" • •
• • Mal Vincent wrote:  I will be hosting the [screening] with some personal recollections of the night I had dinner with Miss West, a huge stroke of journalistic luck that came about simply because I asked.

• • Mal Vincent explained:  As a hallmark of pop culture, Miss West had been the driving force that taught America how to laugh at sex.  She had been the most highly paid woman in America. Hers was a name everyone knew but few knew much about, and it was taken for granted that she would not do any interviews.  "I'm No Angel" was made just before censorship was established in American movies. But her act owed more to clever witticism than to anything lascivious.
• • Mal Vincent recalled what Mae said: "These girls today," she told me in 1969, "are giving away too much free. Nudity is not necessary and, after all, the fellas are just buying a ticket. It's true that too much of a good thing can be wonderful, but not for free.  I believe in censorship," she said. "After all, I made a fortune on it." She was once sentenced to 10 days in jail because of her stage play "Sex," but she was let out early "because of good behavior."
• • Mal Vincent noted:   The screening of "I'm No Angel" is the first of a three-film mini-series, showing on consecutive Monday evenings at the museum. Hosted and curated by me, it was originally designed to coincide with the museum's current exhibition of Virginia artists.   . . .  
• • Mal Vincent wrote: So how does Mae West fit into this Virginia celebration? She doesn't. Not exactly. But in planning the series the museum wanted something that was outright fun and something about which I could bring a personal perspective. That's Mae. Ooops. Miss West — — she didn't answer to anything else.   . . .
• • To be continued tomorrow, on Tuesday.            
• • Mal Vincent has been a longtime culture writer for The Virginian-Pilot.
• • Source: Article written by © Mal Vincent, Virginian-Pilot correspondent for The Virginian-Pilot; published on Saturday, 14  March 2015.
• • On Wednesday, 6 April 1927 • •
• • On Tuesday, 5 April 1927 at Jefferson Market Court [on Sixth Avenue in Greenwich Village], the jury returned with a guilty verdict. As she left the courtroom, followed by reporters, photographers, and a mob of well-wishers, Mae told them, "You've got to fight in this world!" She added, "You've got to fight to get there — — and fight to stay there."
• • On Wednesday, 6 April 1927, articles about Mae were published in Variety, The New York Times, The N.Y. Herald Tribune, and elsewhere.
• • Overheard in Hollywood • •
• • Despite numerous protests against the "Advertising bally-hoo of Movie Trailers," I say a big bouquet to them! I should never have gone to see Mae West, Otto Kruger, Katharine Hepburn, George Arliss, and — believe it or not — Greta Garbo, were it not for one of these "coming events."
• • In Her Own Words • •
• • Mae West said: "The best way to hold a man is in your arms."
• • Quote, Unquote • •
• • A farming journal mentioned Mae West.
• • "No, Sally Doesn't Strip-Crop" • •
• • Revolution in Farming Methods on Rolling Land in Southwestern Iowa District • •
• • Cliff Gregory wrote: Strip-cropping has nothing to do with Sally Rand, nor does contour farming have any relation to the shape of Mae West. These new words in the farm dictionary are an indication of the revolution that is taking place in farming methods in southwest Iowa.   . . .
• • Source: Article written by Cliff Gregory for Wallace's Farmer and Iowa Homestead; published on Saturday, 6 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 3150th 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 1933 • •
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