Mae West: Piano Untuner

A scene in a MAE WEST motion picture required an odd maladjustment for a piece of equipment.
• • "Piano Untuner Wanted" • •
• • Wanted: A piano tuner to untune a piano.

• • This was the strangest demand coming from the Paramount Pictures studio during preparation of the setting for the first scene in "She Done Him Wrong," Mae West's forthcoming starring picture.  The action took place in a speakeasy [sic] with a jangling piano being played at full blast. An expert tuner laboured several hours to obtain just the discordant effect desired.
• • Source:  Item on page 14 of the Malayan Saturday Post; published on Saturday,  8 April 1933. 
• • Note: since "She Done Him Wrong" was set in the 1890s, that would have been before the Prohibition Era kicked in. Indeed you see bartenders pouring beer and serving customers openly in Gus Jordan's saloon on the Bowery.
• • On Sunday, 9 April 1916 • •
• • The Pittsburgh Leader announced that Mae West would be appearing at Pittsburgh's Victoria Theatre. Biographer Jill Watts noted: "Without Frank Bohm's careful attention, she had, in one year, gone from being a headliner in big-time vaudeville to performing in cheap, third-rate burlesque."
• • On Monday, 9 April 1928 on Broadway • •
• • "Diamond Lil" written by and starring Mae West opened at the Royale Theatre in NYC on Monday, 9 April 1928. It would be her defining role.
• • Overheard in Hollywood • •
• • Years on the stage have left Mae West with no illusions.
• • In Her Own Words • •
• • Mae West said:  "Old Father Time will turn you into a hag unless you show him who's the boss."
• • Quote, Unquote • •
• • The Straits Times discussed Mae West.
• • "Mae West Robbed in England" • •
• • Singapore's leading newspaper splashed this Associated Press headline across page 2.
• • LONDON. Thursday. Thieves went up to Mae West's dressing room in a London theatre and walked out with jewellery valued at between £2,000 and £3,000. Miss West Is appearing in London in her own production of "Diamond Lil." She said the robbery occurred just before the evening.  . . .
• • Source:  "Mae West Robbed" rpt in The Straits Times (Singapore); published on Friday, 9 April 1948
• • 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 3153rd 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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