• • Hollywood scribe Mike Connolly ended a June column like this: Mae West read in the papers: "Mayan calendars are more accurate." Asks Mae, "All I want to know is — — will it make me younger or older?”
• • Source: Item in Mike Connolly's syndicated gossip column for the Desert Sun; published on Tuesday, 21 June 1960.
• • On Sunday, 24 June 1928 • •
• • The Brooklyn Eagle, Mae's hometown paper, sent reporter George Halasz to interview the star about her new Broadway play "Diamond Lil." In the newspaper's weekend edition dated for Sunday, 24 June 1928, George Halasz wrote: "When the play is put in rehearsal she has but a bare outline of the plot and dialogue. As the rehearsals progress, she throws in a line here, a speech there. ..."
• • This is, of course, nonsense. Mae's plays had a large cast and she was present at the auditions. For instance, "Diamond Lil" had almost three dozen in the cast. Mae knew how many actors she would need, and what roles they would play, well before hiring an adequate rehearsal space. A lot of dramatists refine and revise during rehearsal, sometimes to suit an actor, but a theatre professional like Mae West did not walk into a rehearsal with scraps of dialogue written on napkins. No way.
• • On Thursday, 24 June 1937 • •
• • The Times (San Mateo, California) printed this syndicate article on Thursday, 24 June 1937.
• • "Mae West Must Answer Suit" • •
• • Los Angeles, June 24 —(UP) — Mae West, the film siren, must answer the suit of Frank Wallace, who contends he is her husband. . . .
• • On Wednesday, 24 June 1970 • •
• • "Myra Breckinridge" at the Criterion Theatre (1514 Broadway) on Tuesday, 23 June 1970. The general release was on June 24th.
• • Overheard in Hollywood • •
• • Those who check their inhibitions at the door will have themselves a night, an experience they won't soon forget — — Mae West.
• • In Her Own Words • •
• • Mae West said: "They (the police) said to me, 'These guys is fairies'."
• • Quote, Unquote • •
• • Brett L. Abrams wrote: Actress Mae West twice tried to bring groups of “fairies” to the Broadway stage, drew condemnation and/or official repression. The theatre establishment refused to offer West's play, "The Drag," a stage in February 1927. . . .
• • Source: Footnote (p. 202) in the book "Hollywood Bohemians: Transgressive Sexuality and the Selling of the Movieland Dream" by Brett L. Abrams; published in 2008
• • Note: "Mae West: Sex, Censorship, Prison, and Politics" was the lead piece in the summer 2013 issue of The Dramatist. Editor-in-Chief Joey Stocks tapped DG member LindaAnn Loschiavo to write the cover story, emphasizing that he wanted the focus to be on the politics that created the legal tornado that sent the actress to prison, making headlines around the world.
• • If you really want to understand these controversial events surrounding "The Drag," this is the article that explains it all. Back issues are available: The Dramatist, 1501 Broadway, NYC 10036.
• • 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 3,497 visitors. And we reached a milestone recently when we completed 3,200 blog posts. Wow!
• • By the Numbers • •
• • The Mae West Blog was started ten years ago in July 2004. You are reading the 3207th 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.xml
Mae West
• • Photo: • • Mae West • • in 1927 • •
• • Feed — — http://feeds2.feedburner.com/MaeWest
NYC Mae West
No comments:
Post a Comment