Friday, January 22, 2016

Mae West: Witness Stand

MAE WEST was in her least favorite position in January 1934 — — which is to say being on the witness stand.
• • "Mae in Court" • •
• • A serious, subdued Mae West, glamorous motion picture star, pictured on the witness stand in a Los Angeles courtroom the other day when she testified against Edward Friedman, charged with stealing $12,000 in jewels from Mae in a hold-up.

• • Source: Item with photo in The Stanford Daily; published on Monday, 22 January 1934.
• • Happy Birthday to Piper Laurie • •
• • Though we are not big fans of the 1982 TV bio-pic about Mae West, the actress who played Mae's beloved mother onscreen was born today.
• • Cast in this televised production as Matilda West, Piper Laurie's birthname was Rosetta Jacobs. The little redhead was born in Detroit, Michigan in the month of January — — on Friday, 22 January 1932.
• • On Monday, 22 January 1934 in Times Square • •
• • It was a festive Monday evening, on 22 January 1934, when Mae West and Eddie Cantor and many other stars entertained at the New Amsterdam Theatre — — at the 52nd annual benefit for the Actors' Fund.
• • Mae West, a longtime member of Actors Equity, left one-third of her estate to the Actors Equity Fund, hoping to assist actors and actresses who are facing a hardship and are in need. When I telephoned the Fund's headquarters in NYC to ask how much they had received (to date) from Mae's thoughtful provisions for them in her Will, they were unaware of this bequest. The Actors' Fund had never been contacted by the executors of Mae's Will; they have never received the funding Mae intended for them.
• • Now this is certainly too bad, that someone refused to administer Mae's charitable bequest and carry out her wishes after she died — — and isn't it a shame that the "financial assistance" was directed elsewhere?
• • Who pocketed all the money meant for The Actors' Fund?
• • On Wednesday, 22 January 1964 in The N.Y. Times • •
• • New York Times readers who turned to the financial business section of the paper, published on Wednesday, 22 January 1964, noticed this item on page 75.
• • The headline read: "Mae West Plays Role for 'Mr. Ed'; Actress Makes TV Episode for Showing in March."
• • Times reporter Val Adams wrote: Mae West, a theatrical sex symbol for more than half a century, has completed filming a guest star role for "Mr. Ed," the comedy series about a talking horse. Many fans of "Mr. Ed" are children, but the average age of the audience may increase considerably when Miss West's performance is televised by the Columbia Broadcasting System on a Sunday evening in March. ...
• • On Tuesday, 22 January 1980 in Los Angeles • •
• • It was a Tuesday, on 22 January 1980, when Mae West signed a check to give her sister Beverly West the sum of $125.00. Drawn on her personal account at the United California Bank, Mae noted that $125 was for "maintenance and care of the ranch." Beverly endorsed the check on the back.
• • Overheard in Hollywood • •
• • Believing the title "It Ain't No Sin" may invite criticism at this time, Paramount had decided to give the forthcoming Mae West picture the handle of "That Saint Louis Woman," but found out the title had been used by Screencraft. They are now considering "West Is West."
• • In Her Own Words • •
• • Mae West said: "Sit down. I do some of my best work on this couch."
• • Quote, Unquote • •
• • The Guardian mentioned Mae West.
• • "My Little Chickadee" • •
• • Peter Bradshaw wrote: It has to be the King-Kong-meets-Godzilla event of classic screen comedy: WC Fields teams up with, and indeed ties the marital knot with, Mae West in this ridiculous, and ridiculously funny, 1940 comedy, a preposterous tale from the old west, presented next week as part of the Fields season at London's BFI Southbank.  . . .
• • Source: Article written by Peter Bradshaw for The Guardian; published on Friday, 22 January 2010 
• • The Mae West Blog celebrates its 11th anniversary • •    
• • Thank you for reading, sending questions, and posting comments during these past eleven years. The other day we entertained 3,497 visitors. And we reached a milestone recently when we completed 3,300 blog posts. Wow! 
• • By the Numbers • • 
• • The Mae West Blog was started ten years ago in July 2004. You are reading the 3361st 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 1934

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