Mae West: Lusty Yell

In September 1934, MAE WEST sat down for a series of "Me and My Past" talks with the United Press syndicated reporter Leicester Wagner.  We will post excerpts from Chapter #2 in several installments.  This is Chapter 2, excerpt a-a.
• • "Me and My Past" by Mae West • •
• • As Told to Leicester Wagner United Press Staff Correspondent • •
• • This is the first excerpt from the 2nd article in a series entitled "Me and My Past," as told by Mae West to Leicester Wagner, United Press staff correspondent in Hollywood.
• • It was a warm evening of a hot month — August 17th, to be exact — that I made my first public appearance. It was In Brooklyn. N. Y. home of my parents, Mr. and Mrs. Jack West, that I announced my arrival with a lusty yell — so they told me. I wonder now when my father first took me in his arms, whether he thought, "This is a girl and we'll just let it go at that."
• • For my father was a fighting man — — not a big one, but he had a punch in either hand and knew how to use 'em both. He did, in fact, punch his way to fame as one of the fastest Irish featherweights of the time.
• • Grateful to Her Parents for Aiding Her Career • •
• • I thank him for giving me a strong body, an alert mind and a good heart. As I recall this, he sits across the room, reading a newspaper — the sports page — about the new champ. He's in Hollywood now with me. He's able — because of using his head as well as his fists — to retire and let the other boys do the battling.
• • Still the Head of the Family • •  . . .
• • This has been excerpt a-a. Tomorrow's post will be b-b — —  the continuation of Chapter #2.
• • NOTE: This is the 2nd chapter of Mae West's life story as told to Leicester Wagner, United Press.  This syndicated series was reprinted in American newspapers during September 1934.
• • On Friday, 31 October 1919 • •
• • In the write-up of Ned Wayburn's "Demi-Tasse Revue" at the Capitol Theatre, Variety mentioned Mae West on 31 October 1919, noting that she "also scored as a single with a burlesque 'shimmy' number."
• • On Friday, 24 October 1919 Mae West also sang "Oh, What a Moanin' Man."
• • On Monday, 31 October 1932 • •

• • Mordaunt Hall reviewed two motion pictures starring Mae West: "Night after Night" [NYT, 31 October 1932] and "I'm No Angel" [NYT, 13 October 1933] and loved both.  Actor George Raft said, "She stole everything but the cameras."
• • On Tuesday, 31 October 1933 in New York World-Telegram • •
• • Mae West told Douglas Gilbert, a vaudeville reporter, "Women much prefer to be feminine, believe me."
• • Overheard in Hollywood • •
• • King-siding at Mae's sensational nightclub debut in Las Vegas was laughing boy, Johnny Ray — — once again with his ex — — Marilyn Morrison.
• • In Her Own Words • •
• • Mae West said:  "Hang on to your curves."
• • Quote, Unquote • •
• • A columnist mentioned Mae West.
• • Mike Connolly wrote:  Mae West and Steve Cochran are paging Peter Ustinov to do a rewrite job on their new play, "Klondike Lou," and act in it, too.
• • Source: Item in Desert Sun; published on Friday, 31 October 1958
• • The Mae West Blog celebrates its 12th anniversary • •
• • Thank you for reading, sending questions, and posting comments during these past twelve years. The other day we entertained 3,497 visitors. And we reached a milestone recently when we completed 3,500 blog posts. Wow!   
• • By the Numbers • • 
• • The Mae West Blog was started twelve years ago in July 2004. You are reading the 3563rd 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 1932 • •
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Mae West: Loose Morals

In September 1934, MAE WEST sat down for a series of "Me and My Past" talks with the United Press syndicated reporter Leicester Wagner.  We will post excerpts from Chapter #1 in several installments.  This is excerpt eee, which ends this segment.
• • "Me and My Past" by Mae West • •
• • As Told to Leicester Wagner United Press Staff Correspondent • •
• • Forty-six million people • • 
• • Forty-six million people have seen them so far, and you certainly aren't going to find that many people paying good money to be offended.  I'm just different. And I know the value of a good laugh.
• • As to morals today — — and you'll find that question pop up whenever Mae West is mentioned — — I don't believe these are any better or any worse than they used to be. They're only discussed more openly now.
• • Loose morals today? After what we've been through, you'd be lucky to find a loose nickel!
• • This has been excerpt eee. This was the continuation and the conclusion of Chapter #1.
• • NOTE: This is the 1st chapter of Mae West's life story as told to Leicester Wagner, United Press.  This syndicated series was reprinted in American newspapers during September 1934.
• • On Saturday, 28 October 1933 • •
• • "Miss West in Her Victorious Course," an article in Boston Herald on Saturday, 28 October 1933, described the box office brouhaha in Beantown caused by "I'm No Angel." Crowds rushing to secure tickets reminded a local journalist of a "run on the neighboring bank."
• • On Tuesday, 28 October 1941 • •
• • On Tuesday, 28 October 1941, Hollywood columnists broke the story that Mae West was seeking a divorce. The Courier Mail (Brisbane) ran the piece on the front cover.
• • Overheard in Hollywood • •
• • Miss West's new picture tells the story of Tira, a million dollar carnival beauty, who "shimmies" her way Into the minds and hearts of the boys of the small towns.
• • In Her Own Words • •
• • Mae West said: "My pianist — — I never could remember his name. I always introduced him as Harry Rikeman, or Reekman, or Rachman, so we decided to give him a name I couldn't forget: Richman. He's known everywhere now — — Harry Richman, King of the Vagabond Songsters."
• • Quote, Unquote • •

• • An Australian paper mentioned Mae West.
• • "Mae West Seeks Divorce" • • 
• • HOLLYWOOD, October 28 — — Mae West, the film star, announced to-day that she was filing a suit for divorce against Frank Wallace, to whom she was married in 1911. The action will be a cross-complaint to Wallace's suit for separate maintenance. —  A.A.P. 
• • Photo: The ex-husband of Mae West, whom she married in Minneapolis in April 1911, Frank Wallace. At the time of their wedding, the bride, age 18, was touring with Frank Wallace in burlesque in a show called "A Florida Enchantment."
• • Source: Item rpt  in The Courier-Mail (Brisbane); published on Wednesday, 29 October 1941 
• • The Mae West Blog celebrates its 12th anniversary • •
• • Thank you for reading, sending questions, and posting comments during these past twelve years. The other day we entertained 3,497 visitors. And we reached a milestone recently when we completed 3,500 blog posts. Wow! 
• • By the Numbers • • 
• • The Mae West Blog was started twelve years ago in July 2004. You are reading the 3562nd 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 • • Mae's former husband, 1941 • •
• • Feed — — http://feeds2.feedburner.com/MaeWest
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