Thursday, October 13, 2016

Mae West: Change a Lot

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 5 in several installments.  This is excerpt dd.
• • "Me and My Past" by Mae West • •
• • As Told to Leicester Wagner United Press Staff Correspondent • •
• • Love Can Change a Lot of Things • • 
• • Mae West said,  At present I honestly feel I haven't enough time for a husband, but love can change lots of things.
• • When a woman gets a husband she must concentrate on him. And the best way to hold your man, or your husband, is in your arms.
• • The "men In my life" right now are there only professionally. Tongues have wagged and supposed "lowdown" has been printed to the effect that James A. Timony, my manager, is my husband.
• • Although your conscience depends on what's found out, there is no husband on my conscience.
• • I met Mr. Timony when he was a successful attorney on Broadway,
• • For several show seasons prior to that meeting, however,  I had acted, sung and danced my way from vaudeville, revues and skits to the dramatic stage. Some of my shows had been written for me, one of the first, oddly, by the man  . . .
• • NOTE: This is the 5th 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.
• • This has been excerpt dd. Look for excerpt ee, the conclusion, tomorrow.
• • On Saturday, 13 October 1928 • •
• • On 13 October 1928, an item appeared in Billboard Magazine (on page 42) discussing how the NYC police had padlocked Mae's second homosexual play "Pleasure Man."  Billboard used the occasion of Mae's latest legal trouble to condemn her play, describing the script that focused on men in love as "an abomination."
• • Billboard wrote: "Pleasure Man" is prostitution of the rankest sort,  a flagrant attempt to capitalize filth and degeneracy and cash in on the resultant cheap publicity.
• • On Thursday, 13 October 1932 • •
• • During mid-October in 1932, Mae's jewel robbery was on the front page.  One headline "Diamond Lil Robbed of Jewels" ran in the Omaha-Bee News on Thursday, 13 October 1932.  This terrifying crime occurred just months after Mae had relocated to Los Angeles, California to be in the speakeasy film "Night After Night" with George Raft.
• • On Sunday, 13 October 1968 • •
• • On Sunday, 13 October 1968, The N.Y. Times printed a dispatch from journalist Mark Shivas with this headline: "Fellini's Back, and Mae West's Got Him!"
• • Overheard in Hollywood • •
• • What set Mae West apart, what made her obvious shortcoming as a sex symbol evaporate, was her total belief in herself.
• • In Her Own Words • •
• • Mae West said:  "I'll continue playing good bad ladies until the public wants something else.  Thus far they seem satisfied."
• • Quote, Unquote • •
• • A campus paper mentioned Mae West.
• • Who owns Spectator? Columbia University may own New York — — and may have made Mae West — — but it doesn't own Spectator. Spectator Publishing Co., Inc. is an independent corporation entirely run by students of Columbia College and Barnard.  . . .
• • Source: Item in Columbia Daily Spectator; published on Friday, 13 October 1967
• • 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 3551st 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 1928

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