Tuesday, October 04, 2016

Mae West: Curves, Swerves

In September 1933, MAE WEST sat down for a series of interviews with a West Coast syndicated columnist Willis Thornton.
• • "'Diamond Lil' Puts Mae West on Top" • •
• • Editor's Note: This is the third of three installments on Mae West, the  buxom actress who is restoring curves to to feminine favor.  Today's post is excerpt bb.
• • Written by Willis Thornton, NEA Services Writer • •
• • Turns to Movie Career • •
• • Willis Thornton wrote:  "Diamond Lil" ran on and on, and finally came the clarion call of Hollywood which comes to all good little actresses sooner or later. "Diamond Lil" became "She Done Him Wrong" In the movies, and millions instead of thousands were able to hear "She's Only a Bird in a Gilded Cage" and the film's thoroughly disinfected version of "Frankie and Johnnie."
• • But more important, millions of women saw the glamorous gowns of Diamond Lil with their generous revelation of these and those, this and that. And what's more, the French dressmakers saw them, too. Fashion reporters saw several of the more distinguished couturiers popping with great regularity in and out of cinemas showing "She Done Him Wrong."
• • With the result that fashionists agree that this coming season will see a modern version of the woman of 25 years ago.
• • The curves and swerves of the Naughty Nineties are back. Long, tight skirts, trailing the ground. Tight, short jackets with puff sleeves. Big hats, with exotic feathers once again in evidence. Flowers, and flashy diamond accessories. Skirts that narrow below the knees, and then flare out again into a modified train. A revival of the days when women were women, and men were glad of It.
• • And is Mae pleased? • •  . . .
• • NOTE: This is the third of three stories on Mae West, the buxom actress who is restoring curves to feminine favor.  [A lengthy section, it will be posted piece by piece this week. This post was excerpt bb. See tomorrow for excerpt cc.]
• • Source: syndicated content rpt in The Courier News [Blytheville, Arkansas]; published on Saturday, 9 September 1933.
• • On Friday, 4 October 1918 • •
• • It was ninety-four years ago this October — — when 25-year-old Mae West was cast in a show produced by Arthur Hammerstein: "Sometime." Her character was Mayme Dean.  Mae received top billing in the musical's review by The New York Times (published on Saturday, 5 October 1918).
• • This musical, which opened on The Gay White Way at the Shubert Theatre [225 West 44th Street, NYC] on Friday, 4 October 1918, closed in June 1919, after running for 283 performances. Outstanding.
• • On Friday, 4 October 1935 • •
• • The iconic Raffles Hotel presented the entertainers Lorrison and Cody on Friday night,  4 October 1935.  This comedy pair specialized in "song, dance, and Mae West parodies." The display ad was printed in The Singapore Free Press and Mercantile Advertiser (on page 1) on Friday, 4 October 1935.
• • Overheard in Hollywood • •
• • At the age of 75, Mae West is about to have a renaissance.
• • In Her Own Words • •
• • Mae West said:  "I never married Frank Wallace or anyone else. I was a school girl in 1911, too young to marry.  I can't have done it."
• • Quote, Unquote • •
• • A NYC newspaper mentioned Mae West.
• • “The Play 'Sex' Is Very Poor Stuff”  . . .
• • Source:  Headline from The New York Evening Post; published on Tuesday,  27 April 1926
• • 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 3544th 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 • "Sometime" in 1918

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