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 d-d.
• • "Me and My Past" by Mae West • •
• • As Told to Leicester Wagner United Press Staff Correspondent • •
• • Which brings me to Hollywood. We'll go back and trace the path later — — and it wasn't always the straight and narrow — — that led me from our Brooklyn home up through vaudeville, through revues, the dramatic stage and to the screen.
• • Several studios had made me offers to quit the stage and take a whirl at talking pictures. 1 didn't leave New York sooner because I liked The Great White Way. I was writing my own stuff, putting it on in my own way, and doing fine — — at $5 a seat. Paramount, however, made me an offer which I couldn't turn down — — and I've never been accused of turning my back on a proposition when it looked good to me.
• • On June 16, 1932 • •
• • I packed up my tooth brush, corsets, and diamonds on June 16, 1932, and boarded a Hollywood-bound train. Four days after, on June 20, I stepped off in Los Angeles — a half-hour drive from Hollywood. There was no band at the train. They wanted me to help support a man — — that is, on the screen.
• • Did Not Like the Dialogue • • . . .
• • This has been excerpt d-d. Tomorrow's post will be e-e — — the conclusion 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 Saturday, 3 November 1990 • •
• • When the Los Angeles Times ran his obit, this was the title: "Craig Russell, Actor And Widely Known Female Impersonator, Was Mae West Fan." The Times touched on his career highlights. Published on Saturday, 3 November 1990, the article informed their West Coast readers that "Craig Russell, star of the 1977 film 'Outrageous,' hailed by critics as an insightful tale of the gay underworld in which a schizophrenic girl moves in with a struggling female impersonator, has died of a stroke resulting from AIDS, a Toronto hospital official said. He was 42. ..."
• • On Saturday, 3 November 2001 in The Scotsman • •
• • A book review of a Mae West biography by scholar Jill Watts ran on 3 November 2001.
• • Overheard in Hollywood • •
• • Hollywood — Film Daily Production Hall of Fame 1933 — 1934 commends Mae West, for her spectacular draw at the box-office.
• • In Her Own Words • •
• • Mae West said: "I'm a one-man woman. One man at a time."
• • Quote, Unquote • •
• • A Malaysian paper mentioned Mae West.
• • Mae West's play 'got the bird' • •
• • Mae West left the Palace Theatre, Manchester, went back to her hotel, and began to re-write her 20,000-word play "Diamond Lil."
• • This is Mae's response to the British critics who gave her play adverse notices . . .
• • Said Mae West, age 57, to the media: "I am not sore. We have to learn from the audience what is wrong. I will adapt and improve the dialogue for English people and introduce new jokes." . . .
• • Source: Item in The Singapore Free Press; published on Monday, 3 November 1947
• • 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 3566th 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 1947 • •
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NYC Mae West
Loved it thank you for writing this! ♥.
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