Mae West: Best Paying

A very long article about MAE WEST and her career in Tinseltown appeared five years ago.  It was written by Paul Phaneuf. Let's enjoy it together. This is Part 12.
• • Mae West: "I'm here to make talkies" or Censor Will vs. Diamond Lil • •
• • The oldest profession • • 
• • Paul Phaneuf wrote:   The elderly woman assumes Mae is referring to the oldest profession and stammers out, "Are you asking me to come into your business?"
• • Maudie: "Why not?  It's one of the best payin' rackets in the world!"
• • Miss Jellyman, trying to be polite, tells Mae, "Of course, I recognized that your business has been a great factor in the building of civilization and, of course, it has protected our good women and, thereby, preserved the sanctity of the home, and well, with me . . . don't you think I'm just a little old?"
• • Maudie is quick to pick up the inference, "Say, what kind of business do you think I'm in?" and she quickly informs the confused Miss Jellyman that she in fact owns a string of beauty parlors and is about to open a new one "The Institute de Beaut" — — and is offering a position as hostess. "Stick with me and I'll make you a platinum blonde," she tells her.
• • "Night After Night" — Reviews  • •
• • The reviews largely overlooked the plot and concentrated on Mae's debut.
• • PHOTOPLAY: "Wait till you see Mae West. An out-and-out riot."
• • VARIETY called it "an auspicious start" and about her dialogue they said it was "unmistakenly her words, it is doubtful if anyone else could write it just that way..." George Raft may have put it best when he said, "Mae West stole everything but the cameras."
• • She was such a sensation that Paramount immediately signed her to a long-term contract at $100,000 a year. She was given her own studio bungalow next to Marlene Dietrich and Carole Lombard. Her contract also allowed her to choose scripts, revise and rewrite them, and select some of her co-stars. During this time, Paramount was $21 million in debt and was banking heavily on Mae.
• • "Night After Night" escaped close scrutiny • •   ...
• • This was Part 12. Part  13 will appear tomorrow.
• • Source:  Article by Paul Phaneuf in Films of the Golden Age Magazine;  issue dated 5 November 2011. Used with permission.
• • On Thursday, 18 January 1934 • •
• • During the jewel heist trial in Los Angeles, on 18 January 1934, Mae West was called to the witness stand to testify about Edward Friedman.
• • Worried after receiving death threats, and flanked by a human shield of husky detectives, Mae West entered the courtroom strikingly garbed in purple in Los Angeles. Career criminal Edward Friedman was charged with robbing the movie queen of $12,000 worth of diamonds and $3,400 in cash.
• • On Tuesday, 18 January 1938 • •
• • Catholic groups were in an uproar over "The Chase and Sanborn Hour" and the Garden of Eden skit.  George C. Guinther wrote an editorial critical of the FCC.  His open letter to the FCC, defending Mae West, ran in a newspaper on Tuesday, 18 January 1938.
• • Overheard in Hollywood • •
• • Top hits sung by Mae West fill her latest picture including "That Dallas Man," "I'm No Angel," and "I Found a New Way to Go to Town."
• • In Her Own Words • •
• • Mae West said:  "Homely man often have more sex appeal."
• • Quote, Unquote • •
• • A California paper discussed Mae West.
• • Mae West In Comedy at Madera Tomorrow • •

• • Mae West among the cows and chickens! Romance in a barnyard and love among the hayricks! That's “Go West Young Man,” Miss West's latest starring vehicle with Warren William, Randolph Scott, Lyle Talbot and many others, which plays tomorrow night at the Madera theatre.
• • With Miss West cast as a high strung and romantic movie actress enjoined by her contract from indulging in romance, and with Warren William as the press agent who accompanies her to make sure she doesn't violate the contract, “Go West Young Man” deals with the curvaceous actress’s attempts to find love and William’s efforts to frustrate her.  ...
• • Source: Article in Madera Tribune; published on Monday, 18 January 1937
• • The Mae West Blog celebrates its 12th 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 3,500 blog posts. Wow! 
• • By the Numbers • •
• • The Mae West Blog was started ten years ago in July 2004. You are reading the 3620th 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 1936 • •
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