Mae West: Negative Attention

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 14.
• • Mae West: "I'm here to make talkies" or Censor Will vs. Diamond Lil • •
• • Suicide Hall:  colorful ne'er-do-wells, gamblers, prostitutes • •
• • Paul Phaneuf wrote:   The play is populated with colorful ne'er-do-wells, prostitutes, and gamblers. Diamond Lil, however, eventually comes under the influence of a man who woos her away from her life on the wild side.
• • Bringing this to the screen, however, made Paramount a bit apprehensive. Even during its theater run, "Diamond Lil" had attracted negative attention. The critic for the Detroit News declared that "frankness and nastiness seem to reach their ultimate." And when it had played the Biltmore Theatre in Los Angeles, a member of the Hays Office (the inaptly named Jason Joy) warned Carl Laemmle of Universal studios that, "... because of the vulgar dramatic situations and the highly censorable dialogue, in my opinion an acceptable picture could not be made."
• • The Single Standard • • ...
• • This was Part 14. Part  15 will appear on Monday.
• • Source:  Article by Paul Phaneuf in Films of the Golden Age Magazine;  issue dated 5 November 2011. Used with permission.
• • On Saturday, 20 January 1912 • •
• • In their issue dated for Saturday, 20 January 1912, Variety reported on this new act: "Mae West and Girard Brothers, Songs and Dances, 10 mins., Fifth Avenue."
• • "A Lively Piece of Femininity" • •
• • Variety wrote: "She is now trying out a vaudeville act with the Girard Brothers ... She works hard. The boys dance well but their voices hold them back. ... Miss West is a lively piece of femininity but a cold prevented her from doing her best work.  ..."
• • On Sunday, 20 January 1929 • •
• • On Sunday, 20 January 1929 Mae brought "Diamond Lil" to Chicago, where it made its Midwest debut to a packed house. For most of the 16-week engagement, the play attracted a large audience in the Windy City.
• • Overheard in Hollywood • •
• • Mae West will star in "Myra Breckenridge" with John Huston.
• • In Her Own Words • •
• • Mae West said:  "I've known lots of men, but in later years I've never found one I liked well enough to marry." 
• • Quote, Unquote • •

• • The Stanford Daily mentioned Mae West.      
• • Mae West (in photo) is reported as "very much improved" by her physician. Dr. W. H. Townshend Jr., of Baltimore, Md. 
• • The 55-year-old actress became ill several days ago and was taken to a hospital — — from which she was discharged a few hours later at her own insistence. ...
• • Source: Item in The Stanford Daily (California); published on Thursday, 20 January 1949
• • 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 3622nd 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 January 1949 • •
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