Friday, February 24, 2017

Mae West: Violent Kissing

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 38.
• • Mae West: "I'm here to make talkies" or Censor Will vs. Diamond Lil • •
• • On the side of evil and crime • •     
• • Paul Phaneuf wrote:  For its part, the Hays office totally rejected the film "for any one or all of the following reasons: a) vulgarity and obscenity, b) glorification of crime and criminals, c) glorification of a prostitute, d) the general theme of the story which is definitely on the side of evil and crime" and also for "violent and lustful kissing." And Breen had another weapon in his arsenal; New York's state censorship board had seen the film and rejected it outright. One reason was that the ending didn't include Mae and her boyfriend getting married.
• • This time Paramount studio head Adolf Zukor, perhaps partly fearing that other states would follow New York's example, gave in and heavily cut the film. For example in the original script the film opens with a scene of police detectives looking over Mae's record. Not only are they impressed with her picture, but also with her extraordinary luck in getting out of police scrapes.
• • This entire scene was excised • •   . . .
• • This was Part 38.  Part 39 will appear next week.
• • Source:  Article by Paul Phaneuf in Films of the Golden Age Magazine;  issue dated 5  November 2011. Used with permission.
• • Paul Novak [24 February 1923 — 14 July 1999] • •
• • Born Chester Rybinsky in Baltimore on Saturday, 24 February 1923, Mae West's live-in lover was thirty years her junior.
• • They met and became acquainted when Charles Krauser, George Eiferman, Irvin "Zabo" Koszewski, Dick DuBois, Dominic Juliano, Joe Gold, Armand Tanny, Gordon Mitchell, and Mickey Hargitay were among the star bodybuilders in West's chorus for all — — or part — — of the show's three-year run.
• • Chuck Krauser changed his name for a second time, becoming "Paul Novak" — — Mae's main man for the next 24 years. In a rare statement to the press, he once said: "How did she ever pick me — — just a wrestler and roustabout?"
• • On Saturday, 24 February 1934 in Calgary Daily Herald • •
• • The legal battles Mae West fought made headlines all over.
• • After facing down the man who robbed her in Hollywood on Sunday, 18 September 1932 in a courtroom, Mae was shocked and horrified to learn that stick-up-artist Harry Voiler [1891 — 1974] was released on bail in Miami during February 1934.   There was indignation in the interviews she gave.
• • Overheard in Hollywood • •
• • On 3 February 1934, after the jurors deliberated for three days, Edward Friedman was pronounced guilty for robbing Mae West of cash and jewelry.
• • In Her Own Words • •
• • Mae West said:   "Personality is the most important thing to an actress’s success."
• • Quote, Unquote • •
• • A campus paper mentioned Mae West in 1932.
• • "Puppets to Give Broadway Revue" • •
• • "Little Red Riding Hood" is on the program, the first scene In the manner of A. A. Milne, the second in the manner of Mae West, and the last in the manner of Eugene O'Neill.  ...
• • Source: Item in The Cornell Daily Sun; published on Wednesday, 24 February 1932 
• • 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 3647th
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 1934

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