Mae West: Blind Selling

It was Tuesday, 10 March 1936 and MAE WEST was in the headlines, thanks to the Associated Press and the House of Representatives. The San Bernardino Sun ran this incendiary coverage on page 1. Oh, my. 
• • "Claims Mae West's Appeal Slips Away" • •
• • Associated Press — —WASHINGTON, March 9th. Mae West, the motion picture actress, is losing her box office attraction, Charles C. Pettijohn, counsel for the motion picture producers and distributors association, told a House committee today. 
• • Pettengill bill would prohibit "block booking and blind selling" of motion pictures • •
• • Testifying before an Interstate commerce subcommittee In opposition to the Pettengill bill to prohibit "block booking and blind selling" of motion picture films a year in advance of their production, Pettijohn said: "Public taste is running away from Mae West so fast it is pathetic. There is no comparison between her last picture and earlier pictures."
• • Pettijohn argued against the enactment of the Pettengill bill on the ground that it would destroy the present system of film distribution, which he said made the "best efforts of Hollywood available to the smallest exhibitors."
• • The Pettengill bill would make it a penal offense to book blocks of pictures tn advance of production without providing exhibitors with a synopsis.   ...
• • On Wednesday, 10 March 1926 in Variety • •
• • A news item noted that a new play by "Jane Mast" (Mae West) called "Sex" was coming to Broadway. This announcement ran in Variety's issue dated for Wednesday, 10 March 1926.
• • On Saturday, 10 March 1934 in Australia • •

• • Staring Mae West, "I'm No Angel" had its Sydney opening at the Prince Edward Theatre on Saturday, 10 March 1934. This successful 87-minute comedy (9 reels) ran for eight weeks in Australia.
• • Overheard in Hollywood • •
• • Since her Las Vegas night-club gig, Mae West says she's had a couple of movie offers. On the wide screen, of course.
• • In Her Own Words • •
• • Mae West said:  "I think a woman with really pretty shoulders should show them off."
• • Quote, Unquote • •
• • A film calendar mentioned Mae West.
• • "Daybreak" [1933] — —  An accomplished late silent starring Chinese screen goddess Li Lili, whose vivacious and sporty persona was somewhat at odds with her coexisting sex symbol image and her nickname ‘the Chinese Mae West.’ . . .
• • Source: Item in Silent Film Calendar; posted in 2016
• • 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 3657th 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 • • German film poster in 1933 • •
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