Mae West: Big Spotlight

MAE WEST dictated a fanciful retelling of her life to her secretary Larry Lee. The material was reshaped by ghostwriter Stephen Longstreet and published as "Goodness Had Nothing to Do With It" in 1959. For Mae mavens interested in a factual, insightful account, The Mae West Blog recommends the riveting biographies written by Jill Watts and Emily Wortis Leider. Meanwhile, enjoy these (uncorrected) excerpts below from the pen of Mae West.
• • "Goodness Had Nothing to Do With It" by Mae West • •
• • Chapter 1: Take the Spotlight — — Part S • •
• • Amateur Talent • •
• • Mae West wrote:  This theatre played vaudeville shows, but on this Sunday night it was sold out to the Elks, who put on their own show consisting of amateur talent and relatives in addition to the regular vaudeville acts. It was a large theatre with two balconies and boxes, and had a twelve-piece orchestra. It was there I made my debut, on my first real stage, and I loved it. It was my first romance.
• • Mae West wrote:  I was terribly excited about the chance to show my little dances and songs in a big theatre, with a big orchestra, big stage, big audience — and best of all to me, a big spotlight. The rest of America could ask for life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness; I'd take the spotlight. I saw it used in the vaudeville acts that preceded me. I simply had to have it on me. At the proper church affairs and socials where I had entertained they'd never had such a thing.
• • "I have to have a big spotlight." • •  . . .
• • To be continued on the next post.
• • Source: The Autobiography of Mae West [N.J.: Prentice-Hall, 1959].
• • On Tuesday, 21 February 1933 • •

• • Advertisements reminded theatre managers and bookers that normal grosses were being doubled and tripled for "She Done Him Wrong" starring Mae West: "The Whole Country Is Going WEST!"
• • An announcement appeared in Variety, on page 18, on Tuesday, 21 February 1933 as well as in other industry outlets.
• • Overheard in Hollywood • •
• • Starring Mae West, the motion picture "Klondike Annie" was in the movie houses across the USA for the President's Day weekend — — on Friday, 21 February 1936.
• • The motion picture was released at a production cost of $1,000,000.
• • In Her Own Words • •
• • Mae West said: "Why marry a ballplayer when you can get the whole team?"
• • Quote, Unquote • •
• • A new cabaret show “Broads” features the scintillating Mae West.
• • Ruth Rovner, Special to MediaNews Group, wrote: For its first show of 2019, 1812 Productions presents a cabaret style revue highlighting selected comediennes from the 1920s through the 1960s called 'Broads.' . . .
• • Ruth Rovner wrote: A cast of three veteran actresses portray the style, jokes and songs of Mae West, Sophie Tucker, Moms Mabley and others. ...
• • Ruth Rovner wrote “Mae West, Mobs Mabley, Sophie Tucker – all the broads that came before them and all the broads that have come after them – continue to violate taboos, break conventions, and highlight hypocrisies,” said Mary Elizabeth Scallen. . . .
• • Source: MediaNews Group; published on Tuesday, 12 February 2019

• • The Mae West Blog celebrates its 14th anniversary • •  

• • Thank you for reading, sending questions, and posting comments during these past fourteen years. Not long ago, we entertained 3,497 visitors. And we reached a milestone recently when we completed 4,100 blog posts. Wow!  

• • By the Numbers • •
• • The Mae West Blog was started fourteen years ago in July 2004. You are reading the 4154th 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 1933 • •
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