Monday, February 17, 2020

Mae West: Priestess of Sex

MAE WEST never learned to type and wrote longhand. Though most of her personal correspondence was typed by a secretary, Mae wrote to a stranger in 1933, Canadian graphologist Zita Lomas. This is Part 5 of 14 segments.
• • “An Open Letter to Mae West” • •
• • the high priestess of sex • • 
• • Zita Lomas wrote: But even if we never heard anything about you, except that you are the high priestess of sex, an expert in the portrayal of lusty and sinful ladies, we'd know from your handwriting that you are sloshing over with affection, sympathy, and generosity. Didn't you send us your handwriting sample when we wrote and asked you for it? . . . Immediately and without a whimper, too. . . .
• • Of course, we can’t prove the last point, but we'd bet our fortune on it if we had a fortune. By the look of your handwriting, we doubt very much if you ever whimpered to your life.
• • Concentration • •
• • Those exceedingly high capitals reveal your ambitious, aspiring nature — — your intense desire to shine, to be prominent, to excel in everything you go in for.
• • What Mae’s capital letters show • •  . . .
• • This very long article by Zita Lomas will be continued on the next post.
• • Source: The Vancouver Sun (page 4); published on Saturday, 30 December 1933.
• • On Monday, 17 February 2003 in Florida • •
• • Reporting on an upcoming Gem and Jewelry Show in Fort Lauderdale on Monday, 17 February 2003, The Sun-Sentinel wrote that pieces owned by Mae West would be on display and available for purchase.
• • Overheard in Hollywood • •

• • With shock-proof punches but with haymakers nevertheless, Mae West uncorks a flashy, melodramatic entertainment of the 1890s in "Belle of the Nineties," trippingly gay and gaudy for the most part but lingering in spots. 
• • In Her Own Words • •
• • Mae West said: "In my pictures I never took a man from another woman or pursued another woman's husband. That was all part of my plan to keep women audiences happy.”
• • Quote, Unquote • •
• • A trade paper mentioned Mae West.
• • Variety's reporter "Bige" wrote: Mae West in pictures should stand out as she did in legit — —  as a distinct personality ...
• • Source: Variety; published on Tuesday, 14 February 1933
• • The evolution of 2 Mae West plays that keep her memory alive • •
• • A discussion with Mae West playwright LindaAnn LoSchiavo — —
• • http://lideamagazine.com/renaissance-woman-new-york-city-interview-lindaann-loschiavo/
• • The Mae West Blog celebrates its 15th anniversary • • 
• • Thank you for reading, sending questions, and posting comments during these past fifteen years. Not long ago, we entertained 3,497 visitors. And we reached a milestone recently when we completed 4,400 blog posts. Wow! 
• • By the Numbers • •
• • The Mae West Blog was started fifteen years ago in July 2004. You are reading the 4,411th 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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• • Be sure to bookmark or follow The Mae West Blog
• • Photo: • • Mae West • • Mae's autograph for Noel, a British fan  • •
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1 comment:

  1. Well.....the samples of Mae West's handwriting are definitely "way out West!" I'm really enjoying your series!

    ReplyDelete