Mae West: An Empress Impressed

It was August 1944 and MAE WEST was back on Broadway at the Shubert Theatre wearing furs, jewelry, a tiara, and a rather chilly and serious expression.
• • Czarina Catherine, who was born on 2 May 1729 and died on 17 November 1796, reigned as Empress of Russia for 34 years, from 28 June 1762 until her death — — which was not caused by post-dramatic stress disorder.
• • Though the play was neither hilarious nor a big box-office draw, it did eke out 191 performances.
• • Time Magazine's drama critic made this assessment.
• • "Catherine Was Great" (by Mae West; produced by Michael Todd) is an opulent and incredible fancy-undress affair in which the queen of all the sirens essays the Empress of All the Russias. "Catherine," said Mae West in a first-night curtain speech, "had 300 lovers. I did the best I could in two hours." For a while her best was reasonably good: she seemed to make Lords of the Bedchamber of the whole Russian court and boud-warriors of half the Russian army. As she followed her hips about the stage in a solemn slink, as she languidly drew shameless innuendos from her husky throat, Actress West caught some of the aplomb, humor and matchless vulgarity of her "Come up and see me some time." But pretty soon her unvaried role began to pull and so, soon after, did her unvarying way of playing it.
• • Worse yet, the man-eater in Catherine was not enough for Actress West; she insisted on encompassing the Empress as well, and far from spoofing the imperial manner, tried to outdo it. When a courtier reminded her that "They also serve who only stand and wait," she replied "Quoting Milton's 'prome,' I presume!" She had sponged up enough history to soak her play with wars, uprisings and palace intrigues. But the excitement was conveyed in dialogue that had the specific gravity of lead, and the results, when not merely sedative, were often crushing.
— — Source: — —
• • "The Theatre" Column: "Catherine Was Great"
• • Published in: Time Magazine — — printed edition
• • Published on: Monday, 14 August 1944
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• • Come up and see Mae every day online: http://MaeWest.blogspot.com/
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Mae West
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Mae West.

Mae West: A la russe

MAE WEST had been waiting to step into the fast-moving shoes of Catherine II of Russia, who was born in Stettin (which became Szczecin in Poland). "After years of surviving studio politics and handling vice-presidents, I saw Catherine was really a portrait of myself," Mae told the Los Angeles Times.
• • For years she had tried to promote a film about Catherine the Great — — and, naturally, Mae West would offer a warmer and more sensual alternative to what she described as Dietrich's "hollow-cheeked doll." But when the regal Marlene Dietrich had a royal flop on her hands with "The Scarlet Empress" [1934], the studio bosses felt that the bawdy Brooklynite would hardly be credible in this role.
• • Finally, Mae brought her dream to her hometown. "Catherine Was Great" had its live mainstage premiere on 2 August 1944. The show closed on the Gay White Way on 13 January 1945.
• • As this nation was at war, Mae West was ruling over her New York City ticket-holders. Her cast wore Russian military uniforms. Their ammunition: laughter.
• • After trying to convince Hollywood to do this project, she finally found an energetic and extravagant theatrical backer, Michael Todd, who helped the Shuberts stage this version of "Catherine Was Great" in grand style. The play co-starred Mae West and her leading man, actor Gene Barry.
• • The play ran on the rialto for a total of 191 performances. While taking her curtain calls, Mae would make a little speech about Catherine having hundreds of lovers. "I do the best I can in two hours," Mae told her adoring audience.
• • Larger than life in many ways, the empress has two birthdates in 1729; depending on the calendar you use, Catherine came into this world either on 21 April or 2 May.
• • The headstrong czarina reigned as Empress of Russia for 34 years — — from 28 June 1762 until her death in 1796. Not unlike Mae West, she did the best she could.
• • Come up and see Mae every day online: http://MaeWest.blogspot.com/
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Mae West
• • Photo: • • Mae West • • 1944 • •
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Mae West.

Mae West: Catherine

MAE WEST had been aiming to play Catherine II of Russia [Catherine the Great] for years. She got her chance in 1944.
• • The czarina, who was born on 2 May 1729 and died on 17 November 1796, reigned as Empress of Russia for 34 years, from 28 June 1762 until her death — — during the month of November.
• • Though the drama was not a big success on Broadway, it did last for 191 performances.
• • "Catherine Was Great" had its New York City premiere on 2 August 1944. The show closed on the Gay White Way on 13 January 1945.
• • Wouldn't it be something if, during November, Catherine's restless spirit hovered over the Royale Theatre [where the production was booked on West 45th Street from 2 October 1944 until the curtains came down shortly after the New Year in 1945].
• • In a 1993 article, film critic Molly Haskell observed this about Mae: For years she tried to promote a film about Catherine the Great, in which she would offer a warmer and more sensual alternative to what she described as Dietrich's "hollow-cheeked doll." Although West finally succeeded in launching an unfunny Broadway play on the subject of the czarina, for most of her career she was in fact playing a bawdy, carnivalesque version of Catherine, surrounded by an "honor guard" of admirers. See her — — as the lion-tamer in "I'm No Angel" — — entering atop an elephant, wearing a white spangled jumpsuit. Looking at her now, we can't but applaud this middle-aged woman (she was 40 when she made her first film), undisguisedly rotund, flaunting an unliposuctioned, unsiliconed body and demanding her sexual privileges! . . .
• • Come up and see Mae every day online: http://MaeWest.blogspot.com/
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Mae West
• • Photo: • • Mae West and Rae Bourbon • • 1944 • •
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Mae West.