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MAE WEST had some unpleasant encounters with A. Toxen Worm. One headline dated for Wednesday, 4 May 1921, read "Mae West Foiled by Toxen."
• • Yes, there really was a gentleman named A. Toxen Worm. Perhaps Mae was thinking of him when she wrote this line for "Belle of the Nineties" — — "Remember, I'm a lady, you worm." Though his Christian name was Conrad, he delighted in the odd pairing of his Danish surname "Worm" with his two middle names Aage and Toxen. No one could forget a sinister moniker like that.
• • Conrad Henrik Aage Toxen Worm [1866 — 12 January 1922] • •
• • Born in Denmark in 1866, at the turn of the century he was a press agent whose clients included the actor James O'Neill (father of Eugene). Worm emigrated to the USA. In 1910, the ambitious 44-year-old began working for the Shubert Brothers as a manager and a highly resourceful press agent. His command of English was fluent enough to enable Worm to write for the Shubert publication, New York Review.
• • In 1921, the officious 55-year-old bachelor was lying in wait for Mae West in Boston at the Shubert Theatre and there was a showdown. The Worm turned victorious.
• • In 1922, The New York Times announced the death of this unmarried man.
• • "A. Toxen Worm Dead; Well-Known Theatrical Agent Dies of Apoplexy in Paris" • •
• • The Times wrote: A. Toxen Worm, associated for twenty years with the Shubert theatrical enterprises, died Friday in Paris of apoplexy, according to word received yesterday by his counsel, Phelan Beale, in this city. He had gone abroad on a vacation, following a term in charge of the Shubert interests in Boston. Surviving are several brothers and a niece, Miss Ella Scheel of Copenhagen.
• • Source: The NY Times; published on 00day, 15 January 1922.
• • Come along as we revisit the scintillating scene of the shimmy that never was.
• • Boston Nearly Sees "Shimmy Dance" • •
• • "Mae West Foiled by Toxen Worm— Lights Turned Off" • •
• • Boston, May 4 — — Bostonians almost saw the "shimmy" for the first time at the Shubert Saturday night. The censors long ago put the ban on this dance and have kept it on, so that while it has often been promised, it has never been seen.
• • When the news got around among the members of the "Whirl of the Town" that the show was to close, Mae West, the dancer, passed the word around she was going to give those in the house one fine demonstration of the "shimmy" dance at the final performance.
• • A. Toxen Worm heard the report and, when the time drew near for this little piece of business, he took up a position near the light switches backstage.
• • When Mae was all set for the finale, Mr. Worm passed the word to the electrician and the stage was suddenly thrown into darkness. Mae may have "shimmied," but if she did she was the only one that knew about it. However, she was much Incensed and was on her way to complain to Worm — — when she discovered that he was the one who had foiled her.
• • Source: Item in Variety; published on Wednesday, 4 May 1921.
• • On Tuesday, 4 May 1886 • •
• • On Tuesday, 4 May 1886 the black composer Shelton Brooks was born. Mae and Beverly performed his dance novelty "Walking the Dog" when they toured with their act "Mae West and Sister." In her 1928 Bowery melodrama "Diamond Lil," Mae performed his jaunty song "Where Has My Easy Rider Gone?" and the number would be reprised in "She Done Him Wrong" [filmed in 1932].
• • On Saturday, 4 May 1935 • •
• • A Los Angeles Times columnist noted on Saturday, 4 May 1935, that the news about Mae West's secret marriage to Frank Wallace had "chased Hitler, the NRA, and the quintuplets off the front page of every newspaper in America for two weeks."
• • On Sunday, 4 May 1969 • •
• • Reporter Whitney Bolton wrote an article, a first person remembrance: "Critic Impressed by Mae West Role of Siren at Seance." Bolton had attended one of Mae's backstage seances and his piece was published in the Philadelphia Inquirer in its weekend edition on Sunday, 4 May 1969.
• • Overheard in Hollywood • •
• • They figured that, because of those ultra-sexy things she did on the stage. Will Hays would frown upon Mae West on the screen.
• • In Her Own Words • •
• • Mae West said: "It takes two to get one in trouble."
• • Quote, Unquote • •
• • The May Mann papers mentioned Mae West.
• • During her summer at college, May Mann began to pursue an interview with Mae West. According to May, this stunning star evaded the press in fine Garbo fashion. It was May's dream to actually go "up and see [her] some time," and write an exclusive on it. According to the editor of the Standard-Examiner, May got the interview "after two years of repeated effort . . . after considerable maneuvering, near appointments and finally by pulling all the 'strings of power and pull' in Hollywood" (Mae West article, box 9, fd. 5, editor's note). Through her contact with Miss West's personal representative, May became one of the five women to have a personal interview with Mae West . . . .
• • Source: Item in the May Mann Papers, 1930 —1982
• • The Mae West Blog celebrates its 10th anniversary • •
• • Thank
you for reading, sending questions, and posting comments during this
past decade. The other day we entertained 3,497 visitors. And we reached a
milestone recently when we completed 3,100 blog posts. Wow!
• • By the Numbers • •
• • The Mae West Blog was started ten years ago in July 2004. You are reading the 3170th 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/
________
Source:http://maewest.blogspot.com/atom.xml
Mae West
• • Photo: • • Mae West • • "Whirl of the Town," 1921 • •
• • Feed — — http://feeds2.feedburner.com/MaeWest
NYC Mae West
MAE WEST appeared on the cover of Broadway Brevities wearing one of her most seductive costumes from "Mimic World." In Act I, Scene 2, Mae's character was Shifty Liz. In Act I, Scene 5, she was cast as Madelon, a patron at the Cafe de Paris. In Act I, Scene 10, she portrayed Cleopatra in the skit "Shakespeare's Garden of Love." Act II also featured "An Interlude with Mae West" featuring the vivacious vaudevillian in a dress with that controversial (ahem) "detachable" strap; during the second half of the Program, she shimmied garbed as an Oriental dancer called "Our lady of Fatima."
• • And Wiggled • •
• • Billboard's man-on-the-aisle, who did not care for the material much, nevertheless singled out Mae: "Yes, Miss West certainly wiggled. And Wiggled. AND WIGGLED." (This is an unedited comment from Billboard.) Theatre Magazine printed a photo of Mae West, leaning with one hand on a glowing orb, one hand holding up her strapless dress, and the caption writer credited Mae with "the invention of the shimmy."
• • With "The Mimic World of 1921" the Shuberts had hoped for a big hit; this revue also inaugurated their new roof theatre that featured a restaurant and promenade overlooking Central Park. However, the show opened to mixed reviews from a number of top critics. Mae West wore a daring black velvet dress onstage, "cut at either side to display her bare hips," wrote Women's Wear [24 August 1921] in shock.
• • The enormous cast included performers hired mostly for background appeal such as the sisters Lebanon and Portland Hoffa, who died in the month of December.
• • Portland Hoffa [25 January 1905 — 25 December 1990] • •
• • Born in Portland, Oregon on 25 January 1905, Portland Hoffa had parents who must have named their offspring according to geography.
• • Like her cast mate Mae West, actress Portland Hoffa also toured in vaudeville as a comedienne and dancer. One of three sisters, she is remembered best as the stage and radio partner of her first husband, Fred Allen. Portland met Fred Allen while performing in "The Passing Show" in 1922 and joined him in his vaudeville routines.
• • Portland Hoffa died in Los Angeles on Tuesday, 25 December 1990. She was 85.
• • On Monday, 23 December 1929 in Los Angeles • •
• • Mae West took her "Diamond Lil" cast to the West Coast where she hoped to meet with Hollywood producers who would help bring the popular stage play to the silver screen. After a booking in San Francisco, Mae moved to her final California destination: Los Angeles. An article about Mae was published in The L.A. Times on Monday, 23 December 1929.
• • On Tuesday, 23 December 1947 • •
• • On Tuesday, 23 December 1947, the Loew's State Theatre offered its last vaudeville show. Dave Apollon, who appeared in 1922 with Mae West in "Ginger Box Revue," closed with a performance on his mandolin.
• • On Sunday, 23 December 1984 • •
• • "West and Owney Had a Hot Romance" was a fascinating behind-the-scenes look at the bootlegger and Cotton Club owner Owney Madden, who was Mae's lover, written by film critic Kevin Thomas and printed in The Los Angeles Times on 23 December 1984.
• • On Sunday, 23 December 2007 • •
• • In a year's end round-up that assessed the Bay Area theatre scene in 2007, reporter Pat Craig ranked the Berkeley, California revival of "Sex" by Mae West at the Aurora Theatre in the top ten. Successfully staged and with an appealing cast, "Sex" had been held over.
• • The final performance of "Sex" at the Aurora Theatre, with Delia MacDougall as Margy Lamont (the Mae West role), was on Sunday, 23 December 2007.
• • In Her Own Words • •
• • Asked about Owney Madden, Mae West said: "Very sweet and very vicious."
• • Quote, Unquote • •
• • An article on foreign pens mentioned Mae West.
• • Moderator wrote: For a long time, Danitrio has been thinking of coming out with a pen that's similar to "Mae West" but something that's more portable. As you know, Mae West shape pens are popular here, but they are all clipless and not very portable. Well, This one still retained the lovely curve, but now fitted with a clip, it is much more portable. ...
• • Source: Item on Fountain Pen Network; posted on Wednesday, 23 December 2009
• • By the Numbers • •
• • The Mae West Blog was started eight years ago in July 2004. You are reading the 2524th 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/
________
Source:http://maewest.blogspot.com/atom.xml
Mae West
• • Photo: • • Mae West • • 1921 • •
• • Feed — — http://feeds2.feedburner.com/MaeWest
NYC Mae West.
"The Ruby Ring" by MAE WEST was registered with the Library of Congress's Copyright Office early in the month of April — — on Friday, 1 April 1921.
• • It was during March 1921 when Mae West had mailed an envelope to the Library of Congress containing her first playscript, "The Ruby Ring." At 20 pages, this manuscript was more of an extended "sketch" than a play. Gloria, the female lead, is a mantrap who is able to pick the gents off with ease.
• • Her parents were living in Woodhaven in 1921 [705 Boyd Avenue] and Mae used this address when she registered the copyright.
• • In March 1921, Mae was 27 years old. She had been cast in Broadway shows already, she had toured the country in variety, she had been engaged by Hammerstein's Victoria for eleven bookings, she had divorced her second husband Guido Deiro (and abandoned her first husband Frank Wallace in 1911), and developed the acts "Mae West & Sister" and "Mae West & Her Boys." By March 1921, Mae had already appeared on the cover of The N.Y. Dramatic Mirror as well as a few song sheets.
• • In 1922 she would play The Palace with Harry Richman and she was slated to be on stage in the "Ginger Box Review," a musical built around her talents.
• • Seems Mae West's career was blooming in full flower by the time her parents moved to Woodhaven, would you not agree? Jack and Matilda West never lived in one place for very long. By the mid-1920s, they were already residing in Floral Park.
• • After writing three unproduced plays — — "The Ruby Ring" [1921], "The Hussy" [1922], and "Chick: An Unpublished Scandal" [1924] — — Mae West gained momentum and staged her play "Sex" on Broadway in April 1926.
• • Dan Lurie: Mae West on Rockaway Avenue on Horseback • •
• • Born in Mae's hometown, Brooklyn, NY, Dan Lurie came into this world on April Fool's Day, i.e., on Sunday, 1 April 1923. A world-class bodybuilder in the 1940s, by 1949 he held the Mr. America title. Dan Lurie considers himself to be a founding father of bodybuilding and a physical fitness pioneer.
• • In 1975, 52-year-old muscleman Dan Lurie honored Mae West along with Robert Redford, Joe Bonomo, Chris Dickerson, Dave Draper, and The "Mighty Atom" Joe Greenstein, another native of Kings County. During that time, Dan Lurie was interviewed about his experiences with the Hollywood screen queen.
• • The article, titled "Dan Would Come Up to See Her Sometimes," was a charming close-up glimpse. Here is a tiny excerpt.
• • [ Q ] You honored Mae West with an award for sexiest woman of the century. Why did you choose her for this award and what was she like?
• • [ A ] Yes, I met Mae West at her home place. After being with her the first three hours, I told her, "Ms. West, I can't give you any more of my time." Of course, she was the one who was helping me. I said, "My wife is downstairs and she is going to be quite upset."
• • She asked if my wife would like to come upstairs and meet her. I said, "No, she's not one of your fans."
• • She told me to go downstairs and bring my wife up. And that's what we did. After a half an hour they were the best of friends. We found out something strange. Mae was born in Brooklyn and her father's name was Jack West — — he was a fighter. In between fights, Jack West would rent a horse and wagon and sell fruit in his neighborhood.
• • As a kid, she would go to Rockaway Avenue to pick up the horse and wagon.
• • My grandfather owned the place where the cart was kept so we got very warm — — I mean, what a connection. We spoke more about her father and what she did when she was living in Brooklyn. She never flew, but always took the train. She was scared of flying. And of all places, she is now buried in Brooklyn. . . .
• • Dan Lurie is 89 years old today! Enjoy the day in good health!
• • Script Approval on Monday, 1 April 1935 • •
• • An enormous international cast was assembled to do justice to Mae West's ambitious screenplay "Now I'm a Lady" centered around the horsey set. Script approval was granted by the Hays Commission on Monday, 1 April 1935 and the motion picture was released by Paramount Pictures the following month as "Goin' to Town."
• • Starting on Wednesday, 1 April 1936 • •
• • On Sunday, 1 March 1936 The New York Times mentioned that Mae West confirmed she planned to go to Columbia Pictures with Emanuel Cohen, even though Paramount Pictures declared it had exercised its option and wanted their screen star to make two more pictures with the studio, the first one to start on Wednesday 1 April 1936 — — and the second to start on 1 July 1936.
• • On Wednesday, 1 April 1942 • •
• • On 1 April 1942, Lou Walters opened The Latin Quarter in Manhattan. During the 1950s, Mae brought the "Mae West Revue" there twice.
• • In Her Own Words • •
• • Mae West said: ”I heard the applause… applause just for me, and I knew they really liked me, and I knew then there wasn’t any other place I ever wanted to be.”
• • Mae West said: "Anything worth doing is worth doing slowly."
• • Quote, Unquote • •
• • An article about a Newark vaudeville house mentioned Mae West.
• • Kelly Lincoln wrote: Opened in 1895 as the Newark Vaudeville house, it was converted in 1917 by Newark's own architect, Thomas W. Lamb into a movie palace, with a neo-classical interior that became known as "adamesque." In 1932, it was renamed the Paramount.
• • Kelly Lincoln noted: It operated as a movie theater until Tuesday, 1 April 1986, when a 500% increase in insurance forced the 2003 seat theater and the Adams theater to close.
• • Kelly Lincoln wrote: Among the stars that trod the boards were Mae West, according to Variety . . . .
• • Source: Article: "Mae West sold out here" written by Kelly Lincoln for Examiner.com; posted on 28 July 2010
• • By the Numbers • •
• • The Mae West Blog was started seven years ago in July 2004. You are reading the 2256th 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/
________
Source:http://maewest.blogspot.com/atom.xml
Mae West
• • Photo: • • Mae West • • in April 1923 • •
• • Feed — — http://feeds2.feedburner.com/MaeWest
NYC
Mae West.
