Showing posts with label Charlie McCarthy. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Charlie McCarthy. Show all posts

Thursday, January 15, 2015

Mae West: Formal Condemnation

MAE WEST was formally "condemned" by the FCC. This re-post is a short excerpt from a lengthy, very depressing article printed on January  15th. Notice the man who wrote the skit was not clucked at by the FCC's barnyard rooster. Tsk tsk. How did Mae feel about this?
• • "FCC Formally Assails Mae West's Skit" • •
• • WASHINGTON, January 14. [UP] Mae West's recent Adam and Eve radio skit on "The Chase and Sanborn Hour" drew a formal condemnation today from the federal communications commission in Washington, D.C. 
• • The commission said the feature by Miss West and Don Ameche, and the dialogue between the actress and Charlie McCarthy, Edgar Bergen's dummy, were far below even the minimum standards which should control in the selection and production of broadcast programs.  ..
• • United Press coverage rpt in The Daily Illini; published on Saturday, 15 January 1938.
• • On Saturday, 15 January 1938 in The N.Y. Times • •
• • Anyone passing a newsboy in New York City on Saturday morning on 15 January 1938 could see this page one headline on a New York Times: "Mae West Script Brings Sharp Rebuke from FCC." Of course, it was Arch Obler who penned the skit for NBC. Mae West only read it for the radio with her sultry overtones and was instantly demonized by the Roman Catholic organizations. The censors pressed in on her, tighter and more uncomfortable than her metal corset stays.
• • On Sunday, 15 January 2012 in Australia • •
• • The 24th Midsumma festival will run from Sunday 15 January to Sunday 5 February, 2012.
• • "COURTING MAE WEST: Sex, Censorship, and Secrets" will be presented on Saturday, 28 January 2012 in Melbourne, Australia as part of the city's 24th Midsumma Festival. Based on true events during the Prohibition Era, LindaAnn Loschiavo's serious-minded comedy will be seen at this centrally located theatre: Chapel Off Chapel, 12 Little Chapel St, Prahran Melbourne, Australia.
• • Overheard in Hollywood • •
• • Emanuel Cohen, head of Major Pictures, has packed up his bags at Paramount. The new studio boss there is Ernst Lubitsch.
• • In Her Own Words • •
• • Mae West said: "They kept begging me and telling me they had a contract with me."
• • Quote, Unquote • •
• • Variety mentioned Mae West.
• • According to Variety, Mae West had been warned that she must strictly follow orders and that Paramount's production chief would not tolerate any challenges or deviations.  ...
• • Source: Item in Variety; published on Wednesday, 15 January 1936 
• • The Mae West Blog celebrates its 10th anniversary • •    
• • Thank you for reading, sending questions, and posting comments during this past decade. Yesterday we entertained 1,430 visitors. 
• • By the Numbers • • 
• • The Mae West Blog was started ten years ago in July 2004. You are reading the 3093rd 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 1937
• •
• • Feed — — http://feeds2.feedburner.com/MaeWest
  Mae West

Thursday, December 18, 2014

Mae West: Filthy, Indecent

Elected officials also ganged up on MAE WEST over the Adam and Eve radio skit aired on NBC when she was trying to promote her latest film.
• • "Files Protest Against Mae West Skit" • •
• • Washington, Dec. 17. [AP] Representative O'Toole (D. N.Y.) filed a protest today with the communications commission against what he described as a filthy and indecent radio program in which Mae West was featured as the guest star last Sunday night.
• • In a letter to T. J. Slowie, secretary of the commission, O'Toole said, "It is my intention to force congressional action on this matter."
• • He continued, "The radio, entering, as it does into the homes of millions of our citizens, must at all costs give clean, decent, and high-class entertainment."
• • The skit about which O'Toole complained was based on the Biblical story of Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden.
• • Source:  Article by Associated Press rpt in The Daily Illini; published on Saturday, 18 December 1937. 
• • On Saturday, 18 December 1937 • •
• • "Every Day's a Holiday," a Gay Nineties motion picture comedy film starring and co-written by Mae West, was released in the USA in December — — on Saturday, 18 December 1937.
• • On Saturday, 18 December 1937 • •
• • On Saturday, 18 December 1937 some industry people surely noticed an article about Mae West on page 27 in Motion Picture Herald:   "Mae West Burlesques the Bible on the Air for Coffee Merchants."
• • On Saturday, 18 December 1993 • •
• • On Wednesday, 29 September 1971 Mae West had written a letter to comedian Groucho Marx.  Mae wrote (in part), "I've always been crazy about your crazy comedy. I remember how I howled watching your rushes in the projection room at Paramount, when I was there too, waiting to watch my own. ... I have to tell you you're the greatest of all the funny men ... whenever you're in L.A. come up and see me."
• • Price realized for this rare letter by Christie's auction bidding in NYC on Saturday, 18 December 1993 was $2,530.
• • Overheard in Hollywood • •
• • Harold Hecht, dance director of the stage and screen, has been signed by Paramount to stage the dances for Mae West's starring picture, "Ruby Red."
• • In Her Own Words • •
• • Mae West said: "When they didn't have a kid part for me, I did an olio number in front of the curtain. I was getting experience."
• • Quote, Unquote • •
• • The Spectator mentioned Mae West.
• • Reviewing a few current films, Graham Greene wrote: In their eyes, I am afraid, it is Miss Mae West who wins.  . . .
• • Source: Review in The Spectator; published on Friday, 18 December 1936
• • The Mae West Blog celebrates its 10th anniversary • •    
• • Thank you for reading, sending questions, and posting comments during this past decade. Yesterday we entertained 1,430 visitors. 
• • By the Numbers • • 
• • The Mae West Blog was started ten years ago in July 2004. You are reading the 3073rd 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 • • making news in December 1937
• •
• • Feed — — http://feeds2.feedburner.com/MaeWest
  Mae West

Wednesday, December 17, 2014

Mae West: Propriety Questioned

In December of 1937, The Cornell Daily Sun was another paper that weighed in on MAE WEST.   
• • "Propriety of Mae West Broadcast Questioned" • •
• • New York,  Dec. 16 — Mae West's broadcast with Don Ameche on the Charlie McCarthy Hour [sic] last Sunday night is to bring a statement from the National Broadcasting Company, it was indicated late today.
• • The reason therefore centers on the protests that have been pouring in by mail and otherwise.  These haven't been counted but they are described as "a lot."
• • Objectors to the broadcast have questioned the propriety of the script, which NBC officials at Hollywood have insisted was inoffensive when read in the ordinary way, but which, according to the protests, differently on the air.
• • The script was an Adam and Eve comedy.
• • In its statement, NBC was expected to say that both it and the sponsors were sorry that the incident happened and that steps would be taken to see that a similar case did not develop in the future.
• • Source: Article on page 1 in The Cornell Daily Sun; published on Friday, 17 December 1937.
• • On Friday, 17 December 1937 • •
• • On Friday, 17 December 1937 in The Hollywood Reporter industry people surely noticed an article about Mae West on page 1:  "Legion of Decency Drive Impends on Radio 'Sacrilege'." This piece continued on page 4.
• • On Friday, 17 December 1937 • •
• • An article appeared on the front cover of The Cornell Daily Sun on Friday, 17 December 1937 — — above the fold. The title was "Propriety of Mae West Broadcast Questioned."
• • Overheard in Hollywood • •
• • Jack La Rue, who had a leading role as the suave South American lothario Pablo Juarez in Mae West's famous stage hit, "Diamond Lil," will make his first screen appearance with the star in "Go West Young Man." Emanuel Cohen, president of Major Pictures, is producing the new vehicle for Paramount release.
• • In Her Own Words • •
• • Mae West said:  "We haven't had any perfectly Natural Figures since the war took beer away."
• • Quote, Unquote • •
• • A book mentioned Mae West.
• • Michael C. Johanek wrote:  Students ranked James Cagney as their favorite movie star; George Raft and Mae West ranked high as well.  ...
• • Source: Item in a book "Leonard Covello and the Making of Benjamin Franklin High School" written by  Michael C. Johanek; published in 2007
• • The Mae West Blog celebrates its 10th anniversary • •    
• • Thank you for reading, sending questions, and posting comments during this past decade. Yesterday we entertained 1,430 visitors. 
• • By the Numbers • • 
• • The Mae West Blog was started ten years ago in July 2004. You are reading the 3072nd 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.xmlAdd to Google

• • Photo:
• • Mae West • • in 1937
• •
• • Feed — — http://feeds2.feedburner.com/MaeWest
  Mae West