Mae West: Cell Block Blues

MAE WEST said this about being on TV: “too many people seeing me for free.” But now that her motion pictures are on the small screen, Mae is being newly discovered. Let's hear from Scott Marks. This is Part 4 of 8.
• • The Best of Mae West • •
• • She Done Him Wrong: Mae West’s career died for your sins.
• • Mae West: Visit to prison • •
• • Scott Marks wrote: With a load of lumber like this to play off, is it any wonder that Grant’s next-door missionary turns out to be an undercover cop for West to fall for at picture’s fade? The cheapest cut of ham is Owen Moore as Lou’s locked-up ex, Chick Clark.

• • Scott Marks wrote: Hardcore romanticist Chick expresses his love for Lou by threatening to kill her if she so much as looks at another man. Judging by his muddleheaded performance, Owen Moore’s “method” is allowing the liquor to do the acting.
• • Note: Chick Clark's monologue, from his Chicago prison cell, opens Mae's play ["Diamond Lil," Act I, Scene 1]. Chick Clark  vows to escape, flee to New York, and find his lady love.
• • In 1928, Chick Clark was portrayed by Herbert Duffy on Broadway.
• • Scott Marks wrote: But Lou’s visit to prison, complete with a sashay through the cell block like it’s old home week, is a high-point second only to a hair-pulling match between Lou and Russian Rita (Rafaela Ottiano, reprising her role from Diamond Lil.)
• • Editor: In the 1928 play, Chick Clark, imprisoned in Chicago, kills the guards in order to escape after receiving Lil's dismissive “Dear John” letter. There is no jail scene in NYC between Lil and Chick. Moreover, he's portrayed much more sympathetically in the melodrama written for the stage.
• • Mae West: the poignancy of male lechery • • ...
• • Part 5 will follow tomorrow.
• • Source: San Diego Reader; published on Friday, 11 December 2020.
• • On Saturday, 12 February 1949 in Billboard • •
• • Saturday night with Mae West as Diamond Lil at the Coronet Theatre, wow. Billboard reviewer Bob Francis was in the crowd on her opening night (5 February 1949) and recorded his fascinations in a lengthy, generously detailed piece that was printed the following week on Saturday, 12 February 1949 in Billboard Magazine. Bob Francis had an exceptional perspective, since he had seen the original in 1928, too.
• • Overheard in Hollywood • •
• • The day before Mae West was expected back from the East, a large group of theater owners in Southern California called at Paramount studio and demanded the pleasure of meeting the train and giving Mae a rousing welcome.
• • ". . . We want to show our appreciation to Miss West for the marvelous picture she has given us to show in our theaters . . . it's the first one in a long time that has made our friends stand in line at our box-offices !"
• • In Her Own Words • •
• • Mae West said:  "I've always got a new trick."
• • Quote, Unquote • •
• • An article in the Cape Gazette discussed Mae West.
• • The Delaware-based Arts & Entertainment Editor wrote: "Everyone has this idea of who Mae West was," says theatre director Dana Peragallo.  ...
• • Source: Cape Gazette [Lewes, DE]; posted on Friday, 11 February 2011
• • 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 16th 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 4,600 blog posts. Wow! 
• • By the Numbers • •
• • The Mae West Blog was started fifteen years ago in July 2004. You are reading the 4,669th 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 • • Lil and Chick on Broadway in 1928 • •
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Mae West: A Hot Time

MAE WEST was entertaining her West Coast fans during February in 1933.
• • Sausalito News announced: Weekly Program at Princess theatre,  Sausalito News, California — — Talking Pictures on Sunday and Monday, February 19 and 20 — — Mae West in “She Done Him Wrong” with Cary Grant, Owen Moore, Noah Beery, Gilbert Roland.
• • Mae West in her grandest, most glamorous role. The darling of Broadway gives a hot time to the nation.
• • Source: Sausalito News;  published on Friday, 17 February 1933.
• • On Saturday, 17 February 1951 in Los Angeles • •
• • In Los Angeles on February 17th, Pete Ermalinger, manager of the Biltmore Theatre, was negotiating for "Diamond Lil" the Mae West starrer currently in Texas.
• • "Hollywood Biltmore Seeks Lil Date" was the headline and the piece was datelined Hollywood, Saturday, 17 February 1951. The popular show starring Mae West was, at that time, onstage in The Lone Star State.
• • This item ran in Billboard Magazine on Saturday, 24 February 1951.
• • On Monday, 17 February 2003 in Sun-Sentinel • •
• • 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 • •
• • Unlike Miss Dietrich, Mae West bares nothing but reveals everything.
• • In Her Own Words • •
• • Mae West said:  "I never expected to be sent to jail."
• • Quote, Unquote • •
• • Jet mentioned Mae West.
• • Miss Louise Beavers is in Chicago for a Chez Paree engagement with Mae West.
• • Source: Item in Jet; published on Thursday, 24 February 1955
• • 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 1,430 visitors. We reached a milestone this week: 3,100 posts. Wow! 
• • By the Numbers • • 
• • The Mae West Blog was started ten years ago in July 2004. You are reading the 3116th 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 • • with Owen Moore in 1932 • •
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Mae West: Police Retribution

Burlington, North Carolina was abuzz when the new MAE WEST picture was coming to town.
• • "She Done Him Wrong" — — Another Laugh Special • •

• • The Daily Times-News announced on page 2: "Mae West on Friday and Saturday! She is a riot as diamond-decked Lady Lou, who did 'em all wrong (with Owen Moore, Cary Grant).
• • You will enjoy Miss West's colorful story, her racy dialogue, her stunning performance as Lady Lou.  And you will also enjoy her singing of the famous old "Frankie and Johnnie" as well as two hot new numbers written for this motion picture. Danger is just a part of the day's work on the Bowery in New York.  And Lady Lou judges her men by the diamonds they can give her, and she doesn't question where the diamonds come from.
• • "Saved from Police Retribution" • •
• • That's why Chick Clark (Owen Moore) is in Sing Sing for stealing diamonds for Lou.  That's why Gus Jordan (Noah Beery) is the present incumbent for Lady Lou's favors.  And how she is saved from police retribution is told in an exciting new screen feature, "She Done Him Wrong" by Paramount Pictures.  . . .
• • Source: The Daily Times-News (Burlington, North Carolina); published on Saturday, 18 February 1933.
• • On Saturday, 18 February 1933 in The New Yorker • •
• • An article on Mae West and her new film "She Done Him Wrong" was printed in The New Yorker in their issue dated for Saturday, 18 February 1933.
• • On Saturday, 18 February 1950 • •
• • "Mae West Sick" • •
• • NEW YORK, February 17 (A.A.P.) — Mae West collapsed on the stage at Rochester last night, but the show went on. She was unable to continue with the third act of the play, 'Diamond Lil.' It was presented without her. ...
• • Source: Item in The Courier-Mail (Brisbane); published on Saturday, 18 February 1950.
• • On 18 February 2004 in The Villager • •
• • "Mae's return court date" was the title in The Villager, a weekly newspaper in Greenwich Village. The cast and the author of “Courting Mae West” celebrated after a staged reading before a full house at Jefferson Market Library.
• • Source: The Villager, Volume 73, Number 42 | February 18 — 24, 2004
• • Overheard in Hollywood • •
• • You should have seen Mae West practicing rope-twirling in the wide-open spaces of the Paramount lot!
• • "It's a good idea," murmured the hair-patting, hip-swinging blonde. "I've never had much trouble roping in my men, but this ought to make it even easier!"
• • In Her Own Words • •
• • Mae West said: "It's got sex and comedy. It's my personality. I put in all the things the public expects of me. Yet it's different. None of my stories is the same. I never use anything I've done before for the basic plot. If you've seen one of my pictures, you haven't seen them all. I always forget everything I've ever done and so I start from scratch."
• • Quote, Unquote • •
• • The Daily Herald mentioned Mae West.
• • Joseph Finnigan, DPI Hollywood Correspondent, wrote: Mae West and Mister Ed team up in a rare TV appearance.   . . .
• • Source: The Daily Herald (on page 14); published on Monday, 17 February 1964  
• • By the Numbers • • 
• • The Mae West Blog was started nine years ago in July 2004. You are reading the 2856th 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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