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"She Done Him Wrong," starring MAE WEST, featured one tall actor who possessed an unforgettable bassissimo voice.
• • Born David Magee in Philadelphia in the month of March — — on 9 March 1879 — — using the stage name David Landau he made his foray into the world of entertainment. Though cast in a silent film "Bondwomen" in 1915, Landau was more often seen live onstage. From 1919 — 1929, he was featured on Broadway in a dozen dramas and history plays such as "Robert E. Lee" [1923], in which he portrayed General "Stonewall" Jackson. With his menacing look and a deep speaking voice, the six-foot-two thespian was useful to directors who needed to cast "the heavy" or an authority role.
• • In 1931, David Landau made his meaningful cinematic debut as Frank Maurrant in "Street Scene," recreating the role of the domineering husband (and angry cuckold) that he had portrayed so powerfully at the Playhouse Theatre in 1929. From 1931 — 1934 he was quickly cast in 33 motion pictures.
• • In 1932, David Landau had the minor role of Dan Flynn in "She Done Him Wrong."
• • Unfortunately, in 1934, David Landau had a stroke from which he never recovered. He died in Hollywood on 20 September 1935. He was 56 years old and buried at Forest Lawn Memorial Park, Glendale, California.
• • Eddie Foy [9 March 1856 — 16 February 1928] • •
• • Born as Edwin Fitzgerald on 9 March 1856 in Greenwich Village, New York City, Eddie Foy, Sr. became an actor, comedian, dancer, and vaudeville star.
• • As an amateur preparing herself to be an entertainer, Mae West did impressions of Eddie Foy, George M. Cohan, Bert Williams, and Eva Tanguay.
• • It was on 25 June 1926 that Mae West appeared with Eddie Foy — — as well as Houdini and other entertainers (such as George M. Cohan, Fanny Brice, the Marx Brothers, Ann Pennington, Hazel Dawn, Al Jolson, etc.) — — at the Polo Grounds on West 155th Street in Manhattan's Washington Heights area [zipcode 10032]. The fundraiser, organized for the benefit of the United Jewish Campaign, was staged by Mae's old dancing teacher Ned Wayburn.
• • Eddie Foy died in Kansas City, Missouri on 16 February 1928 — — almost two years after he had appeared at the same Benefit with Mae West.
• • On Thursday, 9 March 1933 • •
• • On Thursday, 9 March 1933, a letter was sent by Will H. Hays, President, MPPDA, to James Wingate, Director, Studio Relations, Association of Motion Picture Producers. The bone they had to pick was Mae West's "She Done Him Wrong." Hays emphasized: "I cannot too strongly urge you to proceed in the strict enforcement of the Code. ..."
• • Did Will Hays tuck into others as much as he cut into Mae West?
• • On Monday, 9 March 1936 • •
• • It was inside their weekly issue dated for Monday, 9 March 1936 that readers could read a review of "Klondike Annie" printed in Time Magazine.
• • On Tuesday, 9 March 2004 • •
• • Starring Mae West, "Myra Breckinridge" [20th Century Fox, 1970] was issued as a DVD Release on Tuesday, 9 March 2004.
• • On Sunday, 9 March 2008 • •
• • On Sunday, 9 March 2008, listeners who tuned in to hear "The Dr. Demento Show" were treated to a special theme: celebrities. Dr. Demento played songs about celebrities and songs sung by celebrities. Examples on his program were: "Twist And Shout" (excerpt) by Mae West along with "Summertime" (excerpt) by Bill Clinton, "Kashmiri Song" (excerpt) by Rudolph Valentino, ("I Can't Get No) Satisfaction" (excerpt) by Phyllis Diller, and "Diamonds Are A Girl's Best Friend" sung by Marilyn Monroe.
• • In Her Own Words • •
• • Mae West told reporters this about her wriggling on stage: "It was nothing more than an exercise involving control of my abdominal muscles, which I learned from my father when I was a child.” [No, Mae did not take the stand in 1927.]
• • Mae West said: "A man in the house is worth two in the street."
• • Quote, Unquote • •
• • An article about a comedienne mentioned Mae West.
• • From David Hiltbrand's article: “Chelsea Handler is rare in that she’s an attractive woman who is able to speak frankly about her sexual exploits,” e-mails Traci Skene, editor of the stand-up comedy Web site SHECKYmagazine. “In the past, her particular (brand of) bawdy humor would have only been accepted coming out of the mouth of a seemingly much older woman — — Mae West for example. ... Chelsea manages to make it funny, believable, and acceptable.” . . .
• • Source: Article: "Snarky host of ‘Chelsea Lately' offers cheeky stand-up" written by David Hiltbrand for The Philadelphia Inquirer; published on 9 March 2009
• • By the Numbers • •
• • The Mae West Blog was started seven years ago in July 2004. You are reading the 2233rd 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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Mae West
• • Photo: • • Mae West • • filming in 1932 • •
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Mae West.
"Myra Breckinridge" starred MAE WEST, John Huston, Raquel Welch, Rex Reed, Farrah Fawcett, Jim Backus, and Tom Selleck.
• • Little loved in Hollywood, this flop is rarely written about so it was surprising to come across Richard Carradine's well-informed columns about cinema history in Century City, California. Referring to one scene in "Myra B," Richard Carradine writes: This very Hollywood centric (both in the actual geography and as subject) suddenly switches gears, and moves to Century City for Myra's big death scene. Why? . . . [Source: Shot in Century City: 'Myra Breckinridge' — — Avenue of the Stars has a cameo in this star-studded film, one of the worst ever made by a studio | By Richard Carradine | on 16 February 2011 | http://centurycity.patch.com]
• • Eddie Foy • •
• • Born as Edwin Fitzgerald on 9 March 1856 in Greenwich Village, New York City, Eddie Foy, Sr. became an actor, comedian, dancer, and vaudeville star.
• • As an amateur preparing herself to be an entertainer, Mae West did impressions of Eddie Foy, George M. Cohan, Bert Williams, and Eva Tanguay.
• • It was on 25 June 1926 that Mae West appeared with Eddie Foy — — as well as Houdini and other entertainers (such as George M. Cohan, Fanny Brice, the Marx Brothers, Ann Pennington, Hazel Dawn, Al Jolson, etc.) — — at the Polo Grounds on West 155th Street in Manhattan's Washington Heights area [zipcode 10032]. The fundraiser, organized for the benefit of the United Jewish Campaign, was staged by Mae's old dancing teacher Ned Wayburn.
• • Eddie Foy died in Kansas City, Missouri in the month of February — — on 16 February 1928 — — almost two years after he had appeared at the same Benefit with Mae West.
• • Come up and see Mae every day online: http://MaeWest.blogspot.com/
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Mae West
• • Photo: • • Mae West • • in 1970 • •
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MAE WEST did not fill her household with any remnants from old wedding albums, even though she was legally married twice. But she did not mind playing the oft-married blushing bride Marlo Manners, who enters a posh London hotel lobby on the arm of her sixth husband, only to be greeted by an adoring mob of Marlo fans in "Sextette" [1978]. There is a very impressive rendition of "Hooray for Hollywood" by a large cast of performers. The iconic song was written by Johnny Mercer, who died in the month of June — — on 25 June 1976 — — from a brain tumor at age 66.
• • Unlike Mae West, the singer—songwriter has been honored by the United States Postal Service with his portrait placed on a stamp in 1996. Amazing who gets on an American postage stamp and who does not, eh?
• • Born in Savannah, Georgia, Johnny Mercer [18 November 1909 — 25 June 1976] was an American lyricist, songwriter, and singer. Though he is best known as a lyricist, he composed music, too. He was also a popular singer who recorded his own songs as well as those written by others. From the mid-1930s through the mid-1950s, many of the songs Mercer wrote and performed were among the most popular hits of the time. The prolific musician wrote the lyrics to more than fifteen hundred songs, including compositions for movies and Broadway shows. He received nineteen Academy Award nominations, and won four. Mercer was also a co-founder of Capitol Records.
• • "Hooray for Hollywood" • •
• • "Hooray for Hollywood" is a film song first featured in the motion picture "Hollywood Hotel" [1937], a number that has since become the staple soundtrack element of any Academy Awards ceremony. Curiously enough, "Hooray for Hollywood" is even frequently played during non-American movie ceremonies, e.g. the French César Awards. The popularity of the song is notably due to the lyrics by Johnny Mercer, which reference the American movie industry and satirize the illusory desire of many people to become famous as actors. Richard A. Whiting [1891 — 1938] composed the music, then had a heart attack at the height of his fame.
• • When I die, you are going to be very surprised! • •
• • In connection with a special Pride show on Thursday, 24 June 2010 in Manhattan, Joan Rivers got a column devoted to her in The Villager, whose hard-working reporter asked the Botoxed-to-death comedienne if there was anything yet to be revealed. “Only for you,” Joan Rivers said, referring our plea for an exclusive nugget: “I am a man. Mae West did that all her life. Mae would say to her audiences, ‘When I die, you are going to be very surprised!' Then she died and there was no surprise — — but how clever.” [Source: The Villager, Volume 80, Number 4 | June 23 - 29, 2010.]
• • 25 June 1926 • •
• • Speaking of Benefits and good deeds that were scheduled right after the first day of summer, on 25 June 1926, Mae West appeared with Houdini and other entertainers (such as George M. Cohan, Fanny Brice, the Marx Brothers, Al Jolson, Ann Pennington, Hazel Dawn, Eddie Foy, etc.) at the Polo Grounds on West 155th Street in Manhattan's Washington Heights area [zipcode 10032].
• • The fundraiser, organized for the benefit of the United Jewish Campaign, was staged by Mae's old dancing teacher Ned Wayburn.• • Come up and see Mae every day online: http://MaeWest.blogspot.com/________
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Mae West
• • Photo: • • Mae West • • none • •
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Mae West.
In Marion, Ohio, they fondly remember MAE WEST. 
• • On August 30th and 31st, 2008, Ohio theater-goers will get a chance to party like it's 1928 at the kick-off event to celebrate the 80th anniversary of the Palace Theatre — — and reminisce about the Brooklyn bombshell, too.
• • Elaine Merchant, executive director of the Palace, said she and other staff have done considerable research to re-enact the opening night in 1928, as closely as possible. Merchant calls this weekend's event a rewind to the entertainment the first Palace Theatre patrons would have seen in back then.
• • Performances will include some local folks who will bring a nostalgic flavor through tumbling, comedy, and vaudeville acts suggestive of such acts at Mae West, W.C. Fields, Al Jolson, Jimmy Durante, Ethel Walters, Groucho Marx, Eddie Foy and the Seven Little Foys, and more.
• • The anniversary event will open with the silent film "Sherlock Jr." starring Buster Keaton, accompanied by music on the Palace's Mighty Wurlitzer organ played by Dennis James.
• • The Palace Theatre [276 W. Center Street, Marion, Ohio 43302] can be phoned at (740) 383-2101 and they will tell you more about their 80th Jubilee.
• • Come up and see Mae every day online: http://MaeWest.blogspot.com/
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Mae West
• • Photo: • • Mae West • • 1927 • • NYC
Mae West.
In her youth, MAE WEST was often taken to the theatre.
• • Clearly, the variety artists fascinated her because she enjoyed imitating them. In amateur competitions, "Baby Mae — Song and Dance" impersonated Bert Williams, Eddie Foy, Eva Tanguay, and many others. After seeing these performers again and again, Mae perfected their individual gestures and mastered their timing along with other nuances. Mae and her mother became very familiar with the trends set by Tony Pastor.• • Born in Brooklyn, New York, Antonio Pastor [28 May 1837 — 26 August 1908] was the son of a theatre violinist. While still a youngster, Tony sang on the temperance circuit, then gave his first professional performance as a child prodigy at Barnum's Museum in 1846. Often considered the father of modern American vaudeville, he was involved in show business as an actor, impresario, and theatre owner.
• • After appearing in minstrel shows and with circuses, Pastor made his variety debut in 1861. At the time, variety still had rough edges. Most theatres had bars that actively pushed the sale of liquor and attracted low-class males. The ambitious Roman Catholic set out to elevate the tone and quickly succeeded. When he opened his first theatre in 1865, he discouraged alcohol, attempted to clean up off-color acts, and solicited family trade.
• • In 1881, Pastor leased the Germania Theatre on 14th Street in New York City that became widely known as Tony Pastor's Theater. He alternated his theater's presentations between operettas and family-oriented variety shows, creating what became known as vaudeville. His theater featured performers such as Ben Harney presenting a new style called "ragtime" as well as other up-and-coming talents such as Lillian Russell, May Irwin, and George M. Cohan.
• • A small, stocky, mustachioed man, Pastor regularly appeared on his own bills.
• • In the musical Hello, Dolly!, the song "Put On Your Sunday Clothes" includes the line, "We'll join the Astors at Tony Pastor's."• • On Sunday 17 August 2008, during the "Mae West's Walk on the Wild Side" walking tour, the group will visit a location linked to Tony Pastor and a tune associated with the father of vaudeville will be sung live by a vivacious actress, a native New Yorker who has performed in many musicals.
• • Walking Tour: "Mae West's Walk on the Wild Side"
• • When: 1:00 PM on Sunday — — 17 August 2008 — — rain or shine• • Meet: Village Restaurant, 62 West Ninth Street, New York, NY 10011
• • Price: $20
• • Subway: E or F [IND] train to West Fourth Street; PATH to 9th Street station
• • Attire: why not wear a Mae West-inspired hat?
• • Info: Seesaw864@juno.com
• • This event — — which is part of the Annual Mae West Birthday Gala — — is open to the public.• • Come up and see Mae every day online: http://MaeWest.blogspot.com/
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Mae West
• • Photo: • • Mae West • • none • •
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Mae West.
In 2005, an exhibition on vaudevillians — — featuring MAE WEST — — opened in Doheny Memorial Library’s Treasure Room exhibition gallery, USC campus. The colorful show was called “Setting the Stage: The Rise of American Popular Theater” and it drew from the enormous collection and research of Armond Fields, whose relatives included the legendary stage comedian Lew Fields [half of Weber and Fields].
• • In middle age, when Armond Fields decided to explore his family tree, he discovered showbiz razz-matazz all over the branches. His initial research became a 552-page study “From the Bowery to Broadway: Lew Fields and the Roots of American Popular Theatre,” [NY: Oxford University Press, 1993].
• • Since then Armond Fields has written more than half a dozen biographical works about vaudevillians. His subjects included Lillian Russell, Eddie Foy, Sophie Tucker, Maude Adams, etc. These stage stars entertained millions coast to coast but peaked too soon for screen stardom.
• • Naturally, the vaudevillians who did make it into the Hollywood hit factory — — Mae West, Al Jolson, Eddie Cantor, W.C. Fields — — inherited posterity. Others, no matter their talents and popularity, are known only to scholars and theater-history buffs.
• • “Lillian Russell was the Madonna of her day, the Mae West, the Marilyn Monroe," said Armond Fields. "Lillian Russell [1861—1922] was married four times, she was her own manager, and she was outrageous in everything she did. Who knows Lillian Russell today, except a few people interested in early theater? Who knows Eddie Foy? They have vanished, and celebrity is fleeting.”
• • Since the California exhibition, Armond Fields was in possession of his next book, “Women Vaudeville Stars: Eighty Biographical Profiles,” which he had sent to McFarland & Co., his North Carolina-based publisher. He announced that his next project would be a biography of Tony Pastor, the impresario who launched vaudeville. “I am doing it because these people were so important in their era and because of the contributions they made.”
• • The term vaudeville, according to Armond Fields, likely derives from an old French term for pastoral plays. Look for his books.
• • On Sunday 17 August 2008, during the "Mae West's Walk on the Wild Side" walking tour, the group will visit Lillian Russell's former home and her trademark song "Come Down Ma Evenin' Star" will be sung live by Marlena de la Mora, who has performed with the NYC Opera, the Metropolitan Opera, etc.
• • Born in Iowa was the high-profile beauty and stage star Lillian Russell [4 December 1860 — 6 June 1922]. Mae West was inspired by her.
• • Lillian Russell's mother was a feminist Cynthia Leonard, the first woman to run for mayor of New York City.• • Come up and see Mae every day online: http://MaeWest.blogspot.com/
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Mae West
• • Photo: • • Mae West • • none • •
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Mae West.
"She Done Him Wrong," starring MAE WEST, featured one tall actor who possessed an unforgettable bassissimo voice.
