Mae West: Bert Leighton

Bert Leighton received credit for writing the version of "Frankie and Johnny" sung by MAE WEST in "She Done Him Wrong" [1932]. This folksong is much older but it seems that he and his brother contributed some original material most suitable for the Lady Lou character.
• • Born in Beacher, Illinois on 28 December 1877, Bert Leighton was a composer and vaudeville song and dance man who collaborated with his brother Frank Leighton.
• • Supposedly, the 1912 version of "Frankie and Johnny" by the Leighton Brothers and Ren Shields identified "Nellie Bly" as the new girl to whom the roving Johnny has given his heart.
• • Bert Leighton died of cancer in San Francisco, California in the month of February — — on 10 February 1964.
• • Iconic Tonic After Myra B's Bitters • •
• • Farrah Fawcett, who had a bit part in "Myra Breckinridge" [1970], which starred Mae West as Leticia Van Allen, was photographed a few years later in red swimwear for a 1976 poster that helped make the "Charlie's Angels" actress an instant sensation. That one-piece bathing suit was just donated to the Smithsonian's popular culture history collection.
• • Op-Ed columnist Meghan Daum writes: And while Farrah Fawcett could probably have worn a grocery bag and still dominated the wall art of teenage boys' rooms everywhere, it's hard to imagine that a bestselling swimsuit poster these days would be such a no-frills affair.
• • Not that there's anything new about that. Sexiness just keeps getting sexier, or at least more revealing. Clara Bow, the first It Girl, in the 1920s, looks like a veritable librarian compared with her 1930s successor Mae West, who in turn seems positively matronly compared to the 1940s' Betty Grable, who might as well be invisible next to come-hither Marilyn Monroe and Brigitte Bardot ... [Source: L.A. Times, 10 February 2011, byline Meghan Daum].
• • Come up and see Mae every day online: http://MaeWest.blogspot.com/
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Mae West: Butt of the Century

MAE WEST worked with one actor who was nicknamed "the butt of the century" by the legendary Los Angeles Times Hollywood columnist Joyce Haber.
• • Born in Baxter, Tennesse in the month of September — — on 27 September 1945 — — Roger Herren was a handsome young hopeful of brief acclaim during the late 1960s. Gifted with southern charm, a muscular physique, and a handsome face, Herren appeared to be poised for stardom, however, he is known to have had only one credited film role and one credited stage role.
• • What curse befell the six-foot, 185-pound 25-year-old in 1970? Herren saw his career peak and fizzle with his co-starring performance as Rusty Godowsky in the 1970 cinema version of Gore Vidal's 1968 bestseller "Myra Breckinridge" (1970). The controversial film featured the newcomers Farrah Fawcett, who played Herren's girlfriend, and Tom Selleck, in a small but unforgettable role opposite the inimitable Mae West. Tom Selleck actually lost the larger role to Roger Herren.
• • Come up and see Mae every day online: http://MaeWest.blogspot.com/
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Mae West: Regrets Only

Did MAE WEST regret starring in "Myra Breckinridge''? This motion picture was screened on the final night of the yearly Cinema Q Film Festival — — on Sunday, 27 June 2010 — — in Denver, Colorado.
• • Lou Lumenick, The New York Post's chief film critic, made some amusing remarks about 20th Century Fox's unloved, half-forgotten child of the 1970s. See if you agree.
• • Happy 40th birthday, 'Myra Breckinridge' — — by Lou Lumenick • •
• • Michael Sarne's "Myra Breckinridge'' arrived in theaters on June 24, 1970 — — 40 years ago today — — to a critical hailstorm that has not yet let up. Cults have sprung up around many other bad movies, but "Myra'' remains in a special, almost entirely unloved class by itself — — the last entry on the film's Facebook page is from nearly three months ago.
• • A rep from Fox Home Video recently told me there were no plans to include this legendary flop among the dozens of the films being reissued on DVD and upgraded to Blu-ray to mark the 75th anniversary of 20th Century Fox this year. (Russ Meyer and Roger Ebert's far less entertaining "Beyond the Valley of the Dolls'' — — which also originally carried an X rating — — did make the cut, improbably sharing a set with the religious epic "Inn of the Sixth Happiness.'')
• • Fox did put "Myra'' out on DVD in a fine special edition six years ago that includes hilarious dueling commentary tracks by Raquel Welch (who shared the title role — — a male film critic who has a sex change operation — — with real-life film critic Rex Reed) and director Sarne. There was also a half-hour "AMC Backstory'' episode on the film's scandalous history and colorful cast, which also included top-billed Mae West, John Huston, Farrah Fawcett (who died on June 25th last year), Tom Selleck, John Carradine, and Grady Sutton.
• • The film originally carried an X rating for the notorious scene where our heroine rapes a fellow drama student played by Roger Herren. Running through this scene, and much of the movie, are clips from old movies. Loretta Young threatened to sue and Fox removed footage of her and other stars who were still alive from a somewhat toned-down R-rated version of the film, which is the one on DVD.
• • "Myra Breckinridge'' has the rare distinction of being disowned by its stars, its director — — and Gore Vidal, on whose novel the movie was based (though he has repeatedly claimed he's never seen it). Hollywood did not film Vidal's forgotten sequel, "Myron,'' where the critic is trapped in a Maria Montez movie. . . .
— — Excerpt: — —
• • Article: Happy 40th birthday, 'Myra Breckinridge'
• • By Lou Lumenick, The New York Post's chief film critic
• • Published on: 24 June 2010
• • Published in: The New York Post
• • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •
• • Come up and see Mae every day online: http://MaeWest.blogspot.com/
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Mae West: Farrah Fawcett

Farrah Fawcett had a minor role in a motion picture with MAE WEST. The fresh-faced Wella Balsam shampoo model was cast as Mary Ann Pringle in "Myra Breckinridge," released in the USA on 24 June 1970 by 20th Century Fox, a cinematic curiosity inspired by a Gore Vidal novel.
• • Born in Corpus Christi, Texas, Farrah Fawcett [2 February 1947— 25 June 2009] attended the University of Texas at Austin, attracting attention for her beauty and bountiful mane. Then her real education began — — cratered within the heartbreak and hope of Hollywood aspirations.
• • Her big break arrived in 1976 when the 29-year-old actress first appeared as private investigator Jill Munroe in the TV series "Charlie's Angels," quickly capering to international icon status, out-pacing her brunette cast-mates Kate Jackson and Jaclyn Smith. Dazzled and impressed by creating an overnight sensation, the actress hop-scotched away from Aaron Spelling's jiggle-wiggle series after one season [1976-77] to pursue a movie career, but her fame never again reached the same heights.
• • In 1978, she made her first of several big-screen flops — — "Somebody Killed Her Husband" (often referred to as "Somebody Killed Her Career").
• • Eventually becoming a nominee for laurels such as an Emmy and the Golden Globe, Farrah Fawcett was often seen portraying victims in highly rated television one-offs such as "The Burning Bed," and cast as more complex females in historical melodramas, i.e., "Nazi Hunter: The Beate Klarsfeld Story," "Poor Little Rich Girl: The Barbara Hutton Story," and a bio-pic on Margaret Bourke-White. Her hairstyle, toothy smile, and bestselling swimsuit poster made her a worldwide sex symbol during the 1970s.
• • Losing her battle with anal cancer, Farrah Fawcett, 62, died Thursday morning at St. John's Health Center in Santa Monica, California. Ryan O'Neal, the longtime companion who returned to her side when she became ill, was with her.
• • Come up and see Mae every day online: http://MaeWest.blogspot.com/
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Mae West: In New Haven

There's never been another movie like MAE WEST's "Myra Breckinridge."
• • But, writes Susan Dunne, that kind of legacy is what camp classics are made of.
• • Susan Dunne adds: Rex Reed, the film critic, stars as Myron Breckinridge, who wants a sex change. He gets one courtesy of a whacked-out doctor, and becomes Myra (Raquel Welch). Myra heads to Hollywood, to go into the biz, to claim an inheritance from her uncle (John Huston), and to teach university classes. Her uncle's friend is a horny seventy-something talent scout, played by Mae West. ("I can't wait till I get back to bed. If that don't work, I'll try to sleep.")
• • Others in the cast are Andy Devine, Farrah Fawcett, and Jim Backus.
• • Michael Sarne's film was based on a novel by Gore Vidal, who washed his hands of the entire thing. It's full of cringe-inducing dialogue and generally smarmy atmosphere. In short, a perfect movie to watch while you're having a few drinks.
• • The 1970 film is 94 minutes and is rated R. It will be shown Sunday [18 May 2008] at 11 a.m. at Criterion Cinemas in New Haven.
• • Criterion Cinemas: 86 Temple St. (at George St.), New Haven, CT 06510. Showtimes: (203) 498-2500.
— — Source: — —
• • Camp Classic "Myra Breckinridge" Good For Laughs
• • Written by: Susan Dunne
• • Published in: Courant.com — — www.courant.com
• • Published on: 15 May 2008
• • Come up and see Mae every day online: http://MaeWest.blogspot.com/
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Mae West: Tom Selleck

Risk-takers in Hollywood include MAE WEST and, apparently, Tom Selleck, who was featured opposite the actress in 1970.
• • Chicago Tribune reporter Louis R. Carlozo interviewed the Detroit native recently, since the 62-year-old senior citizen [born in January 1945] is busy flogging some DVDs that he stars in. Carlozo's column is called "On the Small Screen."
• • "On The Small Screen" spoke with Selleck about his latest project, which has him wearing multiple creative hats, and how it fits into an entertainment career built around taking risks.
• • • • Q. Let's go back to the very start. One of the most bizarre films you ever appeared in was 1970's "Myra Breckinridge," which included Mae West, Raquel Welch, Farah [sic] Fawcett, Jim "Mr. Magoo" Backus, and film critic Rex Reed. What on earth was that like?
• • • • A. That was in the day when I didn't take risks, I took jobs. I was under contract with Fox; I think that was the second job I ever had. I think I was Stud No. 6, and at one point, Mae West walks in and says to one of the studs, "I don't care that you're 6 feet and 7 inches, let's talk about the 7 inches." I was not the recipient of that laugh. I don't know who was taking what substances, but it was a great experience. Raquel Welch was writing her own stuff, and Mae West was writing her own stuff, the director [Michael Sarne, who would photograph cakes for eight hours while the cast waited] was on Pluto ... and all I did was sit around for two weeks and fantasize about Farah [sic] Fawcett. ...
— excerpt —
• • Source: Chicago Tribune
• • Byline: Louis R. Carlozo, Chicago Tribune staff reporter
• • Come up and see Mae every day online: http://MaeWest.blogspot.com/
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