Mae West: Vanishing Sob

In the summer of 1919 MAE WEST was on Broadway performing in "Sometime" — — ninety years ago — — when she was 26 and more used to appearing in vaudeville than the legit. The "musical comedy of commerce," designed to showcase the talents of laughmeister Ed Wynn, had opened at the Shubert Theatre on Saturday 4 October 1918 (and went on to enjoy a nice healthy run until June 1919 on West 44th Street).
• • It was Mae's character Mayme Dean who appeared onstage first. But the play's heroine, the actress who got to sing the titled tune "Sometime," was 20-year-old Francine Larrimore, who was born in the month of August — — on 22 August 1898. The New York Times drama critic enjoyed her rendition, adding that her theatrical presentation had "a touch of distinction."
• • Born in France into one of the great acting families of the Yiddish Theater, the Adlers, Francine Larrimore emigrated to America in 1905.
• • By 1910, this beauty made her debut in "Where There’s a Will" at Webber’s Theater in New York. Frequently cast in temperamental "pouty girl" roles, Francine Larrimore worked quite regularly on the Great White Way in a number of musicals and farces. She had training and could put across a song as well as act, dance, and flounce around with elan.
• • A Haunting, Vanishing Sob • •
• • Here's how The New York Times reviewer described her voice: "She has, in fact, a wistful, childlike quality, and a haunting vanishing sob in her voice that go straight to one's sympathies. It is she [who was cast in the role of Enid Vaughn] who sings the theme song 'Sometime,' and she is almost equally appealing in the second act with 'Baby Doll'."
• • Her Broadway fame lasted from 1917 — 1929, though she was seen onstage in a great many plays for almost 25 years. In 1926, when "Roxie Hart" bowed at the Music Box Theatre in New York City, Francine Larrimore originated the title role of the Cook County murderess who hires lawyer Billy Flynn.
• • After a handful of silent films and much acclaim in mainstage productions, Miss Larrimore was cast in the none too successful motion picture "John Meade’s Woman" [1937]. The actress left her fans bereft when she passed away on 7 March 1975 with (or without) a haunting, vanishing sob.
• • Come up and see Mae every day online: http://MaeWest.blogspot.com/
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Mae West
• • Photo: • • Mae West's co-star • • Francine Larrimore • •
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Mae West.

Mae West: June 1919

Ninety years ago, in June 1919, MAE WEST was onstage in a tuneful Broadway hit doing an odd thing — — playing a manhunter who can't land a boyfriend.
• • It was on Saturday 4 October 1918 that "Sometime," the "musical comedy of commerce" designed to showcase the talents of laughmeister Ed Wynn, had opened at the Shubert Theatre (establishing a nice healthy wartime run that continued for eight months at the Shubert brothers' flagship: 225 West 44th Street).
• • At 25 years old, Mae West was still much more accustomed to appearing in vaudeville than in the legit. In "Sometime," it was Mae's character Mayme Dean who appeared onstage first. At that point in her career, Mae had often been cast as an Irish maid — — although Mayme Dean is a frisky flapper who cannot land a man.
• • This musical closed in June 1919, after running for 283 performances.
• • Picture Mae West sometime in 1918/9, an energetic brunette sizzling onstage. A reviewer who covered her performance — — and her sultry shimmy — — at the Shubert Theatre described Mae West as a "tasty tornado."
• • A few years after this show, Mae started writing her own material — — however, she never again portrayed a chambermaid nor a lovelorn lady.
• • 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.

Mae West: Francine Larrimore

In March 1919 MAE WEST was on Broadway performing in "Sometime" — — exactly ninety years ago — — when she was 26 and more used to appearing in vaudeville than the legit. The "musical comedy of commerce," designed to showcase the talents of laughmeister Ed Wynn, had opened at the Shubert Theatre on Saturday 4 October 1918 (and would have a nice healthy run until June 1919 on West 44th Street).
• • It was Mae's character Mayme Dean who appeared first onstage. But the play's heroine, the actress who got to sing the title tune "Sometime," was 20-year-old Francine Larrimore, who died in the month of March — — on 7 March 1975. The New York Times drama critic enjoyed her rendition, adding that her presentation had "a touch of distinction."
• • Born on 22 August 1898 in France into one of the great acting families of the Yiddish Theater, the Adlers, Francine Larrimore emigrated to America in 1905.
• • By 1910, this beauty made her debut in "Where There’s a Will" at Webber’s Theater in New York. Frequently cast in temperamental "pouty girl" roles, Francine Larrimore worked quite regularly on the Great White Way in a number of musicals and farces. She had training and could put across a song as well as act, dance, and flounce around with elan.
• • Here's how The New York Times reviewer described her voice: "She has, in fact, a wistful, childlike quality, and a haunting vanishing sob in her voice that go straight to one's sympathies. It is she who sings 'Sometime,' and she is almost equally appealing in the second act with 'Baby Doll'."
• • Her Broadway fame lasted from 1917 — 1929, though she was seen onstage in a great many plays for almost 25 years. In 1926, when "Roxie Hart" bowed at the Music Box Theatre in New York City, Francine Larrimore originated the title role of the Cook County murderess who hires lawyer Billy Flynn.
• • After a handful of silent films and much acclaim in mainstage productions, Miss Larrimore was cast in the none too successful motion picture "John Meade’s Woman" [1937].
• • Herman Mishkin [1871 — 1948] held a position with Oscar Hammerstein's Manhattan Opera Company as a photographer-publicist. Since Hammerstein produced "Sometime," Mishkin took this portrait of Francine Larrimore around that time.
• • Come up and see Mae every day online: http://MaeWest.blogspot.com/
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Mae West
• • Photo: • • Mae West's songstress co-star • • 1918 • •
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Mae West.

Mae West: Rudolf Friml

MAE WEST was a hit in the legit thanks to Rudolf Friml.
• • Born in Prague on 7 December 1879, Friml was a pianist, violinist, and composer. When Victor Herbert refused to compose a new operetta for the temperamental diva Emma Trentini, the assignment went to Friml. "The Firefly" [1912] became a popular hit, and Friml went on to compose twenty Broadway scores — — including one for a long-running hit that featured Mae West — — and two original screen musicals
• • Playing opposite Ed Wynn in Arthur Hammerstein's "Sometime," with music by Rudolf Friml, Mae West performed the shimmy for an appreciative Broadway audience. In the dance known as the shimmy, there was hardly any movement of the feet, but continuous movement of the shoulders, torso and pelvis.
• • This light-hearted show opened at the Shubert Theatre on 4 October 1918. The musical closed in June 1919, after running for 283 performances. That was ninety years ago this October — — when 25-year-old Mae was first cast in a big mainstage show produced by Arthur Hammerstein. Years ago, Mae admitted she and Hammerstein had a fling.
• • The Shubert Theatre is still located in the heart of Times Square [225 West 44th Street, NYC 10036].
• • Time Magazine ran an article on the composer in their November 1939 issue. Friml told an interviewer that Victor Herbert communicated via an Ouija board. Unfortunately, the spirit world never offered Friml sufficient other-worldly advice to help resurrect his career.
• • When musical tastes changed in the 1940s, Friml decided to retire from composing for the stage and screen. He remained an active lecturer and classical composer in his later years, including occasional appearances on TV.
• • Rudolf Friml died during the month of November — — on 12 November 1972 — — at age 92.
• • Come up and see Mae every day online: http://MaeWest.blogspot.com/
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Mae West
• • Photo: • • Mae West • • Shubert Theatre • •
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Mae West.

Mae West: October 1918

MAE WEST received top billing in the review of "Sometime" by The New York Times (published on Saturday 5 October 1918). Featured in the cast for this musical comedy in three acts at the Shubert, Mayme Dean . . . . Mae West heads the list of names, so perhaps it was composed "in order of appearance."
• • After that, the New York Times critic never mentions Mae again.
• • 'SOMETIME' COMES, WITH ED WYNN;
• • Musical Comedy of Commerce, with Book and Lyrics by Rida Johnson Young.
• • MUSIC BY RUDOLF FRIML
• • Francine Larrimore as Heroine and Frances Cameron as Intriguing Villainess. [Saturday — — 5 October 1918, page 11]

• • According to their drama critic reporting in 1918, not much can be said for the book and lyrics of "Sometime," which came last night to the Shubert "with" Ed Wynn as comedian, and nothing shall here be said against them — — unless it be dispraise to record that they are of the musical comedy of commerce. The costumes and scenery likewise will be pasted over in a silence which, it is hoped, is discreet. ...
• • The Times critic applauds Ed Wynn NOT for the dialogue written by the playwright — — but instead for Wynn's sly ad libbing. What is a man to do in wartime, when he can't make both ends meet?, Ed Wynn's character Loney Bright asks aloud — — and then answers Make one end vegetables!
• • The critic did enjoy the title tune "Sometime," and its rendition by the heroine Francine Larrimore — — who had "a touch of distinction."
• • How difficult it is to find a photo of the commercially successful and prolific Rida Johnson Young, who penned the book and the lyrics. Hailing from Baltimore, Maryland, the beautiful former actress was born on 28 February 1869, and hit it big with "Ah, Sweet Mystery of Life," "Naughty Marietta," and other favorites.
• • In the pink-ribboned month of October, dedicated to breast cancer awareness, we mourn the early death of Rida Johnson Young, claimed by that disease at age 57, after a long struggle with it, on 8 May 1926.
• • Come up and see Mae every day online: http://MaeWest.blogspot.com/
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Mae West
• • Photo: • • Mae West's venue • • Shubert Theatre • •
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Mae West.