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MAE WEST said, "Beulah, peel me a grape!" in 1933 while playing Tira in "I'm No Angel," a smash hit for Paramount Pictures. Since she was cast for the role of Beulah Thorndyke, Gertrude Howard would be forever linked to this spontaneous exclamation not in the script.
• • As many Mae-mavens know, the screen queen's pet monkey Boogie appeared with her in "I'm No Angel." Boogie would not eat grapes unless they were peeled. When the director asked the movie star to ad lib a line — — to round out a shot with Tira and her maids — — his request prompted Mae West's utterance, "Beulah, peel me a grape."
• • "Peel me a grape" by Dave Frishberg • •• • "Peel me a grape" lives on in pop culture, inspiring clever people such as the Minnesota musician Dave Frishberg who was born in St. Paul in the month of March — — on 23 March 1933.
• • During an interview in 1996 with Phillip D. Atteberry for The Mississippi Rag, jazz pianist, vocalist, and composer Dave Frishberg said that his first published song was "Peel Me a Grape" (1962). According to Mr. Atteberry's article, Frishberg revealed this: "I worked for a short time with Dick Haymes and Fran Jeffries on the hotel circuit," continued Frishberg. "Dick asked me to write something for Fran Jeffried — — a cute, sexy piece. (Dick knew that I had been dabbling with composition.) So I came up with ‘Peel Me a Grape.’ She never performed it, but some of my friends liked it, so I submitted it to Frank Loesser’s office, and he published it. ...
• • Happy Birthday to Dave Frishberg who is 77 years old today.
• • Quote, Unquote • •
• • Born on 5 May 1943 in Sheffield, England, Michael Palin, CBE FRGS is a British comedian, actor, writer, and television presenter best known for being one of the members of the comedy group Monty Python and for his travel documentaries.
• • For editor Graydon Carter, Michael Palin writes: Apart from that, the world’s your oyster. As Mae West said: “Keep a diary and it’ll keep you.” Stalin loved that. ...
• • Source: Article: "A Dogged Diarist’s Dos and Don’ts of Diary Writing" written by Michael Palin for Vanity Fair Magazine, April 2011 issue; posted on 23 March 2011
• • By the Numbers • •
• • The Mae West Blog was started seven years ago in July 2004. You are reading the 1877th 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 • • 1933 on the set with Boogie • •
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Mae West.
Before she was famous, MAE WEST was often cast in stage productions as an Irish maid. Starring in a Hollywood movie in 1933, the Brooklyn bombshell added a goodly number of black actresses to the cast, seasoned performers who would play Tira's maids.
• • One of these charmers was Gertrude Howard, who was born in Hot Springs, Arkansas in the month of October — — on 13 October 1892.
• • In her role in "I'm No Angel" as Tira's maid Beulah Thorndyke, Gertrude Howard would be forever linked to the line: "Beulah, peel me a grape!"
• • The five-foot-four character actress began working in the motion picture industry in 1925. Two years later, the 35-year-old would be featured as Uncle Tom's wife Chloe in the screen version of "Uncle Tom's Cabin" [1927].
• • Mae was quite saddened by Gertrude Howard's untimely death in Los Angeles on 30 September 1934 — — and she was actively involved in making preparations for this Hollywood funeral.
• • • • Cast for "I'm No Angel" • • • •
• • Tira . . . Mae West
• • Jack Clayton . . . Cary Grant
• • Bill Barton . . . Edward Arnold
• • Slick . . . Ralf Harolde
• • Barker . . . Russel Hopton
• • Alicia Hatton . . . Gertrude Michael
• • Kirk . . . Kent Taylor
• • Thelma . . . Dorothy Peterson
• • Benny Pinkowitz . . . Gregory Ratoff
• • Beulah Thorndyke . . . Gertrude Howard
• • The Chump . . . William B. Davidson
• • Bob, the Attorney . . . Irving Pichel
• • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •
• • Come up and see Mae every day online: http://MaeWest.blogspot.com/
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Mae West
• • Photo: • • Mae West • • none • •
• • Feed — — http://feeds2.feedburner.com/MaeWest
NYC
Mae West.
Before she was famous, MAE WEST was often cast in stage productions as an Irish maid. Starring in a Hollywood movie in 1933, the Brooklyn bombshell added a goodly number of black actresses to the cast, seasoned performers who would play Tira's maids.
• • One of these charmers was Gertrude Howard, who was born in Hot Springs, Arkansas in the month of October — — on 13 October 1892.
• • In her role as Beulah Thorndyke, Gertrude Howard would be forever linked to the line: "Beulah, peel me a grape!"
• • The five-foot-four character actress began working in the motion picture industry in 1925. Two years later, the 35-year-old would be featured as Uncle Tom's wife Chloe in the screen version of "Uncle Tom's Cabin" [1927].
• • Mae was quite saddened by Gertrude Howard's untimely death in Los Angeles on 30 September 1934 — — and she was actively involved in making preparations for this Hollywood funeral.• • • • Cast for "I'm No Angel" • • • •
• • Tira . . . Mae West
• • Jack Clayton . . . Cary Grant
• • Bill Barton . . . Edward Arnold
• • Slick . . . Ralf Harolde
• • Barker . . . Russel Hopton
• • Alicia Hatton . . . Gertrude Michael
• • Kirk . . . Kent Taylor
• • Thelma . . . Dorothy Peterson
• • Benny Pinkowitz . . . Gregory Ratoff
• • Beulah Thorndyke . . . Gertrude Howard
• • The Chump . . . William B. Davidson
• • Bob, the Attorney . . . Irving Pichel• • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •• • Come up and see Mae every day online: http://MaeWest.blogspot.com/
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Mae West
• • Photo: • • Mae West • • none • •
• • Feed — — http://feeds2.feedburner.com/MaeWestNYC
Mae West.
Were you sitting at the feet of MAE WEST and admiring the sparking dialogue and gown glitter on display in one of her most successful motion pictures for Paramount last night? 
• • Vince Giordano and the Nighthawks jazzed us up before the show with lively music. And the Film Forum's ushers passed out slices of crunchy French bread as nimble ticket-holders waited on line in 31 degree weather in lower Manhattan. CBS-TV was panning the crowd.
• • On Friday February 6th, a sparkling new print of "I'm No Angel" opened the 1930s series "Breadlines and Champagne," which will run from Friday February 6th through March 5, 2009 at the Film Forum, 209 West Houston Street, New York, NY 10014. Info and screentimes are available by phoning 212-727-8110 — — or by visiting www.filmforum.org online.
• • Noticing the topmost credit line — — noting that "I'm No Angel's" story, screenplay, and all dialogue were written by Mae West — — calls to mind another February moment.
• • On 6 February 1928, when Mae was living at the Harding Hotel, she registered her script for "Diamond Lil" with the Library of Congress.
• • And on 7 February 1933, Mae recorded "A Guy What Takes His Time" (one of her saucy hits from "She Done Him Wrong") for Brunswick Records.
• • The second month of the year was always busy for Mae. Stay tuned as we count it down. • • Come up and see Mae every day online: http://MaeWest.blogspot.com/
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Mae West
• • Photo: • • Mae West • • 1933 • •
NYC
Mae West.
MAE WEST charmed The New York Times film critic Mordaunt Hall. Well satisfied by the motion picture "I'm No Angel," Hall haled it and his readers heeded. 
• • Here's what Hall wrote after the advance screening in 1933:
• • Arrayed in a variety of costumes which set off her sinuous form, Mae West is appearing at the Paramount in her latest screen vehicle, "I'm No Angel," a title which, as might be surmised, fits the leading character. Here Miss West, who wrote the story herself from "suggestions contributed" by Lowell Brentano, is beheld as a circus beauty named Tira, who wins applause and admiration by risking her blond head in a lion's mouth twice daily.
• • It is a rapid-fire entertainment, with shameless but thoroughly contagious humor, and one in which Tira is always the mistress of the situation, whether it be in the cage with wild beasts, in her boudoir with admirers, or in a court of law.
• • Tira is ever ready with a flip double entendre, and she permits no skeleton to be found behind her cupboard doors. She has an emphatic personality, which proves a magnet for even socialites with millions. She receives costly presents, including diamond necklaces, but she is hardly a gold-digger. She refrains from posing, preferring to keep her natural slangy speech in her journey through the story from a tent to a penthouse.
• • She admits that she has thrown discretion to the winds and she sometimes finds herself in an awkward predicament, but through a wily lawyer she succeeds in proving that she is guiltless. The feeble parts of this picture are those in which a criminal known as Slick is introduced. The less one sees of him the better one feels, for the production is interesting only as long as it proceeds on its merry route.
• • The glimpses of Tira making her impressive entry to the circus arena and then proceeding to the big cage with the roaring lions are depicted shrewdly. Tira does not actually stick her whole head in the lion's mouth, but contents herself by putting her face between the beast's jaws, which is quite enough. Even this is set forth with a certain degree of fun, and one feels that Tira probably has a pistol ready for an emergency and that other circus employee are ready to shoot in the event that the beast starts to close its mouth. But one is apt to wonder whether they could possibly be quick enough. Society among the spectators is thrilled, all except one snobbish girl, who is furious because her fiancé is very enthusiastic over the performer's courage — — and her beauty.
• • Later there comes the time when Tira puts her fair head into a court of law as the plaintiff in a breach-of-promise case. She sues Jack Clayton, whom she really loves, for $1,000,000, and it is not Tira's artful counsel who wins the case, but the circus queen herself. She cross-examines the defendant's witnesses and turns their testimony in her own favor, the unusual proceeding being countenanced by a judge whose sympathy Tira wins with the utmost ease.
• • Miss West plays her part with the same brightness and naturalness that attended her second film role. There is no lack of spontaneity in her actions nor in the utterance of her lines. She is a remarkable wit — — after her fashion. Cary Grant is pleasing as Jack Clayton and Walter Walker is excellent as the considerate old judge. Gregory Ratoff does well as Tira's lawyer. Wesley Ruggles has directed the film with his usual intelligence.
— — Source: — —
• • Byline: Mordaunt Hall
• • Published by: The New York Times
• • Published on: 13 October 1933
• • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •• • • • Cast for "I'm No Angel" • • • •
• • Tira . . . Mae West
• • Jack Clayton . . . Cary Grant
• • Bill Barton . . . Edward Arnold
• • Slick . . . Ralf Harolde
• • Barker . . . Russel Hopton
• • Alicia Hatton . . . Gertrude Michael
• • Kirk . . . Kent Taylor
• • Thelma . . . Dorothy Peterson
• • Benny Pinkowitz . . . Gregory Ratoff
• • Beulah . . . Gertrude Howard
• • The Chump . . . William B. Davidson
• • Bob, the Attorney . . . Irving Pichel• • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •• • On Friday February 6th, a sparkling new print of "I'm No Angel" will open the 1930s series "Breadlines and Champagne," which will run from Friday February 6th through March 5, 2009 at the Film Forum, 209 West Houston Street, New York, NY 10014. Info and screentimes are available by phoning 212-727-8110 — — or by visiting www.filmforum.org online.• • Come up and see Mae every day online: http://MaeWest.blogspot.com/
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Mae West
• • Photo: • • Mae West • • 1933 • •
NYC
Mae West.
New Yorkers in the know are getting in the mood to spend February 6th with MAE WEST. 
• • If you have seen "I'm No Angel" before, then you might remember the title song, which Mae warbles in her inimitable cheeky way.
• • Harvey Brooks wrote the music for the theme song and the lyrics were written by Gladys DuBois and Ben Ellison.
• • Born in Philadelphia in the month of February — — 15 February 1899 — — Harvey Brooks also wrote the music for several other Mae West numbers. Composer Harvey Brooks died in Los Angeles on 17 June 1968.
• • Here are the lyrics so you can sing along with Mae on Friday.
• • • • "I'm No Angel" • • • •Aw, come on, let me cling on to ya like a vine
Make that lowdown music trickle off your spine
Baby, I can warm ya with this love of mine
I'm no angel
Aw, let me feel your fingers runnin' through my hair
I can give you kisses till you walk on air
Love me, honey, love me till I just don't care
I'm no angel
I'll take your blues, stomp down your troubles
Rock you with a steady roll
Here's your good nation, drink my affection
You're my new ace in the hole
Aw, let me have ya now before the night is gone
Come on, flank this joint, so we can carry on
I can make it heaven where the shades are drawn
I'm no angel
(— Instrumental Break —)
Come on, honey, thrill me like a midnight breeze
Don't care how you do it, babe, just so you please
Take my kisses till your weary heart's at ease
I'm no angel
Let me feel your fingers runnin' through my hair
I can give you kisses till you walk on air
Love me, honey, love me till I just don't care
I'm no angel
Oh, I'll take your blues, stomp down your troubles
Rock you with a steady roll
Here's your innovation, drink my affection
You're my new ace in the hole
Aw, let me have ya now before the night is gone
Come on, flank this joint, so we can carry on
I can make it heaven where the shades are drawn
I'm no angel
• • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •• • • • Cast for "I'm No Angel" • • • •
• • Tira . . . Mae West
• • Jack Clayton . . . Cary Grant
• • Bill Barton . . . Edward Arnold
• • Slick . . . Ralf Harolde
• • Barker . . . Russel Hopton
• • Alicia Hatton . . . Gertrude Michael
• • Kirk . . . Kent Taylor
• • Thelma . . . Dorothy Peterson
• • Benny Pinkowitz . . . Gregory Ratoff
• • Beulah . . . Gertrude Howard
• • The Chump . . . William B. Davidson
• • Bob, the Attorney . . . Irving Pichel• • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •• • "I'm No Angel" is being shown as part of the 1930s series "Breadlines and Champagne," which will run from Friday February 6th through March 5 at the Film Forum, 209 West Houston Street, New York, NY 10014. Info and screentimes are available by phoning 212-727-8110 — — or by visiting www.filmforum.org online.• • Come up and see Mae every day online: http://MaeWest.blogspot.com/
________
Source:http://maewest.blogspot.com/atom.xml
Mae West
• • Photo: • • Mae West • • 1933 • •
NYC
Mae West.
MAE WEST said, "Beulah, peel me a grape!" in 1933 while playing Tira in "I'm No Angel," a smash hit for Paramount Pictures. Since she was cast for the role of Beulah Thorndyke, Gertrude Howard would be forever linked to this spontaneous exclamation not in the script.
