Mae West: Detected

MAE WEST was so well known during the 1930s that even an unfortunate experience would lead to mega-watt attention. The media capitalized on this, naturally. Her terrifying jewel robbery became a popular episode on the radio show "Calling All Cars" — — The Mae West Jewel Robbery.
• • And the heist even made the cover of True Detective Mysteries [issue for November 1934 — — "The Mae West Extortion Plot"]. When you're a movie queen, it seems that nothing is too gruesome to be commercialized. You can believe that this robbery was the real thing, too, not some flimsy hoax dreamed up by a press agent for the news men's attention. Phew!
• • In November, Let's Remember Rock Hudson [1925 — 1985] • •
• • Under the golden gaze of Oscar, Mae West made an appearance with this discretely gay actor who was born during the eleventh month — — on 17 November 1925. In 1958, the tall, dark, and handsome heart-throb sang a memorable duet with Mae — — "Baby, It's Cold Outside" — — during an Academy Awards Show.
• • Hailing from Winnetka, Illinois, handsome Rock Hudson [17 November 1925 — 2 October 1985] was a film and television actor who was a popular leading man during the 1960s and 1970s, most notably in several romantic screen romps with his most famous co-star Doris Day.
• • Rock Hudson was voted "Star of the Year," "Favorite Leading Man," and similar titles by numerous movie magazines, and was one of the most popular and well-known movie stars of the time. He completed nearly 70 motion pictures and starred in several television productions during a career that spanned over four decades. Hudson was also one of the first major Hollywood celebrities to die from an AIDS related illness.
• • On 17 November 1933 • •
• • It was in November — — on 17 November 1933 — — when Penrhyn Stanlaws [1877 — 1957] was interviewed about painting the face of Mae West, noted the Jackson Hole Star Tribune.
• • This portrait artist, who became famous for his paintings of beautiful women commissioned for the covers of magazines like The Saturday Evening Post, complained that Hollywood starlets were far from perfect beauties. The reporter for the Casper Tribune-Herald listed Penrhyn Stanlaws's critiques of stars such as Mae West, Katherine Hepburn, Constance Bennett, and Greta Garbo. His only criticism of Kay Francis, however, was that she had overdeveloped triceps but otherwise had "nicely balanced features."
• • On 17 November 2005 • •
• • One man looks at a pink corset and thinks of lacy lingerie covering a beauteous bustline. Another man might discover his ideal lass in glass.
• • The exhibition "Decades in Glass: The 1960s" had a gala opening at the West Bridge of Museum [Corning, NY] on 17 November 2005; the show remained in place and could be viewed until 2 April 2006. The talented American artist Richard Marquis (born in 1945) created the Mae West Cup and it was on display. The catalogue credit for the piece read: Richard Marquis and Italy, Murano, Venini Glassworks, 1969-1970; Blown a canne glass; zippered cloth container; H: 8 cm, W: 12 cm, D: 10.5 cm. The Corning Museum of Glass.
• • Image: The delightful Mae West Cup by Richard Marquis
• • Mae West Radio Trivia • •
• • The following is an account by radio script writer Arch Obler, who put together the Garden of Eden skit for "The Chase and Sanborn Hour" on short notice in 1937. He discusses Mae's nearsightedness and how she would never wear her eyeglasses in public.
• • "Now one thing the powers-that-be forgot," recalled Arch Oboler, "that in those days, unlike today, there were three things that an actress could not do. One was to have a child out of wedlock. Two, she could not swear. And three, she could not wear glasses. It was thought terrible for an actress to be seen in spectacles. Well, Miss Mae West, having all the usual good sense of all of us, did not wear her glasses during the rehearsals so she, being very nearsighted never saw my script. She bluffed her way through. It wasn’t until air time that she walked on stage waving these glasses, put them on . . . and for the first time saw the script. The result was a disaster. What she did to ‘Adam and Eve’ the Arabs had never done so miserably."
• • In Her Own Words • •
• • Mae West wrote this line for the character Cleo Borden in 1935: "I'm a good woman for a bad man." [Movie dialogue from "Goin' to Town"]
• • Mae West said: "Cigarette me, Cossack!" [Movie dialogue from "Goin' to Town"]
• • Quote, Unquote • •
• • Several teenagers, ages 15 — 19, were competing for the Miss Tehachapi title recently and one costumed herself as Mae West.
• • Tehachapi, California Community Reporter Shirley Given writes that "the young ladies brought a sense of confidence and maturity to the stage. The girls’ first appearance on stage was that of a star or character they admired. Among those portrayed were Dorothy, from Wizard of Oz, Alice, from Alice in Wonderland, Mae West, Lucille Ball, Audrey Hepburn, Olivia Newton-John, Marilyn Monroe, Sophia Loren, and Bette Davis." ...
• • Source: Article: "Tehachapi has new ‘royalty’" written by Shirley Given, Community Reporter for Tehachapi News; posted on Tuesday, 15 November 2011
• • By the Numbers • •
• • The Mae West Blog was started seven years ago in July 2004. You are reading the 2118th 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 • • 1934 • •
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Mae West: Penrhyn Stanlaws

It was 75 years ago — — on 17 November 1933 — — when Penrhyn Stanlaws was interviewed about painting the face of MAE WEST, noted the Jackson Hole Star Tribune.
• • This portrait artist, who became famous for his paintings of beautiful women commissioned for the covers of magazines like The Saturday Evening Post, complained that Hollywood starlets were far from perfect beauties. The reporter for the Casper Tribune-Herald listed Penrhyn Stanlaws's critiques of stars such as Mae West, Katherine Hepburn, Constance Bennett, and Greta Garbo. His only criticism of Kay Francis, however, was that she had overdeveloped triceps but otherwise had "nicely balanced features."
• • Born on 19 March 1877 in Dundee, Scotland (birth name: Stanley Adamson), portraitist Penrhyn Stanlaws attended Princeton. This turn-of-the century illustrator sought out beautiful women for his studio models; he painted Mabel Normand, Olive Thomas, and Florence La Badie prior to their movie careers.
• • It was reported that Penrhyn Stanlaws died in his Los Angeles studio at the age of 80 after falling asleep while smoking in a chair on 20 May 1957.
• • Come up and see Mae every day online: http://MaeWest.blogspot.com/
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Mae West
• • Photo: • • Mae West • • 1933 • •
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Mae West: Travis Banton

Waco, Texas natives figured in the life of MAE WEST. The first was Texas Guinan. The second was Travis Banton [18 August 1894 — 2 February 1958], the chief designer at Paramount Pictures. Banton is considered one of Tinseltown's key wardrobe wizards during the 1920s-1930s.
• • When he was young, Travis Banton's family moved to New York City, where he was schooled at Columbia University and at the Art Students League where he studied art and fashion design. An early apprenticeship with a blue-blooded dressmaker earned him fame. When Mary Pickford selected his gown for her wedding to Douglas Fairbanks, his reputation was established.
• • During the 1920s he created costumes for many leading actresses such as Bebe Daniels, Pola Negri, and Clara Bow. During the 1930s he forged the style of Mae West — — in I'm No Angel, 1933 and Belle of the Nineties, 1934. He also dressed Claudette Colbert, Marlene Dietrich, Kay Francis, Greta Garbo, and Carole Lombard. In 1927, he became Designer in Chief at Paramount and set the hallmark of elegant, sensuous clothes, often cut on the bias. For 12 years his assistant was Edith Head, teaching her everything she knew. Meanwhile, the practical Edith covered up for him, filling in when he disappeared.
• • In the film Belle of the Nineties [1934], Travis Banton went to town on Mae. The film opens with a vaudevillian styled production full of scantily-clad dancers. Set in the 1890s, the famous opening features Ruby Carter [Mae West] appearing in front of various backgrounds such as a rose, a butterfly, a spider, and finally as the Statue of Liberty.
• • During his illustrious film career, Travis Banton designed costumes for 200 or more productions. His last challenge was dressing Rosalind Russell for "Auntie Mame." He died at the age of 63 — — on 2 February 1958.
• • Come up and see Mae every day online: http://MaeWest.blogspot.com/
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Mae West
• • Photo: • • Mae West • • 1934 • •
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Mae West.