Happy Birthday to Mae, Lioness and Legend

 Happy Birthday to MAE WEST, Brooklyn Bombshell, Empress of Sex, Queen of Comedy, a notable quotable comedienne who maintained a long career on stage and on screen and also sizzled on the nightclub circuit.
• • Delivered by a local mid-wife, this feisty newborn drew her first lusty breaths in Bushwick on Thursday, 17 August 1893 (under the proud leonine sign of Leo) in her parents' bedroom. Little Mary Jane West always said: "I was born on a cool night in a hot month so I knew I could expect anything."
• • She trumped the income of every film actress of her generation because Mae was paid as a screenwriter as well as a box office draw.

• • Each day at least one publication in the world mentions her name. [We can verify our claim, too, because we've tracked this a-Mae-zing trend daily for nearly 20 years now!]
• • Often imitated but never duplicated, the one and only Mae West endures in our hearts and memories.
• • Darling Mae, to your loyal followers, you don't look a day over twenty-sex!
• • Image: Mae West, "I'm No Angel," Paramount Pictures
• • Overheard in Hollywood • •
• • Even at the fourscore mark, she remains a remarkable figure of a woman. The well-padded frame, which inspired the Mae West life jacket in World War II, seems little changed.
• • Overheard in Hollywood • •
• • Mae West had been 40 when she made the first of 12 films and was an important influence on the early career of Cary Grant, teaching him much about the craft of comedy in the course of appearing with him in “She Done Him Wrong” and “I'm No Angel.”
• • The death of this sex goddess from Hollywood's Golden Age was front-page news in November 1980 when she was 87.
• • In Her Own Words • •
• • Mae West said: "Come up sometime and see me. I'm home every evening."
• • Mae West said: "I give 'em what they want to see."
• • Mae West said: "You have to outfight everyone else to succeed."
• • Mae West said: "I'll never believe the worst about anyone without complete proof."
• • Mae West said: "I've always liked athletes because they don't smoke, don't drink, and understand the importance of keeping their bodies in top working order — — and a hard man is good to find."
• • Quote, Unquote • •
• • "Mae West Turns Sixty" • •
• • The Horsham Times wrote: Mae West turned 60 recently. To reporters who went along to wish her many happy returns, Miss West made it plain that birthdays are one thing a lady just doesn't discuss.
• • Fluttering her inch-long eyelashes demurely, she said: "You can see for yourself, a girl's just as old as she feels."
• • Source: The Horsham Times;  published on Friday, 12 September 1952
• • The evolution of 2 Mae West plays that keep her memory alive • •
• • A discussion with Mae West playwright LindaAnn LoSchiavo — —
• • http://lideamagazine.com/renaissance-woman-new-york-city-interview-lindaann-loschiavo/
• • The Mae West Blog celebrates its ongoing anniversary • •
• • Thank you for reading, sending questions, and posting comments during these past seventeen years. We reached a milestone when we completed 5,000+ blog posts. Wow!
• • By the Numbers • •
• • The Mae West Blog was started years ago in July 2004. You are reading the 5,155th 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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• • Be sure to bookmark or follow The Mae West Blog
• • Photo: • • Mae West • • in 1933 • •
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Mae West Tribute August 2016

Meet the real Mae West: New Yorker, vaudevillian, upstart, and jailbird
The Annual Mae West Event Revisits the Brooklyn Bombshell’s Struggles and Trial That Made Her Famous

• • New York, NY, July 1, 2016  — Born in Brooklyn, NY on August 17, 1893, MAE WEST began performing at age 6. By 1925, the 32-year-old knew her career had capsized; she was cast only in minor roles, she had numerous negative reviews, and she’d been fired. A trip to Greenwich Village and an appearance at Jefferson Market Court (now Jefferson Market Library) — — along with an overnight stay at Jefferson Jail — — changed her life, making the controversial vaudevillian an overnight sensation.
• • Vintage NYC images punctuate this fascinating but little-known story about the legendary entertainer, some of which played out at 425 Sixth Avenue when it was the Third Judicial Courthouse.
• • Join us at 6:00 on Wednesday evening, August 17, 2016 to celebrate Mae’s birthday with a talk and slide-show by Greenwich Village historian LindaAnn Loschiavo featuring rare photos of the young variety artist, who toured as a “specialty dancer” before becoming a writer and going to Hollywood in 1932 for a small role in Paramount's “Night After Night.” Archival images of NYC vaudeville theatres, Greenwich Village, and Jefferson Market will be screened as you’ll be introduced to the company Mae kept such as Owney Madden, George Raft, Jack Dempsey, West 8th Street resident Texas Guinan, etc.
• • About our speaker: Greenwich Villager LindaAnn Loschiavo, a historian and dramatist, drew inspiration from trials at Jefferson Market Court for her play “Courting Mae West.” Her latest projects are a documentary film, “In the Footsteps of Texas Guinan,” and a new biography on the queen of the night clubs, who lived at 72 Washington Square South and 17 West 8th Street until her death in 1933.
• • Come up and see Mae on her birthday for a festive occasion filled with fun, refreshments, prizes.   

    
— — — — Who, What, When, Where — — — —
• • What: Meet the real Mae West: New Yorker, vaudevillian, upstart, jailbird
• • When: Wednesday, 17 August 2016 — — from 6:00—8:00pm (doors open at 5:30pm)
• • Where: Jefferson Market Library, 425 6th Avenue, New York, NY 10011 (at West 10th  St.)
• • Fee: FREE — — but reservations are suggested
• • Phone: 212- 243-4334
• • Who: Our speaker is LindaAnn Loschiavo, dramatist, historian, Greenwich Villager
• • Subway: IND line to West Fourth Street; PATH train to West 9th Street
• • Extra: refreshments and a Mae West raffle
• • Website for all things Mae West:  http://MaeWest.blogspot.com
• • Mae West said: "I enjoyed the court room as any other stage."
• • Mae West (to jail matron): "Whaddya mean strip? I thought this was a respectable place!" 
• • Feel free to share this post.

• • Mae West: New Yorker, Vaudevillian, Upstart, and Jailbird — a Birthday Celebration!
• • Link to the NYPL August 17th Mae West announcement — —
https://www.nypl.org/events/programs/2016/08/17/mae-west-new-yorker-vaudevillian-upstart-and-jailbird-birthday

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• • The Mae West Blog celebrates its 11th anniversary • •
• • Thank you for reading, sending questions, and posting comments during these past eleven years. The other day we entertained 3,497 visitors. And we reached a milestone recently when we completed 3,400 blog posts. Wow! 
• • By the Numbers • • 
• • The Mae West Blog was started eleven years ago in July 2004. You are reading the 3472nd 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 • • in court, 1927 • •
• • Feed — — http://feeds2.feedburner.com/MaeWest
NYC  Mae West

Mae West: Raise a Toast

Go WEST, young men has been their clarion call for sixteen years now. In Los Angeles, California a group of Mae West celebrants are among the faithful who congregate, annually, on August 17th to remember her unique presence.
• • Usually the festivities are organized by Hollywood resident Ramfis Diaz — — a 40-ish musician adorned by impressive, a-Mae-zing tattoos inspired by the Brooklyn bombshell herself. A lifelong hoarder of Mae West memorabilia, Mr. Diaz has his walls peppered with spicy images of the movie queen at her most liquorous, frisky, and engaging.
• • The merrymakers — — usually 40 to 50 guests — — track back to the "come up and see me sometime" gal via various connections.
• • Los Angeles Times reporter Kevin Thomas, a close comrade of the late icon, always attends along with Chris Basinger (a good buddy of Mae's during the 1970s, who worked at the Ravenswood and lived across the street from her), and Damon Devine, a Mae-West-iana collector since age 11 and, like Mae, born under the zodiac sign of Leo.
• • According to the divine Mr. Devine, "The rest of the revellers are mostly there out of curiosity, or attracted by the food, cake, and booze. Also a red-headed nudist seems to show up each year!"
• • A toast to Mae West [1893—1980] — — and the a-Mae-zing memories she stage-managed for each of her fans.
• • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •
• • On Sunday afternoon 17 August 2008, during the "Mae West's Walk on the Wild Side" walking tour, Mae-mavens and walk-abouts will visit several locations in Greenwich Village linked to the stage career of the Empress of Sex. Music associated with Mae will be sung live.
• • 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 • • private L.A. invite courtesy of Damon Devine and Ramfis Diaz • •
NYC
Mae West.

Annual Mae West Gala 2007

Since 1893, August 17th has been MAE WEST's birthday and this year her special day will fall on a Friday. PRWeb has announced this event that is open to the public:
• • • • Annual Mae West Gala Will Raise Mae's Roof • • • •
Yearly Commemoration Attracts Celebrities along with Mae West Devotees
• • New York, NY: In August 2007, the Annual Mae West Gala will take celebrators to three places where Mae West once lived and to other important locations in her life.
• • Each year, the Mae West Gala organizers plan different events and outings. Within that variety, however, there are key elements: the place or places where the actress is commemorated are sites relevant to Mae-West-iana.
• • Nostalgia king Joe Franklin says, "It's like a return to the exciting speakeasy era because the Annual Mae West Gala recreates the spirit of the famous Jazz Age. I always come up to see Mae on her birthday."
• • Past New York City locations have included a courtroom where Mae West was on trial; a Greenwich Village cabaret that inspired Mae West to write her first gay play "The Drag" (which led to her arrest and imprisonment); and a midtown saloon where Mae West toasted her fellow vaudevillians. Previous party sponsors and giftbag donors have included Beau-Ties of Vermont, Perrier Jouet Grand Brut, Boru Vodka, Hendrick's Gin, Izze, Nivea, Iman Cosmetics, Thompson's Candies, Adora Calcium, and many others.
• • This year, the Annual Mae West Gala will head to Manhattan's theatre district, where Mae's West Side Story will unfold in over a dozen sites between West 50th Street and West 63rd Street. Participants will come up to see three addresses where the blonde bombshell hung her famous hats along with her dance school, the jewelers who created the "Diamond Lil" sparkle, old vaudeville theatres, former speakeasies, and more.
• • Past attendees of these yearly events have included playwright Sam Shepard, actress Jessica Lange, broadcaster Joe Franklin, ballplayers from the New York Yankees, and a diverse group of Mae devotees who travel cross country to The Big Apple during the dog days of summertime.
• • As always, festivities kick off on Mae West's birthday. On 17 August 2007 there will be a Friday evening walking tour followed by a reception.
• • TIME: "Mae West Side Story" tour lasts from 7:00 PM until 8:30 PM.
• • PLACE: Tour begins on Broadway at West 50th Street [NE corner].
• • PRICE: VIP tickets are $25 per person — — including tour AND reception AND goodie-bag — — and MUST be pre-paid by Wednesday August 15th.
• • TOUR ONLY: $15 tickets (CASH only) are available after 6 o'clock on Friday evening August 17th for the tour only — — but this will NOT INCLUDE the PARTY nor a goodie-bag.
• • Sorry, no exceptions and no refunds.
• • Advance payment is accepted via PayPal.
• • PayPal: Use this email address to buy a ticket: comeupseeMAE (at) aol.com.
• • Updates and past party pictures are online: http://MaeWest.blogspot.com
• • Sponsorship inquiries only: 212-477-0893.
• • Come up and see Mae every day online: http://MaeWest.blogspot.com/
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Mae West
• • Photo: • • Mae West • • none • •
NYC
Mae West.