Mae West: Versatile Mollison

MAE WEST worked with a handsome Englishman born in London on Christmas Eve — — on 24 December 1893 — — sharing the same birth year with the Brooklyn bombshell.
• • Starting in his teens, James William Mollison was onstage in several plays by Shakespeare and others. In 1908, at the age of 15, he portrayed Shylock in "The Merchant of Venice." He also played Pistol in "Henry V."
• • His reputation grew on Broadway from 1926 — 1934. Using the name William Mollison, he staged, directed, and produced dramas, comedies, and musicals. "The Gold Diggers" with Tallulah Bankhead at the Lyric Theatre may have been his first triumph on The Great White Way. Avery Hopwood's musical comedy, featuring a daring high-kicking Charleston by Tallulah, opened on 14 December 1926 (in time for Xmas) and 33-year-old Mollison served as both the director and producer. Tallulah played a chorus girl trying to snare a rich man; this entertaining show ran for 180 performances. In 1931, he staged "Wonder Bar," a drama with music starring Al Jolson, at the Nora Bayes Theatre.
• • It seems that Mollison returned to England during the Depression and got involved with West End productions. He worked in Britain on some American successes, too, such as "Panama Hattie," a show that built an audience on Broadway and then transferred to London. The U.K. production of "Panama Hattie" opened at the Piccadilly Theatre on 4 November 1943 and ran for 308 performances. Directed by William Mollison, it starred Bebe Daniels as Hattie Maloney.
• • In January 1948 when Mae West launched her United Kingdom tour of "Diamond Lil" at the Prince of Wales Theatre in London town, Mollison was brought on board as the director.
• • Mae had taken the starring role of Carliss Dale in the stage play "Come On Up (Ring Twice)," which toured during 1946 in California and elsewhere. This comedy was written by Miles Mander, Fred Schiller, and Thomas Dunphy.
• • Clearly, Mae must have taken a shine to Tommy Dunphy because she attached her name as co-writer to another laugh-fest called "Ladies, Please." Centered around two frisky fellows who attend a party in drag, when this debuted in Great Britain at Brighton's Theatre Royal in May 1948, the Hollywood icon was in residence for the premiere. A ticket, stating "Mae West presents European Premiere prior to London Production," was preserved by Brighton's History Centre along with other Mae-memorabilia.
• • Comic actor Pat McGrath, born in Ireland in 1916, wore a platinum blonde wig with his female garb; London native Dick Emery, born in 1915, played the sexy redhead.
• • In May 1948, the production of "Ladies, Please" was directed by William Mollison, the same English director Mae had worked with when she performed her Gay Nineties on the Bowery drama in Great Britain.
• • William Mollison died in London, England on 19 October 1955. He was 61.
• • In December, Let's Remember Loyd Wright [1892 — 1974] • •
• • With ongoing legal troubles pursuing her through the decades, Mae West hired several lawyers.
• • Born in San Jacinto, California in the month of December — — on 24 December 1892 — — Loyd Wright was an American attorney (and lifetime Californian) who represented a number of movie stars; served as president of the State Bar of California, the American Bar Association, and the International Bar Association; and was an unsuccessful candidate for the Republican nomination for the United States Senate from California.
• • Wright became known for his representation of movie actors. He represented Mary Pickford in her divorce suit against Douglas Fairbanks, Sr. and Jane Wyman in her divorce from Ronald Reagan. He also represented Mae West, Charlie Chaplin, Jack Benny, and D.W. Griffith.
• • Loyd Wright died in Hemet, California on 22 October 1974.
• • On Friday, 24 December 1999 in The N.Y. Times • •
• • A theatre review of a New York City revival of the play "Sex" by Mae West ran in The New York Times on 24 December 1999 under this title: "Mae West's First Play (for the Stage, That Is)" and the drama critic seemed satisfied. An excerpt follows.
• • D. J. R. Bruckner wrote: If it helps a writer to know a lot about her subject, Mae West brought great authority to her first play, ''Sex,'' written and first produced in New York in 1926. The writing is not as accomplished as it is in some of her later film scripts, but there are enough characteristic West lines to let you know who the author was, and it was good enough to get her tossed into jail in 1927 as the creator and star of an indecent public performance. As a publicity stunt the trial was perfect; from then on she was a star whatever she did.
• • D. J. R. Bruckner explained: Oddly, the text of the play was lost for 70 years. So the show was never revived in the city. But now the Hourglass Group has resurrected it in a production at the Gershwin Hotel — — a setting that has the 20's written all over it — — under the direction of Elyse Singer. It is smart, funny and even a little irreverent to West's creaky plot and often corny dialogue. Ms. Singer is one of the three founders of Hourglass, and the other two, Nina Hellman and Carolyn Baeumler, play key roles. Hourglass itself is devoted to bringing attention to the work of women, but the production is by no means a captive of the playwright. ...
• • On Sunday, 24 December 2006 in The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette • •
• • Pittsburgh reporter Maria Sciullo wrote a short article "Famous covers of 'Baby'" on Sunday, 24 December 2006 and this was how she began it: Try finding a version of "Baby, It's Cold Outside" online, and hundreds of possibilities pop up. Here are some of the recordings available, from the obscure to the silly to the sublime (in order of most recent release date):
• • Mae West and Rock Hudson (performed at the 1958 Oscars; available as download only). ...
• • In Her Own Words • •
• • Mae West said: "Too much of a good thing is wonderful."
• • Quote, Unquote • •
• • An article on female comediennes mentioned Mae West.
• • British reporter David Quantick writes: Nowadays we are all sensible and, in a case of political correctness gone sane, understand not only that women have always been under-represented in all professions, but also that women have been funny since time immemorial. To say that women are not funny is to ignore music hall performers such as Marie Lloyd and Vesta Tilley, radio stars like Elsie and Doris Waters and Joyce Grenfell, the writers Caryl Brahms and Stella Gibbons, great TV comics such as Lucille Ball and Phyllis Diller, and countless other funny women. Women have always excelled at every aspect of comedy, from the one liner (Mae West and Dorothy Parker) to character comedy (Hilda Baker and Irene Handl), and are as much part of comedy’s deranged heritage as men. ...
• • Source: Article: "Female comics will have the last laugh" written by David Quantick for The Telegraph [UK]; posted on 22 December 2011
• • By the Numbers • •
• • The Mae West Blog was started seven years ago in July 2004. You are reading the 2155th 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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• • Photo: • • Mae West • • in 1948 • •
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Mae West: East London Auction

MAE WEST impressionist Danny LaRue [26 July 1927 – 31 May 2009] — — once called the "most glamorous woman in the world" by Bob Hope — — always dressed to thrill.
• • Here is the late stage star wearing his "Mae West" gown, which is among several costumes that are to be auctioned at Brick Lane Music Hall in east London on 12 March 2010. [Photo: Brick Lane Music Hall/ PA].
• • Born Daniel Patrick Carroll in Cork, Ireland, Danny LaRue spared no expense for his lavish live appearances, when he was often accompanied by a 12-piece orchestra. In the 1960s he was among Britain's highest-paid entertainers. Awaiting auction-goers will be sumptuously beaded and sequined dresses, miles of lame, and a royal aviary of feathered frou-frou among the 90 ensembles to go under the hammer at Brick Lane Music Hall in east London where he regularly performed. Among these treasures are pantomime costumes; outfits worn in the West End hit "Hello, Dolly!" (which will be sold with mounted and framed original design drawings); gowns worn for music hall and cabaret performances; and head-dresses. My, oh my.
• • In between impersonating Mae West and other curvy bombshells during his six-decades-long career, Danny LaRue also triumphed in seven major shows including "Come Spy With Me" at the Whitehall Theatre, the "Danny La Rue Show" at the Aladdin at the London Palladium as well as the Prince of Wales theatre where Mae West triumphed sixty years ago in "Diamond Lil."
• • Danny LaRue appears in the documentary "All You Need Is Love: The Story Of Popular Music: Rude Songs (Vaudeville And Music Hall)," which can be seen on DVD. This film about the history of popular music in America focuses on music halls taking a look back at the concert halls that spawned a large-scale industry in the world of music, as well as the creative styles that sprung from it. Artists featured in concert footage and interviews include Mae West, Edith Piaf, Judy Garland, and more.
• • The auctioneers said the Victoria and Albert Museum has bought four costumes in advance of the sale. Tell them you heard about it on the MAE WEST BLOG.
• • Come up and see Mae every day online: http://MaeWest.blogspot.com/
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Mae West: West End Debut

It was truly a WEST END date on the 25th day of January 1948 when MAE WEST opened the United Kingdom tour of "Diamond Lil" at the Prince of Wales Theatre in London town. The broad from Brooklyn had never been abroad before.
• • "Who else can manage to 'shimmy' sitting down?" wrote one British drama critic in wonderment.
• • The production was directed by William Mollison.
• • In the London cast were Richard Bailey as Captain Cummings; David Davies as Gus Jordan; Hal Gould as Chick Clark; Noele Gordon as Rita; Bruno Barnabe as Juarez, etc.
• • The Prince of Wales Theatre is a legitimate playhouse located at 31 Coventry St., London, England, W1D 6AS near Leicester Square in the City of Westminster. It was established in 1884 and rebuilt in 1937 — — and extensively refurbished in 2004 by Sir Cameron Mackintosh, its current owner.
• • In 1948, Mae West's "Diamond Lil" was a box-office smash there.
• • In 1949, "Harvey" — — Mary Coyle Chase's comedy about an imaginary rabbit — — was a hopping success.
• • In the 1950s, the theatre hosted variety and revues, starring such famous performers as Norman Wisdom, Peter Sellers, Bob Hope, Gracie Fields, Benny Hill, Hughie Green, Frankie Howerd, and Morecambe and Wise.
• • Come up and see Mae every day online: http://MaeWest.blogspot.com/
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Mae West: June Gray

MAE WEST went to England in 1947 — — not to visit the Queen but to tour like a Bowery countess with her play "Diamond Lil" featuring a British crew.
• • Actress June Uttley Gray was in that cast — — and often remembered for it.
• • According to her obituary, June Gray (nee Uttley), the widow of Danny Gray and sister-in-law of ‘Monsewer’ Eddie Gray of the Crazy Gang, was a well loved figure in London theatreland.
• • Born in 1926 in East London, June was the daughter of theatrical parents. Harold, her father, was a musician; Joy, her mother, was a singer and dancer. Like her mum, pretty June launched her career as a dancer in several West End shows.
• • In 1948, she was only 22 when she played the suicidal Sally in the London Production of "Diamond Lil" at the Prince of Wales Theatre. Interestingly, perhaps Mae's influence on June led to her touring the United States for two years, learning the trapeze and working with the lions.
• • On her return to London, she met and married Danny Gray, a talented juggler, and for many years they toured together in variety shows all over the country.
• • Never giving up her love for the theatre until the very end, cheerful and warm-hearted June Gray died in England in the month of April — — on 8 April 2008.
• • Ah, those glory days in London town at the venerable Prince of Wales Theatre on Coventry Street, near Leicester Square in the City of Westminster. Established in 1884 (when NYC's Bowery was often in the newspapers), it was rebuilt in 1937, and then extensively refurbished in 2004.
• • Come up and see Mae every day online: http://MaeWest.blogspot.com/
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Mae West: In London

The date was the 25th day of January 1948 when MAE WEST opened the United Kingdom tour of "Diamond Lil" at the Prince of Wales Theatre in London town. The broad from Brooklyn had never been abroad before.
• • "Who else can manage to 'shimmy' sitting down?" wrote one British drama critic.
• • The production was directed by William Mollison.
• • In the London cast were Richard Bailey as Captain Cummings; David Davies as Gus Jordan; Hal Gould as Chick Clark; Noele Gordon as Rita; Bruno Barnabe as Juarez, etc.
• • The Prince of Wales Theatre is a West End theatre located at 31 Coventry St., London, England, W1D 6AS near Leicester Square in the City of Westminster. It was established in 1884 and rebuilt in 1937 — — and extensively refurbished in 2004 by Sir Cameron Mackintosh, its current owner.
• • In 1948, Mae West's "Diamond Lil" was a box-office smash there.
• • In 1949, "Harvey" — — Mary Coyle Chase's comedy about an imaginary rabbit — — was a hopping success.
• • In the 1950s, the theatre hosted variety and revues, starring such famous performers as Norman Wisdom, Peter Sellers, Bob Hope, Gracie Fields, Benny Hill, Hughie Green, Frankie Howerd, and Morecambe and Wise.
• • Come up and see Mae every day online: http://MaeWest.blogspot.com/
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Mae West
• • Photo: • • Mae West • • 1948 • •
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