Mae West: Lone Star Queen

MAE WEST enjoyed the friendship of Texas Guinan, queen of the night clubs, who also backed her Broadway plays. A woman of restless energy, Texas Guinan was born in Waco, Texas during the month of January — — on 12 January 1884.
• • The famous speakeasy hostess Texas Guinan had entertained Mae, Owney Madden, and others at Club Abbey [203 — 205 West 54th], the 300 Club and Argonaut [151 West 54th], along with other night spots.
• • In "A Night with the Padlock Queen," Allen Churchill describes the atmosphere.
• • Until La Guinan arrives, the Three Hundred Club remains sedate and dignified. Four guitarists stroll from table to table plucking out melodies on request. Their specialty is the recently successful "Valencia," but they are equally adept at such dissimilar numbers as "Sleepy Time Gal" and "Yes, Sir, That's My Baby." Also on hand is Ethel the cute cigarette girl.
• • Midnight comes and goes, and a sense of expectancy fills the Three Hundred Club [151 West 54th]. Eyes dart to the entrance door. Those in the know confide importantly that Tex must be stopping at her brother Tommy's Club Plantation or at this point in history was it Texas Tommy's? . . .
• • At a quarter to one comes a stir at the entrance door and the feeling that a supercharged personality is there. An excited whisper runs through the room, Texas, Texas! Everything stops as Tex greets friends at the door and tosses a brisk word of greeting to the hatcheck girl and maitre'd. Here is royalty entering its domain.
• • One who witnesses her splendid entrance is Stephen Graham: "There she is like a queen, like the sun, like a big firework, like a gorgeous tamer who has just let herself into a large cage of pet tigers. A kiss here, a stroke of the hand there, an uttered Darling! there, she goes from table to table closing the company into a unit around her personality." . . .
— — Excerpt: — —
• • Chapter: "A Night with the Padlock Queen"
• • The Year the World Went Mad [Thomas Y. Crowell, I960]
• • BYLINE: Allen Churchill
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• • Come up and see Mae every day online: http://MaeWest.blogspot.com/
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Mae West
• • Photo: • • Mae West • • 1931 • •
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Mae West: William B. Davidson

One actor worked with Texas Guinan and also in two motion pictures starring MAE WEST.
• • Born in Dobbs Ferry, New York on 16 June 1888, William B. Davidson launched his cinema career playing handsome leading men in silent films with Vitagraph in 1914 when he was 26.
• • Among his credits is "Queen of the Night Clubs" [1929]; in his role as the Assistant District Attorney he is soundly lectured by the night club empress Texas Guinan.
• • Nearly six-foot-two and with a strapping build, he was memorable as Ernest Brown in "I'm No Angel" [1933].
• • Often cast as a man of authority in character roles, Davidson portrayed the sheriff in "My Little Chickadee," which co-starred Mae West and WC Fields.
• • William B. Davidson died in Santa Monica, California during the month of September — — on 28 September 1947 — — after surgery.
• • Come up and see Mae every day online: http://MaeWest.blogspot.com/
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• • Photo: • • Mae West's cast member • • Texas Guinan, William B. Davidson, 1929 • •
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Mae West: Guinan's Gone

MAE WEST was shocked to learn that her friend Texas Guinan died on 5 November 1933.
• • In 1928 — — while chatting with reporter Sidney Skolsky — — Texas Guinan joked, "I want my funeral to be the speediest ever given. A cop on a motorcycle is to lead it."
• • Tommy Guinan went to Vancouver to sign the papers and accompany his sister home.
• • Twelve thousand turned out for a final viewing. Show business buddies filled Frank Campbell's Funeral Chapel — — then located on Broadway and West 66th Street in New York, NY — — with large floral tributes. Movie cameras recorded it all.
• • The New York Herald Tribune noted: "She was a master showman, and accomplished psychologist. . . . She had ability, too — — and would have been successful in any one of a dozen more conventional fields. To New York and the rest of the country Texas was a flaming leader of a period which was a lot of fun while it lasted. . . ."
• • Born on 12 January 1884 in Waco, Texas, she was only 49 years old when her life came to an end. Texas Guinan often said: "I would rather have a square inch of New York than all the rest of the world." Non omnis moriar.
• • Come up and see Mae every day online: http://MaeWest.blogspot.com/
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Mae West
• • Photo: • • Mae West • • 1933 funeral • •
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