Mae West: January Decadence

One highlight of a fundraiser in the mid-Atlantic region will be a special appearance by MAE WEST and W.C. Fields.
• • Taking place today on January 29th, the event, which has a Roaring Twenties theme and music from the Charleston era, is called "An Evening of Decadent Desserts" — — and has been organized to raise cash for the 19th Annual Frederick Festival of Arts. Only 150 tickets will be sold.
• • WHEN: Sunday, 29 January 2012 — — from 5:00pm — 7:30pm
• • WHERE: Delaplaine Visual Arts Center, 40 S. Carroll St., Frederick, Maryland; Tel 301-662-4190
• • Tell them you heard about it on The Mae West Blog.
• • Jimmy Durante [1893 — 1980] • •
• • During 1922, Mae West was writing a new stage act, material for herself and an accompanist, featuring fast-paced skits and songs. Faced with choosing a pianist, Mae had auditioned two unknowns, Brooklynite Jimmy Durante [10 February 1893 — 29 January 1980] and Harry Richman [10 August 1895 — 3 November 1972]. Mae selected Richman, a tall, handsome, dapper fellow. Stagebills soon offered her new show: “Bits of Musical Comedy — — Mae West assisted by Harry Richman.” After some good notices, Mae snagged a booking at the Palace.
• • Even though he missed his chance to appear with Mae, Jimmy’s career continued to blossom.
• • Unfortunately, a stroke in 1972 left Durante confined to a wheelchair. He died of pneumonia in Santa Monica, California in January — — on 29 January 1980. He was 86.
• • Happy Birthday on the 29th of January • •
• • Happy Birthday to actress Ann Jillian (born on 29 January 1950), who portrayed Mae West in the 1982 TV bio-pic of the same name. Jillian was 32 when she starred in "Mae West" on the small screen.
• • Happy Birthday to actor Tom Selleck (born on 29 January 1945). It's been said by a few people that Mae West first noticed Tom Selleck in a Pepsi commercial. She was responsible for getting Selleck cast as The Stud in "Myra Breckenridge" [1970] when he was 25 years old.
• • On Monday, 29 January 1917 in Brooklyn • •
• • Mae West was a witness at her younger sister's wedding, which took place on a weekday, Monday, 29 January 1917 in Brooklyn City Hall, not far from the West family's Brooklyn residence.
• • January 1971 in Playboy Magazine • •
• • An interview with Mae West was featured in Playboy, Vol. 18, No. 1 — January 1971. Naturally, the Hollywood legend was invited to tell all about the men on her mattress. She did volunteer that the fellows who drink make the worst lovers.
• • Mae West told Playboy readers: "I don't remember how many lovers I've had, there were so many. I was never interested in the score, though — — only the game. Like my line, 'It's not the men in my life that counts but the life in my men.' ... I'm never dirty, dear. I'm interestin' without bein' vulgar. I have taste. I kid sex. I was born with sophistication and sex appeal. But I'm never vulgar, and I don't like obscenity. I just suggest."
• • Mae West explained to Playboy's interviewer: "I've liked the boys for as long as I can remember. When I was 12, I'd have about six of 'em around me and we'd kiss and I'd play with their — — umm, you know. But I didn't know I had this sex personality."
• • On Sunday, 29 January 1978 in Sunday Express • •
• • Since "Sextette" had a British director, articles discussing what happened on the set in Hollywood popped up in the British tabloids. An article discussing a scene filmed in a mock elevator appeared in Sunday Express on 29 January 1978.
• • In Her Own Words • •
• • Mae West said: "Those who are easily shocked should be shocked more often."
• • Quote, Unquote • •
• • An article in The L.A. Times on parlor games mentioned Mae West.
• • Jack Smith wrote: Others picked Charles Lindbergh, Mark Twain, Gen. Douglas MacArthur, and Mae West. Of that group, I would pick Mae West first. I interviewed her once, and she certainly was a wit. . . .
• • Source: Article: "Look Who's Coming to Dinner: Hitler, Jesus, Mae West" written by Jack Smith for The L.A. Times; published on 29 January 1991
• • By the Numbers • •
• • The Mae West Blog was started seven years ago in July 2004. You are reading the 2192nd 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: Butt of the Century

MAE WEST worked with one actor who was nicknamed "the butt of the century" by the legendary Los Angeles Times Hollywood columnist Joyce Haber.
• • Born in Baxter, Tennesse in the month of September — — on 27 September 1945 — — Roger Herren was a handsome young hopeful of brief acclaim during the late 1960s. Gifted with southern charm, a muscular physique, and a handsome face, Herren appeared to be poised for stardom, however, he is known to have had only one credited film role and one credited stage role.
• • What curse befell the six-foot, 185-pound 25-year-old in 1970? Herren saw his career peak and fizzle with his co-starring performance as Rusty Godowsky in the 1970 cinema version of Gore Vidal's 1968 bestseller "Myra Breckinridge" (1970). The controversial film featured the newcomers Farrah Fawcett, who played Herren's girlfriend, and Tom Selleck, in a small but unforgettable role opposite the inimitable Mae West. Tom Selleck actually lost the larger role to Roger Herren.
• • Come up and see Mae every day online: http://MaeWest.blogspot.com/
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Mae West: Regrets Only

Did MAE WEST regret starring in "Myra Breckinridge''? This motion picture was screened on the final night of the yearly Cinema Q Film Festival — — on Sunday, 27 June 2010 — — in Denver, Colorado.
• • Lou Lumenick, The New York Post's chief film critic, made some amusing remarks about 20th Century Fox's unloved, half-forgotten child of the 1970s. See if you agree.
• • Happy 40th birthday, 'Myra Breckinridge' — — by Lou Lumenick • •
• • Michael Sarne's "Myra Breckinridge'' arrived in theaters on June 24, 1970 — — 40 years ago today — — to a critical hailstorm that has not yet let up. Cults have sprung up around many other bad movies, but "Myra'' remains in a special, almost entirely unloved class by itself — — the last entry on the film's Facebook page is from nearly three months ago.
• • A rep from Fox Home Video recently told me there were no plans to include this legendary flop among the dozens of the films being reissued on DVD and upgraded to Blu-ray to mark the 75th anniversary of 20th Century Fox this year. (Russ Meyer and Roger Ebert's far less entertaining "Beyond the Valley of the Dolls'' — — which also originally carried an X rating — — did make the cut, improbably sharing a set with the religious epic "Inn of the Sixth Happiness.'')
• • Fox did put "Myra'' out on DVD in a fine special edition six years ago that includes hilarious dueling commentary tracks by Raquel Welch (who shared the title role — — a male film critic who has a sex change operation — — with real-life film critic Rex Reed) and director Sarne. There was also a half-hour "AMC Backstory'' episode on the film's scandalous history and colorful cast, which also included top-billed Mae West, John Huston, Farrah Fawcett (who died on June 25th last year), Tom Selleck, John Carradine, and Grady Sutton.
• • The film originally carried an X rating for the notorious scene where our heroine rapes a fellow drama student played by Roger Herren. Running through this scene, and much of the movie, are clips from old movies. Loretta Young threatened to sue and Fox removed footage of her and other stars who were still alive from a somewhat toned-down R-rated version of the film, which is the one on DVD.
• • "Myra Breckinridge'' has the rare distinction of being disowned by its stars, its director — — and Gore Vidal, on whose novel the movie was based (though he has repeatedly claimed he's never seen it). Hollywood did not film Vidal's forgotten sequel, "Myron,'' where the critic is trapped in a Maria Montez movie. . . .
— — Excerpt: — —
• • Article: Happy 40th birthday, 'Myra Breckinridge'
• • By Lou Lumenick, The New York Post's chief film critic
• • Published on: 24 June 2010
• • Published in: The New York Post
• • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •
• • Come up and see Mae every day online: http://MaeWest.blogspot.com/
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Mae West: Tom Selleck

Risk-takers in Hollywood include MAE WEST and, apparently, Tom Selleck, who was featured opposite the actress in 1970.
• • Chicago Tribune reporter Louis R. Carlozo interviewed the Detroit native recently, since the 62-year-old senior citizen [born in January 1945] is busy flogging some DVDs that he stars in. Carlozo's column is called "On the Small Screen."
• • "On The Small Screen" spoke with Selleck about his latest project, which has him wearing multiple creative hats, and how it fits into an entertainment career built around taking risks.
• • • • Q. Let's go back to the very start. One of the most bizarre films you ever appeared in was 1970's "Myra Breckinridge," which included Mae West, Raquel Welch, Farah [sic] Fawcett, Jim "Mr. Magoo" Backus, and film critic Rex Reed. What on earth was that like?
• • • • A. That was in the day when I didn't take risks, I took jobs. I was under contract with Fox; I think that was the second job I ever had. I think I was Stud No. 6, and at one point, Mae West walks in and says to one of the studs, "I don't care that you're 6 feet and 7 inches, let's talk about the 7 inches." I was not the recipient of that laugh. I don't know who was taking what substances, but it was a great experience. Raquel Welch was writing her own stuff, and Mae West was writing her own stuff, the director [Michael Sarne, who would photograph cakes for eight hours while the cast waited] was on Pluto ... and all I did was sit around for two weeks and fantasize about Farah [sic] Fawcett. ...
— excerpt —
• • Source: Chicago Tribune
• • Byline: Louis R. Carlozo, Chicago Tribune staff reporter
• • Come up and see Mae every day online: http://MaeWest.blogspot.com/
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Mae West: "Hard to Handle"

When MAE WEST was getting fitted for her costumes for the ill-fated "Myra Breckinridge"
[release date 24 June 1970], one creation by Edith Head cleverly reprised Mae's Statue of Liberty moment in the 1934 movie "Belle of the Nineties."
• • During March 1970, Edith Head [1897-1981] was working on Mae's wardrobe.
• • This is Edith Head's sketch for Mae's character Leticia Van Allen.
• • Author Gore Vidal, who disowned the screen version of his novel, had named his character "Letitia" - - but Mae West insisted that her role should be advertised as "Leticia," citing "the obvious reasons."

• • In this production, Mae West performed the songs "Hard to Handle" and "You Gotta Taste All the Fruit." During the shoot, the actress would come to work surrounded by young, muscular males. She would tell the studio security, "They're with me!"
• • Director Michael Sarne did not use a lot of the material Mae West had written for her scenes, she later complained to newspaper reporters.
• • This box office disappointment was the feature debut of actor Tom Selleck.
• • Come up and see Mae every day online: http://MaeWest.blogspot.com/
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• • Illustration: • • Mae West's costume by Edith Head • • 1970 • •
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