Mae West: Stiff, Reserved

MAE WEST wrote her life story and it was published fifty-seven years ago in 1959. Have theatre audiences changed since the Hollywood icon wrote this passage?
• • In her memoir, Mae West described her impression of the types of vaudeville audiences:
I usually found that one night a week you would get a top society crowd, and another night you'd get mostly working class people. Other nights there would be family groups — — especially on Friday nights when the kids didn't have to go to school the next day. Saturday nights everybody was out for a good time, so audiences were both mixed and terrific.
• • There was still another type of audience when the house had been sold out to social, charitable or fraternal organizations. These audiences were often rather stiff and reserved. Dressed up, on their best behavior, conscious of themselves and of the other members of their cult — — they were careful as to what they applauded or laughed at. This was the hardest kind of audience to play to.  . . .
• •  Source:  "Goodness Had Nothing to Do with It" by Mae West; published by Prentice Hall (1959).
• • On Friday, 23 March 1934 • •
• • French magazine Hebdo (No. 50), released on a Friday, 23 March 1934, flashed a beautiful Mae West cover. At the time, Jean Esters was the Editor-in-Chief and Hebdo was being published by Baudiniere, Paris. Hebdo means weekly (shortened from "hebdomadaire").
• • On Monday, 23 March 1964 • •
• • Critic Rick Du Brow, a Hollywood columnist, discussed the episode "Mae West Meets Mister Ed" (broadcast on Sunday, 22 March 1964) on page 4 of Cumberland Evening Times, on Monday, 23 March 1964. The headline was "Mae West Could Be Star of Own Situation Comedy." Du Brow was favorably impressed. Papers in the U.K. and the USA reviewed the TV episode also.
• • "Mae West Meets Mister Ed" is the twenty-first episode of the fourth season of "Mister Ed," and the ninety-ninth episode overall. Director was Arthur Lubin. Airdate was on Sunday, 22 March 1964.
• • Guest Stars: Mae West (Herself), Nick Stewart (Charles), Mae West (Herself), Jacques Shelton (1st Groom), Roger Torrey (2nd Groom).
• • Overheard in Hollywood • •
• • Edwin C. Hill got so excited about her that he devoted almost his entire broadcast to Mae West after the other matinee.
• • In Her Own Words • •
• • Mae West said: “Saving love doesn’t bring any interest.”
• • Quote, Unquote • •

• • A gossip column mentioned Mae West.
• • Edith Gwynne wrote:  Mae West, who got icy notices from the British critics for her "Diamond Lil" venture, is about to do a personal appearance tour in France.  . . .
• • Source:  syndicated column by Edith Gwynne rpt in St. Petersburg Times; published on Saturday, 27 December 1947
• • 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 ten years ago in July 2004. You are reading the 3404th 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 1947 in England • •
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Mae West: BBC Bad Girls

MAE WEST was at the center of a "Kaleidoscope Feature" broadcast by the BBC on Friday,   2 September 1994.  Did you listen to this program?   
• • "When I'm Bad I'm Better" • •
• • Christopher Cook talks to cinema star Kathleen Turner, TV actress Julie T. Wallace, and comedian Lily Savage about Mae West and her legacy to today's bad girls.
• • Heard on BBC Radio 4 FM,  Friday, 2 September 1994.   
• • On Monday, 2 September 1911 in The Clipper • •
• • The New York Clipper (a.k.a. The Clipper) was a weekly entertainment newspaper published in New York City from 1853 to 1924.  It reviewed many forms of artistic endeavor from the circus to vaudeville to the legit.
• • Two items in The Clipper, on 3 June 1911 and on Monday, 2 September 1911, covered "A Florida Enchantment." This touring show featured "a little French adventuress" played by Mae West and "young Goldberg" played by Frank Wallace, who became her husband in April 1911. The Clipper applauded their "coon shouting."  Mae sang a number "Tiger Love," backed by a burlesque chorus and also delighted the reviewer when she made "several changes down to full tights with good effect."  Woo-woo-woo.
• • On Tuesday, 2 September 1969 • •
• • Stanley Musgrove spoke to Mae West often as she prepared for "Myra Breckinridge" and fretted about working with Michael Sarne and a much younger actress.  Musgrove's diary entries on Tuesday, 2 September 1969 reveal a different side of Mae than most of her fans knew.
• • Overheard in Hollywood • •
• • When Miss West restored her study of society to America last November, a bus-load of the Broadway nightwatch rolled out to Montclair, NJ to pay their respects to her artistry.
• • In Her Own Words • •
• • Mae West said:  "I'm not looking backward at what I've done or what success has come my way. The minute you do that and stand around on what's already come your way, you're headed back in the other direction."
• • Quote, Unquote • •

• • A book on early Hollywood footage mentioned Mae West.
• • Anthony Balducci wrote: "Hollywood on Parade A-2" [Saturday, 9 September 1933] Paramount Pictures. P: Louis Lewyn. 
• • Buster Crabbe, Mae West, Cecil B. DeMille, Lloyd Hamilton, Groucho, Chico, and Harpo Marx. 1 reel.  . . .
• • Source:  Noted in the book "Lloyd Hamilton: Poor Boy Comedian of Silent Cinema" written by Anthony Balducci (McFarland); published on Friday, 17  July 2009
• • 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 3,200 blog posts. Wow! 
• • By the Numbers • • 
• • The Mae West Blog was started ten years ago in July 2004. You are reading the 3258th 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 1932 • •
• • Feed — — http://feeds2.feedburner.com/MaeWest
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Mae West: Savoy Hotel

"MAE WEST, with Diamonds, Arrived at 2 A.M." was the exuberant headline splashed across the United Kingdom's dailies on Wednesday, 17 September 1947. 
• • A British reporter from the Star wrote: Mae West reached Southampton at 2 o'clock this morning.  She was too excited to see Britain to go to bed.  I recognized her by her diamonds.  With a pink scarf over her platinum blonde hair, Mae West came down from the top deck between her bodyguards, Hal Gould and Dick Bailey. She was a frail almost ethereal figure in black chiffon . ...
• • One photo that appeared in English papers on September 19th carried this long caption:  London — Mae West to open show in London: Curvaceous Mae West, U.S. Screen and Stage actress who is in England to play the lead in "Diamond Lil," wears a striking evening gown in contrasting black and white, as she attends a reception in her honor at the Savoy Hotel, London. The play opens in Manchester before going to London."
• • The UK run was produced by Val Parnell [1892 — 1972] and Tom Arnold — — very shrewd fellows.
• • Roderick McDowall [17 September 1928 — 3 October 1998] • •
• • Roderick McDowall was born in London in the month of September — — on Tuesday, 17 September 1928. 
• • In May 1968, at the West Hollywood home of George Cukor, there was a dinner party and Greta Garbo [18 September 1905 — 15 April 1990] and Mae West met for the first time. This small private gathering also included Gayelord Hauser, Frey Brown, and Roddy McDowall, who was 39-turning-40. Asked about it later, Roddy McDowall claims he felt rather awestruck in the presence of two screen icons, thus he barely uttered a word.  Garbo preferred to be reclusive in her retirement, however, Roddy McDowall would soon become friends with Mae West.
• • Perhaps you recall seeing the lanky Englishman when he played the female impersonator Rene Valentine in "Mae West" [1982], a made for tv bio-pic. McDowall's other film roles included Cornelius and Caesar in the "Planet of the Apes" series. He died of lung cancer in Los Angeles on 3 October 1998. He was 70.
• • On Sunday, 17 September 1933 • •
• • On Sunday, 17 September 1933 readers of the New York Herald Tribune read this prediction: "It will not be at all surprising when Mae West's name and face are as popular a commercial trademark as Mickey Mouse," wrote J.C. Furnas.
• • On Wednesday, 17 September 1947 • •
• • Mae West attended a Press Reception at The Savoy Hotel in London on Wednesday, 17 September 1947.
• • In Her Own Words • •
• • Mae West said: "Mae West is my real name. A name for lights."
• • Quote, Unquote • •
• • An article on an actress mentioned her imitation of Mae West.
• • "Parisian Honeymoon" starred the Hungarian actress Franciska Gaal and was directed by Frank Tuttle.  Before doing a scene, the actress insisted on stuffing a Balkan bustle under her costume. 
• • Franciska Gaal then strutted across the stage floor "in a perfect imitation of Mae West," noted the Singapore Free Press.
• • Source: Article: "Balkans' Mae West Walk" published in The Singapore Free Press and Mercantile Advertiser (on page 8) on Saturday, 17 September 1938

• • By the Numbers • •
• • The Mae West Blog was started eight years ago in July 2004. You are reading the 2430th 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 • • 17 September 1947 • •
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