Mae West: Rocky Marciano

MAE WEST took a special interest in bodybuilders and boxers, attending matches and competitions, often asked to present the trophy to the winner.
• • On Thursday, 7 April 1955, a publicity stunt was arranged. Mae West met the undefeated World Champion Rocky Marciano in San Francisco, where he was training for his next ring bout with Don Cockrell.

• • The handsome Italian American wore a lightweight suit and tasseled loafers. The Brooklyn bombshell wore a brocaded gown, an ermine stole, a diamond necklace, and a cascade of orchids.
• • Both wore boxing gloves.
• • The headline read: “Nice sparring partner.”
• • Rocky Marciano [1 September 1923 ― 31 August 1969] • •
• • Born in New England (Brockton, Massachusetts) Rocco Francis Marchegiano, better known as Rocky Marciano, was an American professional boxer who competed from 1947 to 1955, and held the world heavyweight title from 1952 to 1956. He is the only heavyweight champion to have finished his career undefeated.
• • Marciano Fights Cockrell • •
• • On Monday, 16 May 1955, Don Cockell fought Rocky Marciano for the world heavyweight title at Kezar Stadium in San Francisco, CA. Cockell was a 10–1 underdog, coming into the bout weighing 205 lbs to Rocky's 189 lb.
• • On Friday, 27 April 1956, Marciano announced his retirement from boxing. He said there were no plans to return to the ring for a comeback.
• • On Sunday, 31 August 1969 (one day before his 46th birthday), Marciano was a passenger in a small private plane, a Cessna 172 that crashed heading to Des Moines, Iowa. All aboard died. Rocky, the pilot, and Rocky’s friend Frankie Farrell lost their lives.
• • On Thursday, 16 May 1946 • •

• • Starring Mae West, the stage play "Ring Twice Tonight" opened in Long Beach, California on Thursday, 16 May 1946 before moving forward on its cross-country tour. Eventually, the title was changed and became "Come On Up."
• • Overheard in Hollywood • •
• • "Mae West Film Returns to the Strand" • •
• • "She Done Him Wrong," starring the one and only Mae West, plays through Thursday at the Strand. Fortunately, her pictures are not as boring as the stories circulated about her.
• • In Her Own Words • •
• • Mae West said: "I believe my third picture Belle of the Nineties is better than my others. Each one has to be better, so far as I'm concerned. Because I'm never satisfied."
• • Quote, Unquote • •
• • A newspaper mentioned Mae West.
• • "A Little Warm for Wax" • •
• • "Seen behind the Screens, Glamour Personified!" • •
• • Mae West, Hollywood's No. 1 Ooomph Girl, plays another of her sensational roles in Universal's "My Little Chickadee," soon to be released.
• • Mae knows a good way to be bad.  ...
• • Source: Goulburn Evening Post [Australia]; published on Wednesday, 8 May 1940
• • 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 17th anniversary • • 
• • Thank you for reading, sending questions, and posting comments during these past seventeen years. Not long ago, we entertained 3,497 visitors. And we reached a milestone recently when we completed 4,900 blog posts. Wow! 
• • By the Numbers • •
• • The Mae West Blog was started seventeen years ago in July 2004. You are reading the 4,994th 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 San Francisco, 1955 • •
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Mae West: Hearst’s Hex

On Saturday, 7 March 1936 the current issue of Motion Picture Herald was discussing MAE WEST. Her box office figures were holding their head up higher and higher despite a divisive campaign against her by the publishing titan William Randolph Hearst.
• • Grossing Above Average • •
• • In the face of Mr. Hearst's newest editorial vitriol, and the refusal of his newspapers to accept advertisements on "Klondike Annie" from theatres, the motion picture is grossing from $2,500 to as much as $8,500 over average, per box-office.
• • The array of consequences and developments relating to "Klondike Annie" as portrayed by Miss Mae West and the impact of that picture upon the American public were adequately forecast, well in advance, in the regular order of treatment of coming product by Motion Picture Herald in its issue of February 15, in the department of Showmen Reviews.

• • In Boston, where Mr. Hearst's American and Sunday Advertiser shot both barrels at Mae West and the production, the Metropolitan theatre grossed $20,000 last Saturday and Sunday, starting off to a house record, established last week by "Louis Pasteur," grossing $44,385 for the whole week. Elsewhere, "Klondike Annie" has been performing at the box office similarly, as follows:  …
• • Note: In 1936, James J. Braddock, the tall, dark, and handsome world heavyweight champion boxer, visited the set and posed with Mae West and Hollywood director Raoul Walsh.
• • Source: Motion Picture Herald; published on Saturday, 7 March 1936.
• • On Thursday, 8 March 2001 • •
• • On Thursday, 8 March 2001, Manila Standard columnist Karenina Yaptinchay wrote: If I may quote Mae West’s famous line here – "I am single because I was born that way." She cannot be more right. We were all born single and if we are destined to find a partner, we later evolve into one-half of a couple. ...
• • Overheard in Hollywood • •
• • Associated Press has reported that "Mae West and the Paramount studio in Hollywood are jointly accusing each other of voiding her contract."
• • Note: Further details to come on tomorrow’s post.
• • In Her Own Words • •
• • Mae West said: “I have found men who didn't know how to kiss. I've always found time to teach them.“
• • Quote, Unquote • •
• • Motion Picture Herald mentioned Mae West.
• • The present "open season" in Hollywood for star shootings at studio heads already has embroiled George Raft, Marlene Dietrich, and Mae West at Paramount, and Ann Dvorak, Pat O'Brien and Mr.  Cagney at Warner Brothers, all with varying consequences.
• • Paramount both won and lost the Raft tilt, labeled along Hollywood Boulevard as a case of "professional jealousy."  Mr. Raft had objected to the cameraman assigned to shoot him with Carole Lombard. The sleek-haired star complained that Cinematographer Teddy Tetzlaff gave Miss Lombard "all the breaks." Mr. Tetzlaff was not removed, but Paramount pacified Mr. Raft with another assignment.
• • Marlene Dietrich just upped and walked off the Paramount lot, in the middle of shooting, for a trip to Europe. Paramount got her "promise" to return sometime — probably in September.
• • Mae West dropped Paramount ― ― and Paramount dropped Mae West. …
• • Source: Motion Picture Herald; published on Saturday, 14 March 1936
• • 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 17th anniversary • • 
• • Thank you for reading, sending questions, and posting comments during these past seventeen years. Not long ago, we entertained 3,497 visitors. And we reached a milestone recently when we completed 4,900 blog posts. Wow! 
• • By the Numbers • •
• • The Mae West Blog was started seventeen years ago in July 2004. You are reading the 4,945th 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 • • on the set in 1936 • •
• • Feed — — http://feeds2.feedburner.com/MaeWest

Mae West: Boxer Now Chauffeur

There was a curious headline about MAE WEST in the Australian papers in mid-September.  In truth, the star of stage and screen often hired former boxers when they had retired from the ring. Mae also showed her generosity to old worn-out boxers, prize-fighters her father once knew.
• • "Boxer Now Chauffeur Paid for Seeing Mae West All the Time" • •

• • SYDNEY, September 18.  Dado, the Filippino bantam-weight boxer, who fought Blandon in Melbourne two years ago, has retired from boxing, and is chauffeur to the film actress, Mae West.  Dado is estimated to have spent a fortune of £60,000 during his boxing career, most of it on horse racing.
• • Source: Article rpt in The Mercury (Hobart, Tasmania); published on Saturday, 19 September 1936.  
• • On Friday, 19 September 1919 • •
• • It was on Friday, 19 September 1919 that Mae West was booked on the vaudeville circuit, where the New York City critics caught her 16-minute act. Showing off her figure in a dramatic black and white gown and one stunner made of silver shimmer, the 26-year-old performer selected three songs: "Laughing Water," "Yankee Boys Have Made a Wild French Baby Out of Me," and "Everybody Shimmies Now." Harris Music Publishers boasted in a short news article that they had published those songs.
• • Though Variety looked askance at one of Mae's more daring dance numbers, complaining that the movements were "a bit broad for vaudeville," the reviewer had to admit something. "Mae West shows a marked improvement in method and delivery," he wrote.
• • On Wednesday, 19 September 1928 • •
• • Variety used their hammer on Mae West more often than a judge uses a gavel. Variety published a review (on page 46) in their issue dated for Wednesday, 19 September 1928. The title was  "Oh, My Dear, Here's Mae West's New Show — Get a Load of It and Weep."  Weep for Diamond Lil? Thanks a heap, Variety.
• • Overheard in Hollywood • •
• • It's a pity that the pendulum of public approval, which has been swinging so far to the smutty side, should suddenly fall back and sock Mae West.  Mae is such a great personality and I'm only hoping that she will come out in one of those hard-boiled but soft-hearted characters who are always helping people and don't want any one to know it. She might well write a story about herself and play it, now that it is going to be fashionable to be decent.
• • In Her Own Words • •
• • Mae West said:  "There is something about big cats that appeals to me."
• • Quote, Unquote • •
• • The papers in New Zealand mentioned Mae West.
• • "At the Grand Theatre" • •
• • "My Little Chickadee" starring Mae West and W. C. Fields — —and every line a laugh ...
• • Source: Item in Bay of Plenty Beacon; published on Friday, 20 September 1940
• • The Mae West Blog celebrates its 10th anniversary • •    
• • Thank you for reading, sending questions, and posting comments during this past decade. 
• • By the Numbers • • 
• • The Mae West Blog was started ten years ago in July 2004. You are reading the 3008th 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 • • car she drove in 1936 • •
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Mae West: Harlem on Broadway

It was the fourteenth of September when MAE WEST was sashaying onstage as the slinky temptress "Babe Gordon" at the Royale Theatre's production of her newest play The Constant Sinner. The play had had its Broadway premiere on 14 September 1931, received mixed reviews, and would last until November.
• • Set in Harlem during the Prohibition Era, the play followed the escapades of a honey-haired prizefighter groupie. Here's a selection from Mae West's novel The Constant Sinner [1930] — — after Bearcat Delaney has attracted Babe's attention by winning a fight.
• • • • Babe walked out with Bill [Larson] and headed for Toni's. She knew then that she was sure to meet the Bearcat.
• • • • With her escort, Bill Larson, she walked to the corner of 135th Street and Fifth Avenue, and then turned to the left, walking through a block of chop suey fronts, dance halls, and speakeasies, where you bought gin for ten cents and where high-strung society nerves dropped in incognito for their shots of morphine and coke, while blood-stained criminals sat drinking and smoking at the tables in resigned security. In this block they were in Coke Village, below the deadline in deep Harlem.
• • • • They came to 134th Street and dropped a short run of steep stairs to Toni's. Toni's was a basement restaurant of red walls stippled with gold and lighted by blue and red bulbs. It was an Italian place and had become popular as a sporting hangout. The food was good. Fighters from the Marathon Club, mangers, and other sporting bloods often dropped in.
• • • • Bill arranged to reserve two tables for the expected party, and Babe and he sat down at one of them to wait. She ordered a gin rickey, while Bill chose rye.
• • • • A couple of drunken white girls sat over empty gin glasses at a table nearby. Babe knew these hustlers. They were guzzlers. They worked the streets till they made enough for a few drinks and then they parked around the Fifth Avenue creep joints, waiting for downtown explorers that needed a "steer" to dope or wanted to be led to a "circus" where women resorted to strange practices to gratify morbid curiosity. There was more money in this racket and it was easier. It took energy to be a leg worker and they were wasted skeletons, bones showing.
• • • • Toni's was crowding up. Musicians and chorus girls from the burlesque houses on 125th Street came in to spend the night and morning over cheap gin and a hunk of chicken.
• • • • The Bearcat appeared in the doorway, with Joe Malone; Harry Flick, another fighter; and three buddies from the express company. They came toward the table where Babe and Bill were eagerly awaiting the party. ...
— — excerpt The Constant Sinner by Mae West — —
• • Come up and see Mae every day online: http://MaeWest.blogspot.com/
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• • Photo: • • Mae West • • the Harlem cast in Mae's play • • a street in Harlem • •
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