Mae West: Joseph Grant

MAE WEST was sketched in 1933 by Joseph Grant, whose birth and death occurred during the month of May.

• • Born in New York, NY on 15 May 1908, Joseph Grant was an illustrator and an animator who collaborated with Walt Disney, often serving in the capacity of designer and writer.  In 1933, Joe Grant was 25 when he was hired at Disney Studios.  "Mirror, mirror on the wall!  Who's the fairest of them all?" asked the Wicked Stepmother — — one of Grant's creations — — in "Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs" [1937].

• • According to his bio, Joe Grant played a central creative role in "Pinocchio" and "Fantasia" (two projects in 1940) and co-wrote "Dumbo" [1941] and "Lady and the Tramp" [1955]. Though he left Disney in the 1950s, he returned to consult on their popular animated films such as "Beauty and the Beast" [1991] and "The Lion King" [1994].

• • His fascinating portrait of Mae West as Diamond Lil in 1933 was done in India ink, gouache, and pencil on paper.  This bold and very striking drawing is now in the possession of the National Portrait Gallery, Smithsonian Institution.

• • Joseph Grant died in Glendale, California in May — — on Friday, 6 May 2005.

• • Rudolph Valentino [6 May 1895 — 23 August 1926] • •

• • When she was 33 years old, Mae West adopted Rudolph Valentino as her spiritual adviser.

• • On Sunday, 25 July 1926, Mae met Valentino at Tommy Guinan's speakeasy.

• • Since Mae West was charmed by the vibrant 31-year-old Italian stallion, she was stunned by the abrupt end to his life that occurred one month later when the actor was only 31. Mae and Texas Guinan suspected a jealous rival had poisoned him.

• • The silent film star died at the Polyclinic in New York City on 23 August 1926.

• • On Monday, 6 May 1935 in Time Magazine • •

• • Milwaukee clerk Myrtle Lorraine Sands, while helping to re-index official records in Wisconsin, chanced upon a marriage certificate showing that Mae West had married a fellow on 11 April 1911. The groom was Frank Wallace. Was that 1911 bride the Paramount Pictures movie star herself?

• • Already famous for her wiggling and shimmying, Mae tried every move to wriggle out of this tight spot by emphatically denying it all. However, "the great fact-finding machinery of the U.S. Press began to hum," according to the May 6th, 1935 issue of Time Magazine.

• • When New York reporters located the scrawny, unprepossessing vaudevillian, who was staying "in a theatrical hotel with his dancing partner, Trixie LeMae," Frank Wallace was quite happy to talk.  He affirmed the marriage was real. "The nerve of a brass monkey," was Mae West's response.

• • On Saturday, 6 May 1944 • •

• • Syndicated columnist Earl Wilson reviewed "Catherine Was Great" and his comments were printed in the Los Angeles Daily News on Saturday, 6 May 1944.

• •  On Thursday, 6 May 1976 • •

• • In conjunction with the news that "Sextette" starring Mae West was going into production, a light went on in City Hall.  Tom Bradley, mayor of Los Angeles, announced that he was creating a special Mae Day and issuing a proclamation in the movie queen's honor. Bradley presented West with a scroll validating her "valuable and important role" in the movie industry on Thursday, 6 May 1976.

• • In Her Own Words • •

• • Mae West said: "The wolf at my door? Why I remember when he came right into my room and had pups." [movie dialogue for Lady Lou in "She Done Him Wrong"]

• • Quote, Unquote • •

• • An article on a theft mentioned Mae West.

• • Lisa Rein wrote:  A colorful radio is displayed on nearly every horizontal surface. Among them are a set that doubles as a humidor and another, called a “Mae West,” that has a design feature “you could put a brassiere on,” J. David Goldin said with a laugh.  . . .

• • Source: Article: "In National Archives thefts, a radio detective gets his man" written by Lisa Rein for the Washington Post; published on 2 May 2012 

• • By the Numbers • •
• • The Mae West Blog was started seven years ago in July 2004. You are reading the 2292nd 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: Arrives

"MAE WEST ARRIVES" was the headline on page 11 in Queensland's Morning Bulletin on Saturday, 5 May 1934.  A host of compliments ran, like a elegant train, behind her.

• • Morning Bulletin wrote: Mae West makes you greedy. When you see "She Done Him Wrong" you want more and more of Mae. She is like the most thrilling serial story in the world.

• • Morning Bulletin continued: Mae is invitation and provocation. She has the quietest of voices; she scarcely opens her pretty mouth; she seems to speak through her lovely teeth, but you realise the perfection of emphasis that she brings to every syllable. She is a little woman who looks large and luscious. Her golden hair makes the average Hollywood blonde appear bleached, and her ripe loveliness makes the same blonde seem parched. Mae will be at the Wintergarden at the matinee to-day at 2 p.m. and both Wintergarden and Earl's Court to-night and at Earl's Court again on Monday night in "She Done Him Wrong," and as an entertainer she can do no wrong.

• • Morning Bulletin explained: The film is a story of the 'nineties. It has several capable and well-known people playing effective character parts but, good as they are in their hair and their clothes and their saloon types, they are as shadows in comparison with Mae West. They call her Lou in the story, and she sweeps her marvelous gowns through scene after scene. There is the rustle of silk lining  — — that glace that belonged to the days when petticoats simply had to rustle. Glace was the mother of taffeta, by the way, a much opulent and pretentious lady than her softer and better wearing daughter.

• • Morning Bulletin described the set: Lou lives in an apartment over a saloon, an apartment that is a dream of barbaric splendour. The bed takes the form of a gilded swan, and everything else is in keeping. But Lou's personality dominates the room, just as ber hair is brighter than the golden swan, and her diamonds more glittering than can be imagined, for Lou likes diamonds. In full war-paint she is a sight worth seeing, and when she sings "Frankie and Johnny" she has just the sort of voice that Mae West should have. Here is a new experience for film folk, but it has one flaw — — it ends too soon.

• • Source: Article: "Mae West Arrives" in Rockhampton, Queensland's  Morning Bulletin on page 11; published in Australia on Saturday, 5 May 1934.

• • Harry Lewis Woods [5 May 1889 — 28 December 1968] • •

• • In "Belle of the Nineties" [1934], Mae West worked briefly with Harry Woods who was cast as the character Slade.

• • "Send in Slade or Dirk or anybody!" — — Ruby Carter • •

• • Born in Cleveland, Ohio on 5 May 1889, Harry Lewis Woods chose to make a living, at first, by selling millinery to ladies who tried on these fanciful creations in front of a mirror. By 1923, the 34-year-old would find his true calling in front of a camera.

• • Harry Woods moved from silent films to the talkies.  His intimidating scowl, imposing build, snarling voice, and tough-customer persona became somewhat of a calling card in Tinseltown. Roy Barcroft, a most memorable heavy in numerous Republic Pictures adventure dramas, serials, and cowboy capers, once told a reporter: "Everything I know about being a bad guy I learned from Harry Woods."

• • Between 1923 — 1961, Harry Woods racked up over 250 credits in Hollywood features. More often than not, Woods was cast in Westerns during the 1930s, 1940s, 1950s as well as crime dramas.

• • Harry Woods was active on the small screen until 1961 and died in Los Angeles of uremia on 28 December 1968. He was age 79.

• • On Saturday, 5 May 1928 in The New Yorker • •

• • When John Huston [1906 — 1987] watched Mae West in the 1928 stage production of "Diamond Lil," the 22-year-old son of actor Walter Huston could not stop thinking about it. John saved his copy of The New Yorker [issue dated 5 May 1928] because he especially admired the illustration of a corseted, glittering, winsome Mae by the Mexican artist Miguel Covarrubias. Soon after, the men collaborated on Huston's fascinating book "Frankie and Johnny."

• • During May 2005 • •

• • Paul Bush screened his various short subjects throughout May 2005 in London at the Curzon Cinema. A one-minute hat-tip to Mae was recorded on Beta: "Busby Berkeley's Tribute to Mae West" [2002] — — as imagined by director Paul Bush.

• • Adopt Mae West • •

• • Have a heart. Contact Golden Gate Dog Rescue to learn more about this sweet, gentle, healthy, and very pretty dog who is seeking a good home. Mae West is an irresistible beauty. Phone: (707) 765-2690; this canine rescue group is in California, so come up and see Mae. Woof!

• • Miss Mae's photo is at this link: http://www.ggbassetrescue.org/animals/detail?AnimalID=4008925

• • In Her Own Words • •

• • Mae West said: "He was her man but he was doing her wrong . . ."

• • Quote, Unquote • •

• •  An article on Alice Cooper mentioned Mae West.

• •  Clark Collis wrote:  In this week’s Entertainment Weekly, Alice Cooper talks at length about appearing in such cinematic curios as the Mae West vehicle "Sextette," the infamous musical Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band, and the werewolf farrago Monster Dog — — as well as his roles in better-received projects like Prince of Darkness and Wayne’s World.   . . . Keith and Ringo and I were good friends. All of us did the movie just so we could say we did a movie with Mae West. Not even looking at the script, you know. “I got a scene with Mae West in this. I’m going to be able to say I worked with Mae West.” “Did anybody read the rest of the movie?” “No. I just know my scene. I’m going to play an Italian waiter.” . . .

• • Source: Article: "Alice Cooper Talks about . . ." written by Clark Collis for Entertainment Weekly; published on 3 May 2012

• • By the Numbers • •
• • The Mae West Blog was started seven years ago in July 2004. You are reading the 2291st 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 • • 1934 • •
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