Mae West: Hitman Hays

Shocking and controversial in its time, a play by MAE WEST continues to be revived for open-minded audiences. This recent production was on the boards in Cape Cod. This is Part 4 of 9 segments.
• • Theatre Review:  Doing the Time Warp in Mae West’s Play “The Drag” • •
• • Howard Karren wrote: But it failed for The Drag, which was shut down by authorities in out-of-town tryouts in 1927 and never made it to Broadway.
• • Howard Karren wrote: The 1935 Hays Code in Hollywood eventually did squelch her screen voice.

• • Howard Karren wrote: And in the 1940s, she returned to live concerts and theater.
• • Howard Karren wrote: She died in 1980, at age 87, having directed herself in the film “Sextette” only a few years earlier.
• • Howard Karren wrote: During the Jazz Age, West was friendly with gay men and lesbians, and sympathetic to their lives as pariahs.
• • “The Drag” by Mae West (continued) • • … 
• • Source: The Provincetown Independent; published on Wednesday, 25 May 2022.
• • On Saturday, 7 July 1934 • •
• • "Mae West Rouses Ire of Victorian Women” • •
• • "It Ain't No Sin," Mae West's latest picture, is due to arrive in Australia soon. Mr. Kelly thinks that after its ban by the New York Board of Regents the film will be entirely re-made at Hollywood. …
• • Source: The Australian Women's Weekly (on page 4), issue dated for Saturday, 7 July 1934.
• • July 2004: Mae West Blog launches • •
• • What are we up to, writing about the Brooklyn-born bombshell for eighteen years now?
• • We’re here to keep Mae mavens up to date, correct errors, celebrate each revival of a play she wrote, post the latest Westian stage and book reviews. And answer our fan mail!
• • The light’s still on. Come up and see Mae every day.
• • Overheard in Hollywood • •
• • The three movie sets that an outside photographer positively can't enter in Hollywood are those of Mae West, Shirley Temple, and Greta Garbo.
• • In Her Own Words • •
• • Mae West said: "If I was a drinking girl, you might figure I had up and married this guy in an off moment and forgotten about it. But I don't drink."
• • Quote, Unquote • •
• • An autobiography mentioned Mae West.
• • “John Gielgud [1904 ― 2000] told us this story about Mae West," wrote Isherwood in his memoir.
• • Mae West was once asked, ‘Do you ever smoke after you’ve had sex?’
• • She answered, ‘I never looked.'  …
• • Source: Christopher Isherwood, Liberation: Diaries: 1970 ― 1983 [US:‎ Harper Perennial, 3 December 2013]
• • 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 18th anniversary • • 
• • Thank you for reading, sending questions, and posting comments during these past eighteen years. Not long ago, we entertained 3,497 visitors. And we reached a milestone recently when we completed 5,000 blog posts. Wow! 
• • By the Numbers • •
• • The Mae West Blog was started eighteen years ago in July 2004. You are reading the 5,032nd 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/
________
Source: https://maewest.blogspot.com/atom.xml  
• • Be sure to bookmark or follow The Mae West Blog
• • Photo: • • Mae West • • in 1948 • •
• • Feed — — http://feeds2.feedburner.com/MaeWest

Mae West: Voluptuous Figure

Shocking and controversial in its time, a play by MAE WEST continues to be revived for open-minded audiences. This recent production was on the boards in Cape Cod. This is Part 3 of 9 segments.
• • Theatre Review: Doing the Time Warp in Mae West’s Play “The Drag” • •
• • Howard Karren wrote: At a young age, Mae rose from burlesque to Broadway, and, finally, in the 1930s, to Hollywood, where she quickly became the highest-paid star on studio contract.
• • Howard Karren wrote: She was not exceptionally pretty, but her figure was voluptuous, and her manner was forthright, clever, and confident in expressing sexual desire.

• • Howard Karren wrote: Her fame was self-made: West wrote most of her own material, and she scoffed at those in power who wished to silence her — she turned attempts to censor her into self-promotion.
• • Howard Karren wrote: This worked with her hit play “Sex,” for which she was temporarily jailed.
• • “The Drag” by Mae West ― continued • • …   
• • Source: The Provincetown Independent; published on Wednesday, 25 May 2022.
• • On Wednesday, 6 July 2022 • •
• • Everything You Need to Know about Elsa Schiaparelli Ahead of the Shocking! Exhibition in Paris.
• • Laird Borrelli-Persson wrote: Elsa Schiaparelli, who was known for her amusing prints, outdid herself in July 1937 with a particularly clever “passion thermometer” motif that depicted mercury rising between the poles of ‘Indifference’ and ‘Passion.’
• • Fashion’s love affair with the Italian designer has never been tepid, and is once again reaching boiling point as “Shocking! The Surreal World of Elsa Schiaparelli” is set to open on July 6th at the Musée des Arts Décoratifs in Paris.
• • “Shocking!” was the name of the perfume Elsa created for Mae West, the Hollywood headliner she costumed in 1937 for her upcoming film “Every Day’s a Holiday” (1938).
• • Source: Vogue; published on Friday, 1 July  2022.
• • July 2004: Mae West Blog launches • •
• • What are we up to, writing about the Brooklyn-born bombshell for eighteen years now?
• • We’re here to keep Mae mavens up to date, correct errors, celebrate each revival of a play she wrote, post the latest Westian stage and book reviews. And answer our fan mail!
• • The light’s still on. Come up and see Mae every day.
• • Overheard in Hollywood • •
• • Mae West tendered this complaint to Hollywood insider Ellen Grant: "Last year they had me married to Jim Timony, my manager, this year they have me married to several guys named Wallace — — I suppose next year they'll have me arrested for bigamy!'' Which sort of sums up her attitude on the subject.  
• • In Her Own Words • •
• • About "Myra B." Mae West said: "They didn't use enough of me or my material until the budget had been run up high."
• • Quote, Unquote • •
• • An article on business mentioned Mae West.
• • "The 'Mae West philosophy' might just bring down your business" • •
• • Earl Bell wrote: Mae West is credited as saying, “Too Much of a Good Thing Can Be Wonderful.”  
• • Earl Bell wrote: While this might have worked in her life, it can spell disaster in the business world. ...
• • Source: Earl Bell’s article for http://www.fromlefttoright.com; published on Wednesday, 6 July 2011
• • 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 18th anniversary • • 
• • Thank you for reading, sending questions, and posting comments during these past eighteen years. Not long ago, we entertained 3,497 visitors. And we reached a milestone recently when we completed 5,000 blog posts. Wow! 
• • By the Numbers • •
• • The Mae West Blog was started eighteen years ago in July 2004. You are reading the 5,031st 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/
________
Source: https://maewest.blogspot.com/atom.xml  
• • Be sure to bookmark or follow The Mae West Blog
• • Photo: • • Mae West • • in 1926 • •
• • Feed — — http://feeds2.feedburner.com/MaeWest

Mae West: Sexual Freedom

Shocking and controversial in its time, a play by MAE WEST continues to be revived for open-minded audiences. This recent production was on the boards in Cape Cod. This is Part 2 of 9 segments.
• • Theatre Review:  Doing the Time Warp in Mae West’s Play “The Drag” • •
• • In the 1920s, having “a gay old time” was kind of complicated. • •
• • Howard Karren wrote: The company’s artistic director, David Drake, had originally meant for “The Drag” by Mae West to open the 2020 season, which was postponed by the coronavirus pandemic. And now it’s here, back indoors, with Covid protocols (vaccinations checked, audience masked), in a revelatory production that Drake has refashioned for today’s audiences.

• • Howard Karren wrote: Drake originally chose it, he has said, to fortify us against the right-wing backlash unleashed by the Trump presidency. And in 2022, with legislative and court actions further threatening sexual and gender minorities, that fortification is as necessary as ever.
• • Howard Karren wrote: Mae West was a champion of women’s sexual freedom throughout her career.
• • “The Drag” by Mae West ―continued • • …  
• • Source: The Provincetown Independent; published on Wednesday, 25 May 2022.
• • On Tuesday, 5 July 1932 in Variety • •
• • Casting problems caused delays for Paramount Pictures in the summer of 1932. As Mae waited to film her scenes with George Raft, as his former flame Maudie, offers came in for her to create material for others.  
• • In their issue dated for Tuesday, 5 July 1932, Variety printed this headline: "Mae Mulls Sock Yarns for Marlene and Jean."
• • But Mae demurred. Years later, explaining the situation to a British reporter, she admitted to being reluctant. "If I thought of something funny," said Mae, "I wasn't about to give it to them."
• • July 2004: Mae West Blog launches • •
• • What are we up to, writing about the Brooklyn-born bombshell for eighteen years now?
• • We’re here to keep Mae mavens up to date, correct errors, celebrate each revival of a play she wrote, post the latest Westian stage and book reviews. And answer our fan mail!
• • The light’s still on. Come up and see Mae every day.
• • Overheard in Hollywood • •

• • What an array of new faces on the screen to fascinate us. Some of these: Mae West from N'Yawk who wins us over with her Maudie Triplett in "Night After Night;" Lydia Roberti, the peppy blonde of "The Kid from Spain," and Elizabeth Allan, who played with Leslie Howard in "Reserved for Ladies."
• • In Her Own Words • •
• • Mae West said: "There are no good girls gone wrong — — just bad girls found out."
• • Quote, Unquote • •
• • Billboard mentioned Mae West.
• • "Come On Up, Ring Twice," with Mae West at the Cass Theatre, Detroit, Michigan. …
• • Source: Billboard; published on Saturday, 29 June 1946
• • 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 18th anniversary • • 
• • Thank you for reading, sending questions, and posting comments during these past eighteen years. Not long ago, we entertained 3,497 visitors. And we reached a milestone recently when we completed 5,000 blog posts. Wow! 
• • By the Numbers • •
• • The Mae West Blog was started eighteen years ago in July 2004. You are reading the 5,030th 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/
________
Source: https://maewest.blogspot.com/atom.xml  
• • Be sure to bookmark or follow The Mae West Blog
• • Photo: • • Mae West • • news photo in 1927 • •
• • Feed — — http://feeds2.feedburner.com/MaeWest

Mae West: Stunningly Honest

Shocking and controversial in its time, a play by MAE WEST continues to be revived for open-minded audiences. This recent production was on the boards in Cape Cod. This is Part 1 of 9 segments.
• • Theatre Review: Doing the Time Warp in Mae West’s Play “The Drag" • •
• • In the 1920s, having “a gay old time” was kind of complicated. • •
• • Howard Karren wrote: “This side’s Friday,” vamp extraordinaire Mae West once quipped, pointing to her upper right thigh, then, pointing to her left thigh, “This side’s Sunday. Why don’t you come see me over the weekend?”
• • Howard Karren wrote: Well, why don’t we? Outer Cape fans of scandal and debauchery can come see a funny and stunningly honest stage play that Mae West wrote in the late 1920s, focusing on homosexuality, on any Friday through Sunday (and Thursday, too) through June 5 (Pride Weekend) at the Provincetown Theater.
• • “The Drag” by Mae West ― continued • • …  
• • Source: The Provincetown Independent; published on Wednesday, 25 May 2022.
• • On Monday, 4 July 2022 • •

• • Mae West, attired as “The Statue of Libido,” reminds us all to embrace the spirit of liberty, as she did.
• • On Saturday, 4 July 1970 • •
• • While the motion picture "Myra Breckinridge" was not a hit, the media exposure engendered a "Mae West revival," explained The New York Post on Saturday, 4 July 1970. 
• • July 2004: Mae West Blog launches • •
• • What are we up to, writing about the Brooklyn-born bombshell for eighteen years now?
• • We’re here to keep Mae mavens up to date, correct errors, celebrate each revival of a play she wrote, post the latest Westian stage and book reviews. And answer our fan mail!
• • The light’s still on. Come up and see Mae every day.
• • Overheard in Hollywood • •
• • About "Myra B." Mae West said: "They didn't use enough of me or my material until the budget had been run up high."
• • In Her Own Words • •
• • Mae West said: "If a picture of mine didn't get an X rating, I'd be insulted."
• • Quote, Unquote • •
• • An Australian newspaper mentioned Mae West.
• • "Unable to See Mae West" • •
• • "Aborigines at Darwin — Town in Darkness Through Strike" • •
• • Darwin, Monday — The electric light supply has been cut off to-night, and the town is in darkness because the two employees of the town council of the power-house have gone on strike because their demand for increased wages has not been acceded to.
• • Residents of Darwin are unearthing hurricane lamps, petrol lamps, candles, and electric torches to light their homes. The picture theatre was unable to show its films to-night, and crowds of aborigines who came into town to see Mae West in "She Done Him Wrong" were turned away disappointed. …
• • The Argus (Melbourne, Australia); published on Tuesday, 2 July 1935
• • 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 18th anniversary • • 
• • Thank you for reading, sending questions, and posting comments during these past eighteen years. Not long ago, we entertained 3,497 visitors. And we reached a milestone recently when we completed 5,000 blog posts. Wow! 
• • By the Numbers • •
• • The Mae West Blog was started eighteen years ago in July 2004. You are reading the 5,029th 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/
________
Source: https://maewest.blogspot.com/atom.xml  
• • Be sure to bookmark or follow The Mae West Blog
• • Photo: • • Mae West • • in 1970 • •
• • Feed — — http://feeds2.feedburner.com/MaeWest

Mae West: Russell Hardie

MAE WEST spent the summer of 1931 in rehearsals with her upcoming large scale play “The Constant Sinner.” Set in Harlem, the heroine Babe Gordon calls herself “a prizefighter’s tart.”
• • William Russell Hardie played the role of the boxer Bearcat Delaney, who fell madly in love with Babe Gordon and threw away his career, in “The Constant Sinner.”

• • Burns Mantle wrote in The N.Y. Daily News: “As the fighter, Russell Hardie has to indulge in several love scenes with the husky Mae."
• • William Russell Hardie [20 May 1904 ― 21 July 1973] • •
• • Born in Buffalo, NY, actor William Russell Hardie portrayed the besotted boxer Bearcat Delaney in “The Constant Sinner” ― written by and starring Mae West.
• • Middleweight champ Bearcat Delaney (Russell Hardie) cannot satisfy the ravenous sexual appetite of his wife Babe Gordon (Mae West) so she takes on the handsome and very wealthy department store heir Wayne Baldwin.
• • Starting in 1929, the handsome hunk was cast in 25 Broadway dramas including “A Streetcar Named Desire” and “The Andersonville Trial.” His last stage role was in 1961.
• • The Hollywood film industry also embraced Hardie. In 1930, he had a supporting role in “The Costello Case,” an early-sound crime, mystery, suspense thriller about a murdered mortician. In the cast was Roscoe Karns, who has scenes with Mae West in “Night After Night” (1932); another cast mate of Russell Hardie's was William B. Davidson, who plays the chump in Mae West starrer “I’m No Angel.”
• • Russell Hardie was also kept busy with appearances in Broadway to Hollywood, Stage Mother, Christopher Bean, As the Earth Turns, Men in White, Operator 13, Murder in the Private Car, Pursued, Hell in the Heavens, The Band Plays On, Sequoia, West Point of the Air, Speed Devils, In Old Kentucky, The Harvester, Down to the Sea, Meet Nero Wolfe, Killer at Large, Camille, The Frogmen, The Whistle at Eaton Falls, Cop Hater, Fail Safe, and The Group, his farewell film.
• • Hardie died on Saturday, 21 July 1973 in Clarence, New York. He was age 69.  
• • Burns Mantle wrote: As the prizefighter, Russell Hardie has to indulge in several love scenes with the husky Mae. Although there are many colored actors, George Givot, white, plays the dark-skinned policy king. Arthur R. Vinton is authentic as a fight manager, and Donald Kirke, Walter Glass, and Walter Petrie help things along.
• • Source: Drama Review, The N.Y. Daily News; published on Wednesday, 16 September 1931.
• • On Saturday, 1 July 1933 • •
• • A Mickey Mouse cartoon, "Mickey's Gala Premiere," was released on Saturday, 1 July 1933. Mae West is one of the celebrities who makes an appearance.
• • July 2004: Mae West Blog launches • •
• • What are we up to, writing about the Brooklyn-born bombshell for eighteen years now?
• • We’re here to keep Mae mavens up to date, correct errors, celebrate each revival of a play she wrote, post the latest Westian stage and book reviews. And answer our fan mail!
• • The light’s still on. Come up and see Mae every day.
• • Overheard in Hollywood • •
• • In past years, Steel Pier showcased some of the biggest names in show business, including Mae West, Guy Lombardo, and Benny Goodman.
• • In Her Own Words • •
• • Mae West said: "You learn to get along in life by studying life."
• • Quote, Unquote • •
• • A fan magazine mentioned Mae West.
• • "Goin' to Town" — Paramount — Mae West, pursuing the man instead of being pursued, in a fast-moving, wise-cracking film, that will keep you laughing. (May)
• • Note: The script was originally written for James Cagney, a jockey who tries to break into society.
• • Note: In her syndicated column, Louella Parsons wrote: Gene Markey and Kathryn Scola have written an original for James Cagney called "Goin' to Town" and, although Jimmy Cagney plays a race track Jockey, he tries no rough tactics. In fact, he breaks into society and becomes the idol of the tony Four Hundred. "Goin' to Town" follows "The Heir Chaser" and it's one to a million he will have Joan Blondell with him on account of popular demand. …
• • Source: Photoplay Magazine; published in the issue dated for July 1935
• • 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 18th anniversary • • 
• • Thank you for reading, sending questions, and posting comments during these past eighteen years. Not long ago, we entertained 3,497 visitors. And we reached a milestone recently when we completed 5,000 blog posts. Wow! 
• • By the Numbers • •
• • The Mae West Blog was started eighteen years ago in July 2004. You are reading the 5,028th 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/
________
Source: https://maewest.blogspot.com/atom.xml  
• • Be sure to bookmark or follow The Mae West Blog
• • Photo: • • Mae West • • onstage in 1931 • •
• • Feed — — http://feeds2.feedburner.com/MaeWest