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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