Friday, August 09, 2013

Mae West: George Furth

MAE WEST played Leticia Van Allen in "Myra Breckinridge" [1970] — — and George Furth was seen as Charlie Flager, Jr.
• • George Furth [14 December 1932 — 11 August 2008] • •
• • Born in Chicago on 14 December 1932 was a tiny infant with a big name: George Schweinfurth.  After graduating from Northwestern University with a degree in speech, he went on with his studies and received an MFA degree from Columbia University in 1956.  A decade later, the five-foot-nine aspiring dramatist began working on ideas for a series of one-act plays. When no producer offered an enthusiastic response, he approached Stephen Sondheim; Sondheim showed the work to director Harold Prince. The result was the hands-down success of an ensemble musical "Company"; George showed up the nay-sayers and walked away with a Tony Award in 1971 in the category of Best Book (Musical) for "Company." He also branched out as an actor.
• • From 1962 — 1998, George Furth was seen on several dozen TV shows and also in 29 motion pictures. He typically would be cast to play the disgusting, sneaky, or nervous, stuttering characters. When he worked with Mae West in "Myra," he was 38 years old.
• • George Furth died in Santa Monica, California on Monday, 11 August 2008. He was 75.
• • On Thursday, 9 August 1934 • •
• • In an interview with George Daws, Mae West said: "Everyone else that gets in the money out here buys a forty-room house, hires a dozen servants, and gets ritzy. But not me. I'd be lonesome."
• • Source: New York World Telegram on Thursday, 9 August 1934.
• • Save the Dates: August 12th and August 17th and 18th • •
• • What: three events timed to celebrate the 120th birthday of Mae West, born in Brooklyn, NY on August 17, 1893

• • On Monday, 12 August 2013 at the Hudson Sq Library • • 
• • One afternoon only! • •
• • When: Monday, August 12, 2013 from 4:00pm — 5:45pm [Seating from 3:45pm]
• • Where: Hudson Branch Library, 66 Leroy St., New York, NY 10014; NOT accessible to wheelchairs 
• • Who + What: "Diamond Lil" by Mae West as a Reader's Theatre Experience with words and period songs and live music — a unique, unforgettable presentation
• • Cast: Costumed in 1890s Bowery style, actress Darlene Violette and actor Sidney Myer present the 1932 novel "Diamond Lil" written by Mae West in Mae's words — enhanced with period songs and live music by Brian McInnis.  At intervals, historian and playwright LindaAnn Loschiavo leads an "Armchair Tour" through the boisterous Bowery and Chinatown of the 1890s with rare vintage images you have never seen before. 
• • What else: The ever-popular Mae West Raffle. 
• • August 12th Admission and Raffle Tickets: FREE. 
• • RSVP:  Email  MaeWestDiamondLil (at) gmail  (dot) com
• • Closest MTA subway stations: Christopher St. or West Fourth St.; or the M7 bus. 
• • Closest PATH station: Christopher St. 
• • The public is invited (suitable for age 18 and over)
• • The library has a very spacious air-conditioned auditorium so tell your fun-loving friends about this!

• • All of the sex and none of the censorship . . . • • 
• • The novel "Diamond Lil" closely follows the 3-hour production Mae performed onstage from 1928 — 1951, and it is much more exciting than the family-friendly screen version. Playwright LindaAnn Loschiavo massaged Mae's classic opus into an 85-minute adaptation featuring all of the sex and none of the censorship. No intermission.   
• • The Cast: Starring Darlene Violette as Diamond Lil, Queen of the Bowery and also featuring Sidney Myer, Anthony DiCarlo, Joanna Bonaro, Gary Napoli, Juan Sebastian Cortes, Kimmy Foskett, Jim Gallagher and live music by Brian McInnis.
• • Two chances to see the show • •
• • There will be two stagings of "Diamond Lil" on August 17th and August 18th in NYC.
• • On Saturday, 17 August 2013 at 7:30pm on West 38th St. • •
• • One night only! • •
• • Where: John Strasberg Studios, 555 8th Avenue, Suite 2310, New York, NY 10018;  accessible to wheelchairs 
• • What: "Diamond Lil" by Mae West in a new adaptation for the stage by LindaAnn Loschiavo — and costumed in 1890s Bowery style
• • August 17th Mae West Raffle Tickets are free
• • August 17th  Admission: $10 — must be pre-paid!
• • RSVP: Advance sale tickets: you must email MaeWestDiamondLil (at) gmail (dot) com
• • Closest MTA subway stations: 42nd St./ Times Sq. via A, C, E, 1, 2, 3 
• • The public is invited (suitable for age 18 and over)
• • Updates: facebook.com/MaeWestDiamondLil
• • On Sunday, 18 August 2013 at 7:00pm on West 46th St. • • 
• • One night only! • •

• • Where: Don't Tell Mama, 343 West 46th Street, NYC 10036; T. (212) 757-0788
• • What: "Diamond Lil" by Mae West in a new adaptation for the stage by LindaAnn Loschiavo — and costumed in 1890s Bowery style
• • August 18th Mae West Raffle Tickets are free
• • RSVP: August 18th  Admission:  $15.00 cover charge plus a two drink minimum
• • Reservations: www.donttellmamanyc.com
• • Closest MTA subway stations: 42nd St./ Times Sq. via A, C, E, 1, 2, 3 
• • The public is invited (suitable for age 18 and over). Join us as we turn the iconic NYC nightspot Don't Tell Mama into Gus Jordan's "Suicide Hall"!
• • Updates: facebook.com/MaeWestDiamondLil 
• • Plan Ahead • •
• • On November 22nd and November 23rd 2013, there will be Mae West events at Jefferson Market Library, the former courthouse where Mae West's 1927 trial took place.

• • In Her Own Words • •
• • Mae West said: "Nobody ever called me high hat — and they've called me lots of things."
• • Quote, Unquote • •
• • Photoplay Magazine interviewed Mae West.
• • "Has Mae West Gone High Hat?" • •
• • Kirtley Baskette wrote: Mae, never social, made the effort to get around and join in the life of the movie colony. It was too much.
• • Kirtley Baskette wrote: So big Jim Timony, Mae's manager, put his foot down— unknown to Mae. No more interviews until after "I'm No Angel" was finished. No more "nothin' " — Mae was taboo.
• • Kirtley Baskette wrote: Imagine the howl! The echoes finally reached Mae, along with too many high hat accusations for her to take smiling.
• • Kirtley Baskette wrote: She bounced into the publicity department, thinking they had issued the edict, and wanted to know why. They said Timony said why. Mae said she would say why; she was no shy and wilting violet and she didn't want to get that reputation.
• • Kirtley Baskette wrote: Finally, the studio persuaded Mae to wait until the picture was over. ...
• • Source: Article: "Has Mae West Gone High Hat?" for Photoplay Magazine; published in the issue dated for July 1934
• • By the Numbers • • 
• • The Mae West Blog was started nine years ago in July 2004. You are reading the 2713th 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 Diamond Lil

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