Mae West: Ambassador Hotel

Martin Itjen traveled to Hollywood to meet MAE WEST and pose for pictures with the screen queen. Hollywood correspondent Theon Wright did an outstanding interview. Let’s enjoy it together. This is Part 1 of 2.
• • Martin Itjen [24 January 1870 — 3 December 1942] • •
• • “Alaska's Street Car King Arrives to See Mae West” • •
• • Written by Theon Wright (United Press Correspondent) • •  
• • LOS ANGELES, Feb. 21. Martin Itjen, the Alaska street car king, pulled his trolley (he has only one, and he brought that with him) up on the lawn of the Ambassador Hotel today, hired a room and waited for Mae West to show up.
• • "I got a date, all right," Martin said, tugging at the ends of a handle-bar mustache that he could have
hung over his ears. "But she ain't showed up. I expect she's got to make a picture, or something."
• • Mr. Itjen, a "scratching good name" (the crack is Martin's, not your correspondent’s), owns the only street car system in Alaska.
• • He is also Skagway's leading Ford dealer and undertaker.
• • He got the idea of visiting Mae West after seeing a moving picture of her at a Skagway theater. "I took one look, and I knew I had to come down and see her. She reminded me of a gal I knew back in 1898."
• • Martin waited a year for Mae West • •  . . .
• • Source: Article in San Bernardino Sun; published on Friday, 22 February 1935.
• • On Tuesday, 14 December 1937 • •

• • Conservative Catholic Martin Quigley's hand-wringing article, "Radio Begs Trouble," found its way into Motion Picture Daily who ran it on page 10. The issue, centered around the controversial NBC Sunday evening broadcast starring Mae, was dated for Tuesday, 14 December 1937.
• • Overheard in Hollywood • •
• • Many professional boxers worked with Mae West in her motion pictures.
• • In Her Own Words • •
• • Mae West said: "Everything I do and say is based on rhythm."
• • Quote, Unquote • •
• • An award in England was named for Mae West.
• • A new category was created in November 2000: the Carlton TV Mae West Award for the "most outspoken women in the industry." Contenders that year included Janet Street-Porter, Sheila Hancock, and Ruby Wax. The ceremony in 2000 was at The Hilton, Park Lane, London.
• • In 2001, the BBC wrote: BBC News-night editor Sian Kevill has won a Carlton Women in Film and Television award for her contribution to news and current affairs. ... Dame Diana Rigg was presented with the Channel 4 lifetime achievement award and Maureen Lipman took the Carlton Mae West Award. ...
• • Source: BBC News Item; published on Friday, 14 December 2001
• • The Mae West Blog celebrates its 13th anniversary • •  
• • Thank you for reading, sending questions, and posting comments during these past thirteen years. Not long ago, we entertained 3,497 visitors. And we reached a milestone recently when we completed 3,800 blog posts. Wow!   
• • By the Numbers • •
• • The Mae West Blog was started thirteen years ago in July 2004. You are reading the 3853rd 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 • • in 1937 • •
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