Mae West: Illusion of Height

In late 1933, Central Press commissioned a series of stories on the life of MAE WEST, described to their readership as “the first authentic account of her personality, habits, origins, and background.” Here is a short excerpt (Part 2 of 2 segments).
• • Mae West’s Drama of New York in the Gay Nineties — — in Extremely High Heels • •
• • Mae West made herself taller by wearing extremely high heels • •
• • George Lait wrote: Actually, she is only five feet four inches tall [sic] and she weighs 120 pounds. In an effort to build up her weight, Mae went on a special diet, one meal of which could keep a family for a week.  [Ed: Mae West was barely five feet tall.]
• • Ah, Me! Ah, Mae! • •
• • George Lait wrote: She drank bottles of cream spread and pounds of butter on rich pastries. But the best she could do was to work herself up to 135 pounds. Mae, therefore, made herself taller for the role by wearing extremely high heels and a high pompadour.

• • George Lait wrote: She also accentuated her already voluptuous, buxom appearance by wearing a specially designed padded corset affair, which gave her the appearance of some additional weight. She wore a similar contraption for her role in her first starring film, “She Done Him Wrong.”
• • Her next vehicle was “The Constant Sinner,” which ran for nine months [sic] in New York and, when warm weather came, Mae decided to take a rest.
• • But her vacation was not destined to last. Pictures were to claim Mae West. ...
• • Central Press Editor’s note:  This is the fourth of a series of stories on the life of Mae West, the first authentic account of her personality, habits, origins, and background published in 1933.
• • This excerpt written by George Lait has now been concluded with this post [Part 2 of 2]. 
• • Source: Syndicated content written for Central Press rpt in Winona Republican Herald (Winona, Minnesota); published on Tuesday, 12 December 1933.
• • On Sunday, 20 May 1934 in The L.A. Times • •
• • The article "So Mae West's Slipping? Not So She Can Notice It!" was published in The Los Angeles Times in their weekend edition on Sunday, 20 May 1934. By then Mae had two motion picture hits behind her and her third "Belle of the Nineties" would be released in September 1934.
• • Overheard in Hollywood • •
• • As with all the Mae West films, her showmanship personality dominates the scene.
• • In Her Own Words • •
• • Mae West said: "If we can send a man to the moon, why don’t we send all of 'em?"
• • Quote, Unquote • •
• • The Canberra Times mentioned Mae West.
• • "Inflation Hits Mae West" • •
• • Miss Mae West, publicised as the "girl with the 50,000 dollars treasure chest," now holds a policy for that amount from Lloyds of London. ...
• • Source: News Item in The Canberra Times; published on Wednesday, 21 May 1952
• • 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 15th anniversary • • 
• • Thank you for reading, sending questions, and posting comments during these past fifteen years. Not long ago, we entertained 3,497 visitors. And we reached a milestone recently when we completed 4,400 blog posts. Wow! 
• • By the Numbers • •
• • The Mae West Blog was started fifteen years ago in July 2004. You are reading the 4,478th 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 • • shoes worn by Diamond Lil in 1928 • •
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