Mae West: Health-minded

When Helen Lawrenson came up to see MAE WEST, Esquire's first female journalist was closing in on her sixtieth birthday and the Brooklyn bombshell was 73. A color photo by Diane Arbus flashed across the double-page-spread, hunched under half the title as if warding off a punch in the nose.
• • In honor of  Helen Lawrenson's October birthday, enjoy her seldom seen interview. This is Part 9 of 46 parts.
• • "Mirror, Mirror, on the Ceiling: How'm I Doin’?" • •
• • Not bad, Mae, for a woman of seventy-three • •
• • Mae West: Born in 1892 or 1893? • •
• • Helen Lawrenson wrote: She says she was born August 17, 1893. Webster’s gives the year as 1892 (she’s in the dictionary because of the inflatable life jacket named after her by R.A.F. pilots during World War II).

• • Helen Lawrenson wrote: Whichever it is, Mae doesn’t look it.  
• • Helen Lawrenson wrote: “See!” she says, opening wide. “I got all my own teeth. No cavities.” Only the throat line gives her away, although she is careful to keep away from strong light and is said to take her daily walks after dark. “I’m health-minded. I never smoked or drank [sic]. I eat organically grown food and I only use bottled water for cookin’, drinkin’, washin’ my face. C’mere. I’ll show you.”
• • Mae West: At 73, Mae bragged she still looked like 26 • • . . .
• • Helen Lawrenson's interview will be continued on the next post.
• • Source: Esquire; published on Saturday, 1 July 1967.
• • On Sunday, 22 October 1933 • •
• • On Sunday, 22 October 1933 The N.Y. Herald Tribune drew attention to the significance of Mae West, the hottest movie star of the year.  The editors noted Mae was "as much one of the major phenomena of 1933 as the NRA, "The Three Little Pigs," or Senator Huey Long." Wow.
• • Overheard in Hollywood • •
• • Mae West has a penchant for smacking her lips, rolling her eyes and patting an imaginary unruly curl back into place while perched upon a love seat. She never stops moving even while seated. None of it is an act — — it's pure Mae Westian.
• • In Her Own Words • •
• • Mae West said: "I'm like Will Rogers — all I know is what I read in the papers.”
• • Mae West said: "You shouldn't believe all you read any more than you'd believe all you hear."
• • Quote, Unquote • •
• • An archive mentioned a letter written on Oct. 22, 1935 to Mae West.
• • This ungrammatical extortion note written by George Janios reads exactly like this: Miss West We told you before $1000 or you have your face lifted Sunday by 8 o’clock or by God we will get your face at Western and Sunset you personally — — Acid Burns
• • George Janios was released from custody two days later.  …
• • Source: Extortion Letters; published on Tuesday, 22 October 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 16th 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 4,500 blog posts. Wow! 
• • By the Numbers • •
• • The Mae West Blog was started fifteen years ago in July 2004. You are reading the 4,587th 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 • • during the 1960s • •
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