MAE WEST had a stand-in, an Irish-American hopeful with similar coloring and a strong resemblance to the Paramount star. This is excerpted from a longer article by Gladys Hall that ran in Modern Screen.
• • Pity the Poor Stand-In Girl! • •
• • Lillian Kilgannon, a stand-in, discussed how Mae West moves in her "built-up shoes" and tight corsets • •
• • Gladys Hall wrote: Lillian explained how observing Mae West work was a driving inspiration.
• • Gladys Hall wrote: Lillian added, “Mae West is the most humane and considerate star I've ever watched. Several times, when I was about to stand-in for her on that picture, she'd come over and say, 'They're nearly ready for me. You sit down awhile. I'll do it.' And that, in spite of the fact that she was wearing those tiring built-up shoes and tight corsets.”
• • Gladys Hall wrote: Lillian said, "It's nervous work, too, of course. Not only the exhausting part of standing in for long stretches of time, but the feeling, all the while, that it is all for nothing, getting you nowhere. Then there is nothing to do with our spare time. Unlike Miss Dietrich, I have no lines to learn. No one comes to interview me. I haven't any dressing-room nor place to rest or lie down when I'm tired. I can't have visitors on the set as the star can if she wants to.”
• • Gladys Hall wrote: Lillian continued, "I work stand-in instead of extra because I think I have a better chance of getting a break this way. At least I am not one of a mob. I work steadily all through a production. I get $20 a week and overtime. Miss Dietrich, I believe, gets four to five thousand. That doesn't bother me. It isn't her money I envy her, nor her beautiful clothes and cars and houses. I don't believe Miss Dietrich is so very happy. But I do envy her her chance to be someone. I envy that so much that, honestly, if I could, I'd gladly do what she does for my salary and let her have my job at her salary. That's how little the money end of it figures with me.”
• • We will end the snippets right there. Check out the full article in Modern Screen.
• • Source: Modern Screen; published in the issue dated for October 1933.
• • On Thursday, 28 April 1927 • •
• • On Thursday, 28 April 1927 The New York Times ran this article: “Mae West Departs from Workhouse.”
• • Overheard in Hollywood • •
• • By the way, Mae is now working on her new contract by the terms of which she gets $100,000 a picture.
• • In Her Own Words • •
• • Mae West said: "I enjoyed the courtroom as any other stage."
• • Quote, Unquote • •
• • An article about being in jail was written by Mae West.
• • "How I Was Jailed for Sex" • •
• • Mae West wrote: The court attendant leaned toward me and said, "Are you feeling all right, Miss West?" I replied, "Quite all right."
• • Mae West explained: He then escorted me to the side of the courtroom, through a cage effect, then out a door, where there were a few steps leading down to another door. That door was opened and two gentlemen who stood there said, "Right this way, Miss West."
• • Mae West continued: They were most courteous; they didn't want anything to happen to me before I got to Welfare Island, I guess. I was ushered into a waiting-room. There was a colored woman, with a gold badge, in charge. . . .
• • Source: Liberty Magazine; published on Saturday, 20 August 1927
• • 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 4,700 blog posts. Wow!
• • By the Numbers • •
• • The Mae West Blog was started fifteen years ago in July 2004. You are reading the 4,722nd 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 • • Lillian Kilgannon, Mae's stand-in, 1935 • •
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