Wednesday, April 14, 2021

Mae West: A Frank Answer

"An Open Letter to MAE WEST" was written by J. Eugene Chrisman, Western Editor, Motion Picture. His was a unique perspective as both an impartial journalist and yet an avowed fan. Let's take a look. This is Part 8 of 8 excerpts.   
• • Mae West: I hope you'll keep knocking them cold • •
• • J. Eugene Chrisman wrote: I hope, Mae, that you will keep on knocking 'em cold. No matter what ever happens now, you have etched your name on the fame roll of screen history. Women may come and women may go, but there will never be another Mae West.
• • J. Eugene Chrisman wrote: I hope you will give me a frank answer to print on this, Mae. Let's have some of the famous West wit to liven it up! When your fans and friends read the answer they'll shout! More power to you and long may you wave.
• • J. Eugene Chrisman wrote: Always your friend, J. Eugene Chrisman
• • Note: Born in Denver in 1891, it seems Chrisman did his military duty during World War I.
• • Years later, annoyed by McCrae's poem set in Flanders Fields, where poppies blew between the crosses, he wrote a bitter poem set in Flanders, “Poppies,” published in a Fawcett publication: Captain Billy’s Whiz Bang, Vol. II. No. 20, May 1921.
• • This 1935 essay has been concluded with the 8th segment. We hope you enjoyed it.
• • Source: Motion Picture; published in their issue dated for August 1935.
• • On Saturday, 14 April 1973 in Hollywood • •

• • It was an SRO celebration on Saturday night, 14 April 1973 when the Masquers Club honored the Empress of Sex with a "Mae Day" tribute. Unlike previous honorees, Mae had insisted on performing a shimmy and singing "Frankie and Johnny." The ceremony was attended by Sidney Skolsky and many other notables.
• • For instance, Mae's "Myra Breckinridge" cast mate Jim Backus attended the Masquers Club's salute as one of her "Gentlemen in Waiting" (along with George Raft, Jack LaRue, Steve Allen, Lloyd Nolan, etc.).
• • Overheard in Hollywood • •
• • When a gangster threatens Mae West, she believes him. So, in addition to having a couple of bodyguards since she testified against the man who stole her jewels, she has now ordered an armored car to protect the precious lives of herself and her manager James "Big Jim" Timony.
• • In Her Own Words • •
• • Mae West said: "Keep a diary and one day it'll keep you."
• • Quote, Unquote • •
• • An article on bombshells mentioned Mae West.
• • "The Evolution of Sex Symbols" • •
• • David Bauer and Laura Capitano wrote: Little did the advertising people behind Jean Harlow's 1933 film Bombshell know their words would be ageless when they called her the "blond bombshell of filmdom." Harlow ushered in a new category of sexy starlet: Usually buxom, often blond, and frequently full-figured. Others — — like Mae West — — and, to a degree, Harlow, established a genre of sexual, defiant characters.
• • Bauer and Capitano wrote: Examples: Mae West, Jean Harlow, Fay Wray, Joan Blondell, Marlene Dietrich, Greta Garbo. . . .
• • Source: The Florida Times-Union; published on Sunday, 13 April 2008

• • 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 4,712th 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 • • art by Michael Leonard
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