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Since MAE WEST enjoyed a long association working for the Shubert brothers, it would be remiss not to give Sam his due on this date.
• • Born in Neustadt, Poland during the month of August — — on 27 August 1878 — — Samuel S. Shubert emigrated to America with his parents and siblings and was raised in Syracuse, New York.
• • Due to his father's alcoholism, which kept the family in precarious circumstances, young Sammy began shining shoes and, eventually, snagged better wages indoors at the Grand Opera House, where he sold souvenir programs and helmed the box office. Despite his lack of formal education, Sam Shubert was a math whiz and soon got a promotion to the position of assistant treasurer at the Wieting Theatre, the pride of Syracuse. Thinking big, Sam Shubert decided to focus on producing stage plays. With borrowed financing, he set out with his two brothers to operate playhouses in upstate New York, and then expand into midtown Manhattan.
• • During May 1905, as Sam Shubert was traveling to Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania on business, the passenger train he was on had a serious collision. Severely injured in the train wreck, 26-year-old Sam Shubert succumbed to his injuries two days later on 13 May 1905. His body was brought back to Manhattan for prepared for burial in the Salem Fields Cemetery in Brooklyn.
• • In 1913, Sam Shubert's brothers opened a prestigious new venue at 225 West 44th Street, in the heart of the bustling Broadway theatre district, which was named in his honor. Mae West enjoyed many bookings there starting with "Sometime."
• • The Sam S. Shubert Theatre, which remains in operation today as one of the great landmarks of The Gay White Way, was the starting point for the Mae West walking tour (which took place on 16 August 2009). To see this flagship building, have a look at the tour photos. • • Come up and see Mae every day online: http://MaeWest.blogspot.com/
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Mae West
• • Photo: • • Mae West • • none • •
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Mae West.
On 1 October 1937, Paramount Pictures announced that the venerable restaurant and hotel owner George Rector [1878—1947] would be co-starring with MAE WEST in her latest motion picture "Every Day's a Holiday." 
• • The motion picture opens on 31 December 1899 — — with the buzz that there will be the biggest New Year's Eve party ever at Rector's. The set featured a full scale version of Rector's in Times Square as it looked during its halcyon days.
• • "Every Day's a Holiday" was released on 18 December 1937.
• • When he wasn't busy appearing as himself in a Paramount film or running his famous eateries, George Rector penned cookbooks and guides to fine dining at home. Food critic Ruth Reichl once wrote, If George Rector, the author of the well-regarded ''Dining in New York'' in 1939, were to stroll through the restaurants of modern Manhattan, he would find very little to surprise him. Even then, the city had a lot to offer an adventurous appetite. The most glaring exception was Japanese food, which Mr. Rector dismissed as ''derivative of the Chinese.''
• • On 7 October 1937, The Hartford Courant ran a brief article with this headline: "George Rector May Open Hollywood Restaurant." Ah, that enticing wiggle of the word "may."• • At age 69, George Rector died on 26 November 1947. That year, in an early December issue, Time Magazine published this brief obituary: George Rector, last of the restaurateur Rectors of Manhattan's lobster-&-champagne era; of a heart ailment; in Manhattan. Apple-cheeked, white-haired George carried on when father Charles died in 1914, but bowed out when Prohibition closed his last café in 1923; thereafter he nourished the Rector legend and himself by diligent publicity work, lecturing and writing, wound up as food consultant for a Chicago meat packer.
• • Come up and see Mae every day online: http://MaeWest.blogspot.com/
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Mae West
• • Photo: • • Mae West • • with George Rector in 1937 • •
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Mae West.
MAE WEST remembers, in September, a man she almost married. 
• • George Raft [26 September 1895 — 24 November 1980] was an American film actor most closely identified with his portrayals of gangsters in crime dramas of the 1930s — 1940s.
• • Born George Ranft in Washington Heights [in New York City zip code 10032] to Conrad Ranft (who was of German descent), he adopted a slick "tough guy" persona that he would later use in his films.
• • In 1910, little Georgie was living with his sister and parents on West 163rd Street.• • As with Mae West, George's mother was born in Germany; she emigrated to the USA in 1878. Eva Ranft taught dancing to theatre people — — and gave her son lessons. His smooth tango and dance-floor style led to performances at some of Times Square's most fashionable nightspots. He became part of the stage act of "Texas Guinan and Her Gang."
• • Mae West tried to recruit him for the role of Juarez in "Diamond Lil" but George said he "wasn't ready." In truth, his lack of schooling made him worry that he might not be able to remember all the lines and cues for a stage play. As a dancer, he didn't have to worry about memorizing a lot. • • In 1929 Raft moved to Hollywood and took small roles. His success came in Scarface [1932], the role that was originally offered to Jack LaRue, an actor who played opposite Mae West in her 1928 Broadway hit Diamond Lil. George Raft's convincing portrayal of the gangster led to speculation that he himself was a mobster - - not far from the truth.
• • When the studio was casting Raft's new feature Night after Night, the role of Maudie Triplett, a former gal pal, was to be offered to a well regarded actress and night club personality: Texas Guinan. Raft suggested Mae West for this cameo, and Mae's three little scenes set the so-so film on fire. "Mae stole everything but the cameras," admitted George Raft.
• • Come up and see Mae every day online: http://MaeWest.blogspot.com/
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Mae West
• • Photo: • • Mae West with co-star • • 1932 • •
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Mae West.
