Mae West: Russell Hardie

MAE WEST spent the summer of 1931 in rehearsals with her upcoming large scale play “The Constant Sinner.” Set in Harlem, the heroine Babe Gordon calls herself “a prizefighter’s tart.”
• • William Russell Hardie played the role of the boxer Bearcat Delaney, who fell madly in love with Babe Gordon and threw away his career, in “The Constant Sinner.”

• • Burns Mantle wrote in The N.Y. Daily News: “As the fighter, Russell Hardie has to indulge in several love scenes with the husky Mae."
• • William Russell Hardie [20 May 1904 ― 21 July 1973] • •
• • Born in Buffalo, NY, actor William Russell Hardie portrayed the besotted boxer Bearcat Delaney in “The Constant Sinner” ― written by and starring Mae West.
• • Middleweight champ Bearcat Delaney (Russell Hardie) cannot satisfy the ravenous sexual appetite of his wife Babe Gordon (Mae West) so she takes on the handsome and very wealthy department store heir Wayne Baldwin.
• • Starting in 1929, the handsome hunk was cast in 25 Broadway dramas including “A Streetcar Named Desire” and “The Andersonville Trial.” His last stage role was in 1961.
• • The Hollywood film industry also embraced Hardie. In 1930, he had a supporting role in “The Costello Case,” an early-sound crime, mystery, suspense thriller about a murdered mortician. In the cast was Roscoe Karns, who has scenes with Mae West in “Night After Night” (1932); another cast mate of Russell Hardie's was William B. Davidson, who plays the chump in Mae West starrer “I’m No Angel.”
• • Russell Hardie was also kept busy with appearances in Broadway to Hollywood, Stage Mother, Christopher Bean, As the Earth Turns, Men in White, Operator 13, Murder in the Private Car, Pursued, Hell in the Heavens, The Band Plays On, Sequoia, West Point of the Air, Speed Devils, In Old Kentucky, The Harvester, Down to the Sea, Meet Nero Wolfe, Killer at Large, Camille, The Frogmen, The Whistle at Eaton Falls, Cop Hater, Fail Safe, and The Group, his farewell film.
• • Hardie died on Saturday, 21 July 1973 in Clarence, New York. He was age 69.  
• • Burns Mantle wrote: As the prizefighter, Russell Hardie has to indulge in several love scenes with the husky Mae. Although there are many colored actors, George Givot, white, plays the dark-skinned policy king. Arthur R. Vinton is authentic as a fight manager, and Donald Kirke, Walter Glass, and Walter Petrie help things along.
• • Source: Drama Review, The N.Y. Daily News; published on Wednesday, 16 September 1931.
• • On Saturday, 1 July 1933 • •
• • A Mickey Mouse cartoon, "Mickey's Gala Premiere," was released on Saturday, 1 July 1933. Mae West is one of the celebrities who makes an appearance.
• • July 2004: Mae West Blog launches • •
• • What are we up to, writing about the Brooklyn-born bombshell for eighteen years now?
• • We’re here to keep Mae mavens up to date, correct errors, celebrate each revival of a play she wrote, post the latest Westian stage and book reviews. And answer our fan mail!
• • The light’s still on. Come up and see Mae every day.
• • Overheard in Hollywood • •
• • In past years, Steel Pier showcased some of the biggest names in show business, including Mae West, Guy Lombardo, and Benny Goodman.
• • In Her Own Words • •
• • Mae West said: "You learn to get along in life by studying life."
• • Quote, Unquote • •
• • A fan magazine mentioned Mae West.
• • "Goin' to Town" — Paramount — Mae West, pursuing the man instead of being pursued, in a fast-moving, wise-cracking film, that will keep you laughing. (May)
• • Note: The script was originally written for James Cagney, a jockey who tries to break into society.
• • Note: In her syndicated column, Louella Parsons wrote: Gene Markey and Kathryn Scola have written an original for James Cagney called "Goin' to Town" and, although Jimmy Cagney plays a race track Jockey, he tries no rough tactics. In fact, he breaks into society and becomes the idol of the tony Four Hundred. "Goin' to Town" follows "The Heir Chaser" and it's one to a million he will have Joan Blondell with him on account of popular demand. …
• • Source: Photoplay Magazine; published in the issue dated for July 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 18th anniversary • • 
• • Thank you for reading, sending questions, and posting comments during these past eighteen years. Not long ago, we entertained 3,497 visitors. And we reached a milestone recently when we completed 5,000 blog posts. Wow! 
• • By the Numbers • •
• • The Mae West Blog was started eighteen years ago in July 2004. You are reading the 5,028th 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 • • onstage in 1931 • •
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Mae West: Legal Linder

On Friday, 21 January 1938, MAE WEST was in many newspapers — — again due to more legal woes. For example, the headline in The Argus announced "Action Against Mae West" and this item appeared in the daily Melbourne, Victoria publication.
• • "Action Against Mae West" • •
• • Los Angeles, Thursday — — Miss Mae West, the film actress, and Paramount Pictures have been sued for 1,000,000 dollars (£A200,000) by Mr. Mark Linder, an author, who has charged them with fraud in connection with the story of the film "She Done Him Wrong," which, he alleges, was written by him.
• • Mr. Linder claims that he was induced to sell his interest in the story for 25,000 dollars (£A5,000), while Paramount Pictures made 4,000,000 dollars (£A800,000) and Miss West 330,000 dollars (£A67,800).
• • Source: News item in The Argus (Melbourne); published on Friday, 21 January 1938.
• • On Saturday, 21 January 1950 • •
• • When the revival of "Diamond Lil" left the Plymouth Theatre on Saturday night, 21 January 1950, Mae West immediately took the show on the road. The hard-working performer has never let an understudy substitute for her onstage. How many actresses can say that?
• • On Tuesday, 21 January 2003 in the UK • •
• • Ben Southwell directed the episode "Living Famously — Mae West," which was part of a television series originally broadcast in Great Britain from 2002 — 2003. Starring W.C. Fields, Cary Grant, Mickey Hargitay, et al, this footage originally aired in the UK on Tuesday, 21 January 2003.
• • Overheard in Hollywood • •
• • Mae West is Hollywood's Jekyll-Hyde. She revels in her two identities. On a picture she gave me she wrote, "A bad woman with a good heart." I'll bank on the good and applaud the bad.
• • In Her Own Words • •
• • Mae West said:   "I'm too busy to fall in love."
• • Quote, Unquote • •

• • The Film Daily mentioned Mae West and Texas Guinan, who enjoyed a movie outing.
• • The motion picture "Little Caesar" officially debuted at the Strand Theatre [1579 Broadway at West 47th] in New York City on Friday, 9 January 1931.
• • The Film Daily wrote: Zeb Epstein and his assistants made a list of the notables who entered the Strand Theatre, to see "Little Caesar," during the 24 hours ending Monday midnight. Here they are: Mae West, Eddie Leonard, Texas Guinan, Bill Tilden, Pauline Starke, George Bancroft, Irving Berlin, Grant Withers, Tammany Young, Primo Camera, and "Shipwreck" Kelly, who tried to crash the gate with his wife and whole family. ...
• • Source: Item: "'Little Caesar' Draws Notables" in The Film Daily; published on Wednesday, 21 January 1931  
• • The Mae West Blog celebrates its 11th anniversary • •    
• • Thank you for reading, sending questions, and posting comments during these past eleven years. The other day we entertained 3,497 visitors. And we reached a milestone recently when we completed 3,300 blog posts. Wow! 
• • By the Numbers • • 
• • The Mae West Blog was started ten years ago in July 2004. You are reading the 3360th 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 • • onstage in 1931 • •
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Mae West: Oversexed Damsel

It is difficult to determine how much time MAE WEST devoted to perusing book reviews in Daily Princetonian. But if the publisher of Babe Gordon had sent the author this clip — — printed on page 2 in New Jersey on Saturday, 17 January 1931 — — the description of her Harlem-lovin' heroine as "oversexed" would have caused immoderate hilarity and conspicuous eye-rolling.
• • Since this Princetonian sage opines that "for erotic description La West is pretty darned good," more than one member of his armchair audience must have been attempting to extract $2 worth of coins from the nearest piggy bank. Let's read it together.
• BABE GORDON. By Mae West. The Macaulay Company, New York. $2 •
• • Babe is an oversexed damsel . . . • •

• • The Daily Princetonian critic wrote: Mae West did just what was expected of her when it was announced that she was about to write a book. She turned out a dirty, frank, funny, crude, vulgar piece of work that can't very well be described. If it's at all autobiographical, Mae ought to be ashamed, but we don't think even she would have the nerve to own up to Babe Gordon's life. Babe is an oversexed damsel who starts out as a prizefighter's prostitute. After ruining one by marriage and, we gather, by too much "sexual allure" (La West likes that phrase), she turns to a rich negro, to the fabulous son of a 5-and-10cent-store owner, back to the prizefighter and so on, not to mention a few dollars picked up here and there. You must realize that Babe is just about the most beautiful wench in all New York; she picks her men, the men don't pick her. She can go anywhere and do anything, or almost. Well, anyway, for erotic description La West is pretty darned good; for plot she couldn't be more obvious; and for cheapness and vulgarity she is incomparable. — E. R., Jr.
• • Source: Daily Princetonian (page 2), Volume 55, Number 171; book review published on Saturday, 17 January 1931.
• • On Wednesday, 17 January 1934 in The L.A. Times • •
• • Covering the trial, and Mae's testimony about the frightening jewel heist engineered by brazen Harry Voiler, The Los Angeles Times wrote this account of the proceedings:
• • Mae West swayed into court on high French heels and hitched up her hips as she made ready to climb into the witness box. A mink coat made Mae West look like any other well-dressed woman from the rear but it was the front view that wowed the crowded courtroom. It may not be done on purpose but Miss West has a trick way of carrying her hands when she walks . . . and there is no question that it went over big. She wore her coat unbuttoned and placed the backs of her hands on her body just below the hips, well to the rear."
• • On Monday, 17 January 1944 • •
• • An article about the motion picture "The Heat's On" starring Mae West was published in Hollywood Citizen-News in Monday's issue on 17 January 1944.
• • On Monday, 17 January 1949 in The N.Y. Times • •
• • Mae West was 55 years old in January 1949. Always feisty and hard-working, the actress pushed herself and, alas, various health problems caught up with her during January 1949. Portraying the insouciant Diamond Lil in a three-hour play was bound to be more difficult while ailing and touring, even for this indefatigable trouper.
• • No doubt these headlines in The New York Times added more stress to both the star and her producers when reporter Sam Zolotow's article was printed in Monday's newspaper on 17 January 1949: "Mae West Revival Drops Toronto Run; Star's Illness in Baltimore to Halt Buffalo, Syracuse Visits — — Play Due Here February 3rd."
• • Sam Zolotow wrote: A gallant attempt by Mae West to minimize her illness has not been successful. The star of "Diamond Lil," scheduled to arrive February 3 at the Coronet in the revival of her play, had appeared in Baltimore last week through Friday night [on 14 January 1949], when she was taken ill. . . .
• • Ironically, this distressing announcement appeared in the paper on page 15 in their section called "Amusements" [N.Y. Times, 17 January 1949]. Well, we know who was not amused!
• • Perhaps the difficulty of continuing to perform in a lengthy stage play, especially when she was not feeling up to par — — in order not to disappoint ticket-holders and her fans — — contributed to Mae's accident in February 1949, when she fell and broke her ankle in her midtown Manhattan hotel.
• • In Her Own Words • •
• • Mae West was asked: "What do you require of a leading man?"
• • Mae West said: "Experience. Then I try to make them fall for me. It usually improves their acting."
• • Quote, Unquote • •
• • A section from a biography mentioned January 17th and Mae West.
• • Jill Watts wrote: [in December 1929] Mae learned that her mother's condition had worsened. Prevented from returning home by the [West Coast] tour, she dispatched New York's best doctors to Tillie's bedside and sent Timony to search for the Sri. ...
• • Jill Watts continued: Mae arrived on January 17, finding her mother clinging to life. Timony's search for the Sri had failed, so she summoned more doctors. ... On Sunday, January 26 [1930] ... with her devoted daughter nearby, Tillie West, the force that had nurtured an American folk icon, passed away. ...
• • Source: Jill Watts, "Mae West: An Icon in Black and White" by Jill Watts [NY: Oxford University Press, 2001]
• • By the Numbers • • 
• • The Mae West Blog was started eight years ago in July 2004. You are reading the 2549th 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 • • 1931 • •
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