Mae West: B.B.C. Cutbacks

On the last day of September, the overseas fans of MAE WEST saw this woeful headline: "Mae West Radio Turns Cancelled." 

• • LONDON — September 29 — To save dollars, the B.B.C. has cancelled two Mae West broadcasts, dropped the 'trans-Atlantic quiz' and other programmes featuring American artists.
• • As star in her own stage show 'Diamond Lil' at a West End Theatre, Mae West will be paid over £1000 a week.
• • Source: Item in Townsville Daily Bulletin; published on Tuesday, 30 September 1947.
• • On Saturday, 30 September 1911 • •
• • On Friday, 22 September 1911, 18-year-old Mae West was in the spotlight. On that date, "A La Broadway" had opened at the Folies-Bergere Theatre, New York, NY. This short-lived revue (produced in an expensive venue) closed on Saturday night, 30 September 1911.
• • Variety noted on September 30th: "Folies Bergere Experiment Reaching an End."
• • On Sunday, 30 September 1934 • •
• • Andre Sennwald wrote an article "Lines for a Mae West Scrapbook." It was published in The New York Times on Sunday, 30 September 1934.
• • On Saturday, 30 September 1944 • •
• • On Saturday, 30 September 1944 Mae West, who was playing the Empress of Russia, moved her show "Catherine Was Great" from the Shubert Theatre to the Royale, the playhouse that had originally welcomed Diamond Lil and her boisterous Bowery hijinx in 1928.
• • Overheard in Hollywood • •
• • Mae West was given a birthday party on the set of "Go West Young Man" at the Triangle ranch in Corona. The party also celebrated the birthday of Mrs. Henry Hathaway, wife of the director.  Emanuel Cohen, head of Major Pictures, attended the affair, as did Mrs. Baikoff, Mae West's sister.
• • In Her Own Words • •
• • Mae West said: "I think a woman may owe a man a lovin'.  But not a livin'!"
• • Quote, Unquote • •
• • The Film Daily mentioned Mae West.
• • Hollywood — Having started production on the Mae West film, Emanuel Cohen, president of Major Pictures, now has his next five pictures in preparation.  ...
• • Source: Item in West Coast Bureau of Film Daily; published on Friday, 14 April 1936 
• • The Mae West Blog celebrates its 10th anniversary • •    
• • Thank you for reading, sending questions, and posting comments during this past decade. The other day we entertained 1,223 visitors. 
• • By the Numbers • • 
• • The Mae West Blog was started ten years ago in July 2004. You are reading the 3015th 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 • • in 1947 • •
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Mae West: Bernard Herzbrun

The artistic atmosphere for three motion picture classics starring MAE WEST was in the hands of one gentleman, Bernard Herzbrun, a January baby who also died in the first month of the year.
• • Bernard Herzbrun [10 January 1891 — 7 January 1964] • •
• • Born (like Mae West) in New York City, Bernard Herzbrun came into this world on Saturday, 10 January 1891.
• • Bernard Herzbrun spent his earliest years in Tinseltown at Paramount Pictures. He helmed the art direction for "I'm No Angel" [1933], "Belle of the Nineties" [1934], and "Klondike Annie" [1936]. 
• • His next studio was 20th Century Fox; he would soon receive an Academy Award nomination in 1938 for a musical comedy. During his long sojourn in the screen trade, the five-foot-eight Art Director worked on 281 motion pictures between 1930 — 1956. He was assigned to detective projects, historical dramas, family pictures, romantic fare, and other genres.
• • Bernard Herzbrun died in Los Angeles on Tuesday, 7 January 1964. He was 72.
• • On Friday, 14 January 1938 • •
• • In the month of January, "Every Day's a Holiday" debuted in the USA on a weekend — — Friday, 14 January 1938.
• • It was the first Mae West film that failed to make money, unfortunately, and Paramount Pictures cut ties with her..
• • On Wednesday, 14 January 1959 • •
• • When he was hired in to help Mae West get her memoir together, ghostwriter Stephen Longstreet may have discussed autobiography's conventions — — the expected triumphs won after disappointments, the lessons learned from hard knocks, and the struggles along the way. Their collaboration during 1957 — 1958 produced a manuscript published in hardcover by Prentice-Hall on Wednesday, 14 January 1959. Using a well-worn comeback borrowed from the speakeasy hostess Texas Guinan, Mae titled her life story "Goodness Had Nothing to Do with It."
• • In Her Own Words • •
• • Mae West said: "Favorite book? Any book dealing with the weakness of mankind. I like to combine research with my literature."
• • Quote, Unquote • •

• • Billboard mentioned Mae West.
• • Billboard wrote: Kansas City, MO., 18 January 1947 — Mae West and her "Come On Up" clicked an $11,000 net for four performances (9th — 11th) at the Music Hall, Jimmy Nixon of A and N Presentations, reported. After each performance Miss West invited the audience to "come on up" to the stage for autographs. They did. ...
• • Source: Item: "Mae West Takes Good 11G in 4 Shows in Kansas City" in Billboard Magazine (page 41); published on Saturday, 25 January 1947 
• • By the Numbers • • 
• • The Mae West Blog was started eight years ago in July 2004. You are reading the 2546th 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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Mae West: Rewriting Play

On Wednesday, 22 October 1947, MAE WEST was on the front page of an Australian newspaper talking about the British tour of "Diamond Lil," which had been a success on Broadway.  The original production in 1928 had a run-time of three hours.  Here it was almost twenty years later.
• • "Mae West Busy Re-writing Play" • •

• • London, October 21 — Mae West left the Palace Theatre, Manchester, tonight, returned to her hotel and began re-writing her 20,000-word play "Diamond Lil."
• • The play ran for three years (sic) in New York, but critics were not impressed at the British opening.  The Evening Standard said: "After two hours the audience was left wondering what it was all about. 'Diamond Lil' is merely something to show off Mae West in clinging gowns singing 'Frankie and Johnnie' and reclining on a bed which is surmounted by a huge golden swan."
• • Mae West, who is 57, said: "I am not done. I will adapt and improve the dialogue and introduce new jokes."
• • Source: Article: "Mae West Busy Re-writing Play" printed (on page 1) in Barrier Miner; published on Wednesday, 22 October 1947.
• • Edward Burra [29 March 1905 — 22 October 1976] • •
• • Born near East Sussex, Edward Burra was an English painter, printmaker, and draughtsman. He was best known for his depictions of gay life, vaudevillians, performers, the urban underworld, black culture, and the Harlem (NYC) scene of the 1930s.
• • Mae West inspired this quirky British artist. Edward Burra's startling "Portrait of Mae West" came to life thanks to "Belle of the Nineties," a motion picture he viewed several times during the mid-1930s.
• • 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.
• • On Tuesday, 22 October 1935 in Hollywood • •
• • Missives flew back and forth from the Hays Office about the wicked script for "Klondike Annie" and Mae West.
• • On Tuesday, 22 October 1935 Will Hays emphasized this: "We wish to repeat our general caution, as set forth to you in our letter of October 19, regarding the photographing of Mae West's breasts.  We again remind you that there is a definite code provision which ordains the breasts must never be exposed, either in whole or in part — — nor should these be emphasized in the costume.  ..."
• • On Sunday, 22 October 2006 • •
• • Angus McBean photographed Mae West, Audrey Hepburn, Marlene Dietrich, Katharine Hepburn, and numerous movie stars. His exhibition "Portraits" was held at the Porter Gallery, opening on 5 July 2006 and closing on Sunday, 22 October 2006.
• • In Her Own Words • •
• • Mae West said: "I soon saw that I was a prisoner of my publicity and success."
• • Quote, Unquote • •
• • An article on 22 October 1933 quoted Mae West.
• • Mae West said: "The movies, in picturing erring women as doomed to suffer heartbreak and misery, have only been half right.  Maybe years ago that situation prevailed.  But not today.  People are more broad-minded." ...
• • Source: Article in The L.A. Times; published on Sunday, 22 October 1933 

• • By the Numbers • •
• • The Mae West Blog was started eight years ago in July 2004. You are reading the 2465th 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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