Mae West: Blu-Ray Mae #9

MAE WEST returns in Blu-Ray Releases, thanks to Kino Lorber Studio Classics.
• • Dillon Gonzales wrote: Kino Lorber Studio Classics has unveiled the details of their June 2021 Blu-Ray releases including works from such icons as Mae West, Benny Hill, Chris Rock, Dave Chappelle, Jennifer Connelly, Robert Altman, Alastair Sim, Cary Grant and more.
• • “Night After Night” • •
• • Dillon Gonzales wrote: Synopsis: Screen greats George Raft (Spawn of the North) and Mae West (She Done Him Wrong) star in the Pre-Code drama Night After Night, about a speakeasy owner with a colorful past.

• • Dillon Gonzales wrote: Joe Anton (Raft), an ex-thug intent on losing his street-smart manner, hires a proper spinster named Mabel (Alison Skipworth, The Song of Songs) to accompany him and Miss Healy (Constance Cummings, The Battle of the Sexes) to dinner at his swanky establishment.
• • Dillon Gonzales wrote: Complicating matters, his flamboyant ex-girlfriend, Maudie Triplett (Mae West), breezes over to their table and innocently begins to expose Joe’s criminal past.
• • Dillon Gonzales wrote: Making her screen debut, Mae West delighted audiences with her wit, beauty and charm, thus launching her career as one of the most unforgettable Hollywood icons of all time.
• • Dillon Gonzales wrote: Co-starring Louis Calhern (The Magnificent Yankee) and wonderfully directed by Archie Mayo (The Petrified Forest).
• • Bonus Features: NEW Audio Commentary by Film Historians Alexandra Heller-Nicholas and Josh Nelson | 6 Mae West Trailers
• • Source: Geek Vibes Nation; posted on Tuesday, 11 May 2021.
• • On Saturday, 29 June 1935 • •
• • Paramount liaison John Hammell wrote diplomatic letters to Will Hays but his skills were sorely tested by the "Klondike Annie" project.  One of Hammell's soothing missives (dated for 29 June 1935) explained:  "The ending of our story will be a romance between Mae West and one of the characters in our picture, and it will indicate for the future a normal life and nothing that will bring condemnation from the most scrupulous."
• • Overheard in Hollywood • •
• • Born in New York City, Vera West designed the gowns Mae West wore in her collaboration with W.C. Fields.  Vera West remained at Universal until her death in 1947 where she was responsible for the gowns for the most part. Her credit appeared on 339 motion pictures.
• • Vera West died in Los Angeles on Sunday, 29 June 1947. She was 49.
• • In Her Own Words • •
• • Mae West said: "Why don't you come up and see me some time? Make it Tuesday, that's amateur night."
• • Quote, Unquote • •
• • An article about gender and films mentioned Mae West.
• • A Gender Variance Who's Who wrote:  The motion picture "Dinah East" [1969] tells of a female film star (Jeremy Stockwell in his first role) who is found to be male-bodied after she dies. The suggestion that this was a reference to Mae West is too strong, she threatens legal action, and the film is withdrawn.  ...
• • Source: A Gender Variance Who's Who; posted on Monday, 1 June 2009
• • 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 4,766th 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 1932 • •
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Mae West: Colin Kenny

MAE WEST starred in "The Heat's On" [1943] and Colin Kenny was seen briefly as a night club patron.
• • Colin Kenny [4 December 1888 — 2 December 1968] • •

• • Born in Dublin, Ireland on Tuesday, 4 December 1888, the child's name was Oswald Joseph Collins.  He trained for the stage, then came to the USA in 1917 at the age of 29. During the silent screen era, Tarzan gained in popularity and Colin was cast in one of these jungle adventure pics and its sequel. Supporting roles came his way easily until the talkies gained currency with audiences.
• • Kenny was hired for an uncredited part in "Alice in Wonderland" [1933], a big budget opus by Paramount featuring Cary Grant as the Mock Turtle, W.C. Fields as Humpty-Dumpty, Alison Skipworth as the Duchess, Roscoe Karns as Tweedledee, and Jackie Searl as the Dormouse — — all of whom would work with Mae West.
• • Occasionally, a casting agent in need of British ex-pats would give Colin Kerry something interesting. But it was mostly bit parts that paid the rent, even though he could claim 238 credits for his screen and TV work on "Perry Mason" and "The Andy Griffith Show."  When he played a pub customer in "Munster, Go Home!" [1966], he was 78 years old.     
• • Active to the end, Colin Kenny died in Los Angeles in early December — — on Monday, 2 December 1968. He was 79.                   
• • Archie Mayo [29 January 1891 — 4 December 1968] • •
• • Born in New York City on 29 January 1891, Archie Mayo was a stage actor who relocated to the West Coast in 1915 and soon began devoting himself to directing.
• • Mayo directed the speakeasy motion picture "Night After Night" [1932] — — a George Raft vehicle that did more for Mae's career than for the street tough thespian best known for "Scarface."
• • Mayo retired in 1946 — — shortly after completing "A Night in Casablanca" with the Marx Brothers and "Angel on My Shoulder" with Paul Muni, Anne Baxter, and Claude Rains.
• • Archie Mayo died in Guadalajara, Mexico in the month of December — — on Wednesday, 4 December 1968. He was 77. Mayo has a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.
• • On Sunday, 4 December 1932 • • 
• • It's more than amusing that Billy Sunday chose a Sunday to pay a visit to Mae West with his wife. On 4 December 1932, Mr. and Mrs. Sunday took photographs on the set of "She Done Him Wrong." Billy is pretending to smash the set's saloon in some candids. Too funny.
• • On Monday, 4 December 1933 • • 
• • Motion Picture Herald ran an article on Mae West, who had been robbed, in the issue dated for Monday, 4 December 1933.
• • On Monday, 4 December 1978 • •
• • Hollywood icon Mae West, still surrounded by young and handsome men and gorgeous bodybuilders, piqued the interest of the editors of People Magazine. They did a piece on "Sextette" in the issue dated for Monday, 4 December 1978.
• • In Her Own Words • •
• • Mae West said: "I'm going to change my tempo and work very, very fast. This picture needs a big lift to pick up the speed and wake an audience up."
• • Mae West said: "I believe in the Single Standard for men and women."
• • Quote, Unquote • •
• • Film Daily mentioned Archie Mayo and Mae West.
• • The West Coast Bureau wrote: "Hollywood — Archie Mayo, Warner director, has been assigned by Paramount to direct George Raft, Nancy Carroll, Mae West, Alison Skipworth and Wynne Gibson in "Night After Night," starting late this month. ...
• • Source: Item: "Archie Mayo at Paramount" written by West Coast Bureau of The Film Daily; published on Tuesday, 12 July 1932 
• • By the Numbers • • 
• • The Mae West Blog was started eight years ago in July 2004. You are reading the 2505th 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 • • 1943 • •
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Mae West: Mayo's Night After

Archie Mayo directed MAE WEST in 1932 — — and we are thinking of him because he died during the month of December.
• • Born in New York City, Archie Mayo [29 January 1891 — 4 December 1968] was a stage actor who relocated to the West Coast in 1915 and soon began working as a film director.
• • Mayo directed the speakeasy motion picture "Night After Night" [1932] — — a George Raft vehicle that did more for Mae's career than for the tough guy actor known best for "Scarface."
• • Critiquing the film's debut, Variety (for once) was full of praise for Mae West.
• • Reviewer Bige wrote: Bootlegger stuff and some gangster atmosphere climaxed by and off screen shooting finish are played down to run secondary to the feminine interest. Raft is mixed up in both. The women are: a past flame (West), recently discarded sweetheart (Gibson), present head woman and "nice" girl (Cummings) and a middle-aged school teacher employed to give the mugg English lessons. When the Misses Skipworth and West are on view, together or separately, the laughs come often, and in the brief period assigned them as a team the comedy pace is even speedier. They do a virtual cross-fire two-act when doubling. Miss West's dialog is always unmistakably her own. It is doubtful if anyone else could write it just that way.
• • The way the West—Skipworth moments stand out suggests the picture could have stood more of them, but the obvious intent is to nurse Miss West along. She's tossed into this one rather abruptly and without bearing on the plot, much in the manner that Jimmy Durante has been handled by Metro. That's okay if they don't do it too often. As long as this film proves the former legit name has something for pictures it wouldn't be taking a chance to shoot the works on her from now on.
• • Miss Skipworth's intelligent painting of a cultured lady having her first taste of hotcha is a gem. Misses Cummings and Gibson are more restricted than their elders, holding down ingenue-like roles that call for looks mostly. But they deliver in every way. No leading man has been more ably supported.
• • Story is merely that of a mugg who yearns to toss off the mugg staff after falling in love at a distance with a Lady. That he winds up with his goal attained doesn't matter much, although the happy ending changes the tone that runs through the story up to them. He's told midway by one of the girls he is more likable when he's himself. . . . [Source: Variety Magazine; columnist Bige; an excerpt from a lengthy review originally published on 1 November 1932.]
• • In addition to "Night After Night," Archie Mayo's directorial credits include Is Everybody Happy? (1929) with Ted Lewis, The Petrified Forest (1936) with Bette Davis and Humphrey Bogart, and The Adventures of Marco Polo (1938) with Gary Cooper.
• • Mayo retired in 1946 — — shortly after completing A Night in Casablanca with the Marx Brothers and Angel on My Shoulder with Paul Muni, Anne Baxter, and Claude Rains.
• • Mayo has a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.
• • 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.

Mae West: Archie Mayo

Archie Mayo directed MAE WEST in 1932 — — and we are thinking of him in January because his birthday just passed.
• • Born in New York City, Archie Mayo [29 January 1891 — 4 December 1968] was a stage actor who relocated to the West Coast in 1915 and soon began working as a film director.
• • Mayo directed the speakeasy motion picture "Night After Night" [1932] — — a George Raft vehicle that did more for Mae's career than for the tough guy actor known best for "Scarface."
• • Critiquing the film's debut, Variety (for once) was full of praise for Mae West.
• • Reviewer Bige wrote: Bootlegger stuff and some gangster atmosphere climaxed by and off screen shooting finish are played down to run secondary to the feminine interest. Raft is mixed up in both. The women are: a past flame (West), recently discarded sweetheart (Gibson), present head woman and "nice" girl (Cummings) and a middle-aged school teacher employed to give the mugg English lessons. When the Misses Skipworth and West are on view, together or separately, the laughs come often, and in the brief period assigned them as a team the comedy pace is even speedier. They do a virtual cross-fire two-act when doubling. Miss West's dialog is always unmistakably her own. It is doubtful if anyone else could write it just that way.
• • The way the West—Skipworth moments stand out suggests the picture could have stood more of them, but the obvious intent is to nurse Miss West along. She's tossed into this one rather abruptly and without bearing on the plot, much in the manner that Jimmy Durante has been handled by Metro. That's okay if they don't do it too often. As long as this film proves the former legit name has something for pictures it wouldn't be taking a chance to shoot the works on her from now on.
• • Miss Skipworth's intelligent painting of a cultured lady having her first taste of hotcha is a gem. Misses Cummings and Gibson are more restricted than their elders, holding down ingenue-like roles that call for looks mostly. But they deliver in every way. No leading man has been more ably supported.
• • Story is merely that of a mugg who yearns to toss off the mugg staff after falling in love at a distance with a Lady. That he winds up with his goal attained doesn't matter much, although the happy ending changes the tone that runs through the story up to them. He's told midway by one of the girls he is more likable when he's himself. . . . [Source: Variety Magazine; columnist Bige; an excerpt from a lengthy review originally published on 1 November 1932.]
• • In addition to "Night After Night," Archie Mayo's directorial credits include Is Everybody Happy? (1929) with Ted Lewis, The Petrified Forest (1936) with Bette Davis and Humphrey Bogart, and The Adventures of Marco Polo (1938) with Gary Cooper.
• • Mayo retired in 1946 — — shortly after completing A Night in Casablanca with the Marx Brothers and Angel on My Shoulder with Paul Muni, Anne Baxter, and Claude Rains.
• • Mayo has a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.
• • Come up and see Mae every day online: http://MaeWest.blogspot.com/
________
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Mae West
• • Photo: • • Mae West • • none • •
NYC
Mae West.