Mae West: Rapturous Rituals

MAE WEST came to the attention of Tinseltown ninety years ago in 1932. Step into the Time Machine with me for a long, leisurely ride. This is Part 33.
• • Mae West in Hollywood 1932 – 1943 • •
• • Mae West: Duke Ellington’s Orchestra altered musical numbers • •
• • Andy Goulding wrote: Accompanied by the Duke Ellington Orchestra, West’s usual snatches of scattered tunes are replaced by some big production numbers.

• • Andy Goulding wrote: The opening “My American Beauty” involves several impressive costume and scenery changes, and a bizarre and somewhat un-PC sequence involving a campily overwrought African-American spiritual service is impressively handled by Leo McCarey as he inter-cuts its rapturous rituals with a lonely solo performance by Mae West.
• • Mae West: “My Old Flame” — pleasing simplicity • • …
• • This will be continued on the next post.
• • Source: Blueprint Reviews U.K.; posted on Friday, 3 December 2021.
• • On Wednesday, 1 November 1933 • •
• • On Wednesday, 1 November 1933, Mae West rehearsed "Frankie and Johnny" for the broadcast on "The Rudy Vallée Hour." The music for the orchestra was arranged by Elliott Jacobi.
• • Overheard in Hollywood • •
• • There are tantalizing flashes of insight about how Marilyn Monroe developed her screen persona: Natasha Lytess encouraged her to imitate Mae West’s walk. And Johnny Hyde told her to study Charlie Chaplin’s movies.
• • In Her Own Words • •
• • Mae West said: “I take an enema every single day of my life — — after I leave the bathroom, you can go in and fry an egg.”
• • Quote, Unquote • •
• • A Palm Springs newspaper mentioned Mae West.
• • Louis Sobol wrote: Johnnie Ray travels backstage of the Latin Quarter to pose for a few camera shots with Mae West.  ...
• • Source: Gossip column item in Desert Sun; published on Monday, 1 November 1954
• • 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 5,100 blog posts. Wow! 
• • By the Numbers • •
• • The Mae West Blog was started eighteen years ago in July 2004. You are reading the 5,111th 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 1934 • •
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Mae West: Jackie Searl

A young actor was featured in "My Little Chickadee" [1940] starring MAE WEST.  Do you recall Jackie Searl?

• • Born in Anaheim, California on 7 July 1921, John E. Searl began his silver screen resume with "Daughters of Desire" [1929], a silent movie, as Jackie Searl when he was a lad of eight.

• • The clean-cut freckled blond was a bratty counterpart to child actress Jane Withers. Cast in 94 productions for the cinema as well as in guest-starring bits on TV (1960 — 1969), Jackie found it easier to attract attention during the pre-WW2 era.

• • Jackie Searl continued playing secondary parts into his teens with roles in "Ginger" [1935], "Little Lord Fauntleroy" [1936], "That Certain Age" [1938] and "Small Town Deb" [1941].  He was seen in a minor role (Boy) in "My Little Chickadee" when he was 19.

• • Searl never made it as far as Freddie Bartolomew, who took the title role in "Little Lord Fauntleroy" — — a role once played on stage by a young Mae West.

• • After fulfilling his military obligations, Jackie Searl tried to recharge his Hollywood heyday. Then during the 1960s he made some inroads into small screen turf; he guest-starred on TV shows such as "Lassie," "Perry Mason," "Rawhide," and others.

• • Jackie Searl died in Tujunga, California in the month of April — — on Monday, 29 April 1991.  He was 69.

• •  Duke Ellington [29 April 1899 — 24 May 1974]  • •

• • On the birthday of Edward Kennedy "Duke" Ellington — — born at the end of April in Washington, D.C. — — it is interesting to recall how hard Mae West had to wrestle with Paramount Pictures to get the musician into her film "Belle of the Nineties."

• • Always the champion of the African-American talents she met, Mae insisted that the studio hire him to play and also appear in the movie. The studio didn't want to hire Ellington, at first, because they said the famed Cotton Club headliner would be "too expensive." When Paramount finally gave in to Mae, they agreed to let Ellington and his orchestra play — — however, they insisting on having all white musicians on the set.

• • Mae West marched into the head office at Paramount and said, "White men can't play black music in my picture!" And it was done. Ellington and his band were used and shown onscreen, thanks to Mae (who refused to budge on this).

• • "Belle of the Nineties" was in production from 19 March 1934 until June 1934.

• • Born in Washington, D.C. on 29 April 1899, Duke Ellington died on 24 May 1974 in New York City.   He was 75.

• • On Monday, 29 April 1935 in the Cornell Daily Sun • •

• • The caption read: Autograph seekers drive Miss Lyn Olson (above), 22-year-old beauty parlor operator of Milwaukee, Wisconsin, "crazy" because she resembles Mae West, blonde screen actress of many marriage licenses. And the Associated Press b/w photo reveals so startling a likeness that Lyn Olson could have had a second career as a Mae West look-alike.  Were Lyn's eyes blue, too? [Source: page 6 of Cornell Daily Sun, Volume 55, Issue 154, on Monday, 29 April 1935.]

• • On Friday, 29 April 1938 in the Boston Herald • •

• • Beantown readers were treated to this titillation on 29 April 1938, announced with a boldface headline:  Clutching, Squealing Crowd Greets Mae West with Mob Scene Here.

• • The Boston Herald reporter wrote: Complete with the publicized curves and husky, slurring accents that have made her practically a symbol of what she is pleased to call “the sex personality,” Mae West crashed into Boston yesterday morning through a clutching, squealing crowd of 3000 eager admirers who turned the South station into a mob scene.

• • The Boston Herald reporter noted: Cries of pain mingled with shouts of “There she is!” and “Give us a smile, Mae!” as the mob, in a surging onslaught, trampled on toes and barked shins to get closer to the object of it all. The plump blonde actress, in a trailing satin dress, with make-up thick on her features and a huge bunch of orchids clutched in a heavily jeweled hand, gave them the smile and was taken off to the Ritz-Carlton, where she is staying while appearing in person at the RKO Boston Theater this week.
• • On Saturday, 29 April 1950 in Pittsburgh • •

• • Pittsburgh's Mayor David Lawrence and Mae West shared the stage of the Nixon Theater on Saturday night, 29 April 1950, after the final performance of her play, "Diamond Lil." The 47-year-old playhouse was booked for bulldozing, making way for the new headquarters of the Aluminum Company of America.  Tsk.  But what do the citizens of Pittsburgh know about the magnificence of the theatre arts anyway?

• • On Sunday, 29 April 1984 in The N.Y. Times • •

• • N.Y. Times reporter Francis X. Clines was reviewing Peter Conrad's book and gave his 29 April 1984 column this spunky title: "Walt Whitman's and Mae Wests's New York."

• • In Her Own Words • •

• • Mae West said: "A dame that knows the ropes isn't likely to get tied up."

• • Quote, Unquote • •

• •  An article on broads mentioned Mae West.

• • Meta Wagner muses: It’s amazing to me how the quips Mae West famously uttered still serve as quotable quotes today: “Is that a gun in your pocket, or are you just happy to see me?” “When I’m good, I’m very good, but when I’m bad, I’m better.” “A man in the house is worth two in the street.” Now, that’s a broad! . . .

• • Meta Wagner adds: Currently back on Broadway is "South Pacific," the World War II-themed musical that immortalized a catchy number "There Is Nothing Like a Dame." Mae West was a swell dame (not to mention a triple A-all-right broad).   . . .

• • Source: Article: "Vox Pop: Broads Don’t Blog, Especially in Haiku" written by columnist Meta Wagner for the website PopMatters; posted on 29 April 2008

• • By the Numbers • •

• • The Mae West Blog was started seven years ago in July 2004. You are reading the 2285th 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: Troubled Remake

A song recorded by MAE WEST on 7 May 1934 has been neglected by singers — — until this year. "Troubled Waters" by New York City lyricist Sam Coslow and composer Arthur Johnson was created expressly for the motion picture "Belle of the Nineties." Backed by Duke Ellington and his Orchestra, Mae archived her performance in the recording studio.
• • Arthur Johnston and Sam Coslow have provided four crimson chansons — — "My Old Flame," "Troubled Waters," "My American Beauty," and "When a St. Louis Woman Comes Down to New Orleans" — — which are quite perfect, and Miss West delivers them in her inimitable adenoidal contralto, noted The New York Times review printed on 22 September 1934.
• • Vocalist Catherine Russell, a native New Yorker, inherited her love for jazz from her father, Luis Russell, the longtime musical director for Louis Armstrong. Instead of focusing on the usual standards, Russell has decided to revive forgotten numbers from the 1930s and 1940s performed by giants such as Mae West and Fats Waller.
• • Writing for NPR.org on Friday, 5 November 2010, Grant Jackson noted: On this "Piano Jazz" with guest host Jon Weber, Catherine Russell is accompanied by the Tin Pan Alley keyboard talents of Mark Shane for a set of tunes from Waller, Harold Arlen, and more.
• • Grant Jackson offered these program notes: Russell starts the set with "Troubled Waters," a tune that appeared in the 1934 Mae West film Belle of the Nineties. "I was digging through some tunes performed by Duke Ellington, and the chord changes and lyrics just grabbed me," Russell says. "When you listen, it can mean many different things." Mae West had enough clout to sing "Troubled Waters" with Ellington's band — — a breakthrough performance for a white singer and a black band in 1934. ...
• • You might have missed Catherine Russell on "Piano Jazz" earlier this month, however, NPR.org does archive certain programs — — so check out her rendition of this Mae West favorite.
• • Come up and see Mae every day online: http://MaeWest.blogspot.com/
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Mae West: Embers of September 21

In September 1934, MAE WEST was involved in promoting her fourth feature for Paramount Pictures: "Belle of the Nineties." This motion picture was released on September 21st. And here is the review published in The New York Times on 22 September 1934. "Of course, Miss West is her own plot," wrote critic Andre Sennwald.
• • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •
• • Mae West and Her Gaudy Retinue in "Belle of the Nineties"
• • By ANDRE SENNWALD

• • Although Mae West has graciously permitted the New York censors to make an honest woman of her in her new picture, she has not adopted the emblematic blue-nose. Back in the days when "Belle of the Nineties" — alias "Belle of New Orleans" and "It Ain't No Sin" — was locked in a death grip with the local censorship board, one of the major points of dissension was the shocking fade-out in which Miss West won her man without the assistance of a justice of the peace. In the new and approved version there is a wedding ceremony and Miss West is now safe for her large following to visit.
• • It is pretty futile to strive for an air of detachment toward Miss West and her new work. A continuously hilarious burlesque of the mustache cup, celluloid collar, and family entrance era of the naughty Nineties, it immediately takes its place among the best screen comedies of the year. Its incomparable star has been bolstered by a smart and funny script, an excellent physical production, and a generally buoyant comic spirit. There are gags for every taste and most of them are outrageously funny according to almost any standard of humor.
• • Arthur Johnston and Sam Coslow have provided four crimson chansons — "My Old Flame," "Troubled Waters," "My American Beauty," and "When a St. Louis Woman Comes Down to New Orleans" — which are quite perfect, and Miss West delivers them in her inimitable adenoidal contralto.
• • Amid the lithographic Police Gazette settings of the Sensation House in New Orleans, Ruby Carter (in Miss West's classic person) rules the sporting world with queenly insolence. As she herself sagely observes, "It is better to be looked over than to be overlooked" — — and her serpentine gowns, hayloft coiffure, and hour-glass figure insure her against neglect. Ruby's expressed preference is for two kinds of men — domestic and foreign — and the gentlemen moths, in their tight pants, bowler hats, and Ascot cravats, flock to the flame. Even the bartenders with their walrus mustaches and spit-curls silently yearn for her.
• • Of course, Miss West is her own plot, but there are a fixed prize-fight, some stolen jools, an envious siren, a fire, and a pair of rival claimants for her affections to add the necessary business. While Ruby's personal philosophy is, in her own words, to keep cool and collect, she has a healthy admiration for a good man, and the Tiger Kid fills the bill. Sinister interests conspire to separate them, and Ruby Carter is forced to fight for what she politely refers to as her honor against the evil and wax-mustached Ace Lamont, proprietor of the Sensation House. This last is of a vintage so objectionable as to cause the amiable Ruby to remark, "His mother should have thrown him away and kept the stork."
• • Roger Pryor as the Tiger Kid, John Miljan as the contemptible Ace, and Katherine DeMille as the jealous mistress of Ace Lamont all contribute excellently to the comedy, while Duke Ellington's boys provide the sulphurous musical background for Miss West's songs. If the great lady's public expects a cool and reasoned appraisal of "Belle of the Nineties" this morning, it will have to be disappointed. Not being immune to the common human failing of magnifying the virtues of the past, this reporter will always consider "She Done Him Wrong" her greatest show. At any rate, her present masterpiece is superior on every count to "I'm No Angel." As for its morality, you have Miss West's own testimony, when she tells an overwrought admirer, "Remember, I'm a lady, you worm."
• • You will have to take her word for it.
• • BELLE OF THE NINETIES, adapted from a story by Mae West; music and lyrics by Arthur Johnston and Sam Coslow; directed by Leo McCarey; a Paramount production. At the Paramount.
• • Source: The New York Times
• • Critic: Andre Sennwald
• • Originally published on: 22 September 1934
• • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •
• • Come up and see Mae every day online: http://MaeWest.blogspot.com/
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• • Photo: • • Mae West • • 1934 • •
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