Mae West: Guido's Gone

By way of her Italian accordionist husband, MAE WEST acquired a step-son, of sorts. She met the boy for the first time in 1938, when he was 10 years old. Formerly a vaudeville headliner, Guido Deiro was hit hard by the Great Depression, so Mae generously financed this child’s education and their relationship blossomed.
• • R. Mark Desjardins reviewed his memoir for The Mae West Blog during August 2019.
• • Guido Roberto Deiro’s title was: “Mae West and the Count — — Love and Loss on the Vaudeville Stage” [2019].
• • In this exclusive post, R. Mark Desjardins has composed Deiro’s obituary.
• • Guido Robert Deiro [18 February 1938 — 12 September 2019] • •

• • R. Mark Desjardins wrote: It is with great sadness I learnt of the passing of Guido Roberto Deiro, author of  "Mae West And the Count," which detailed the secret  marriage of his father to Mae West. It is not lost on me that his beloved wife Joan telephoned me with the news on November 22nd, the 39th anniversary of the passing of Mae West. 
• • R. Mark Desjardins wrote: Guido was first introduced to Mae West by his father, Count Guido Deiro when he was 10 years old, in 1938. When Mae returned to Las Vegas in March of 1959, Guido had opened up a small gym: Globe Health Studios. It was the only gym in town at that time equipped with heavy enough free weights and barbells for Mae's troupe to maintain their strength training regimen.

Guido and Mae with family, 1913

• • R. Mark Desjardins wrote: George Eifferman, who eventually won the title of Mr. Universe 1962, got the musclemen in Mae's Sahara act to work out there during their four week booking.
• • R. Mark Desjardins wrote:  When Mae heard about this, she arranged for Guido, then 21 years old, to come and see her after her performance. 
• • R. Mark Desjardins wrote: According to Guido, Mae West surveyed him from head to foot and stated, "You look a lot like your father, 'cept for his eyes." 
• • R. Mark Desjardins wrote: Guido was able to educate the world about the great accomplishments of his father. With the publication of the story about his father and Mae West in the Spring of 2019, Guido Jr. had achieved his goal. Guido has inspired me to finish the last lap of my own Mae West manuscript. During our brief friendship that spanned five months, we spoke several times for hours at a time on the telephone, as well as shared numerous emails. 
• • R. Mark Desjardins wrote: I will greatly miss his electrifying spirit and words of support.
• • Guido Roberto Deiro was born on Friday, 18 February 1938 in Reno, Nevada. Abruptly, he passed away on Thursday, 12 September 2019 in Las Vegas.
• • Photo of Guido, age 21, taken by body-builder George Eifferman. Photo-collage courtesy of Mr. Desjardins.
• • On Monday, 28 November 1932 • •
• • At the MPPDA board meeting on Monday, 28 November 1932, Adolph Zukor made promises to Will Hays that only "suitable material" would find its way into the script and the "Diamond Lil" title was already gone.
• • On Thursday, 28 November 2019 • • 
• • Happy Thanksgiving today to all of our dear readers. • •
• • Overheard in Hollywood • •
• • Mae West was featured in the animated cartoon "The Coo-Coo Nut Grove" [1936]. The script took the audience on an amusing tour of a fashionable Hollywood night club.
• • In Her Own Words • •
• • Mae West said: "You've got to keep everything under control."
• • Mae West said: "That picture was a mistake from the word 'Shoot!'''
• • Quote, Unquote • •
• • Town and Country mentioned Mae West, who was shown reading the magazine in one of her films.
• • Town and Country’s editorial assistant Lucia Tonelli wrote: Bette Midler came dressed as legendary actress, singer, and playwright Mae West, wearing a striking feather-and-beaded pink ballgown with an equally extravagant matching headpiece.
• • Lucia Tonelli wrote: Michael Kors and husband Lance LePere judged the costume contest  . . .
• • Source: Town and Country; published on Friday, 1 November 2019
• • 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 15th 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 4,300 blog posts. Wow!  

• • By the Numbers • •
• • The Mae West Blog was started fifteen years ago in July 2004. You are reading the 4,355th 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
• • Photo: • • Mae West • • obituary in 2019 • •
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Mae West: Unvarnished Truth

At last, MAE WEST gets an outstanding, intimate biography by a family member, her step-son, whose education she financed. This is Part 7 of 7.
• • “Mae West and the Count — — Love and Loss on the Vaudeville Stage” by Guido Roberto Deiro
• • Reviewed exclusively for The Mae West Blog by R. Mark Desjardins
• • this memoir will be a revelation • •   
• • For readers not familiar with the life and times of Count Guido Deiro, this work will be a revelation. Much of Deiro's music is still available and it is well worth seeking out. Fans of the accordion will learn truths of its introduction and popularization that are in many ways as new as those facts written about Mae.

• • For diehard Mae West fans, not used to reading some unvarnished truths, this book may prove to be unsettling, but it relates a story that needed to be told. For the record, this reviewer has even greater respect for the tenacity and sheer will power of Mae West to hone and shape her image.
• • A five stars out of five rating for this stunning work!
• • Mr. Desjardins’ book review has now concluded. Time to buy the book on Amazon!
• • Source: “Mae West and the Count” — — a biography by Guido Roberto Deiro. [Outskirts Press; published on 20 March 2019; 331 pages.]
• • On Tuesday, 14 August 1984 • •
• • It was on 2 May 1982 that the TV bio-pic "Mae West" had its small screen premiere starring actress Ann Jillian in the title role. The two-hour program was re-broadcast on ABC television at 9:00 PM on Tuesday, 14 August 1984 (following the excitement of the U.S. Olympics).
• • Remembering the May 1982 production, New York Times critic Richard F. Shepard had these comments two years later. Shepard wrote: ''Mae West'' was originally seen in 1982, long enough ago in these fast-moving times to almost qualify the show as a revival rather than as another summer re-run. It is reasonable programming, a show about a torrid actress in matching weather.
• • Overheard in Hollywood • •
• • George Raft told a reporter, ”Mae West stole everything but the cameras, and I never made another picture with her after 1932. I knew she had me licked."
• • However, they did work together again; George Raft had a walk-on part in Mae's last motion picture, "Sextette" [1978].
• • In Her Own Words • •
• • Mae West said: "The man I don't like doesn't exist."
• • Mae West said: “Every man I meet wants to protect me. I can’t figure out what from.”
• • Quote, Unquote • •
• • A radio program mentioned Mae West.
• • “Theatre Talk” • •
• • Anthony Chase and Peter Hall wrote: Even though society may look down on her, she's still in control, and we could be talking about the flower girl, "Sonya," in “The Russian Play” by Hanna Moscovitch or Margy, the prostitute in Mae West's “Sex,” both of whom forego money for love, but "it's complicated." These two seemingly different plays just opened and continue the conversation started when Shawfest presented GBW's “Mrs. Warren’s Profession” several seasons back.
• • At The Shaw Festival, 10 Queen’s Parade, Niagara-on-the-Lake, ON, Canada
• • "SEX" by Mae West, at the Jackie Maxwell Theatre, through October 13th  …
• • Source: WBFO radio; published on Friday, 12 July 2019
• • 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 15th 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 4,200 blog posts. Wow!  

• • By the Numbers • •
• • The Mae West Blog was started fifteen years ago in July 2004. You are reading the 4278th 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
• • Photo: • • Mae West • • newspaper coverage of Deiro and Mae in 1914 • •
• • Feed — — http://feeds2.feedburner.com/MaeWest
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