skip to main |
skip to sidebar
It was 1931 and a pre-Paramount MAE WEST was touring in her very controversial Harlem play, with a bi-racial cast. Let's take in a long review to see the view from the front row. This is Part 4, the last excerpt.
• • Red Hot Sin — — Man the Boats, Women, and Babies First! • •
• • Her undulating canter and distinctive manner of speech • •
• • It is neither more nor less than it pretends to be, and it doesn't pretend to be "A Modern Virgin," hiding behind moralistic skirts.
• • The performers give an extremely good account of themselves.
• • Miss West is, of course, Miss West. Her undulating canter and distinctive manner of speech remain exclusively her own. George Givot, who sang and pranced in Earl Carroll's "Sketch Book" not so long ago, puts on the blackface and does well as the policy king of Harlem. Russell Hardie is fine as the middleweight champion. Walter Petrie is cultured and passionate by turns. Arthur R. Vinton is a superior sort of fight manager. The others, more than you can count, do all that could be expected of them.
• • What action the police will take about this one is problematical, and I wouldn't care to express an opinion about that. Mae West, however, has had ample experience with the gentlemen in blue uniforms, and she probably knows what she's doing, or I hope so!
• • This was Part 4, the conclusion.
• • Source: Review in Standard Union; published on Tuesday, 15 September 1931.
• • On Tuesday, 1 June 1999 • •
• • In VHS format, the 60-minute TV movie "Intimate Portrait: Mae West" [1999] was released on Tuesday, 1 June 1999.
• • Overheard in Hollywood • •
• • Mae West doted on sailors — — and several actors portrayed men in military garb in her stage plays and motion pictures.
• • In Her Own Words • •
• • Mae West said: "Keep a diary — — and one day it'll keep you."
• • Quote, Unquote • •
• • A syndicated columnist mentioned Mae West.
• • "Dorothy Kilgallen Reports on Broadway" • •
• • Dorothy Kilgallen wrote: Sports-loving Mae West has taken over the managing of an up and coming young heavyweight, Joe Leo. She thinks he’ll be another Gene Tunney. and it’ll be fun even if he isn’t. ...
• • Source: Item in The Voice of Broadway by Dorothy Kilgallen; published on Thursday, 3 March 1955
• • The Mae West Blog celebrates its 12th 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 3,700 blog posts. Wow!
• • By the Numbers • •
• • The Mae West Blog was started ten years ago in July 2004. You are reading the 3716th 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/
________
Source:http://maewest.blogspot.com/atom.xml
Mae West
• • Photo: • • Mae West • • in 1936 • •
• • Feed — — http://feeds2.feedburner.com/MaeWest
NYC Mae West
Where was MAE WEST on Thursday, 18 October 1923 — — as the night gave way to October 19th? Maybe she was on West 133rd Street, with her new boyfriend John Carey. Let's investigate.
• • According to the book “Automats, Taxi Dances and Vaudeville: Excavating Manhattan’s Lost Places of Leisure,” Mae West could be found uptown at The Nest, a Harlem night spot in the basement of 169 West 133rd. The entertainment supposedly featured live sex acts.
• • In "Babe Gordon," Mae describes the hang-out favored by sultry Babe Gordon and those virile young boxers and she renames the lower-level hot spot "Tony's."
• • David Freeland wrote: The first speakeasy on the stretch was the Nest, which was opened by Malvile Frazier and John Carey on Thursday, 18 October 1923 in the basement of 169 West 133rd, with a floor show staged by Leonard Harper; five slim chorus dancers chanted: “Where do the birds go every night? To the Nest! To the Nest!” Mae West, rumored to be dating Mr. Carey, was an early guest, Mr. Freeland wrote.
• • Source: Book: "Automats, Taxi Dances and Vaudeville: Excavating Manhattan’s Lost Places of Leisure” written by David Freeland [NY: NYU Press, August 2009].
• • On Thursday, 19 October 1899 • •
• • Mae West was a little slip of a girl when the St. Louis Post-Dispatch published their edition on Thursday, 19 October 1899. This paper reported a local crime: beautiful Frankie Baker, a 27-year-old mulatto prostitute [residing at 212 Targee Street, St. Louis, Missouri], who kept an expensively decked-out 17-year-old mack, stabbed him on October 15th.
• • The stabbing and the trial inspired the folksong "Frankie and Johnny."
• • In 1928 — 1929, Mae West sang "Frankie and Johnny" on Broadway in her melodrama "Diamond Lil," giving the song a glamour glow, enhancing its prominence.
• • Note: Mexican artist Miguel Covarrubias had first sketched Mae West for The New Yorker in 1928 when she was blazing on Broadway in "Diamond Lil" at the Royale Theatre.
• • On Saturday, 19 October 1935 • •
• • Joe Breen and John Hammel exchanged yet another letter about Mae West's latest controversial project "Klondike Annie" on Saturday, 19 October 1935.
• • On Sunday, 19 October 1969 • •
• • In their weekly weekend insert dated for Sunday, 19 October 1969, Parade Magazine printed an article on Mae West.
• • Overheard in Hollywood • •
• • It ain't no sin now to see Mae West in "Belle of the Nineties."
• • In Her Own Words • •
• • Mae West said: "TV means too many people seein' you for nothing."
• • Quote, Unquote • •
• • An Illinois newspaper mentioned Mae West.
• • Coming Sunday to the Rialto Theatre — — Mae West in "I'm No Angel."
• • Source: Item in Urbana Daily Courier; published on Thursday, 19 October 1933
• • 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 3,200 blog posts. Wow!
• • By the Numbers • •
• • The Mae West Blog was started ten years ago in July 2004. You are reading the 3291st 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/
________
Source:http://maewest.blogspot.com/atom.xml
Mae West
• • Photo: • • Mae West • • in 1928 • •
• • Feed — — http://feeds2.feedburner.com/MaeWest
NYC Mae West
