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As a child actress, MAE WEST was often cast in the role of Little Lord Fauntleroy, a stage play based on the beloved Victorian Era children's novel by Frances Hodgson Burnett.
• • Also a child when he began his acting career, Frederick Cecil Bartholomew [28 March 1924 — 23 January 1992] was cast in the title role for a big-screen adaptation of "Little Lord Fauntleroy" [1936].
• • Freddie Bartholomew and Mae West both made an appearance — — as cartoon characters — — in "A Star is Hatched" [1938]. This animated short was an amusing satire on "A Star is Born" [the 1937 version starring Janet Gaynor] but with a chicken cast and a rooster named Emily [sic].
• • "A Star is Hatched" [1938] • •
• • Synopsis by Merrie Melodies: Emily the rooster [sic] aspires to be a Hollywood actress and travels to California to follow her dreams.
• • Released on Saturday, 2 April 1938, the playful storyline is punctuated with recognizable caricatures of many Hollywood screen stars of the 1930s, including John Barrymore, Freddie Bartholomew (as a newspaper boy), Charlie Chaplin, W.C. Fields (as a traffic cop), Clark Gable (as a streetcar conductor), Greta Garbo, Dick Powell, Edward G. Robinson, and, yes, busty Mae West.
• • The Mae West scene gets started as the cameras pan through a sound stage but the audience sees a dressing room with an odd-looking door. It turns out that Mae West is in there. She steps out of the dressing room (and she is able to fit through the curves on that door). As she steps out, we hear "Frankie and Johnny." The music used is the 1908 version by Bert Leighton [28 December 1877 — 10 February 1964].
• • Supervision: Friz Freleng [1906 — 1995].
• • Producer: Leon Schlesinger [1884 — 1949].
• • Starring: Mel Blanc (Director Yelling 'Cut'), Ted Pierce (W.C. Fields/J. Megga Phone/Movie Guide\Hick) and Berneice Hansell (Baby Chick).
• • On Sunday, 2 March 1913 in NYC • •
• • It was on Sunday, 2 March 1913 that Mae West began a one week booking at Hammerstein's Victoria in the theatre district on West 42nd Street and Seventh Avenue.
• • On Wednesday, 2 March 1927 in Variety • •
• • More details about the February 9th raid at Daly's Theatre on Broadway, and the political punching behind it were explained in Variety Magazine in their issue dated Wednesday, 2 March 1927.
• • Dated for Wednesday, 2 March 1927 • •
• • Auctioned off in 2002 was a Bowery and East River National Bank check for Moral Producing Corporation, dated Wednesday, 2 March 1927, made out to Harold Spielberg for the sum of $500.00, signed in black ink by Mae West. Note that Mae West was signing in her capacity as (yes) President of the Moral Producing Corporation.
• • Dated for Monday, 2 March 1936 • •
• • Will Hays and Joseph Breen continued to exchange letters regarding disputes over "Klondike Annie" and Breen wrote again to Hays on Monday, 2 March 1936. This censorship file must weigh a ton.
• • Overheard in Hollywood • •
• • In radio, "while censorship by station managers continues as a part of the accepted set-up," the Union notes that the Federal Communications Commission for the first time assumed such powers in criticizing the Mae West — Charlie McCarthy sketch.
• • In Her Own Words • •
• • Mae West said: "She who laughs lasts."
• • Quote, Unquote • •
• • An Indianapolis paper mentioned Mae West.
• • "Harvey Brooks, Former Composer for Mae West, Writing for Bob Crosby" • •
• • Hollywood, Feb. 27 (ANP) — — With a heavy schedule of new films awaiting his opportunity to start in on them, Harvey Brooks, famous composer, is busy on the music for Bob Crosby’s band which starts in a new picture for Columbia studio in a few days.
• • In spite of his long career in West Coast musical circles, Brooks attracted much greater attention several years ago as a composer for Mae West’s pictures than ever before. ...
• • Source: Item in Indianapolis Recorder; published on Saturday, 1 March 1941
• • 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 3,300 blog posts. Wow!
• • By the Numbers • •
• • The Mae West Blog was started ten years ago in July 2004. You are reading the 3389th
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 • • as a cartoon in 1938 • •
• • Feed — — http://feeds2.feedburner.com/MaeWest
NYC Mae West
As a child, MAE WEST said she had the low, gruff voice of a boy. One of the parts she played in the Hal Clarendon Stock Company was the role of Little Willie in "East Lynne." Since the author of this sentimental hit died on February 10th, let's investigate.
• • Ellen Wood [17 January 1814 — 10 February 1887] • •
• • Born in Worcester, England on Monday, 17 January 1814 was Ellen Price.
• • In 1836, when she was 22 years old, she wed Henry Wood. Since her husband's line of work was in the banking and shipping industries, he was offered a position in the South of France, where the family resided for 20 years [1836 — 1856]. Ellen raised her four children there. When Henry Wood's business went belly-up, they returned to England and settled in London's Upper Norwood area. To support the household, Ellen took up her pen and turned out more than 30 novels, many of which became big hits.
• • Ellen Wood is best known, however, for her sentimental novel "East Lynne," published in 1861. Quite soon, "East Lynne" was being adapted for the stage. this melodrama was so popular that stock companies would put on a performance whenever they needed guaranteed revenue.
• • The novel was first staged on 26 January 1863 in Brooklyn, NY; by March of that year, "three competing versions were drawing crowds to New York theaters," according to Sally Mitchell. In 1913, the first silent film version of "East Lynne" was released.
• • Ellen Wood died in Great Britain in February — — on Thursday, 10 February 1887. She was 73.
• • Mae as Little Willie in "East Lynne" • •
• • Like all the children on the block, Mae West went to the public school, and she passes over the monotony of the schoolroom for the more exciting adventures in the evening when, as a child actress, with grease paint and furbelows, she occupied the center of the stage.
• • Her first professional appearance took place with the Clarendon Stock Company at the Gotham Theatre in East New York. She was the little daughter who cried out "Father, dear father, come home with me now," in "Ten Nights in a Bar Room."
• • As Little Eva she often took the piano-wire route to heaven in "Uncle Tom's Cabin," playing, as a matter of fact, a large repertoire of child roles in the good old days — "Little Lord Fauntleroy," "The Moonshiner's Daughter," "East Lynne" and "Mrs. Wiggs of the Cabbage Patch."
• • As a member of the stock company, when there were no child parts in the plays, she was called upon to take part in what are known in old-fashioned plays as "olios," or vaudeville acts in between the scenes of the plays. She sang popular songs and gave her imitations, being what was known on the billboards as a "coon shouter."
• • It was at this stage of the game, she avers, that she learned to roll her eyes, a propensity, however, that had to be curbed when she became, for the sake of drama, "Little Eva" or "Little Red Riding Hood." ...
• • Source: Article written for New Movie Magazine [June 1934 issue].
• • On Friday, 10 February 1933 in The New York Times • •
• • An article on "She Done Him Wrong" was published in The New York Times on 10 February 1933.
• • Signed with the byline A. D. S., the Times reviewer described Mae's character Lady Lou as a woman "whose heart is bigger than her sense of decorum."
• • On Monday, 10 February 1936 in Hollywood • •
• • Joseph Breen wrote to Paramount Pictures about Mae West and "Klondike Annie" several times before he agreed on Monday, 10 February 1936 to the film's release.
• • On Tuesday, 10 February 2009 • •
• • A book about Mae West "She Always Knew How: Mae West, A Personal Biography" by Charlotte Chandler was published in its hardcover edition (336 pages) by Simon & Schuster on 10 February 2009.
• • Overheard in Hollywood • •
• • The same old carnival background that has served for Mae West's "I'm No Angel" and Clara Bow's "Hoop-la" has been drafted again for this item. The set hasn't deteriorated but the photoplays acted before it get steadily worse.
• • "Good Dame" — directed by Marion Gering. Released by Paramount.
• • In Her Own Words • •
• • Mae West said: "If I had ever depended on what other people were going to do with me, there would never have been a Mae West."
• • Quote, Unquote • •
• • The Pottstown Mercury (Pottstown, PA) mentioned Mae West.
• • Mae West had something to say about politics. “A country is just one big family,” commenced Miss West during an intermission in the production of her new feature, "Klondike Annie,” with Victor McLaglen. “It has internal problems, and arguments with neighbors." ...
• • Source: Pottstown Mercury; published on Monday, 10 February 1936
• • By the Numbers • •
• • The Mae West Blog was started nine years ago in July 2004. You are reading the 2850th 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 • • playing a male role in 1908 • •
• • Feed — — http://feeds2.feedburner.com/MaeWest
NYC Mae West
MAE WEST was occasionally booked on the prestigious Keith circuit by Benjamin Franklin Keith [26 January 1846 — 26 March 1914], a vaudeville theatre owner. 
• • Born in Hillsboro Bridge, New Hampshire, Benjamin Franklin Keith joined the circus and eventually found his way to Bunnell's Museum in New York City when he was in his early twenties. After a number of experiences in the evolving entertainment industry, he hooked up in 1885 with Edward Franklin Albee II (who was selling circus tickets). Together they founded and ran the Boston Bijou Theatre, which opened in July 1885.
• • In the 1890s, Albee and Keith opened the Union Square Theatre in New York City, where Mae performed on 29 December 1912. She was also booked into several other houses controlled by B.F. Keith.
• • In late March — — on 26 March 1914 — — the little loved founder of the Keith circuit died in Florida, his 28-year-old bride nearby, perhaps already designing her stylish, well-cushioned widowhood.
• • Photo: since she had a "rough baritone" voice as a child, Mae West often played male roles. Here she is, at age 15, when she starred in "Little Lord Fauntleroy" onstage in 1908.• • Mae West in South Florida • •
• • In early April, Sondra Steinhauer will offer a talk about Mae West as part of a mid-week women's event. Ms. Steinhauer, a former instructor at NYC's Fashion Institute of Technology, had been a lingerie designer for 35 years.
• • "It is a women's conference for women, by women to women. Mae West was an amazing dedicated woman and the blonde voluptuous sex symbol before Jean Harlow, Marilyn Monroe, and Madonna," said Sondra Steinhauer. "I did research through several sources and found she was born in 1893. God put Mae West in my brain and I'm going to deliver a fun, light and airy lecture that includes information on her writing in plays, producing them, and starring in them." ...
• • WHAT: The Women's Conference: Three Days of Lecturers for Women, By Women, Lunch and Fun! (Men Welcome, Too!) — — from April 6th — 8th, 2011.
• • WHERE: Temple Torah, 8600 S. Jog Road, Boynton Beach, Florida; T. 877-354-1077.
• • Tell them you heard about it on the Mae West Blog.• • Quote, Unquote • •
• • Recapping the tempest-in-a-TV-teacup, David Hiltbrand reviews the outcome of "Dancing with the Stars" this week: ‘DWTS’ wisely saved Kirstie Alley for last, because they know most people tuned in to see her on the dance floor. She’s fashioned a second career as a self-mocking plus-sized woman. She’s like a manic Mae West. While she was better than expected last night, she also vamped too much. The girl can’t help it. ...
• • Source: Article: "‘DWTS’ debut: Who soared; who stiffed" written by David Hiltbrand for The Philadelphia Inquirer; posted on 22 March 2011
• • By the Numbers • •
• • The Mae West Blog was started seven years ago in July 2004. You are reading the 1880th 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 • • as little Lord Fauntleroy in 1908 • •
• • Feed — — http://feeds2.feedburner.com/MaeWest
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Mae West.
MAE WEST, with the rough baritone voice she had as a child, was often cast as a male in stock productions. She played the leading role of Little Lord Fauntleroy several times in Brooklyn theatres.
• • The British-born playwright and author Frances Hodgson Burnett [24 November 1849 — 29 October 1924] is best known for her children's stories, especially The Secret Garden, A Little Princess, and (of course) Little Lord Fauntleroy.
• • Born in Cheetham Hill, Manchester, in England, Frances emigrated to America (Knoxville, Tennessee) after her father died in 1865.
• • Following the death of her mother in 1872, Frances became the head of the household. Pressed with the demands of supporting herself and four younger siblings, she looked for income from writing assignments.
• • Serialized in St. Nicholas Magazine in 1885, Little Lord Fauntleroy is a sentimental children's narrative that became a huge hit for the publication. In 1886, this work was separately published as a novel. The book was a commercial success for its author, and its fanciful sketches by Reginald Birch set fashion trends.
• • The Fauntleroy suit — — described by Frances Hodgson Burnett and sweetly illustrated via Reginald Birch's detailed pen-and-ink drawings — — created a major fad in formal attire for American middle-class children:
• • • • "What the Earl saw was a graceful, childish figure in a black velvet suit, with a lace collar, and with lovelocks waving about the handsome, manly little face, whose eyes met his with a look of innocent good-fellowship." — — Little Lord Fauntleroy
• • Clothing that Frances Hodgson Burnett popularized had been modeled on the garments she sewed by hand for her two sons, Vivian and Lionel. Under the influence of Birch's illustrations for Little Lord Fauntleroy, many middle-class American parents began dressing their sons in velvet suits with lace collars and sashes and short knee-pants, and to have their boys' hair curled into long ringlets like Cedric — — a mode that was considered aristocratic.
• • In 1921 a silent movie version was released starring Mary Pickford as Little Lord Fauntleroy.
• • Here is 15-year-old Mae West, costumed for the part in a theatrical production, in 1908 — — ninety-nine years ago.
• • Come up and see Mae every day online: http://MaeWest.blogspot.com/
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Mae West
• • Photo: • • Mae West • • 1908 • •
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Mae West.
