Mae West: With One Hand

In 1942, when MAE WEST was feeling her Hollywood halo slipping, she decided to reinvent herself. The place to tell the entertainment world her intentions was the famous "Harrison in Hollywood" column, started by Paul Harrison, and now penned by Erskine Johnson.This is Part 5 of 5.
• • Mae West: Sees her next role as a Russian Ruler • •
• • Erskine Johnson wrote: And there's a movie based on the life of Catherine the Great. That's the film on which she's sinking her hopes.

• • Erskine Johnson wrote: She wrote it herself after a year and a half of research about the lady who once ruled Russia with one hand and a regiment of lovers with the other.
• • Erskine Johnson wrote: Catherine, you may recall, was quite a gal, and Mae has taken her apart and put her together again.  
• • Erskine Johnson wrote: Mae says that she even had some old Russian tales translated to discover things not generally known about the Empress. “And what things!" she says.
• • This was Part 5 of five segments. We hope you enjoyed it.
• • Source: Harrison in Hollywood column written by Erskine Johnson, Syndicated Columnist;  published on Thursday, 5 November 1942.
• • On Monday, 6 May 1935 in Time Magazine • •
• • Milwaukee clerk Myrtle Lorraine Sands, while helping to re-index official records in Wisconsin, chanced upon a marriage certificate showing that Mae West had married a fellow on 11 April 1911. The groom was Frank Wallace. Was that 1911 bride the Paramount Pictures movie star herself?
• • Already famous for her wiggling and shimmying, Mae tried every move to wriggle out of this tight spot by emphatically denying it all. However, "the great fact-finding machinery of the U.S. Press began to hum," according to the May 6th, 1935 issue of Time Magazine.
• • When New York reporters located the scrawny, unprepossessing vaudevillian, who was staying "in a theatrical hotel with his dancing partner, Trixie LeMae," Frank Wallace was quite happy to talk. He affirmed the marriage was real.
• • "The nerve of a brass monkey," was Mae West's response.
• • Overheard in Hollywood • •
• • Mae West is dickering with playwright Charlotte Frances for American stage rights of her play, “Sextette.”
• • In Her Own Words • •
• • Mae West said: "It takes two to get one in trouble."
• • Quote, Unquote • •
• • An article on Atlantic City, NJ  mentioned Mae West.
• • "Atlantic City Notes" • •
• • At the Savoy, the bill includes: Mae West, George Roland and company, Willie Weston, Rose and Ellis, John Geiger, the Flying Russells, Porter and Sullivan, and Herbert and Dennis.
• • The talking pictures will be heard at the Savoy next week. . . .
• • Source: The New York Clipper; published on Saturday, 5 April 1913
• • 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 4,728th 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: Moscow Museum

An artwork inspired by MAE WEST was delighting visitors in Moscow on 2 September 2011, the day this new installation opened.
• • Museum goers in the Soviet Union were be able to enjoy a view of the Mae West Room by Salvador Dali at a presentation of a new exhibition of his work at Moscow's Pushkin Museum on 2 September 2011. The exhibition is part of a cultural exchange between the countries Russia and Spain taking place this year. Salvador Dali was a prominent Spanish Catalan surrealist painter born in Figueres on 11 May 1904.
• • Museum address: 121019, Russia, Moscow, Volkhonka st., 12
• • In Her Own Words • •
• • Mae West wrote this: “I like a man who's good, but not too good — — for the good die young, and I hate a dead one.”
• • Mae West wrote this: "He who hesitates is a damned fool."
• • Quote, Unquote • •
• • It seems that Mae West and her dressing room came up in a conversation with Jane Fonda.
• • Biographer Patricia Bosworth writes: The turning-point was her role in "They Shoot Horses, Don’t They?" — — a bleak film about marathon dancers in the Depression, for which Jane Fonda won an Academy Award nomination. Most nights, she did not return to their rented home, preferring to stay in Mae West’s old dressing room on the Warner Brothers lot [sic]. Roger Vadim’s approach to life now exasperated her. ...
• • Source: Book Excerpt: "Jane Fonda" by Patricia Bosworth, to be published in October 2011 in the UK by The Robson Press 

• • By the Numbers • •
• • The Mae West Blog was started seven years ago in July 2004. You are reading the 2042nd 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: Michael Mark

Several cast members who worked with MAE WEST in her break through Hollywood hit "She Done Him Wrong" were uncredited and yet quite in demand as bit parts players.
• • Cast as a janitor in this motion picture classic was Michael Mark, the stage name of Morris Schulman who immigrated to the United States in 1910. Born in Mohilef, Russia on 15 March 1886, Michael Mark began his screen career in 1928 in "Four Sons" directed by John Ford.
• • The versatile character actor was seen in 143 films; his last one was "Hello Dolly!" [1969].
• • Michael Mark died of heart failure at age 88 in Woodland Hills, California in the month of February — — on 3 February 1975.
• • Come up and see Mae every day online: http://MaeWest.blogspot.com/
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Mae West: An Empress Impressed

It was August 1944 and MAE WEST was back on Broadway at the Shubert Theatre wearing furs, jewelry, a tiara, and a rather chilly and serious expression.
• • Czarina Catherine, who was born on 2 May 1729 and died on 17 November 1796, reigned as Empress of Russia for 34 years, from 28 June 1762 until her death — — which was not caused by post-dramatic stress disorder.
• • Though the play was neither hilarious nor a big box-office draw, it did eke out 191 performances.
• • Time Magazine's drama critic made this assessment.
• • "Catherine Was Great" (by Mae West; produced by Michael Todd) is an opulent and incredible fancy-undress affair in which the queen of all the sirens essays the Empress of All the Russias. "Catherine," said Mae West in a first-night curtain speech, "had 300 lovers. I did the best I could in two hours." For a while her best was reasonably good: she seemed to make Lords of the Bedchamber of the whole Russian court and boud-warriors of half the Russian army. As she followed her hips about the stage in a solemn slink, as she languidly drew shameless innuendos from her husky throat, Actress West caught some of the aplomb, humor and matchless vulgarity of her "Come up and see me some time." But pretty soon her unvaried role began to pull and so, soon after, did her unvarying way of playing it.
• • Worse yet, the man-eater in Catherine was not enough for Actress West; she insisted on encompassing the Empress as well, and far from spoofing the imperial manner, tried to outdo it. When a courtier reminded her that "They also serve who only stand and wait," she replied "Quoting Milton's 'prome,' I presume!" She had sponged up enough history to soak her play with wars, uprisings and palace intrigues. But the excitement was conveyed in dialogue that had the specific gravity of lead, and the results, when not merely sedative, were often crushing.
— — Source: — —
• • "The Theatre" Column: "Catherine Was Great"
• • Published in: Time Magazine — — printed edition
• • Published on: Monday, 14 August 1944
• • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •
• • Come up and see Mae every day online: http://MaeWest.blogspot.com/
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Mae West: Lieutenant Bunin

Brooklyn native Gene Barry [birthname: Eugene Klass], who was featured on Broadway with MAE WEST in 1944, was born on 14 June 1919.
• • The handsome graduate of New Utrecht High School is still performing.
• • Gene Barry (who borrowed the "Barry" from his idol John Barrymore) began his acting career in stock.
• • He likes to reminisce about his early show business days when he appeared as Lieutenant Bunin in a Mae West play on Broadway, Catherine Was Great. He recalls the famous curtain speech Mae West gave: “I’m glad you like my Catherine. I like her, too. She ruled 30 million people and had 3,000 lovers. I do the best I can in two hours.”
• • Though reports indicated that Mae was short-tempered with Mike Todd, her cigar-chomping producer, Gene Barry recalled that she had been cordial and coquettish with him. When they were rehearsing, for instance, the mighty Empress of all the Russias asked Lieutenant Bunin not to call her "Mae West." Eager to please but unsure how to address his leading lady, Gene asked her what he ought to say. "Mmmm, just call me honey!" was Mae's suggestion.
• • Written by Mae West, the play premiered at the Shubert Theatre on 2 August 1944 and ran until 30 September 1944. On 2 October 1944, the show transferred to Mae's lucky spot — — the Royale Theatre — — where it remained until after the Christmas holidays [when it closed 13 January 1945].
• • After honing his craft onstage, Gene Barry headed to Hollywood and worked in films and on TV.
• • For his contribution to live theater, Gene Barry has a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame — — 6555 Hollywood Boulevard.
• • Brooklynites Mae West and Gene Barry have both been honored by the Brooklyn Botanic Garden on their Celebrity Path, where stepping stones are inscribed with names of famous Brooklynites past and present. Each paver also contains a bronze medallion of the Brooklyn Bridge, encircled by the phrase, "The Greatness of Brooklyn Is Its People." (By the way, new names are added to Celebrity Path during the month of June on the borough's annual Welcome Back to Brooklyn Day. )
• • The Mae West Blog wishes dapper Gene Barry a very happy 90th birthday today!
• • Come up and see Mae every day online: http://MaeWest.blogspot.com/
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Mae West: Gregory Ratoff

Gregory Ratoff and MAE WEST did not always see eye to eye.
• • Ratoff was related to Mae thanks to his shifty cousin Vladimir Baikoff, who was the actress's brother-in-law and Beverly's second Russian husband.
• • Born in Samara, Russia in April — — on 20 April 1897 — — the 25-year-old actor first sailed to the USA in 1922. A year later Gregory Ratoff wed actress Eugenie Leontovich. He returned to New York in July 1925 on the SS Mauretania with his Russian-Jewish mother, deciding to settle in.
• • As an accent piece, he was harmless. Gregory Ratoff played Tira's New York City lawyer Benny Pinkowitz in "I'm No Angel" [1933]. And many fans remember the amusing scene in which Mae West and Ratoff are discussing the breach-of-promise suit.
• • In early 1943, when "Catherine Was Great" was being hammered out, Mae got a visit from Ratoff. He wanted her to star in a new film for Columbia Pictures to be called "The Heat's On," which he would direct. To arouse Mae's interest further, he hinted that he might also produce her newest extravaganza rushing to Broadway.
• • After many delays and disruptions, "The Heat's On" was released 9 February 1944 to jeers, sneers, and razzberries.
• • For the record, "Catherine Was Great" had its live mainstage premiere on 2 August 1944. The show closed on the Gay White Way on 13 January 1945.
• • Gregory Ratoff's most famous screen role was his portrayal of the producer Max Fabian who feuds with star Margo Channing (Bette Davis) in "All About Eve" [1950].
• • Director, actor, and producer Gregory Ratoff contracted leukemia and died on 14 December 1960 in Switzerland.
• • Come up and see Mae every day online: http://MaeWest.blogspot.com/
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Mae West: Mandolin Dave

Few people made MAE WEST laugh louder than vaudevillian Dave Apollon.
• • Born in Kiev, Russia on 23 February 1897, Dave's heavy "sour cream accent" was so hilarious that Mae West knew exactly how to increase his comic capital when they worked together during 1922 in the ill-fated "Ginger Box Revue" [slated to open at the Greenwich Village Theatre in Sheridan Square].
• • When a shady producer short-changed the cast by not producing the expected costumes and scenery, Mae pushed Dave Apollon onstage to deliver a prologue. Apologizing for the third-rate production the audience was about to see, Apollon muttered under his breath, "Ach! It was better under the czar with the lousy pogroms!"
• • Though Dave Apollon also worked as a mandolin player, it was not his musicianship that brought him the enormous popularity and success he was to achieve in vaudeville. Instead it was his Russian accent. Always on the lookout for entertainers with unique charms, Mae West first noticed his built in assets.
• • In "Goodness Had Nothing To Do With It," Mae described her first encounter with Dave during the Ginger Box Review debacle.
• • Mae West wrote: "At a rehearsal of this show I first met Dave Apollon. He had just arrived in this country, after some hardships, and was in the show. He was a fine mandolin player and Russian dancer. I first saw him dressed in a very tight-fitting green tweed suit that looked as if it had been made for a smaller brother, high button shoes, and a high Hoover collar. He was short but slender, with a round elf's face, and a turned-up nose over a mocking mouth. He had a sour-cream heavy Russian accent, and a very amusing way of expressing himself in a fractured English almost like double-talk. Dave was very funny, I thought, but in the show he just played the mandolin and did a short dance. I couldn't help being amused by him and I would have him come to me so that I could ask him questions just to hear him mangle the language. I would try not to laugh out loud, just inwardly, and somehow everything became funnier that way. When Dave Apollon would start talking it would break me up inside. He'd ask, 'Whut suz funnik I'm saying please to tell me?'"
• • I said to him, "Dave, with your mannerisms, voice, and puzzled expression that seems to struggle to understand what is said, you make me scream with laughter. What would you be able to do to an audience?"
• • "But no thenk you — — I serious minded fella, this mandolin and dancing very serious for me is enough."
• • Mae West persisted and soon had Dave reading lines in a skit about Circe and her lovers. When the show opened in South Norwalk, Connecticut, it was discovered that the scenery was too small for the theater. The producer was about to write a formal apology for the theater manager to read to the opening-night audience, when Mae came up with an idea.
• • "Get Dave Apollon to go out before the curtain, in a spotlight, in his own tight little green street suit, and with that borscht dialect he should really be, funny telling them about the scenery." They captured Dave, fed him hot tea, patted his back, told him he could do it. Finally, Dave did go out on the stage to make the announcement. The more he got tangled up in the English language, the more scared and bewildered he looked, the more the audience howled. He became so screamingly funny the audience doubled up in the seats. They applauded madly, thinking it was all a part of the original show. He came off pop-eyed. "I sweating like a hoss," he said.
• • Dave Apollon died in Las Vegas at age 75 during the month of May: 30 May 1972.
• • Come up and see Mae every day online: http://MaeWest.blogspot.com/
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