Mae West: Mal Vincent

MAE WEST agreed to dine with the reporter and film critic Mal Vincent in 1969. He recently published an article about his evening with the movie queen at the Casa D'oro Restaurant on Santa Monica Boulevard in California.  Though the March screening has passed, these Westian comments are still fascinating.  This installment is Part 3 of 3.
• • "Mae West screening stirs memory of getting lucky" • •
• • Mal Vincent recalled:  Miss West then explained why she had agreed to do the interview. "I like your style — — at least what I know of it. I remember your byline from a review you wrote of my album, 'Way Out West.'  So many of the other writers seemed surprised that I was doing a rock 'n' roll album. Actually, I invented the beat. I was rocking before most of these kids were born. The beat never changes once you've got it. Some of the kids don't have it, but they'll learn."   She was 76 at the time.
• • Mal Vincent noted:  Miss West does have some loose connections to Tidewater.  She remembered perfectly an appearance at the Colonial Theater in Norfolk.  "Norfolk, Virginia? Yeah," she purred as she rolled her eyes toward the ceiling. "Great town. It was hot in its day. I imagine it's cooled down a little now.  "I think I was there when the fleet was in — — a great time to be there. But I had to make it clear that I was interested only in officers. Preferably admirals. I think I met a rear admiral there."

• • Mal Vincent wrote:  I reminded her that in her autobiography, "Goodness Had Nothing to Do With It," she wrote about how a man got in a fight over her in an Italian restaurant across the street from the Colonial Theater.
• • Mal Vincent revealed:  "It's a familiar story," she said, patting her blond hair to keep it in place. "I don't remember the man, but I remember the incident.... Anyway, I cooled this guy down by dumping a plate of spaghetti in his lap.  Yeah, I remember it. I always kept a diary. Keep a diary and someday it'll keep you."  On her travels, she observed: "Good girls go to heaven. Bad girls go everywhere."
• • Mal Vincent added:  Her invitation to "come up and see me sometime" has lingered temptingly over the decades. On Monday night, you can take her up on the offer.
• • This concludes this article by Mal Vincent, reprinted in three consecutive parts.
• • Mal Vincent has been a longtime culture writer for The Virginian-Pilot.
• • Source: Article written by © Mal Vincent, Virginian-Pilot correspondent for The Virginian-Pilot; published on Saturday, 14  March 2015.
• • On Friday, 8 April 2005 in Palm Beach • •
• • In early April 2005, you could have seen "Mel Schwartz Sleeps with Mae West" onstage at the Atlantis Playhouse. The play was staged in Florida from March 23 — April 10, 2005. (Nope, we didn't see it either.)
• • Overheard in Hollywood • •
• • There was a unique reunion at the opening of Mae West's newest opus, "I'm No Angel," at Grauman's Chinese.
• • In Her Own Words • •
• • Mae West said: "She who laughs lasts."
• • Quote, Unquote • •
• • The Scranton Republican mentioned Mae West.
• • "Mae West Said She Was a Hit Because Director 'Yessed' Her" • •
• • Blond Mae West says she became a star because she had her own way when her director said "yes'' and "yes" and "yes." And she swaggers, she asserts, because she just had to attract attention to herself some way. That was years ago.  ...
• • Source: Caption under a photo of Mae West (on page 10) in The Scranton Republican (Scranton, Pennsylvania); published on Saturday, 8 April 1933
• • The Mae West Blog celebrates its 10th anniversary • •    
• • Thank you for reading, sending questions, and posting comments during this past decade. The other day we entertained 1,430 visitors. We reached a milestone recently when we completed 3,100 blog posts. Wow! 
• • By the Numbers • • 
• • The Mae West Blog was started ten years ago in July 2004. You are reading the 3152nd 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 1959 at home • •
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Mae West: Casa D'oro

MAE WEST agreed to dine with the reporter and film critic Mal Vincent in 1969. He recently published an article about his evening with the movie queen at the Casa D'oro Restaurant on Santa Monica Boulevard in California. These memories were offered in March, linked to a film screening of "I'm No Angel."  This installment is Part 1 of 3.
• • "Mae West screening stirs memory of getting lucky" • •
• • Mal Vincent wrote:  I will be hosting the [screening] with some personal recollections of the night I had dinner with Miss West, a huge stroke of journalistic luck that came about simply because I asked.

• • Mal Vincent explained:  As a hallmark of pop culture, Miss West had been the driving force that taught America how to laugh at sex.  She had been the most highly paid woman in America. Hers was a name everyone knew but few knew much about, and it was taken for granted that she would not do any interviews.  "I'm No Angel" was made just before censorship was established in American movies. But her act owed more to clever witticism than to anything lascivious.
• • Mal Vincent recalled what Mae said: "These girls today," she told me in 1969, "are giving away too much free. Nudity is not necessary and, after all, the fellas are just buying a ticket. It's true that too much of a good thing can be wonderful, but not for free.  I believe in censorship," she said. "After all, I made a fortune on it." She was once sentenced to 10 days in jail because of her stage play "Sex," but she was let out early "because of good behavior."
• • Mal Vincent noted:   The screening of "I'm No Angel" is the first of a three-film mini-series, showing on consecutive Monday evenings at the museum. Hosted and curated by me, it was originally designed to coincide with the museum's current exhibition of Virginia artists.   . . .  
• • Mal Vincent wrote: So how does Mae West fit into this Virginia celebration? She doesn't. Not exactly. But in planning the series the museum wanted something that was outright fun and something about which I could bring a personal perspective. That's Mae. Ooops. Miss West — — she didn't answer to anything else.   . . .
• • To be continued tomorrow, on Tuesday.            
• • Mal Vincent has been a longtime culture writer for The Virginian-Pilot.
• • Source: Article written by © Mal Vincent, Virginian-Pilot correspondent for The Virginian-Pilot; published on Saturday, 14  March 2015.
• • On Wednesday, 6 April 1927 • •
• • On Tuesday, 5 April 1927 at Jefferson Market Court [on Sixth Avenue in Greenwich Village], the jury returned with a guilty verdict. As she left the courtroom, followed by reporters, photographers, and a mob of well-wishers, Mae told them, "You've got to fight in this world!" She added, "You've got to fight to get there — — and fight to stay there."
• • On Wednesday, 6 April 1927, articles about Mae were published in Variety, The New York Times, The N.Y. Herald Tribune, and elsewhere.
• • Overheard in Hollywood • •
• • Despite numerous protests against the "Advertising bally-hoo of Movie Trailers," I say a big bouquet to them! I should never have gone to see Mae West, Otto Kruger, Katharine Hepburn, George Arliss, and — believe it or not — Greta Garbo, were it not for one of these "coming events."
• • In Her Own Words • •
• • Mae West said: "The best way to hold a man is in your arms."
• • Quote, Unquote • •
• • A farming journal mentioned Mae West.
• • "No, Sally Doesn't Strip-Crop" • •
• • Revolution in Farming Methods on Rolling Land in Southwestern Iowa District • •
• • Cliff Gregory wrote: Strip-cropping has nothing to do with Sally Rand, nor does contour farming have any relation to the shape of Mae West. These new words in the farm dictionary are an indication of the revolution that is taking place in farming methods in southwest Iowa.   . . .
• • Source: Article written by Cliff Gregory for Wallace's Farmer and Iowa Homestead; published on Saturday, 6 April 1940
• • The Mae West Blog celebrates its 10th anniversary • •    
• • Thank you for reading, sending questions, and posting comments during this past decade. The other day we entertained 1,430 visitors. We reached a milestone recently when we completed 3,100 blog posts. Wow! 
• • By the Numbers • • 
• • The Mae West Blog was started ten years ago in July 2004. You are reading the 3150th 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 1933 • •
• • Feed — — http://feeds2.feedburner.com/MaeWest
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Mae West: Romance Blooms

MAE WEST is shown with her hand on the shoulder of Randolph Scott in an ad printed on Saturday, 26 December 1936.

• • True Republican wrote: Plan To Bring 1937 in with a BANG and Mae West! By Attending Our Special Mid-Night Show on Thursday,  December 31st at 11 :30 PM.  Favors and Hats and Serpentines and Balloons are FREE for all!
• • True Republican wrote:  Mae West hits the green pastures and makes romance bloom for a shy country lad!
• • True Republican wrote:  Adolph Zukor presents Mae West in "Go West Young Man" — Fargo, Sycamore, phone 606.
• • Source:  True Republican; published on Saturday, 26 December 1936.
• • On Thursday, 26 December 1946 in The N.Y. Times • •
• • Bosley Crowther wrote an obituary: "W.C. Fields, 66, Dies; Famed as Comedian." Of course, W.C. Fields was Mae's co-star in 1940.
• • On Sunday, 26 December 2004 • •
• • Pat Jordan wrote: Between serving in the Navy during World War II and again during the Korean War, Joe Gold (born 1922) lived as a beach bum in Santa Monica, alternating work in the merchant marine as a machinist's mate with play on the beach. It was there, after Korea, that he heard about a casting call for a Las Vegas revue starring Mae West. When Gold and a few of his fellow bodybuilders visited Mae West's apartment, she looked them over and said, ''I'll take all of you.''
• • Pat Jordan added: After Gold finished his cross-country tour with Mae West, he soon returned to Santa Monica, where he used his machinist's skills to design and build his own sophisticated weight-lifting equipment. In 1965 he opened the first Gold's Gym . ...
• • Source: Article: "Body by Joe" written by Pat Jordan for The NY Times Magazine; published on Sunday, 26 December 2004.
• • Overheard in Hollywood • •
• • At an age she aptly describes as "seventy-ish," Mae still flaunts the lovely, rounded figure, unencumbered by corset (this vouched for by Edith Head, who has designed Mae's screen wardrobe since "She Done Him Wrong").
• • In Her Own Words • •
• • Mae West said: “You've never seen such a commotion as when he [Hal Clarendon] woke up. You’d think I had broken the Ten Commandments to hear the bawling out I got.”   
• • Quote, Unquote • •
• • The Milwaukee Sentinel discussed Mae West, who was then appearing onstage in "Come On Up" during the Christmas holidays, delighting her Midwest fan base.
• • "When She Whips 'em Off" • •
• • The Milwaukee Sentinel wrote: "It cannot be said that 'Come On Up' is not on the corny side, but it is cheerful, crude, well-plowed corn, grown that way on purpose.  Many women in the audience giggled delightedly ...  Miss West's wisecracks are good in spots and almost always seem to be funny when she whips them off."
• • Source: Review in The Milwaukee Sentinel; published on Thursday, 26 December 1946
• • The Mae West Blog celebrates its 10th anniversary • •    
• • Thank you for reading, sending questions, and posting comments during this past decade. Yesterday we entertained 1,430 visitors. 
• • By the Numbers • • 
• • The Mae West Blog was started ten years ago in July 2004. You are reading the 3079th 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 1936 • •
• • Feed — — http://feeds2.feedburner.com/MaeWest
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