Friday, December 13, 2019

Mae West: The Culprit

No other broadcast of Charlie McCarthy's show has generated more ink than the Sunday, 12 December 1937 broadcast starring MAE WEST.
• • The Mae West Blog has devoted its share of bandwidth to this phenomenon. However, an article written by Martin Grams, Jr. is so insightful and detailed that it eclipses other reportage. We’ll share a portion of his lengthy feature with you, dear Mae-mavens. Prepare to be amazed. This is Part 10 of 12 segments.
• • “The Edgar Bergen and Charlie McCarthy Show: An Episode Guide and Brief History” • •
• • Arch Obler said that a lawsuit for plagiarism followed • •
• • Martin Grams, Jr. wrote: And with NBC publicly taking responsibility for the program that aired over their network, the good faith extended toward the listening public would be more apt to forgive and forget.
• • Martin Grams, Jr. wrote: But apparently damages were made.
• • Martin Grams, Jr. wrote: "Well, we were sued for plagiarism," recalled Oboler. "I don’t mean God called down – no this was from another part of heaven called Texas. A woman had written a story about Adam and Eve and she sued the network, NBC, for plagiarism.
• • Martin Grams, Jr. wrote: And Arch Oboler was the culprit.
• • Martin Grams, Jr. wrote: Since there were only two copies in existence, one that she had in her trunk, and the other one at the Library of Congress, it would have been necessary for me in those days to have gotten on a train and break into the Library of Congress. [Since I couldn’t] I was sued.”
• • The trial was set in New York • •  …  
• • This article by Mr. Grams will be continued on the next post.
• • Source: Radiogram; rpt by Old-Time Radio’s webmaster; posted on (undated).
• • On Friday, 13 December 1912 in Variety • •
• • At Hammerstein's Victoria the stagebill was always crowded. In December 1912, the singing comedienne Mae West opened right after intermission, a difficult spot on the Program because the audience was still taking seats, waving to friends as they strolled down the aisle, and not paying attention to the act onstage. Variety noted, in their issue dated for Friday, 13 December 1912 that Mae West was at a disadvantage that evening and "some of her very good material went for naught."
• • Overheard in Hollywood • •
• • Mae West's style is too subtle for Hollywood, it seems. They don't get her. After seeing Babs West in "She Done Him Wrong" I went around shouting like a fan fanatic. Is that being sophisticated? Well, Richard Cromwell joined me. Thank God for youth and the finer susceptibilities. As I say, Hollywood couldn't make Mae out.
• • One of my favorite women protested my bubbling enthusiasm. "Why," she exclaimed, "Mae West hurls sex at you like a pie in the face!"
• • "Yeah!" I scream. "And isn't it funny!"
• • In Her Own Words • •
• • Mae West said: "I always wanted attention."
• • Quote, Unquote • •
• • The L.A. Times mentioned Mae West.
• • Review: Nayland Blake turns bunnies and shoes into meditations on sex, power and prejudice.
• • Christopher Knight wrote: Perhaps the most touching work is an assemblage featuring Madame, the wisecracking puppet created by comedian Wayland Flowers, felled by AIDS a year before Robert Mapplethorpe. Glamorous Madame, like Mae West and Sophie Tucker before her, was a vaudevillian mistress of the often-ribald double-entendre. She spoke her mind.  …
• • Source: The L.A. Times; published on Saturday, 30 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 4,366th 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: https://maewest.blogspot.com/atom.xml   

• • Photo:
• • Mae West • in 1912

• • Feed — — http://feeds2.feedburner.com/MaeWest
  Mae West

Thursday, December 12, 2019

Mae West: NBC's Move

No other broadcast of the Charlie McCarthy show has generated more ink than the Sunday, 12 December 1937 broadcast starring MAE WEST.
• • The Mae West Blog has devoted its share of bandwidth to this phenomenon. However, an article written by Martin Grams, Jr. is so insightful and detailed that it eclipses other reportage. We’ll share a portion of his lengthy feature with you, dear Mae-mavens. Prepare to be amazed. This is Part 9 of 12 segments.
• • “The Edgar Bergen and Charlie McCarthy Show: An Episode Guide and Brief History” • •
• • Mae West has attracted the largest crowd at the NBC studio • •
• • Martin Grams, Jr. wrote: Variety reported that Mae West has attracted the largest crowd at the NBC studio than any Hollywood star ever had, and after the broadcast a complicated if not over-demanding public outcry pervaded the airwaves. NBC’s president issued a public statement the day after the broadcast, explaining that such an incident was meant to entertain, not injure or insult those who felt the skit was "profane."
• • Martin Grams, Jr. wrote: NBC also stated that it would take any and all responsibility for any financial damages resulting from the broadcast. From a business perspective, this was a shrewd move on the part of NBC. Since the remarks of West were not aimed toward anyone particular, it could be said for certain that no radio listener could have possibly been financially injured as a result of what they heard.
• • Arch Obler said that a lawsuit for plagiarism followed • • . . .
• • This article by Mr. Grams will be continued on the next post.
• • Source: Radiogram; rpt by Old-Time Radio’s webmaster; posted on (undated).
• • On Sunday, 12 December 1997 in Pittsburgh • •
• • Biographer Emily Wortis Leider was at the Carnegie Museum in Pittsburgh, PA on 12 December 1997 at 7:00 pm. The organizers noted: "The author of the acclaimed new biography of Mae West, Leider introduces West’s film, "She Done Him Wrong."
• • Overheard in Hollywood • •
• • "Go West Young Man" portrays a film star's touring paraphernalia as extremely elaborate, but the real Mae West journeyed to Corona, California for her first ''location" scenes of the picture, in simple fashion. Accompanied only by her driver and personal maid, Miss West's arrival was inconspicuous, and her departure the same.
• • In Her Own Words • •
• • Mae West said: "I never think about age. I'm health-minded. If you take care of your health and you're interested in positive thinkin' you'll be o.k." 
• • Quote, Unquote • •
• • The New York Age mentioned Mae West who "enplaned" with Ethel Sissle, wife of Noble Sissle.
• • "With the Celebs" • •
• • That was a gala dinner party tossed by Ethel Sissle [7 November 1915 — December 1984] in honor of Louise Beavers [8 March 1902 — 26 October 1962] last Sunday, before she enplaned for California and Las Vegas with the irrepressible Mae West.
• • Source: The New York Age; published on Saturday, 11 December 1954 
• • 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 4,365th 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: https://maewest.blogspot.com/atom.xml   

• • Photo:
• • Mae West • as Lady Lou in 1932

• • Feed — — http://feeds2.feedburner.com/MaeWest
  Mae West