Monday, June 14, 2010

Mae West: Stranger

MAE WEST rustled up a song in every motion picture — — but the numbers in "The Heat's On" [1943] are probably the least known. Portraying an actress Fay Lawrence, Mae opens the mish-mash musical singing “I’m Just a Stranger in Town.” When Hubert Bainbridge — — a pathetic would-be lothario [actor Victor Moore] — — comes to pitch some woo with his bad toupee unhinged, Fay says, “Don’t look now, honey, but your hair’s skiddin’!”
• • Let's give credit where credit is due. Performed by Mae West (uncredited) in the show "Indiscretions" was "I'm Just a Stranger in Town"; music by Jay Gorney with lyrics by Henry Myers and Edward Eliscu [Copyright 1944 by Mills Music Inc.].
• • Well, once is never enough, right? Performed by Mae West (uncredited) and chorus in the show "Tropicana" was "Hello, Mi Amigo"; music by Jay Gorney with lyrics by Henry Myers and Edward Eliscu [Copyright 1944 by Mills Music Inc.]. That's not all, folks.
• • Certainly, Mae deserved better. And so did musician Jay Gorney [1896 — 1990], born in Bialystok, Russia. This versatile gentleman was an author, a composer, songwriter ("Brother, Can You Spare A Dime?"), producer, and teacher. In 1906, he arrived in the USA and was educated at the University of Michigan (BA, LL.B) and was also a music student of Earl Moore. The five-foot-six composer created five Michigan Union musicals and became a U.S. Navy bandmaster during World War II.
• • After a long life filled with numerous accomplishments, awards, and acclaim, Jay Gorney died during the month of June — — on 14 June 1990 — — in New York City. His talented daughter Karen Lynn Gorney has devoted herself to singing his most popular numbers — — no, not the aforementioned "Hello, Mi Amigo" nor "I'm Just a Stranger in Town," not so far anyway. Hmmm! Wonder why....

• • Come up and see Mae every day online: http://MaeWest.blogspot.com/
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