Thursday, February 07, 2013

Mae West: Laughs Are Plenty

On Wednesday, 7 February 1940 in The Hollywood Reporter, readers saw their review of the latest motion picture starring MAE WEST.   
• • "Sure Fire B.O. Hit — Story Limps But Laughs Are Plenty" was the headline for their review of "My Little Chickadee."
• • On the same date, Variety printed their boo-hoo brief, which included the usual brickbats they had often hurled at Mae West. Variety's resident sourpuss noted that "gags are rather slim." Their grumpy reviewer felt that there were "some monotonous stretches and footage hung onto too long." 
• • Of course, an audience might also say that about early episodes of "I Love Lucy." Sheesh.
• • On Tuesday, 7 February 1933 • •
• • Variety printed an article on page 31 discussing "She Done Him Wrong" and the new Hollywood leading lady Mae West, the star of "Diamond Lil" on Broadway.
• • On Tuesday, 7 February 1933 • •
• • It was on Tuesday, 7 February 1933, that Mae recorded "A Guy What Takes His Time" (one of her saucy hits from "She Done Him Wrong") for Brunswick Records.
• • On Wednesday, 7 February 1934 in Brisbane • •
• • An article with the headline "Mae West, Tivoli Theatre" was printed in The Courier-Mail (Brisbane, Queensland) on page 20. This short piece was published on Wednesday, 7 February 1934.
• • On Monday, 7 February 1949 in The N.Y. Times • •
• • The headline in The N.Y. Times read "Mae West Back in Town as 'Diamond Lil'" and a long warm-hearted article followed on Monday, 7 February 1949.
• • Toward the end of Act III, Mae came downstage to sing "Frankie and Johnnie," "Come Up and See Me Sometime," and "After You've Gone." As the footlights caressed her face, the crowd went wild. "If Saturday night's audience had its way, she would still be singing," noted William Hawkins, recalling his excitement and enjoyment at the Coronet Theatre on the weekend.
• • On Monday, 7 February 2004 in The Brooklyn Papers • •
• • A fascinating article "Go West: Boro Park Native Conjures the Spirit of Mae West in a New Play" [i.e., "Courting Mae West"] was the title of an interview written by NYC journalist and dramatist Paulanne Simmons published on Monday, 7 February 2004 in The Brooklyn Papers.
• • In Her Own Words • •
• • Mae West said: "If he swallows it, I'll buy it."
• • About Owney Madden, Mae West said: "Hmmm, he was cruel but he could be sweet."
• • Quote, Unquote • •
• • An article on Buron Fitts mentioned Mae West.
• • It was Buron Fitts, by the way, who indirectly inspired one of Mae West's most quoted lines.
• • Cecilia Rasmussen wrote: His penchant for celebrity friends often caused quite a stir, as when he sent his handsomest deputy to Union Station with orders to give the arriving Mae West a big kiss, saying, "This is from Buron." 
• • Her reply has entered legend: "Is that a gun in your pocket, or are you just glad to see me?" ...
• • Source: Article: "D.A. Fitts Was Good Match for Scandalous 1930s" written by Cecilia Rasmussen for The L.A. Times; published on Sunday, 19 September 1999
• • By the Numbers • • 
• • The Mae West Blog was started eight years ago in July 2004. You are reading the 2570th 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 1940
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