Thursday, August 22, 2013

Mae West: Enthusiasm

Perhaps MAE WEST could hear the rousing hands of applause for "Diamond Lil," revived last week by actress Darlene Violette, so perfect in the title role, and a wonderful cast who brought the Bowery denizens and Suicide Hall's ne'er-do-wells to life.
• • What They're Saying . . . • •
• • In town for an Al Jolson convention, West Coast performer Richard Halpern walked by Don't Tell Mama and noticed a promotional postcard. He was happy to express his enthusiasm on camera (for the exit interviews) and he also congratulated the star, the cast, and the playwright.  "I absolutely loved the show," confirmed Richard Halpern.  "I hope the group can re-stage it in Los Angeles."
• • Rick Baynes, in Manhattan to catch some of the NY Fringe shows, traveled to the Times Square area to spend the evening with Mae West. The Baltimore, Maryland resident said that the revised production was incredibly good.  "I loved it! As I told the writer, she was able to bring Mae West alive," said Rick Baynes. "All the actors were good, and I especially liked Darlene Violette, the actress who played the Mae West role, and the actor Jim Gallagher, who enlivened Chuck Connors along with several other parts. Everyone in the audience was enjoying themselves. Mae would have approved!"  Mr. Baynes added, "I liked the use of the harmonica to accompany the songs. I could listen to Mae's songs all day."
• • Raffle Prize Time • •
• • Raffle prizes were awarded at all three Mae West birthday events. Winners received two wide hats that would have made the Queen of the Bowery smile, a rare vintage photo of Mae West with Cary Grant (as Captain Cummings), and several rare caricatures of Mae costumed as Diamond Lil.
• • On Monday, 22 August 1932 • •
• • On this date production began for the motion picture "Night After Night," which offered Mae West her first chance to be in pictures.
• • On Saturday, 22 August 1936 • •
• • Elizabeth Yeaman wrote an article, "Mae West to Abandon Corsets, Wear Modem Apparel in New Picture." Her piece was published in Hollywood Citizen-News on Saturday, 22 August 1936.
• • In Her Own Words • •
• • Mae West said: "I'm not a phony, and I'm not a girl who's just made good. I've had some success before; I've had some publicity, and I've made some money before I ever came to Hollywood. Whenever I see people putting it on, I know they're phonies. They aren't the real goods and they've got something to cover up."
• • Quote, Unquote • •
• • Times Colonist (in Canada) mentioned Mae West.
• • Adrian Chamberlain wrote: In 1877, a New York Times editorial said: “The so-called musical instrument variously known as the accordion or concertina [is the] favourite instrument of the idle and depraved.”
• • Adrian Chamberlain added: Pre-Beatles, the accordion has its share of pop heroes, however. Guido Deiro, popular in the 1920s, was a big enough star to marry movie legend Mae West. ...
• • Source: Article: "World's best accordion players are in Victoria to compete and entertain" written by Adrian Chamberlain in the Times Colonist; published on Friday, 16 August 2013 
• • By the Numbers • • 
• • The Mae West Blog was started nine years ago in July 2004. You are reading the 2724th 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 Diamond Lil returned for Mae's birthday

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