Tuesday, May 20, 2014

Mae West: Story of Yester-Year

MAE WEST's Harlem play about prize-fighters and the dames who fight over 'em, was moved from NYC and massaged into a screenplay. Her Australian fans were most pleased to be seeing her again in the month of May.
• • "Mae West in Story of Yester-Year" • •
• • "Belle of the Nineties" at Winter Garden • •
• • Mae West, the featured player in 'Belle of the Nineties,' which heads the current programme at the Winter Garden Theatre, requires no introduction to patrons of the talking screen. The title is appropriate, for she appears in the role of a stage star of the closing years of the nineteenth century, to whose charms all men fall victims. Comparatively few scenes are devoted to theatre interiors, for the story tells how the actress brings under her spell a young prize-fighter on the threshold of a successful career, and how her influence, which many thought would be baneful, enables him to find lasting happiness in place of the transient glory that goes with the winning of a boxing championship.
• • The cast, so far as leading players are concerned, is small, for, apart from Mae West, the only other actress entrusted with an important role is Katherine De Mille, who appears as the former fiancee of a bogus theatrical entrepreneur. Roger Pryor and John Miljan play the leading male roles, the former as the prize-fighter, and the latter as the theatrical agent.
• • Source: Review for The Courier-Mail (Brisbane); published on Monday, 20 May 1935.
• • On Sunday, 20 May 1934 • •
• • The article "So Mae West's Slipping? Not So She Can Notice It!" was published in The Los Angeles Times in their weekend edition on Sunday, 20 May 1934. By then Mae had two motion picture hits behind her and her third "Belle of the Nineties" would be released in September 1934.
• • Overheard in Hollywood • •
• • According to the Mayors of some Seaport cities now in convention in New York Mae West is Tops asked by Paul Moss, Commissioner of Licenses, who their favorite screen star was they unanimously selected Mae West so Boris Morros, in appreciation, is having the Mayors as guests of the N. Y. Paramount today. Miss West is now in her fifth week at this house with her pix, "Goin' to Town."
• • In Her Own Words • •
• • Mae West said: "I like restraint if it doesn't go too far."
• • Quote, Unquote • •
• • A New York City publication discussed Mae West.
• • Variety printed this when the staff reviewed "Night After Night": The way the Mae West — Alison Skipworth moments stand out suggests the picture could have stood more of them, but the obvious intent is to nurse Miss West along. She's tossed into this one rather abruptly and without bearing on the plot, much in the manner that Jimmy Durante has been handled by Metro. That's okay if they don't do it too often. As long as this film proves the former legit name has something for pictures it wouldn't be taking a chance to shoot the works on her from now on.  ... 
• • Source: Article written by Bige for Variety; published on Tuesday, 1 November 1932
• • By the Numbers • • 
• • The Mae West Blog was started nine years ago in July 2004. You are reading the 2917th 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 in 1934

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