Monday, June 09, 2014

Mae West: Thrives on Opposition

MAE WEST was blazing a trail through the hearts of Utah readers of the Sunday Herald on June 9th. Bring some popcorn and join me in this love-fest.
• • "Mae Goes To Town In Latest Vehicle" • •
• • As a girl who knows what she wants and thrives on opposition, the new and modern Mae West returns to the screen of the Paramount theater in "Goin' to Town" for a three day engagement.
• • The blonde star's new vehicle tops all her previous efforts for comedy, romance, intrigue, and vocal efforts. Glitteringly arrayed in the styles of 1935, Mae West plays a cattle baron's widow with money to burn and warm affections. And to get her man, she transports herself from a small mid-western mining town to Buenos Aires and Southampton, and through a series of gay and hectic adventures. Paul Cavanaugh, playing a handsome Englishman, is the man. When Miss West discovers that beauty, wealth, and racing stables can't get him, she decides to become a lady, in the society manner. With her characteristic directness and brevity she sets about acquiring manners and a background.
• • But there is a rival, Marjorie Gateson, and a number of fortune hunters including Ivan Lebedeff, and between them they make a lot of trouble for the blonde charmer. Mae West bests them in the end. And when she does, Cavanaugh returns to tell her that he has loved her all the time. 
• • Paul Cavanaugh, who has been seen on the screen many times before, turns in a faultless performance opposite Miss West. Others of the cast include Monroe Owsley, Fred Kohler, Sr., Marjorie Gateson, Gilbert Emery, and Grant Withers. The dialogue of "Goin' to Town" written by Miss West fairly bristles with the brilliant "Westi-cisms" that made her first pictures so delightful.
• • Source: Article: The Daily Herald (Provo, Utah); published on Sunday, 9 June 1935.
• • On Sunday, 9 June 1935 in The N. Y. Times • •
• • Mae West did a few interviews with John Moffatt. In an article printed in the Sunday Times on Sunday, 9 June 1935, Mae discussed parting with Libby Taylor, her longtime maid.  Mae said, "When she began wanting me to wake her up in the morning, I told her she'd better stop being a maid and give her all to the public."
• • On Tuesday, 9 June 1956 • •
• • "Mae West's Muscle Men in Fist Fight" • •
• • Washington, June 7 — Two muscular members of a night club troupe headed by Mae West got into a fight in her dressing room last night, police reported, and one of them received hospital treatment as a result.
• • Police said Mickey Hargitay, 26-year-old "Mr. Universe" filed an assault complaint against Charles Krause, 24-year-old "Mr. America". .... The fight came during a news conference, police said.  Miss West reportedly was discussing plans to replace "Mr. Universe" in her show.  Officers quoted Krause (sic) as saying he hit Hargitay when "Mr. Universe" ignored Krause's suggestions that he "stop making remarks" about Miss West. She was said to have escaped injury in the row.  . . .
• • Hargitay has been seen often with Jayne Mansfield, a New York actress. "I'm that way about Mickey because he's a sincere, sweet, lovable guy and not because he has such an outstanding physique, said Miss Mansfield, who has quite a physique herself.  Marriage is not imminent, she said, but hinted it could happen. ...
• • Source: Article: "Mae West's Muscle Men In Fist Fight" published (on page 23) of The Miami News on Thursday, 7 June 1956.
• • There are other news accounts that speculated on the motives of the men in the "Mae West Revue." Frankly, I was hoping that at least one article would have mentioned Mary Birge (a.k.a. Mrs. Mickey Hargitay) going after her two-timing husband with a wooden rolling pin. 
• • Overheard in Hollywood • •
• • She was five (or thereabout) when she stole the show at the Church Hall, refusing to do the prettily proper piece Mamma had taught her, and substituting lines of her own, quite as she does today.
• • In Her Own Words • •
• • Mae West said: "They can be had!"
• • Quote, Unquote • •
• • An article on a dance derby in Madison Square Garden in 1928 mentioned Mae West.
• • "Scores Enter Dance Derby in New York" • •
• • Bossy Gillis, who won fame in Newburyport, Mass., by making the members of the city council dance, has promised to be on hand tomorrow night to throw off the first shoe or fire the starting gun or something. Peaches Clementine, herself a dancer, is expected to grace Madison Square Garden with her effervescence.
• • Mae West, whose press agent is one of the most active on Broadway, has provided a diamond-studded medal for the winner. ...
• • Source: Article by Associated Press rpt in Urbana Daily Courier (Illinois); published on Saturday, 9 June 1928 
• • By the Numbers • • 
• • The Mae West Blog was started nine years ago in July 2004. You are reading the 2931st 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 1935

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