Monday, February 29, 2016

Mae West: Eyelash Ire

According to Variety in 1936, MAE WEST was feuding on the set with actress Alice Brady [1892 — 1939], who would die 3 years later of cancer at 46 years old. Tsk tsk. The director in the middle of this dust-up was Henry Hathaway [13 March 1898 — 11 February 1985]. Since he died in February, let's revisit this tempest in a Tinseltown teapot before we leave the month on its 29th day.
• • Variety wrote:  Mae West and Alice Brady, both appearing in "Go West, Young Man," formerly "Personal Appearance," are feuding.  One report had it that Miss West issued orders that she alone was to wear long eyelashes in the picture.  Miss Brady showed up with a really lengthy pair.  Inside is that Miss West suggested certain lines be dropped from the Brady part  [Mrs. Struthers], which irked the latter no little. 
• • breaking a superstition • •
• • Variety continued:  Miss West coaxed Henry Hathaway, directing "Go West," into breaking a superstition recently.  He complied with her request to o.o. some daily rushes but, upon realizing what he was doing, he rushed from the rushes. Hathaway possibly is the only megger who will not look at his work until film is assembled in rough cut.
• • Source: Item in "Inside Stuff — Pictures" in Variety; published on Wednesday, 2 September  1936.
• • On Saturday, 29 February 1936 • •
• • "Goin' to Town" was released as "Now I'm a Lady" in certain countries. The Mirror in Perth, Australia, ran an article on page 18 in their issue dated Saturday, 29 February 1936: "'Now I'm a Lady' — Mae West as Society Lady."
• • On Saturday, 29 February 1936 in Hollywood • •
• • Taking advantage of one extra day in February to complain about Mae West and censor the script for "Klondike Annie," Will Hays sent a letter to Joseph Breen, dated on Saturday, 29 February 1936. Sounds like he was working overtime.
• • On Saturday, 29 February 1936 in San Mateo • •
• • On Saturday, 29 February 1936, Mae West was on page 2 in the San Mateo Times. "Mae West's Latest Motion Picture" was the headline, indicating the various upcoming features being shown on the following Tuesday at the local movie-houses in San Mateo, California. Black and white photos from "Klondike Annie" were featured in a spread on page 2.
• • On Saturday, 29 February 1936 in Los Angeles • •
• • "Stop Lewd Films" was the headline of an article referring to Mae West in the Los Angeles Examiner, issue dated 29 February 1936.
• • On Thursday, 29 February 1940 • •
• • On Thursday, 29 February 1940 Hattie McDaniel — — who had worked with Mae West in "I'm No Angel" [1933] — — became the first black actor to win an Oscar for her role as Mammy in "Gone with the Wind" [1939].
• • On Saturday, 29 February 1964 • •
• • Subscribers who opened their TV Guide (issue dated February 29 — March 6, 1964) noted an article about Mae West's guest starring role on "Mister Ed," a sitcom about a talking horse. The feature "Mr. Ed Barges into a Boudoir" was printed on pages 20, 21.
• • Overheard in Hollywood • •
• • A vacant home owned by the late sex goddess Mae West has been systematically looted over the last three months, with brazen thieves carrying off memorabilia of the fabled screen star.
• • In Her Own Words • •
• • Mae West said:   " I really like corsets. They're comfortable. They make you feel just like you're being held."
• • Quote, Unquote • •
• • A campus paper in Massachusetts mentioned Mae West.
• • Metropolitan Theatre • •
• • Mae West in “Klondike Annie,” with Victor McLaglen for film entertainment and Major Bowes’ new edition of National Prize Winning Amateurs for stage including Boston’s own Michael Balero, is the dual attraction for the week ending Thursday.
• • “Klondike Annie,” written by Mae West herself, is a breezy story of San Francisco’s Barbary Coast and the Fabulous Alaskan Gold Rush, with the blonde star swinging through a series of amusing and exciting situations.   . . .
• • Source: Item in Cambridge Sentinel (Massachusetts); published on Saturday, 29 February 1936
• • The Mae West Blog celebrates its 11th anniversary • •
• • Thank you for reading, sending questions, and posting comments during these past eleven years. The other day we entertained 3,497 visitors. And we reached a milestone recently when we completed 3,300 blog posts. Wow! 
• • By the Numbers • • 
• • The Mae West Blog was started ten years ago in July 2004. You are reading the 3387th 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 a 1936 ad

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