Wednesday, November 09, 2016

Mae West: Crowns Tottered

In September 1934, MAE WEST sat down for a series of "Me and My Past" talks with the United Press syndicated reporter Leicester Wagner.  We will post excerpts from Chapter #3 in several installments.  This is Chapter 3, excerpt c-c.
• • "Me and My Past" by Mae West • •
• • As Told to Leicester Wagner United Press Staff Correspondent • •
• • Amazing Success • •
• • No one could have foretold the amazing and record-shattering success of "She Done Him Wrong." Although I felt that the picture would be a success (else I wouldn't have chosen it), yet I did not anticipate what happened.
• • What this picture did to box offices and audiences everywhere is well known, but its effect on Hollywood is something else again.  Rival movie producers grew apopletically purple and ruined perfectly swell manicures, finally shading off into an envious Nile green as the crowns tottered on their own stars' heads.
• • Film stars whose pictures' returns at the box office began to look like a trickle compared to the torrent drawn by this one drama, gasped and swallowed their tonsils, while a few rushed off for appendicitis operations. Others hurried back from vacations.
• • Today that picture has been viewed by 11,000,000 persons and it's still playing in many theaters in the United States and the over-seas countries.
• • I'm not bragging • •     . . .
• • This has been excerpt c-c.  Tomorrow's post will be d-d — —  the continuation of Chapter #3.
• • NOTE: This is the 2nd chapter of Mae West's life story as told to Leicester Wagner, United Press.  This syndicated series was reprinted in American newspapers during September 1934.
• • On Tuesday, 9 November 1920 • •
• • Mae filed for divorce from Guido Deiro on the grounds of adultery on 14 July 1920. The divorce was granted by the Supreme Court of the State of New York on Tuesday, 9 November 1920. Guido almost immediately re-married for the third time. Mae later said, "Marriage is a great institution. But I'm not ready for an institution."
• • On Wednesday, 9 November 1927 • •
• • Variety discussed "The Wicked Age" in their issue dated for Wednesday, 9 November 1927.  Variety wrote: "Miss West is well fortified with masculine support. None is less than six feet and a couple are above the 6' 3" mark.  No one will believe that Babe is exactly a lily of the valley. She knows too many fly comebacks. ..."
• • Overheard in Hollywood • •
• • Will Hays communicated again with Adolph Zukor, insisting that his plans for a movie version of "Diamond Lil" must be scrapped. It was too filthy for Hays.
• • In Her Own Words • •
• • Mae West said:  "I'm my own original creation."
• • Quote, Unquote • •
• • A California daily mentioned Mae West.
• • "Mae's  Bandit Will Escape" • •
• • CHICAGO, Nov. 9. Harry O. Voiler, ex-convict held tor a year on charges of stealing $20,400 in cash and jewelry from Mae West, the actress, went free today.
• • Assistant State’s Attorney William Brumlix told Municipal Judge Robert Dunne that he had been trying unsuccessfully since last December 4 to procure extradition papers from Governor Horner for Voiler’s return to California.
• • Voiler was indicted in Los Angeles as one of the three bandits who invaded Miss West's home in September, 1933. and took $3,400 in cash and $17,000 in jewelry. The suspect had been before Judge Dunne 15 times.
• • Source: Item on page 1 in Madera Tribune; published on Friday,  9 November 1934
• • The Mae West Blog celebrates its 12th 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 3,500 blog posts. Wow! 
• • By the Numbers • •
• • The Mae West Blog was started ten years ago in July 2004. You are reading the 3570th 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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