‘Mae West with Lyons Wickland in her stage success, 'Sex.” When Mae went t, not herself, that she was worried to jail for this play, it was for the c E got something on the motion picture public! You have taken Mae West into your circle of favorite stats only in the Tas ‘ears while I've been a Mae West admirer —well r more years than perhaps the “Queen of Sex” would like ‘ve me tell—and for more years than it may be wise for me to admit, But if you prom begin guessing ages—the date Twas 'steen years old and pathematical and could drop into the BACK of the WEST Front Anecdotes of the great Mae of bygone days prove she has always been herself By Dana Rush Family Theater of Pittsburgh, a yaude- ville house which admitted me without e its manager, Clarence and his wife, were next oor neighbors, but to those less fortu: nate, charged the huge sum of twenty five cents. No, not big time house, but a very much ‘small time house whieh Jemanded five performances a day from its actors, Tn those days May (that’s the way she spelled her name at that time) was one of the best ragtime singers that ever hit the Family Theater. And even though I yas only “steen years old, J knew she possessed “that something.” The present hysteria for Mae West for that’s what the phenomenal popularity f the new film star amounts to) has been attributed to many things: SEX ‘spelled with capital letters; curves, with uch empiasis ou tie toundness there of; therevival af the gay nineties period. All have been set forth as an explanation for the big way in which the public has taken to the box-office which advertises the “Queen of Sex.” But I suspect the cause is.a more profound one. 1 would call it histrionie ability—nol only hefore the Klieg lights, but behind the fountain pen or portable typewriter, whichever medium is used to tum out her dramas, For Mae West not only can act, She can writel Her talent in each amounts to a God-given genius, for neither has been developed along the vusual Lines The author of “Se version, “She Done Him Wrong,” Diamond Lil,” and the latter's movie [Lease ruas 10 pace 109)PyororLay Macazine Yor Fevuary, 1934 A singe policeman, ent outta inveatigne ster the firs reprted. the inciden wae Toute hy the vagronts snd when he eared wth aid they had gone. ‘Viren Katharine Hepburm lft for New Yor and yehearals inthe new Jou Hata stage pro- eeion, The Lake,” Laura remained fo Back of the West Front Hollywood to oversee the easing of their house Bick up ade an ends and attend to doven ist minute matters, Tht rasa followed almost immediately, and ‘hore fe lite doubt that while Katharine ilep- bum works to perfect her lines, Laura Handing ignear at hand—coaching, suggesting, helping. Leoxnsven row Por 60] fand the recent “I'm No Angel,” has no degree ftom a college, Ia fact, she never even sae a High, school diploma. "Rut she has a. highly developed instinet for the theater. She has Sonthing more valuable to the ast than 8 nies clucad ie ‘West hysteria at a high piteh long Public has forgotten that curves are dl Tear see Mf Teta Sars and Nell Gwyn. Both of these historically femous las have’ Bees ortayed fp the theater by acteesses of the highest rank, but funder the West banner I believe they would ecsive am individual touch which would stamp Nae as an artist of standing. HOWEVER, during at thee years that Ive en folloying te West cares, veered ante have been presenting the amond Lil” frontage and a Hly-white beckground. Which is—and is not Gresnpoint, the Bowery setion of sole os fhe, ho red ns ftom the prize-fgnters ving ae os cast ot er ovn at an age when tos gk are ail Sfattred by their parent wage And what Sheva of ie she Nas interpreted on sage snd Telore that 1912 engagement as sng io sierle ae West hat rena hl aces, then a chonis gut in a burleue show, the heavy in a acrobatic act thee of the asin. Man ssp [one to be the hunter—the ome who does the Chasing, bat every woman at times would lke Man is sup- ooo Teaion, conventions of pole society. te ee er fan be hac” and then go after im And ee See ee es ak ona wanes PN an interview, before her namie was wel. yen even along the Broadway Rialto and Jong lore Holly vod embraced her, she said too 1 hk Fig Wr ae ge mye 2 Ling—they can be had" OF course Sse tras only joking when ake said that. But T Telee that Mae really dd want aking, he ‘wouldn't have a chance, TU chaacteriste of Mae to wiseerack a tnfic or setinestal station. Tn esiing hw she gets some of er enmoral characte Ate cfen pat the cerry she sid to me $Tralways ue ag and wkcricks to get ay from the sentient ee Shee apetaney" the cre Wand, and she comes to me weep snd Xeenustatia and Taps toe, "At, RO You've bad him long enought” LAUGHED and she tamed tciumphanty. Yoou see, T get a laugh and then where's the tragedy? 1s just a gag.” “Another highlight of the star's sonality ‘Theater in her obscure days was the man she sought to produce her play, “Sex,” which ran the proruction Miss West and her business fssotates Found themaves inthe tlk of the lise. Morgenstern deserted the West produc tions for plays les Ukely to stir the re of the Tae, bat, as, they proved to be less lucrative ‘When che littering marquee over the Pars mount Theater on Broadway, announced in lecticleters four feet high: “Mae West of Stage and Sercen," the pedestrian traf Vefore that theater became & tangled snerl of West ‘admirers. Vow might have thought that the theater was giving way gold bricks to alleviate the depresion~but 1 was only a city gone fad over a new face inthe dncma Tn the midst of this adulation, physically ‘weary ftom the strain of fue personal peat ance aay, Mae didnot forget that trend her early etteer. “What's become of Moray? she asked. No one knew where be could be found, He no ce in the icatical bel. sSliminated im as. Broadway pi at Mat new where Be Kved, ci island, a suburb of New Vor, had no tele one, So one night after her last perform: ance, she pressed through the waiting throng of admirers, denying eaxer reporters an audi fence, and stepping into ber ear directed the chauffeur to drive to City Island, rT was through Mac's generosity that Morgenstern made a comeback to his old haunts ‘Mz. Morgenatem, in speaking of this epl- sod, told the that ho matter how much Mae fauné—she pastes it out to thor less fortunate Her Broadway production of " Diamond Lil netted her almost balf a million dollars in royalties and in salaty, but duc to her lange fftsand loans to fried, atthe end of the run ‘he was broke. So much so, that she acrepted comparatively small sum for her r6le in "Night After Night.” Clarence Morgenstem related to me another incident which is indicative of the actress loyalty. ‘During the run of “Sex,” he found ie necessary to discharge an electriclan of the play's ere Mac, on hearing of thema’s dee fnissal, would not go am unless the may was instated. And she held the curtain ‘fifteen, rinutes until her demands were met. iarold Spielberg, the lawyer tho defended her dusing her tal, for participation inthe censored play, “Sex,” said that her chief con- KGDL MILDLY MENTHOLATED CIGARETTES—CORK-TIPPED x THRO, SS a5 e 2° = ° t i KKOOLS have taken the dry threat out of steady smoking and put more real cigarette pleasure Inte your life. They're mildly men- tholated. The smoke is cooler—decidedly re= freshing. But the mild menthol in KOOLS doesn't interfere with the full Ravor af the fine tobaccos. The cork tips protect lips. Save the valuable B & W coupons packed with KOOLS for Congress Quality gilteadged U.S, Playing Cards and other attractive premiums. (Offer good in U.S. A. only.) yp PLAYING caRDs—FREE mio Menrnon | Candler. eae ma aing ‘Brown: Willsnson Tabac Cor Louies.PHoroPtay fordeal of the trial was not for herself but for her east. Marry O'Neil, the leading man of the play, ig.an Englishman good faruly backs ten in =e lng of this, sid Pleacled with hin Get Harty out of thieI' don't care wh happens to me Ol ad tales mernbers of the cast holier on wth ek pe a jal sentence Erfough Mae retorle and even when the g tre ees | YOUR WAIST AND HIPS Zincues inJO vars ee DS have twas behind prison bats—for 2 brief de=she REDUCED MY HIPS dit tt ae olicitous of the ylfare of her fellow priser D INCHES WITH THE [“iheonletimeshesint forher Ieeyer during PERFOLASTIC GIRDLE”! the vig of ths uns wentnee was when eeMlin Healy | she paid bis to defen a young mother who Tr massacres ike masic'y, wes Rss Rey Eatcuatite Atiecs tohavemeleed amis? wees Bis eSadtey. deeialretuiesobrained with SMePesoured Rubber hee {1ucing Gig ehaewe wane you to trrat for 30 day at ANDUties SNCS TS iO DAYS ORT WILL Cost VouNoHnNe= ©, Worn sent to the bedy company. T taught im ihe dance steps we se ‘Woull'you boliore it, that he's « timber sonota-guit™ He dorsvt unbend. much in Sim peteteacn detay | loser his! a slack ligaments, orsomething SOEERURSESCLPTURE | He could do splits at the enc of 3 drum ducestabby.dishewinetse | ™'immy says he envied this double jointed Tet ee, | Me e PERFOLASTC'GIROLE, | er mom inte chorus forthe remaining Sn at our expense! reeks of the Boston run. "We were facially aad.” Fira’ explana ‘Their sary was thinly dollar a week, but they had ta send practically all of that back to New Vork to Gover debts, One day the | nowsnoted pair were dove to fiteen cent They fong It down at 0 oneat lunch tana for coer sed doughaut vas the Gay Jimmy san a beautiful fit, who was also inthe | Exorus es. Allen tate tl SSS See ee The Best GRAY HAIR __ Hier nine wis nilie Vetnon and she bectine REMEDY 1S MADE P20 Snir ste Cagney, “7 rect AT HOME Yexcseowmste | 5 stunning gal in that show whom Allen kind craved One night she stopped him back aes sid ave hin fo undentand that be Mi come"ap eny Une. He vse a0 scared ey When the theater tis deserted, fn the day Le aad yout lot iter ant doc soca of” ran’. PIANO BY EAR fllviene Theatre ey at Home keeping girls contented on the set. Th Two “Toughs” from the Chorus MacAziNe For Fenruary, 1934 vas waiting tial on a. petty larceny: charge Not only ides ine alias telentefocsthe ‘woman, bat abe sawe-that hee family were Provide for during her imprisonment nineone has =f Tostm eliemuioalasting uuniess one u considerate and ikind to other people for charm is 2 spintual quality’ that ougls physical medium, ‘anil charming” may. seem strange’ 0 apply. to. the Diamond Lil rt Wiscraenr Bet When Your Thalyze Mue Jit cecholasieniiellein” Queen of HN Ane ia UR enh PoreWeeiterecemtNcU Te tempts to wise rice you out thinking she ts sentiment on sympathetic Leosmsven rnox race 9) time, Jimmy used to go tm and practice Jancing by himself, The intricate effets were ‘a natural for Allen, but not for the rel-headl Eventually, however, Jimmy turned into the Detter praticr of the'twe. When the show closed In New ork, where they went alter Toston, ‘he was rewarded with a specialil Jance solo on the lengthy road tour Doth of them express amazement at finding thenselves actors Jenkins patents were well-known theatre people, having headlined in musicals bul he cetlor ‘Cagneys Were total strangers to the Il of gresse-paint, Jimmy's papa ran Saloon on the East Side “T troupes! as a Kid with my folks.” Alle said tome, “and T loathed the stage wanted to be a matine engineer. Studied along that line for (wo years, and worked ini Ship yard for'a year anda. half Yor practical eae Then, like lightning, ot minetcen I got thet acting Ing. The quickest Way onto & stage Seemed lobe the chorus. My folks. didn thinks much’ of me for debuting that way Two yeats of it convinced me I wasn't pros sessing, so I went to the American Academy Gf Dramatic. Arte in New Work, ovhere 1p father had once beea an instructor." Graduating from the schocl which hagh trained many’ of our finest performers, Wg rst regular job, was a bit in’ the Broadway podiiction of “Secrets” A succession Rood parts in outstanding dramas followe When’ Wamers decided to lt “Bless | And don’t drop any stitches! There's nothing lke a crochet necdle for our, who worked with Paul Muni in his latest, "Hi, Nelle," made good use of their time between scenes