8/17/14

MAE WEST WOULD BE 121

"I've been in more laps than a napkin."

"Women like a man with a past, but they prefer one with a present."

"An ounce of performance is worth a pound of promises."

"Marriage is a great institution. I'm not ready for an institution yet."

"Good sex is like good Bridge... If you don't have a good partner, you'd better have a good hand"

"Those who are easily shocked... should be shocked more often"

"A dame that knows the ropes isn't likely to get tied up"

"An orgasm a day keeps the doctor away"



HAPPY BIRTHDAY, MAE WEST

Mary Jane "Mae" West (August 17, 1893 – November 22, 1980) was an American actress, singer, playwright, screenwriter andsex symbol whose entertainment career spanned seven decades.
Known for her bawdy double entendres, West made a name for herself in vaudeville and on the stage in New York before moving to Hollywood to become a comedienne, actress and writer in the motion picture industry. In consideration of her contributions to American cinema, the American Film Institute named West 15th among the greatest female stars of all time. One of the more controversial movie stars of her day, West encountered many problems, including censorship. When her cinematic career ended, she continued to perform on stage, in Las Vegas, in the United Kingdom, on radio and television, and recorded rock and roll albums. Asked about the various efforts to impede her career, West said, "I believe in censorship. I made a fortune out of it."
Her first starring role on Broadway was in a 1926 play she entitled Sex, which she wrote, produced, and directed. Although critics panned the show, ticket sales were good. The production did not go over well with city officials, and the theater was raided, with West arrested along with the cast. She was taken to the Jefferson Market Court House, (now Jefferson Market Library) where she was prosecuted on morals charges and, on April 19, 1927, was sentenced to ten days for "corrupting the morals of youth." While incarcerated on Welfare Island (now known as Roosevelt Island), she dined with the warden and his wife; she told reporters that she had worn her silk panties while serving time. She served eight days with two days off for good behavior. Media attention surrounding the incident enhanced her career.
Her next play, The Drag, dealt with homosexuality, and was what West called one of her "comedy-dramas of life". After a series of try-outs inConnecticut and New Jersey, West announced she would open the play in New York. However, The Drag never opened on Broadway due to efforts by the Society for the Prevention of Vice to ban any attempt by West to stage it. West was an early supporter of the women's liberation movement, but said she was not a feminist. She was also an early supporter of gay rights.

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