Meet Mae West…

Is that her real name? Almost, she was born Mary Jane West in 1893

Where about? Brooklyn, New York.

Who was she? She was a bawdy, busty blonde with a brain as well as looks.

Oh yeah? Yes, she was a screenwriter and a playwright, quite a feat in those days.

Why is she a bombshell? So many reasons. Writing, directing and starring in your own play called Sex in 1926 probably qualifies her. She was jailed for 10 days for that.

How did she become a Hollywood star? She was discovered on Broadway, and became a star late, at 39.

What movies of hers should we watch? 1933 movie, She Done Him Wrong with Cary Grant, where she utters the famous Diamond Lil line, ‘Why don’t you come up sometime and see me’.  And check her out in Every Day’s A Holiday from 1937 – wonderful costumes.

Who designed them? Elsa Schiaperalli. The story goes that when Schiaparelli first saw the dress form Mae had sent to France she exclaimed ‘Shocking’ – a moment which inspired the designer’s fragrance, ‘Shocking’ with the bottle based on Mae’s form.

But was she Mae’s favourite designer? No, that was the legendary Edith Head, although more for friendship than work. Head designed the clothes for She Done Him Wrong, but didn’t work with Mae again until 1970.

She was still making films then?! Well, yes, but the 1970s movie Myra Breckinridge and a 1978 film called Sextette aren’t, er, classics, shall we say! But, with Myra Breckinridge, you also get to watch a beautiful Raquel Welch and a gorgeous young Farrah Fawcett.

Mae must have been old by then? She was, in 1970 she was 77!

When did she die? When she was 83.  She suffered a couple of strokes, and died peacefully at home.

So what is she most remembered for? Being the Queen of the double entendre. Mae West quotes are more famous than Mae West movies to many!

And finally? Mae, despite what you may think, didn’t drink, never smoked and didn’t even drink coffee. She was a big contributor to Catholic charities, and late in life she got heavily into ESP.