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I'm Loretta Swit tonight on intimate

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portrait Mae West

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goodness goodness I happened to do with

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a giri in her long show business career

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of almost 80 years Mae West burst more

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bubbles of sexual and social pretensions

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than any other entertainer

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she won fame and fortune<font color="

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had the highest reported income of any

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woman in America and her West isms were

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quoted everywhere

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she was the 20th century's icon of sex

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one of the first truly emancipated women

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[Applause]

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[Music]

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maiya was born in Brooklyn New York on

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August<font color="

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possibly 1888 most have settled for 1893

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records of vital statistics were not

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well kept and the true birth date will

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remain a mystery or she was a legend and

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legends are<font color="

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May's mother Mathilde named her Mary

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Jane but it was soon changed to may

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spelled with an E because as may

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explained the why went down and an E

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went up and Mae knew she was going her

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father John<font color="

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with horse-drawn carriages for rent he

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was known as battling Jack because he

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had once been a prizefighter

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he took baby Mae to the gym on many

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occasions perhaps it was there that her

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taste<font color="

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as Tilly quickly pulled her baby away

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from the gin and pushed her into amateur

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nights at the local theaters she thought

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Mae was very special and made for the

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line

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mom would work behind the scenes<font color="

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year was nineteen oh one I believe she

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was seven years old she had entered a

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contest in Brooklyn and she had to sing

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a song they gave her the words to sing

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<font color="

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rewrote the words and wrote extra words

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for herself she did the number and she

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won a prize

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continuing to win amateur nights led to

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our entrance with moms pushing and

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blessings into vaudeville she was only

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eight years old

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<font color="

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later said my education was the theater

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the only time she spent away from the

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stage was between the ages of 12 and 14

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the awkward years she got to know her

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sister<font color="

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later said these were happy times and

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her only remembrance of early family

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life in 1908 it was back to vaudeville

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and playing the circuit this meant long

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periods of time on the<font color="

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lonely and dangerous for a single girl

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so when she was 17 the show was in

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Milwaukee and she secretly married a

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cast member by the name of Frank Wallace

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he was<font color="

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shows and she said she married him for

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protection that she felt at least now

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she was a married woman but Mae didn't

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have time for love and domestic bliss

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I believe<font color="

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with herself in the end because it was

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herself the only one she really knew the

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only one she could really trust the one

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who really knew the secrets that may I

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don't think I really enjoyed imparting

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<font color="

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considered her they're very dear close

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wonderful friend may appeared in a Ned

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way burned vaudeville revue called

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a la Broadway she continued to learn and

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grow and searched for the

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characterization<font color="

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There is West

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broadville required performers magnetic

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enough to dominate an enclosed area on

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the stage

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and with the specialness of their

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personalities hold the attention of the

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audience until the finale of their act

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may constantly worked toward that end

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may receive good reviews for her work in

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a la Broadway but she had not yet found

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the indelible image she sought it took

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Mae West about 30 years to create the

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image that would sustain her throughout

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<font color="

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years and her long life she once said to

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me should when your parents put you on a

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stage in your five you'll learn to take

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care of yourself

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and take<font color="

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November the 20th 1911 she finally

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opened on Broadway for the world-famous

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Schubert Brothers in a Romberg operetta

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there are Violetta starring Al Jolson

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then it was back to vaudeville

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unlike burlesque<font color="

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looked down on and for survival

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performers often played on the circuit

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as well as on Broadway she teamed up

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with two young men Bobby O'Neil and

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Harry Laughlin they played the circuit

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as Mae West<font color="

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almost caused a riot in New Haven by

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driving the students from Yale in the

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audience to Stampede when she did her

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wriggle she twisted her body with

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sinuous writhing motions and the

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<font color="

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cautious theater owner played it safe

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and fired the act the newspapers said

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that her wriggles cost her her job in

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spite of this Mae was pleased the

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audience reaction had excited her she

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knew she was<font color="

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stardom it was only a matter of time and

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an unswerving attention to the creation

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of what would become Mae West

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[Music]

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[Music]

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her search for image and success in the

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quirky arena called show business led me

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to write her<font color="

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she would constantly shape the material

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to serve her own purposes she admitted

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that her ego was grand but it was

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bringing in 350 dollars a week for the

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act<font color="

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Ziegfeld who would gain Fame for his

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Follies produced a comedy the winsome

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widow in 1912 in which may appeared when

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she was<font color="

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out with a solo act on the Keith

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vaudeville circuit billed as the

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original brinkley girl the act was

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provocative to say the least

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that's earlier<font color="

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records and people I've known like

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George Peter actually saw this stuff it

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it was pretty raw you know it was pretty

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raunchy for that era 1914 began her

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lifelong association with her mother's

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lawyer James<font color="

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practice to manage May's career there

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are stories of a quick romance and after

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that a lot of jealousies on the part of

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Timoney but he managed Mae until the day

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he<font color="

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career may introduce the shimmy dance to

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Broadway at the Shubert Theatre in the

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musical sometime she based the dance on

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her observations of dancers she had seen

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in a<font color="

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number one on Chicago's South Side

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there was little movement of the feet

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just shaking of the torso breasts and

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it<font color="

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rather amazing way when they did it they

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stomp their feet and whistled and the

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critics approved and Mae approved of the

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audience's reaction and continued to

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give them what they wanted in 1921 she

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<font color="

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world and dazzled the eyes of boxer Jack

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Dempsey he asked her to make a screen

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test for his film called daredevil Jack

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but the picture was never made

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<font color="

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road for me

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venturing into the male-dominated area

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of the playwright Mae began to write her

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first play under the name of Jane mast

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<font color="

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heart of gold

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Margie lamont she thought about what the

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play should be called settled on a

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working title

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the Albatross when she completed the

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manuscript<font color="

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her manager James Timoney who decided

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they should produce the play themselves

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of course Mae would star

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the money was raised and may hire the

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director mr. Edward Elsner who

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encouraged her<font color="

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mocking sexuality acquired from

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vaudeville was all she needed to bring

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margie to life Mae decided that the

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title the albatross was too heavy she

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informed Elsner the play would have a

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one word title sex

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he said if only<font color="

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word and dare they did sex opened on

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Broadway at the Daily Theatre in April

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of 1926 and it was shocking the word was

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unheard of to be put up in print and

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when she wanted sex put on top of the

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<font color="

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but the play had great publicity great

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notoriety and the only part of sex that

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really related to sex was the curtain in

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<font color="

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the leading man jumped on top of her

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curtain came down and she was arrested

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she ended up spending I think ten days

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in<font color="

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she always had dinner with the warden

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though and she also said she got to wear

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her own underwear

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in addition to the jail sentence she was

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fined $500 for corrupting the morals of

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youth this charge would be leveled at

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her time after time during<font color="

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career but his may said she who laughs

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lasts and may was laughing she had

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received a million dollars worth of free

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publicity for her play she was the talk

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of the town a personality to reckon with

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<font color="

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records on the famous Brunswick label

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she sang purred low down honky-tonk

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songs and her sensual styling woven to

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the jazz accompaniment in a way that

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said she had lived what she sang in 1928

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<font color="

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she would become forever synonymous

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diamond will diamond lil was set in the

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gay 90's in a dancehall

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in the Bowery gangsters and regulars

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mixed together in the opulent setting

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<font color="

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was at the top again she had a heart of

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gold and brilliant diamonds given to her

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by her many admirers may surround it

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herself with men on stage and a West

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produced herself<font color="

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human being she was also very kind but

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she didn't necessarily like women she

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much preferred being with men in diamond

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lil she sang the rather suggestive song

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Frankie and Johnny and spoke the line

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that would become identified with her

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further the search for the elusive<font color="

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was over Donald lil was the culmination

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of all the characteristics that may had

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found in nearly 30 years of vaudeville

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when she came across the material that

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became the basis for diamond lil<font color="

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where she got her frame work everything

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came together and she was 35 by that

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time she had developed this wonderful

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way of quips

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and spontaneous lines and by putting it

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in an 1890s framework this gave her some

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distance<font color="

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come together and this was where she had

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her really great big success of people

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took her seriously as she always said

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she said I'm not a sex symbol I'm a sex

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personality which I thought was<font color="

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astute distinction

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and this is where the beginning of the

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Mae West image emerged diamond lil

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opened on Broadway at the Royal Theatre

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on April 9th 1928 and ran for 176

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performances and then went on a highly

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successful tour successful revivals

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would follow for over the next 30 years

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00:16:06,980 --> 00:16:11,159
in her autobiography goodness had

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nothing to do with it

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Mae wrote diamond lil I'm her and she's

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me and were each other she added lil and

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I in my various characterizations

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<font color="

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00:16:24,360 --> 00:16:32,490
wrong in 1930 came up low that staggered

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Mae and closed diamond lil in Los

290
00:16:32,490 --> 00:16:38,789
Angeles her beloved mother Tilly became

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ill may cancel the tour and rushed home

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to<font color="

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this experience her death was the

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00:16:45,120 --> 00:16:49,379
greatest shock and deepest sorrow of my

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life

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father and another man had to hold me as

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I howled for self-destruction finally

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she returned<font color="

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written based on her own novel babe

300
00:17:02,948 --> 00:17:08,619
gordon retitled the constant sinner

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00:17:05,759 --> 00:17:12,759
again may played a prostitute with a

302
00:17:08,619 --> 00:17:15,338
heart of gold it would be May's final

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Broadway show for many years<font color="

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00:17:15,338 --> 00:17:20,408
pictures had arrived the concept of

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filmmaking was turned upside down

306
00:17:20,409 --> 00:17:26,140
no more title cards and exaggerated

307
00:17:23,380 --> 00:17:28,990
action the movie moguls wanted actors

308
00:17:26,140 --> 00:17:31,750
and actresses that had voices and maze

309
00:17:28,990 --> 00:17:35,829
certainly had that and a lot of other

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things<font color="

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Pictures Cole

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Mae said should think about it this is

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one thing to be a stage star even tour

314
00:17:44,589 --> 00:17:49,119
all the key cities of America but it's

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another thing when you have the

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<font color="

317
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and neighborhood theaters and movie

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00:17:54,398 --> 00:18:00,579
palaces all over the country all over

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the world and this is where I think she

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00:18:00,579 --> 00:18:07,980
really had her big lasting impact

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in June of that year she and her manager

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Jim Timoney boarded a train for<font color="

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Coast

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00:18:10,980 --> 00:18:17,670
it was bye-bye New York City California

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here I come

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[Music]

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00:18:28,589 --> 00:18:39,269
[Music]

328
00:18:37,349 --> 00:18:41,939
from the moment the train pulled into

329
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the station may felt as if she had

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<font color="

331
00:18:46,648 --> 00:18:52,349
1932 was not the Hollywood that it is

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00:18:49,349 --> 00:18:54,599
today it was still a little town in many

333
00:18:52,349 --> 00:18:57,629
ways and the movie industry was just

334
00:18:54,599 --> 00:19:01,500
beginning to turn itself into a colossus

335
00:18:57,630 --> 00:19:03,600
<font color="

336
00:19:01,500 --> 00:19:05,759
were beautiful people on the streets and

337
00:19:03,599 --> 00:19:09,259
there were studios in Hollywood where

338
00:19:05,759 --> 00:19:12,889
they actually made motion pictures

339
00:19:09,259 --> 00:19:12,889
paramount was one of them

340
00:19:13,039 --> 00:19:17,339
paramount had secured an apartment for

341
00:19:15,509 --> 00:19:20,819
<font color="

342
00:19:17,339 --> 00:19:23,659
it was called the Ravenswood Mae

343
00:19:20,819 --> 00:19:25,889
approved it reminded her of New York

344
00:19:23,660 --> 00:19:28,110
little did she know at the time that

345
00:19:25,890 --> 00:19:32,610
this would be her main residence for the

346
00:19:28,109 --> 00:19:35,159
<font color="

347
00:19:32,609 --> 00:19:37,589
intrigued with Mae but others like

348
00:19:35,160 --> 00:19:40,410
gossip columnist Louella Parsons were

349
00:19:37,589 --> 00:19:44,909
skeptical she wanted to take the big

350
00:19:40,410 --> 00:19:46,380
Broadway star down a notch or two when

351
00:19:44,910 --> 00:19:48,450
she first came to Hollywood Louella

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Parsons<font color="

353
00:19:48,450 --> 00:19:54,120
well how do you think the theater

354
00:19:52,200 --> 00:19:56,910
audience is going to accept you you know

355
00:19:54,119 --> 00:19:58,979
you're a Broadway star and she says well

356
00:19:56,910 --> 00:20:00,930
so that they're paying 40 or 50 dollars

357
00:19:58,980 --> 00:20:02,519
a ticket<font color="

358
00:20:00,930 --> 00:20:06,509
they'll pay two bits to see me in the

359
00:20:02,519 --> 00:20:09,000
screen after her first picture

360
00:20:06,509 --> 00:20:11,390
night after night which starred her old

361
00:20:09,000 --> 00:20:14,250
friend from the stage George Raft

362
00:20:11,390 --> 00:20:16,900
audiences gladly shelled out more than

363
00:20:14,250 --> 00:20:21,068
<font color="

364
00:20:16,900 --> 00:20:21,069
[Music]

365
00:20:25,640 --> 00:20:30,870
night after night was a hit

366
00:20:28,319 --> 00:20:32,879
Studio Chief Adolph Zukor said it

367
00:20:30,869 --> 00:20:35,389
brought Paramount back from the brink of

368
00:20:32,880 --> 00:20:35,390
bankruptcy

369
00:20:36,769 --> 00:20:41,480
although may only received fourth

370
00:20:39,170 --> 00:20:43,400
billing in the picture it was clear that

371
00:20:41,480 --> 00:20:48,559
it was her presence that brought an

372
00:20:43,400 --> 00:20:51,950
otherwise dead movie to life<font color="

373
00:20:48,559 --> 00:20:55,490
small part in it but she made it the

374
00:20:51,950 --> 00:20:58,279
focus of the picture I believe she had a

375
00:20:55,490 --> 00:21:02,420
scene with a character actress called

376
00:20:58,279 --> 00:21:05,059
Alison Skipworth and a Miss Skipworth

377
00:21:02,420 --> 00:21:07,220
<font color="

378
00:21:05,059 --> 00:21:11,929
because she felt that she was left in

379
00:21:07,220 --> 00:21:20,180
the background and it was her scene do

380
00:21:11,930 --> 00:21:23,390
you believe in love everyone agreed Mae

381
00:21:20,180 --> 00:21:25,880
stole the picture George Raft who had

382
00:21:23,390 --> 00:21:31,090
recommended Mae for<font color="

383
00:21:25,880 --> 00:21:31,090
said Mae stole everything but the camera

384
00:21:31,378 --> 00:21:38,288
her second picture was based on maze

385
00:21:34,028 --> 00:21:40,089
play diamond lil they had to change the

386
00:21:38,288 --> 00:21:40,990
name because they didn't take diamond

387
00:21:40,089 --> 00:21:43,058
they'll sounded a good

388
00:21:40,990 --> 00:21:45,519
the original working title was<font color="

389
00:21:43,058 --> 00:21:49,148
and then they changed it to she done him

390
00:21:45,519 --> 00:21:50,440
wrong and that's the movie first movie

391
00:21:49,148 --> 00:21:52,589
with Cary Grant

392
00:21:50,440 --> 00:21:55,629
[Music]

393
00:21:52,589 --> 00:21:59,019
she done him wrong was a big success and

394
00:21:55,628 --> 00:22:02,498
may was an even bigger one the public

395
00:21:59,019 --> 00:22:05,710
loved her and so did<font color="

396
00:22:02,499 --> 00:22:07,740
movie star and acted accordingly

397
00:22:05,710 --> 00:22:10,690
[Music]

398
00:22:07,740 --> 00:22:12,940
her talent made her seem ten feet tall

399
00:22:10,690 --> 00:22:16,058
but in reality she was just under five

400
00:22:12,940 --> 00:22:19,929
feet so to be on the safe side she wore

401
00:22:16,058 --> 00:22:21,308
<font color="

402
00:22:19,929 --> 00:22:23,409
last time anyone saw her legs

403
00:22:21,308 --> 00:22:27,450
professionally was when she played a

404
00:22:23,409 --> 00:22:27,450
lion tamer in I'm no angel

405
00:22:28,130 --> 00:22:34,360
I know angel was May's third movie and

406
00:22:31,069 --> 00:22:37,009
Cary Grant was once again her co-star

407
00:22:34,359 --> 00:22:40,099
stories circulated that<font color="

408
00:22:37,009 --> 00:22:43,400
affair if they didn't everyone wanted to

409
00:22:40,099 --> 00:22:45,079
think they did just how main Carey ended

410
00:22:43,400 --> 00:22:50,600
up together in the movies depends upon

411
00:22:45,079 --> 00:22:54,710
who is telling the story she was in the

412
00:22:50,599 --> 00:22:58,219
car<font color="

413
00:22:54,710 --> 00:23:00,140
said stop the cop and she was looking

414
00:22:58,220 --> 00:23:04,600
through the window and she said who's

415
00:23:00,140 --> 00:23:07,730
that now that's a good-looking guy

416
00:23:04,599 --> 00:23:10,009
that's the guy I want for my picture my

417
00:23:07,730 --> 00:23:16,220
next picture<font color="

418
00:23:10,009 --> 00:23:18,519
career was born the night of the big

419
00:23:16,220 --> 00:23:21,380
Hollywood premiere for I'm no angel in

420
00:23:18,519 --> 00:23:24,769
1934 at Sid Grauman's Chinese Theater

421
00:23:21,380 --> 00:23:29,020
was a gala affair all the stars came out

422
00:23:24,769 --> 00:23:29,019
the brightest being made

423
00:23:35,880 --> 00:23:41,900
I'm no angel<font color="

424
00:23:38,880 --> 00:23:41,900
no angel for nothing

425
00:23:46,359 --> 00:23:52,250
May was a good businesswoman she made

426
00:23:49,880 --> 00:23:54,470
personal appearances at movie houses

427
00:23:52,250 --> 00:23:56,650
throughout the country plugged her

428
00:23:54,470 --> 00:24:02,690
movies and the box office receipts

429
00:23:56,650 --> 00:24:05,150
<font color="

430
00:24:02,690 --> 00:24:06,140
pictures climbed so did Mays personal

431
00:24:05,150 --> 00:24:08,990
finances

432
00:24:06,140 --> 00:24:12,380
she had renegotiated her contract with

433
00:24:08,990 --> 00:24:14,679
Paramount for 300,000 a picture a share

434
00:24:12,380 --> 00:24:18,190
of the profits and an additional

435
00:24:14,679 --> 00:24:21,440
$100,000 for her writing services by

436
00:24:18,190 --> 00:24:25,250
1935 she had the highest reported income

437
00:24:21,440 --> 00:24:26,519
of any woman in America<font color="

438
00:24:25,250 --> 00:24:30,660
squander her money

439
00:24:26,519 --> 00:24:33,490
[Music]

440
00:24:30,660 --> 00:24:36,130
she was very good with finance

441
00:24:33,490 --> 00:24:38,769
she was very good with investing her

442
00:24:36,130 --> 00:24:43,090
money she knew to the dime practically

443
00:24:38,769 --> 00:24:44,430
every penny she had where it was etc she

444
00:24:43,089 --> 00:24:47,799
knew a lot of things that most men

445
00:24:44,430 --> 00:24:50,070
really controlled<font color="

446
00:24:47,799 --> 00:24:53,319
for herself and built herself a vast

447
00:24:50,069 --> 00:24:55,059
real-estate empire that provided her

448
00:24:53,319 --> 00:24:55,480
with a great deal of money to the very

449
00:24:55,059 --> 00:24:57,179
end

450
00:24:55,480 --> 00:25:00,180
she never really had to worry about

451
00:24:57,180 --> 00:25:00,180
finances

452
00:25:01,750 --> 00:25:07,210
she had large parcels of land in the San

453
00:25:04,509 --> 00:25:09,879
Fernando Valley<font color="

454
00:25:07,210 --> 00:25:12,009
her sister Beverly lived she had a beach

455
00:25:09,880 --> 00:25:14,680
house in Santa Monica where she often

456
00:25:12,009 --> 00:25:17,829
entertained but her real home remained

457
00:25:14,680 --> 00:25:23,920
her beloved Ravenswood apartment Mae

458
00:25:17,829 --> 00:25:28,000
thought it was cozy it's a small

459
00:25:23,920 --> 00:25:30,970
apartment in or two bedrooms and of

460
00:25:28,000 --> 00:25:32,950
course her famous boudoir with the the

461
00:25:30,970 --> 00:25:36,700
mirrored over the ceiling at all it was

462
00:25:32,950 --> 00:25:41,100
all ultra ultra LOUIE LOUIE she had baby

463
00:25:36,700 --> 00:25:44,860
grand piano which had sort of like

464
00:25:41,099 --> 00:25:47,469
fraggin or or Bouchet a kind of

465
00:25:44,859 --> 00:25:49,359
paintings on the side the room was very

466
00:25:47,470 --> 00:25:51,759
elegant<font color="

467
00:25:49,359 --> 00:25:54,219
white on white and it was but it was

468
00:25:51,759 --> 00:25:56,140
actually sort of cream I was very

469
00:25:54,220 --> 00:25:58,660
flattered all the lighting everything

470
00:25:56,140 --> 00:26:01,390
was very flattering but it was a perfect

471
00:25:58,660 --> 00:26:03,370
<font color="

472
00:26:01,390 --> 00:26:08,620
it was comfortable you sat down on the

473
00:26:03,369 --> 00:26:12,159
couch and it was comfortable as to her

474
00:26:08,619 --> 00:26:13,809
love life Mae kept everyone guessing she

475
00:26:12,160 --> 00:26:16,870
led people to believe that she had an

476
00:26:13,809 --> 00:26:20,049
infinite capacity for men on screen and

477
00:26:16,869 --> 00:26:23,169
off<font color="

478
00:26:20,049 --> 00:26:26,889
in a world of Garbo's Barrymore's

479
00:26:23,170 --> 00:26:29,560
Harlow's Valentino's and Clara bows Mae

480
00:26:26,890 --> 00:26:33,310
West is the only type with an ironic

481
00:26:29,559 --> 00:26:38,639
edge a comic spark that takes on a more

482
00:26:33,309 --> 00:26:38,639
cosmopolitan case of life's enjoyments

483
00:26:39,009 --> 00:26:45,019
this enjoyment<font color="

484
00:26:42,619 --> 00:26:47,989
with her audiences put her into the

485
00:26:45,019 --> 00:26:54,038
forefront of sexual emancipation for

486
00:26:47,990 --> 00:26:57,788
women named West is very honest about

487
00:26:54,038 --> 00:27:02,329
that that a woman can have the same

488
00:26:57,788 --> 00:27:06,109
sexual appetites as a man as far they're

489
00:27:02,329 --> 00:27:08,058
just<font color="

490
00:27:06,109 --> 00:27:14,839
could even be the aggressor in the

491
00:27:08,058 --> 00:27:18,888
situation and she can have a romance

492
00:27:14,839 --> 00:27:22,428
with somebody outside of wedlock and not

493
00:27:18,888 --> 00:27:24,979
be damned perdition for it

494
00:27:22,429 --> 00:27:28,249
all this was really quite daring in

495
00:27:24,980 --> 00:27:30,259
popular entertainment<font color="

496
00:27:28,249 --> 00:27:32,808
you your golden hair your fascinating

497
00:27:30,259 --> 00:27:36,829
eyes your luring smile and lovely arms

498
00:27:32,808 --> 00:27:38,418
of your form divine wait a minute what

499
00:27:36,829 --> 00:27:41,808
is this a proposal he had taken

500
00:27:38,419 --> 00:27:44,240
<font color="

501
00:27:41,808 --> 00:27:46,398
subtle manner of presentation drove the

502
00:27:44,240 --> 00:27:49,519
self-appointed censors and religious

503
00:27:46,398 --> 00:27:55,319
zealots into a frenzy it wasn't so much

504
00:27:49,519 --> 00:27:59,730
what she said but rather how she said it

505
00:27:55,319 --> 00:28:01,579
May was 42 years old worldly seductive

506
00:27:59,730 --> 00:28:04,099
and desirable

507
00:28:01,579 --> 00:28:07,189
she struck a responsive<font color="

508
00:28:04,099 --> 00:28:09,949
public audiences loved her for telling

509
00:28:07,190 --> 00:28:12,230
it like it is the Hollywood censors

510
00:28:09,950 --> 00:28:16,249
reigning supreme at the production code

511
00:28:12,230 --> 00:28:18,399
offices didn't they stood poised with

512
00:28:16,249 --> 00:28:21,690
their scissors waiting to cut Mays next

513
00:28:18,398 --> 00:28:33,078
even vaguely suggestive scene

514
00:28:21,690 --> 00:28:33,078
[Music]

515
00:28:35,079 --> 00:28:44,808
[Music]

516
00:28:42,368 --> 00:28:48,470
<font color="

517
00:28:44,808 --> 00:28:50,569
paramount go into town Klondike Annie go

518
00:28:48,470 --> 00:28:53,509
west young man and everyday is the

519
00:28:50,569 --> 00:28:59,089
holiday all between the years of 1935

520
00:28:53,509 --> 00:29:02,360
<font color="

521
00:28:59,089 --> 00:29:05,418
best-known women in the world her movies

522
00:29:02,359 --> 00:29:11,209
had enormous influence on society women

523
00:29:05,419 --> 00:29:15,350
sat up and took notice so did the senses

524
00:29:11,210 --> 00:29:19,440
it seems to me that every 10 20 years

525
00:29:15,349 --> 00:29:23,939
<font color="

526
00:29:19,440 --> 00:29:29,970
says Americans should not be doing this

527
00:29:23,940 --> 00:29:35,190
we need greater morality May believed in

528
00:29:29,970 --> 00:29:37,980
freedom of everything she never liked

529
00:29:35,190 --> 00:29:41,730
censorship she would never believe in

530
00:29:37,980 --> 00:29:46,490
censorship they thought that whatever

531
00:29:41,730 --> 00:29:50,099
<font color="

532
00:29:46,490 --> 00:29:57,029
her Hollywood productions that there was

533
00:29:50,099 --> 00:29:59,428
never anything really bad in 1937 May

534
00:29:57,029 --> 00:30:01,619
appeared on the chase and Sanborn radio

535
00:29:59,429 --> 00:30:03,000
show with Edgar Bergen and Charlie

536
00:30:01,619 --> 00:30:09,989
McCarthy

537
00:30:03,000 --> 00:30:12,000
she played Eve to don amici's adam time

538
00:30:09,990 --> 00:30:13,650
I told<font color="

539
00:30:12,000 --> 00:30:14,909
creation I've done nothing but playing

540
00:30:13,650 --> 00:30:17,100
double solitaire

541
00:30:14,909 --> 00:30:20,070
thus customers shut me down well we've

542
00:30:17,099 --> 00:30:22,529
got a nice place here that's too much

543
00:30:20,069 --> 00:30:23,668
well I'm not complaining but I want

544
00:30:22,529 --> 00:30:25,918
something<font color="

545
00:30:23,669 --> 00:30:27,538
excitement a little adventure the girls

546
00:30:25,919 --> 00:30:33,480
that I have a little fun once in a while

547
00:30:27,538 --> 00:30:35,429
there's no future mother a fig tree for

548
00:30:33,480 --> 00:30:39,750
this remark the network executives

549
00:30:35,429 --> 00:30:42,210
banned me from radio and will<font color="

550
00:30:39,750 --> 00:30:44,548
of motion picture censors told

551
00:30:42,210 --> 00:30:47,750
Washington that Hollywood would police

552
00:30:44,548 --> 00:30:51,059
themselves and they were as zealous

553
00:30:47,750 --> 00:30:54,240
especially with maze scripts

554
00:30:51,059 --> 00:30:56,789
every day's a holiday released in 1938

555
00:30:54,240 --> 00:31:00,870
was the first picture to lose money for

556
00:30:56,789 --> 00:31:03,569
<font color="

557
00:31:00,869 --> 00:31:07,009
tried to please them she cut or changed

558
00:31:03,569 --> 00:31:10,829
scene after scene and the film failed

559
00:31:07,009 --> 00:31:13,650
she left paramount and ultimately agreed

560
00:31:10,829 --> 00:31:17,339
to make a picture for Universal what

561
00:31:13,650 --> 00:31:20,610
emerged in 1940 was the great classic my

562
00:31:17,339 --> 00:31:25,129
little chickadee<font color="

563
00:31:20,609 --> 00:31:25,129
Fields in a spoof of the Western film

564
00:31:25,970 --> 00:31:31,740
would you mind if I avail myself the

565
00:31:29,039 --> 00:31:33,569
second helping compromising me she

566
00:31:31,740 --> 00:31:36,329
didn't want any of the leading men to

567
00:31:33,569 --> 00:31:39,359
kiss her<font color="

568
00:31:36,329 --> 00:31:43,799
she had the freedom of a woman not being

569
00:31:39,359 --> 00:31:45,899
possessed by any one person May's desire

570
00:31:43,799 --> 00:31:48,960
for freedom found her moving from one

571
00:31:45,900 --> 00:31:51,240
affair to the next apart from show

572
00:31:48,960 --> 00:31:53,990
business her reason for being was a

573
00:31:51,240 --> 00:31:57,269
secret she did<font color="

574
00:31:53,990 --> 00:32:00,120
she became interested in ESP and psychic

575
00:31:57,269 --> 00:32:02,430
phenomenon she would often hold evenings

576
00:32:00,119 --> 00:32:05,089
of psychic readings for friends in the

577
00:32:02,430 --> 00:32:07,070
reception room of the Ravenswood

578
00:32:05,089 --> 00:32:12,740
perhaps she was looking for something

579
00:32:07,069 --> 00:32:18,888
beyond the footlights<font color="

580
00:32:12,740 --> 00:32:21,710
in psychics and the world beyond really

581
00:32:18,888 --> 00:32:24,229
became a whole world for herself I am

582
00:32:21,710 --> 00:32:27,889
positive that there was this other side

583
00:32:24,230 --> 00:32:30,829
of me may the little girl may the

584
00:32:27,888 --> 00:32:33,229
private private person that probably no

585
00:32:30,829 --> 00:32:35,778
<font color="

586
00:32:33,230 --> 00:32:40,429
good reading on a number of occasions I

587
00:32:35,778 --> 00:32:42,109
saw a very happy smiling face so it was

588
00:32:40,429 --> 00:32:44,538
something that somebody said that

589
00:32:42,109 --> 00:32:48,918
obviously gave her a moment of joy

590
00:32:44,538 --> 00:32:53,359
<font color="

591
00:32:48,919 --> 00:32:55,490
to the clapping of an audience what was

592
00:32:53,359 --> 00:32:59,599
to be May's final picture for many years

593
00:32:55,490 --> 00:33:01,909
was released in 1943 the Heat's on for

594
00:32:59,599 --> 00:33:04,248
Columbia Pictures was a musical

595
00:33:01,909 --> 00:33:07,369
extravaganza of sorts which presented

596
00:33:04,249 --> 00:33:11,118
<font color="

597
00:33:07,368 --> 00:33:13,908
picture died at the box office her

598
00:33:11,118 --> 00:33:16,398
career was her life and her one true

599
00:33:13,909 --> 00:33:18,499
love and when her movie career slowed

600
00:33:16,398 --> 00:33:23,748
she returned to Broadway with her famous

601
00:33:18,499 --> 00:33:26,600
creation diamond lil she got the very

602
00:33:23,749 --> 00:33:31,509
bright natural<font color="

603
00:33:26,599 --> 00:33:35,538
lil in the late 40s and that was a big

604
00:33:31,509 --> 00:33:38,480
critical and commercial tryouts she took

605
00:33:35,538 --> 00:33:40,609
it to London she toured all over the

606
00:33:38,480 --> 00:33:42,950
country this is the beginning where

607
00:33:40,609 --> 00:33:47,240
people realized that this is a great

608
00:33:42,950 --> 00:33:51,019
American institution here on February

609
00:33:47,240 --> 00:33:53,720
5th 1949 diamond lil opened at the

610
00:33:51,019 --> 00:33:58,878
Coronet Theatre in New York she took it

611
00:33:53,720 --> 00:34:01,669
on tour until November of 1951 she

612
00:33:58,878 --> 00:34:04,158
returned to radio after an absence of 13

613
00:34:01,669 --> 00:34:07,429
years<font color="

614
00:34:04,159 --> 00:34:10,639
Chesterfield supper club this time the

615
00:34:07,429 --> 00:34:15,039
Bluenose censors didn't interfere the

616
00:34:10,639 --> 00:34:17,599
sketch comeö and juliet was a

617
00:34:15,039 --> 00:34:20,599
[Music]

618
00:34:17,599 --> 00:34:23,519
wherefore art thou

619
00:34:20,599 --> 00:34:27,079
down here in yonder orchard below your

620
00:34:23,519 --> 00:34:27,079
balcony why don't you come up

621
00:34:30,110 --> 00:34:38,250
in 1954 amazed dear friend and longtime

622
00:34:34,079 --> 00:34:41,429
manager James Timoney died he had been

623
00:34:38,250 --> 00:34:42,090
with her for 38 years her link to the

624
00:34:41,429 --> 00:34:44,820
past

625
00:34:42,090 --> 00:34:48,120
her early days in vaudeville she would

626
00:34:44,820 --> 00:34:49,710
miss him tremendously but life went on

627
00:34:48,119 --> 00:34:52,918
[Music]

628
00:34:49,710 --> 00:34:55,500
the same year<font color="

629
00:34:52,918 --> 00:34:58,409
act that would turn the tables on the

630
00:34:55,500 --> 00:35:00,838
traditional Vegas Villa fare she

631
00:34:58,409 --> 00:35:03,328
surrounded herself with mr. America

632
00:35:00,838 --> 00:35:06,328
types and invited the women in the

633
00:35:03,329 --> 00:35:09,740
audience to<font color="

634
00:35:06,329 --> 00:35:11,940
men had traditionally boggled the girls

635
00:35:09,739 --> 00:35:16,459
with the nightclub act because she

636
00:35:11,940 --> 00:35:20,099
thought you know if I just have myself

637
00:35:16,460 --> 00:35:21,510
the women our income and so she said

638
00:35:20,099 --> 00:35:23,818
I've got to have something in that show

639
00:35:21,510 --> 00:35:25,619
that that's gonna bring the<font color="

640
00:35:23,818 --> 00:35:29,190
that's when she said I'll have men you

641
00:35:25,619 --> 00:35:30,750
know muscle man and it's why she did and

642
00:35:29,190 --> 00:35:35,068
she's probably the first one ever do

643
00:35:30,750 --> 00:35:39,630
that may and her Adonis's set box-office

644
00:35:35,068 --> 00:35:43,318
records in Las Vegas it was 1954 she was

645
00:35:39,630 --> 00:35:49,099
almost 61 years<font color="

646
00:35:43,318 --> 00:35:49,099
them in once again she was on the top

647
00:35:54,239 --> 00:35:58,558
[Music]

648
00:36:01,679 --> 00:36:09,699
[Music]

649
00:36:05,130 --> 00:36:14,910
you have a wonderful future I see a man

650
00:36:09,699 --> 00:36:20,169
in your life what only one may like

651
00:36:14,909 --> 00:36:22,629
muscle men just unique different big

652
00:36:20,170 --> 00:36:26,200
guys and she loved<font color="

653
00:36:22,630 --> 00:36:27,940
pupils and one day I did ask her I said

654
00:36:26,199 --> 00:36:30,849
did you ever have an affair with all of

655
00:36:27,940 --> 00:36:33,460
these men that you've met and she gave

656
00:36:30,849 --> 00:36:36,579
me one of those looks and she said there

657
00:36:33,460 --> 00:36:41,260
was<font color="

658
00:36:36,579 --> 00:36:44,049
lady of balance part of the Mae West

659
00:36:41,260 --> 00:36:47,470
myth was built around the number of men

660
00:36:44,050 --> 00:36:50,110
in her life early in the century Frank

661
00:36:47,469 --> 00:36:55,000
Wallace had married her but that didn't

662
00:36:50,110 --> 00:36:58,059
last she was close with gangster Owney

663
00:36:55,000 --> 00:37:01,300
Madden<font color="

664
00:36:58,059 --> 00:37:03,610
club at the Cotton Club may met

665
00:37:01,300 --> 00:37:06,310
orchestra leader Duke Ellington and

666
00:37:03,610 --> 00:37:08,890
would later cross sensitive color lines

667
00:37:06,309 --> 00:37:12,579
when she put him in her movie Belle of

668
00:37:08,889 --> 00:37:15,699
the 90s<font color="

669
00:37:12,579 --> 00:37:20,170
just how close Mae was with Gangster

670
00:37:15,699 --> 00:37:25,839
Madden is a mystery I can hear mace say

671
00:37:20,170 --> 00:37:30,460
when she spoke of owning she said oh so

672
00:37:25,840 --> 00:37:35,860
always with the parole so vicious so

673
00:37:30,460 --> 00:37:36,579
sweet<font color="

674
00:37:35,860 --> 00:37:39,970
fascism

675
00:37:36,579 --> 00:37:42,670
you know he took about 26 sluts and

676
00:37:39,969 --> 00:37:44,379
lived to tell the story and she said

677
00:37:42,670 --> 00:37:46,389
every couple of months aids have to go

678
00:37:44,380 --> 00:37:51,820
the<font color="

679
00:37:46,389 --> 00:37:54,400
of him the final man in her life was

680
00:37:51,820 --> 00:37:56,950
Paul Novak who had worked in her act in

681
00:37:54,400 --> 00:37:59,340
Las Vegas he lived with her at the

682
00:37:56,949 --> 00:38:01,319
Ravenswood and would be there for me

683
00:37:59,340 --> 00:38:04,800
<font color="

684
00:38:01,320 --> 00:38:08,110
for all the years that I knew made

685
00:38:04,800 --> 00:38:12,519
personally the man in her life was Paul

686
00:38:08,110 --> 00:38:16,660
Novak and I never met anybody who was

687
00:38:12,519 --> 00:38:19,949
ever so kind so gracious so good who

688
00:38:16,659 --> 00:38:24,549
loved this woman<font color="

689
00:38:19,949 --> 00:38:28,779
he adored her everything was done in the

690
00:38:24,550 --> 00:38:31,720
name of Mae West everything he had her

691
00:38:28,780 --> 00:38:34,360
on a pedestal that was so high I mean

692
00:38:31,719 --> 00:38:37,299
and he enjoyed her being there and

693
00:38:34,360 --> 00:38:44,019
needless to say she enjoyed being there

694
00:38:37,300 --> 00:38:46,000
<font color="

695
00:38:44,019 --> 00:38:49,000
had nothing to do with it was published

696
00:38:46,000 --> 00:38:53,860
to great success one tends to forget

697
00:38:49,000 --> 00:38:56,380
that Mae was an accomplished writer in

698
00:38:53,860 --> 00:38:58,510
that same year Mae appeared with Charles

699
00:38:56,380 --> 00:39:01,720
Collingswood on TVs highly rated

700
00:38:58,510 --> 00:39:03,820
primetime show person-to-person<font color="

701
00:39:01,719 --> 00:39:06,459
specialty was visiting celebrities in

702
00:39:03,820 --> 00:39:09,430
their homes and conducting interviews as

703
00:39:06,460 --> 00:39:11,349
the camera followed Mae pointed out

704
00:39:09,429 --> 00:39:13,809
various things in her apartment for

705
00:39:11,349 --> 00:39:17,219
Charles when asked about the mirrors

706
00:39:13,809 --> 00:39:21,820
over her fabled canopy bed she said I

707
00:39:17,219 --> 00:39:28,569
<font color="

708
00:39:21,820 --> 00:39:31,420
aired now in her 70s Mae kept busy with

709
00:39:28,570 --> 00:39:33,250
a variety of activities she appeared on

710
00:39:31,420 --> 00:39:35,980
the red skeleton and the mr. edge

711
00:39:33,250 --> 00:39:40,380
television shows she continued to write

712
00:39:35,980 --> 00:39:40,380
and<font color="

713
00:39:41,150 --> 00:39:48,150
and then it happened after being away

714
00:39:45,360 --> 00:39:51,539
from films for over 27 years at the age

715
00:39:48,150 --> 00:39:53,639
of 77 she was asked to play the part of

716
00:39:51,539 --> 00:39:56,489
big-time casting director

717
00:39:53,639 --> 00:39:59,269
<font color="

718
00:39:56,489 --> 00:40:02,369
the gore Vidal book Myra Breckinridge

719
00:39:59,269 --> 00:40:04,199
may had a lavish production number and

720
00:40:02,369 --> 00:40:06,960
received three hundred and fifty

721
00:40:04,199 --> 00:40:09,059
thousand dollars for her appearance she

722
00:40:06,960 --> 00:40:17,309
also got to act with the then reigning

723
00:40:09,059 --> 00:40:21,599
<font color="

724
00:40:17,309 --> 00:40:23,969
any that I don't know about what about

725
00:40:21,599 --> 00:40:25,819
stunts they don't call you the queen of

726
00:40:23,969 --> 00:40:29,879
the casting couch for nothing

727
00:40:25,820 --> 00:40:34,320
Raquel Welch and may certainly did not

728
00:40:29,880 --> 00:40:37,230
get on<font color="

729
00:40:34,320 --> 00:40:38,970
I mean when you know that may doesn't

730
00:40:37,230 --> 00:40:42,389
enjoy being in competition with other

731
00:40:38,969 --> 00:40:45,329
women it would be very difficult for her

732
00:40:42,389 --> 00:40:48,629
<font color="

733
00:40:45,329 --> 00:40:52,949
symbol of the 70s when she still

734
00:40:48,630 --> 00:40:56,700
considered her to be the sex symbol of

735
00:40:52,949 --> 00:41:00,079
life Myra Breckinridge was a colossal

736
00:40:56,699 --> 00:41:02,730
failure but May received good notices

737
00:41:00,079 --> 00:41:06,150
<font color="

738
00:41:02,730 --> 00:41:08,400
surprised at her vitality May was 77

739
00:41:06,150 --> 00:41:09,930
years old and she wasn't even thinking

740
00:41:08,400 --> 00:41:11,950
about retirement

741
00:41:09,929 --> 00:41:14,739
[Music]

742
00:41:11,949 --> 00:41:17,049
her final years were filled with honors

743
00:41:14,739 --> 00:41:20,709
she was named the sweetheart of Sigma

744
00:41:17,050 --> 00:41:23,080
Chi<font color="

745
00:41:20,710 --> 00:41:26,320
in Hollywood and there was one film left

746
00:41:23,079 --> 00:41:29,069
for her to do sextet based on her play

747
00:41:26,320 --> 00:41:29,070
of the same name

748
00:41:29,949 --> 00:41:37,849
in sextet Timothy Dalton was her leading

749
00:41:33,590 --> 00:41:42,590
<font color="

750
00:41:37,849 --> 00:41:44,569
Starr George Raft made a cameo

751
00:41:42,590 --> 00:41:49,640
appearance which you know that was his

752
00:41:44,570 --> 00:41:53,200
last film in her last film sextet

753
00:41:49,639 --> 00:41:57,789
premiered in<font color="

754
00:41:53,199 --> 00:41:57,789
may knew the film was less than perfect

755
00:41:58,960 --> 00:42:03,519
we got back it's the limousine after the

756
00:42:01,179 --> 00:42:05,500
opening I was looking out of my window

757
00:42:03,519 --> 00:42:06,608
on the left she was looking out of the

758
00:42:05,500 --> 00:42:09,460
window on her right

759
00:42:06,608 --> 00:42:12,929
suddenly she put her hand on mine and<font color="

760
00:42:09,460 --> 00:42:15,159
did turn to her and she said Herbert

761
00:42:12,929 --> 00:42:20,649
that was yesterday

762
00:42:15,159 --> 00:42:23,588
now I must think about tomorrow May

763
00:42:20,650 --> 00:42:27,250
suffered a stroke on August 10th 1980

764
00:42:23,588 --> 00:42:29,019
and died on November the 22nd that her

765
00:42:27,250 --> 00:42:36,239
<font color="

766
00:42:29,019 --> 00:42:40,989
Hollywood she was 87 years young to me

767
00:42:36,239 --> 00:42:48,038
Mae West is unique an American show

768
00:42:40,989 --> 00:42:50,739
business I think it could be arguable

769
00:42:48,039 --> 00:42:55,630
that there have been as great or even

770
00:42:50,739 --> 00:43:00,250
greater stars<font color="

771
00:42:55,630 --> 00:43:02,769
no star had greater impact in the long

772
00:43:00,250 --> 00:43:07,349
run than Mae West Mae West was a

773
00:43:02,769 --> 00:43:07,349
one-woman sexual revolution

774
00:43:08,010 --> 00:43:15,030
but legacy is that she was a true

775
00:43:10,320 --> 00:43:18,180
<font color="

776
00:43:15,030 --> 00:43:22,650
she'll go down as being a true

777
00:43:18,179 --> 00:43:27,319
Emancipator for women and that till the

778
00:43:22,650 --> 00:43:32,610
end of time people will always remember

779
00:43:27,320 --> 00:43:36,150
some of those West witticisms her career

780
00:43:32,610 --> 00:43:38,190
had spanned an amazing 80 years from a

781
00:43:36,150 --> 00:43:41,010
confident<font color="

782
00:43:38,190 --> 00:43:44,340
to one of the most famous and polished

783
00:43:41,010 --> 00:43:48,300
women performers in the world Mae West

784
00:43:44,340 --> 00:43:50,130
was perhaps the greatest sexual icon of

785
00:43:48,300 --> 00:43:53,160
the 20th century

786
00:43:50,130 --> 00:43:55,530
[Music]

787
00:43:53,159 --> 00:44:01,829
[Applause]

788
00:43:55,530 --> 00:44:01,830
[Music]