People named Mae West

Mae West American actress Mary Jane "Mae" West was an American actress, singer, playwright, screenwriter, comedian, and sex symbol whose entertainment career spanned seven decades. Wikipedia Born: August 17, 1893, Bushwick, Brooklyn. Died: November 22, 1980, Hollywood, Los Angeles, CA Height: 5′ 0″ Plays: Sex, The Drag, Pleasure Man, Diamond Lil Quotes When choosing between two evils, I always like to try the one I've never tried before. When I'm good I'm very, very good, but when I'm bad, I'm better. Too much of a good thing can be taxing. Mae West Born Mary Jane West August 17, 1893 Brooklyn, New York, United States Died November 22, 1980 (aged 87) Los Angeles, California, United States Occupation Actress, singer, playwright, screenwriter, comedian Years active 1907–1978 Spouse(s) Frank Szatkus, stage name Frank Wallace (1911–43; dissolved) Partner(s) Paul Novak (1954–80) Known for her lighthearted bawdy double entendres, and breezy sexual independence, West made a name for herself in vaudeville and on the stage in New York City before moving to Hollywood to become a comedian, actress, and writer in the motion picture industry, as well as appearing on radio and television. For her contributions to American cinema, the American Film Institute named West 15th among the greatest female stars of classic American cinema. One of the more controversial movie stars of her day, West encountered many problems, especially censorship. She bucked the system, making comedy out of prudish conventional mores, and the Depression-era audience admired her for it. When her cinematic career ended, she wrote books and plays, and continued to perform in Las Vegas, in the United Kingdom, and on radio and television, and to record rock and roll albums. Asked about the various efforts to impede her career, West replied: "I believe in censorship. I made a fortune out of it." While true, she also suffered greatly because of it, even going to jail for her right to freedom of speech. Early life, career, and jail West was born in Bushwick, Brooklyn on August 17, 1893, having been delivered at home by an aunt who was a midwife. She was the eldest surviving child of John Patrick West and Matilda "Tillie" Delker (sometimes spelled "Dilker"). Delker and her five siblings emigrated with their parents, Jacob and Christiana, from the German state of Bavaria in 1886. West's parents married on January 18, 1889, in Brooklyn and reared their children as Protestants, although John West was of mixed Catholic-Protestant descent. Her father was a prizefighter known as "Battlin' Jack West" who later worked as a "special policeman", and later had his own private investigations agency. Her mother was a former corset and fashion model. Her paternal grandmother, Mary Jane (née Copley), for whom she was named, was of Irish Catholic descent, and West's paternal grandfather, John Edwin West, was of English-Scots descent and a ship's rigger. Her eldest sibling, Katie, died in infancy. Her other siblings were Mildred Katherine West, later known as Beverly (December 8, 1898 – March 12, 1982), and John Edwin West, II (sometimes inaccurately called "John Edwin West, Jr."; February 11, 1900 – October 12, 1964). During her childhood, West's family moved to various parts of Woodhaven, as well as the Williamsburg and Greenpoint neighborhoods of Brooklyn. In Woodhaven, at Neir's Social Hall (which opened in 1829 and is still extant), West supposedly first performed professionally. West was five when she first entertained a crowd at a church social, and she started appearing in amateur shows at the age of seven. She often won prizes at local talent contests. She began performing professionally in vaudeville in the Hal Clarendon Stock Company in 1907 at the age of 14. West first performed under the stage name "Baby Mae:, and tried various personas, including a male impersonator, She used the alias "Jane Mast" early in her career. Her trademark walk was said to have been inspired or influenced by female impersonators Bert Savoy and Julian Eltinge, who were famous during the Pansy Craze. Her first appearance in a Broadway show was in a 1911 revue A La Broadway put on by her former dancing teacher, Ned Wayburn. The show folded after eight performances, but at age 18, West was singled out and discovered by The New York Times. The Times reviewer wrote that a "girl named Mae West, hitherto unknown, pleased by her grotesquerie and snappy way of singing and dancing." West next appeared in a show called Vera Violetta, whose cast featured Al Jolson. In 1912, she appeared in the opening performance of A Winsome Widow as a "baby vamp" named La Petite Daffy. She Done Him Wrong 1933 I'm No Angel 1933 Sextette 1978 Mae West ORIGINAL NAME Mary Jane West BIRTH 17 Aug 1893 Brooklyn, Kings County (Brooklyn), New York, USA DEATH 22 Nov 1980 (aged 87) Los Angeles, Los Angeles County, California, USA BURIAL Cypress Hills Cemetery Brooklyn, Kings County (Brooklyn), New York, USA Show Map PLOT Cypress Hills Abbey, Aisle EE, Special Section #2 MEMORIAL ID 1089 · View Source

Mae Pearl West of Compton, Los Angeles County, CA was born on August 23, 1923, and died at age 85 years old on October 23, 2008. Mae West was buried at Riverside National Cemetery Section 61 Site 857 22495 Van Buren Boulevard, in Riverside.

Mae R West of Frankfort, Franklin County, KY was born on August 9, 1932, and died at age 67 years old on December 21, 1999. Mae West was buried at Camp Nelson National Cemetery Section K Site 404 Rr#3 6980 Danville Road, in Nicholasville.

Mae L West of TX was born circa 1939. Family, friend, or fan, this family history biography is for you to remember Mae L. (Woodard) West.

Mae West of TX was born circa 1942. Family, friend, or fan, this family history biography is for you to remember Mae (Jones) West.

Mae West of TX was born circa 1933. Family, friend, or fan, this family history biography is for you to remember Mae (Williams) West.

Mae West of TX was born circa 1953. Family, friend, or fan, this family history biography is for you to remember Mae (Palmer) West.

Mae West of TX was born circa 1946. Family, friend, or fan, this family history biography is for you to remember Mae (Henson) West.

Mae West of TX was born circa 1951. Family, friend, or fan, this family history biography is for you to remember Mae (Wright) West.

Mae West of TX was born circa 1952. Family, friend, or fan, this family history biography is for you to remember Mae (Johnson) West.

Mae E West of Washington, District of Columbia County, DC was born on February 2, 1900, and died at age 102 years old on December 12, 2002.

Mae West of Los Angeles, Los Angeles County, California was born on August 17, 1893, and died at age 87 years old in November 1980.

Mae G West of North Hollywood, Los Angeles County, CA was born on September 27, 1910, and died at age 80 years old in September 1990.

Mae West of Clearwater, Sedgwick County, Kansas was born on September 2, 1884, and died at age 79 years old in July 1964.

Mae West of Walnut Creek, Contra Costa County, California was born on May 11, 1885, and died at age 95 years old in October 1980.

Mae B West of Eugene, Lane County, OR was born on May 9, 1904, and died at age 95 years old on December 2, 1999.

Mae West of Herman, Washington County, Nebraska was born on September 12, 1896, and died at age 89 years old in February 1986.

Mae West of Pierce, Pierce County, Nebraska was born on August 30, 1889, and died at age 86 years old in February 1976.

Mae West of Sioux Falls, Minnehaha County, South Dakota was born on June 3, 1886, and died at age 85 years old in March 1972.

Mae West of Winona, Shannon County, Missouri was born on May 21, 1901, and died at age 75 years old in June 1976.

Mae West of Eldon, Miller County, Missouri was born on October 9, 1907, and died at age 79 years old in March 1987.

Mae West of Bucklin, Linn County, MO was born on April 30, 1885, and died at age 84 years old on May 15, 1969.

Mae A West of Festus, Jefferson County, MO was born on May 26, 1916, and died at age 81 years old on February 16, 1998.

Mae I West was born on December 31, 1911, and died at age 78 years old on June 26, 1990. Family, friend, or fan, this family history biography is for you to remember Mae I West.

Mae F West of Saint Charles, Saint Charles County, MO was born on June 20, 1921, and died at age 77 years old on January 5, 1999.

Mae West of Pine Bluff, Jefferson County, Arkansas was born on October 8, 1887, and died at age 78 years old in August 1966.

Mae West of Midland, Midland County, Texas was born on September 28, 1899, and died at age 77 years old in May 1977.

Mae B West of Henderson, Rusk County, TX was born on August 10, 1906, and died at age 97 years old on September 1, 2003.

Mae P West of Dallas, Dallas County, TX was born on May 9, 1919, and died at age 77 years old on December 21, 1996.