by Ray Campi
Such film and television notables as Charlie Chase, Joe E. Brown, Pat O'Brien, Jack Warner, Lou Costello, Pat Buttram, Gene Autry and Anthony Caruso have all been active Masquer presidents through the years.
At one time or another the cream of Hollywood society attended and often performed at our roasts and shows.
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| Some winners of the club's George Spelvin Award: Fred Astaire, Dean Jagger, Broderick Crawford, Ronald Coleman, John Huston, Herbert Marshall and Edmund Gwen. |
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AN EVENING WITH MAE WEST - 1973
I had the great fortune to assist in presenting this night of comedy and song.
The laughs are initiated with some irreverent roasting by writer-producer HAL KANTER, who is followed by many of Mae's actor buddies: GEORGE RAFT, JACK LARUE, LLOYD NOLAN, STEVE ALLEN, PETER MARSHALL and MICHAEL LANDON take their turns at welcoming Mae back to the theater.
The sex symbol enthralls the audience with scenes from her hit stage shows DIAMOND LIL and PLEASURE MAN; songs and sexy dialogue combined.
The audience response is tremendous!
The evening is capped with MISS WEST singing some of her rock and roll records. She delivers A WHOLE LOTTA SHAKIN' GOIN' ON and GREAT BALLS OF FIRE like noone else can.
This was an evening I'll never forget, until now unheard by anyone except the Masquers who were present.
In May of 1998, the Mae West show was released on CD in the U.S. by Dionysus Records on their Bacchus Archives label.
_CLICK TO SEE
<-Full-size CD cover
___Press release->Want a free preview? Here's an MP3:
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| Andy and Joe Pasternak presenting Mae West with a George Spelvin award ("Another man in my life!"). |
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MORE PHOTOS FROM THE ARCHIVE
Click on thumbnail to see full-size photo. Image size (in pixels) and file size (in kb) are indicated for each picture.
Probably the first Masquers Club photo, taken in front of the Yucca Street headquarters in October 1925, when the organization was just five months old.
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6735 Yucca Street, home of the Masquers Club for the first two years of its existence.
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The beautifully landscaped 1765 North Sycamore Avenue headquarters, as it looked when the club purchased it in 1927.
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By 1975, landscaping had given way to parking space.
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Welcome Home Dinner for Douglas Fairbanks in 1932. Doug is on the far right, sixth man up.
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Western-theme party for Harry Sherman in 1941. Among those at the long table: Sid Grauman, Leo Carillo, Pat O'Brien, Alan Mowbray and Robert Armstrong.
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Buster Keaton clowns around with Francis McDonald.
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Frank Capra, Mack Sennett, Hal Roach and Hank Mann, the Keystone Kop.
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Victory Caravan departure in 1942. On train: Frances Langford, Pat O'Brien, Rise Stevens, Joan Blondell, Faye MacKenzie, Arleen Whelan, Desi Arnaz, Eleanor Powell, Mark Sandrich (producer), Charlotte Greenwood and Frank McHugh. On tracks: Charles Boyer, Jerry Colonna, Bert Lahr, Cary Grant, Frances Gifford, Marie McDonald, Ray Middleton, Bette Davis, Oliver Hardy, Stan Laurel and Elyse Knox.
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George Burns, Fred MacMurray, Robert Taylor and Jack Benny.
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Ronald Colman, Pat O'Brien and Edmund Gwenn gather at a testimonial dinner.
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Jimmy Gleason, Bing Crosby, and Lorayne and Alan Mowbray.
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Ronald Reagan, Harry Joe Brown and James Cagney.
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Ronald Reagan and Edward G. Robinson.
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Front row: Edward G. Robinson, George Burns and Mervyn LeRoy. Back row: Jimmy Stewart, Richard Widmark and Cesar Romero.
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Lobby card for the film Santa Fe, autographed by cast member Anthony Caruso.
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Cover of a book commemorating the club's Golden Aniversary in 1975. The plates are still in existence.
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THE FINAL CAST
RAY CAMPI - PETE BOSWORTH - PALMER CASEY - JAKE BAKER - BILL POLARI - ANTHONY CARUSO
This page established: September 2, 1997 Last updated: June 30, 2023
© 1997-2023 Earl P. Reinhalter. All Rights Reserved.
