Three Plays by Mae West

by Schlissel, Lillian

  A knock is heard at Terrill’s door, and he is told that a lady wishes to see him. He goes out and meets one Mary Ann, a young woman who lives in the town. She tells him that he has gotten her into trouble and asks him to keep his promise to her to marry her. Terrill spurns her, she pleads with him. Just then, the signal is given for him to go on with his act, and he throws the girl against the wall and she falls to the floor and faints. He leaves her there and goes on to the stage.

  The other artists, hearing the commotion, rush out of their dressing rooms and find the girl on the floor.

  It seems that an electrician, Ted Arnold, who is working in the theatre, is the brother of Mary Ann, and that he has recognized his sister’s picture on Terrill’s dressing table.

  The brother has also heard the commotion and rushes in to find his sister lying on the floor. He picks her up and carries her into the rest room.

  Terrill returns from his act.

  A vaudevillian, named Lester Queen, enters. He knows almost all of the actors personally and invites them all to a party that night to be given by one Toto, who is a wealthy resident of the town and was a former vaudevillian who presented a canine act. Most of the artists agree to be at the party that night. Lester tells them that as the cars will be waiting for them after the show, they need not bother taking off their make-up, as the party will be a costume party.

  The Bird of Paradise, the female impersonator, who had seen Terrill throw the girl to the floor, threatens to expose him.

  Randall has gone out. His wife, Dolores, is alone in her dressing room; Terrill enters her room and a tender love scene ensues between Terrill and Dolores. Randall re-enters the room and finds his wife in Terrill’s arms. There is a fight between the two men. The struggle is carried on from the dressing room to the corridor. stage-hands and others intervene and separate the men, and Randall screams at Terrill, “I’ll get you, yet, you dirty rat. God damn you.” Whereupon the curtain falls.

  The curtain for the third act rises upon Toto’s home, where the party is in full swing. The female impersonators, in costume, are present. Various invited guests, residents of the town, are present, wearing evening clothes. Terrill, Dolores, the acrobats, Stanley, the stage manager, and other members of the bill, mingle with the guests. There is music and dancing. The various acts do their specialties for the entertainment of the other guests; the entertainment consisting of songs and dances such as are usually seen in high class vaudeville shows.

  During the height of the merriment, Randall enters, very much intoxicated, looking for his wife, Dolores. He had learned that she had gone to the party with Terrill. Terrill and Dolores, having heard Randall come in, dance off into an ante-room, and the various artists, in order to avoid a scene, try to persuade Randall that his wife is not at the party. He exits, threatening that he will kill Terrill when he finds him.

  The party immediately breaks up.

  After the guests leave, Terrill and Dolores return from the ante-room. Terrill has now become intoxicated and reckless. He tries to persuade Dolores to spend the night with him at this house, telling her that everything has been arranged; that he has a room upstairs. She refuses and runs away from him, but as she leaves him, he says: “I’ll expect you back!”

  Terrill takes a few more drinks and finally staggers to a room upstairs.

  Toto comes in and tells his butler to turn the lights out and retire. The butler turns out the lights and is about to retire. As he does so, a slam is heard upstairs, as if someone had gone out of Terrill’s room. The butler exits. The stage is dark. Dolores is seen returning. She ascends the stairs to Terrill’s room.

  A second or two later, a terrific scream is heard from Dolores, who comes down the stairs greatly agitated. The scene also brings Toto downstairs. Toto rushes over to Dolores and asks her what has happened. She points up to the stairs and cries “Terrill” Toto runs upstairs.

  Dolores staggers over to the couch, thoroughly exhausted. Toto comes running back to her and she says: “Toto, for God’s sake, do something, quick!” Toto rushes to the telephone, clicking the receiver madly. He asks for the police station. Dolores tries to prevent his calling the police, but Toto gets the police station on the wire and shouts “Come at once; something terrible has happened” The curtain falls slowly on this scene, while Toto says, “I can’t explain over the telephone.”

  The curtain is lowered for a minute, indicating a lapse of two hours.

  The curtain rises on the same scene. The Chief of Police is sitting at the table, questioning Toto, the various members of the household, as well as the members of the vaudeville show who had been at the party, including Stanley, the stage manager, Randall, Dolores, the manager of the theatre and the Bird of Paradise.

  In the course of questioning, it is brought out that Terrill had been killed, his death having been caused by means of an operation.

  Suspicion is fastened upon Randall, because he had been heard to threaten Terrill. Randall is placed under arrest and is about to be taken away, when a detective walks in with Ted Arnold, the electrician and brother of Mary Ann. Ted confesses that he killed Terrill. He says: “I didn’t mean to kill him. I only wanted to maim him so he would never be attractive to any other man’s sister; so he wouldn’t use any other woman for his filthy sport.”

  The last lines of the play are spoken by Stanley, who comes forward in horror and tells the chief of police that Terrill got what he richly deserved; that he was merely a “Pleasure Man” and a menace to women; that Terrill’s fate would be a lesson to him for the rest of his life.

  After the play was finished, I arranged for the production thereof with Mr. Carl Reed, and Mr. Reed engaged a cast of players, had scenery made for the show, purchased equipment and commenced rehearsals.

  The play opened on September 17th, 1928, at the Bronx Opera House. It was successful from the start, and the public acclaimed it as an interesting dramatic production.

  Most of the play is built around bits of comedy, particularly as it develops in backstage life.

  During the performances the audience at each performance seemed very pleased, and applauded the actors generously.

  The play received favorable comment from the press. I attach hereto and make part of this affidavit copies of the review of several of the leading news papers, particularly, the review that appeared in “The New York Evening Post” and in the “Brooklyn Daily Eagle” The said reviews show that there was nothing in this play that was objectionable, indecent or immoral.

  The play, indeed, tells a moral story, and teaches a lesson not to be forgot ten. The play teaches succinctly that punishment will follow a wrongdoer. The lines of the play are wholesome and not objectionable, and I will hand up, on the argument of this motion, a copy of the manuscript of the play or acting version of the play.

  This play, “THE PLEASURE MAN” was performed in the Bronx Opera House, Bronx County, City of New York, from September 17, 1928 to September 22, 1928, a period of one week.

  I was informed by the manager of the theatre that Mr. McGeeghan, District Attorney of Bronx County, had seen the play, and that he had suggested the elimination of one song. This was agreed to by Mr. Reed and Mr. McGeeghan, as I am informed and believe, expressed himself as satisfied with the play and made no attempt to interfere with its production.

  The following week, commencing Sept. 24, 1928, the play was presented at the Boulevard Theatre, Jackson Heights, Queens, New York City. No attempt was made to interfere with the play by the authorities of that County, although I was informed and believe that they saw the play on the opening night, and the play ran a full week at that theatre.

  Mr. Reed, as he will more specifically show in his affidavit, made a booking contract with the Chenins for the production of the play at the Biltmore Theatre, located on West 47th Street, Borough of Manhattan, City of New York.

  The play was produced at that theatre on the evening of October 1, 1928.

  On that evening, I am informed and belie
ve, without warning or notice, the defendants sent various police officers to the Biltmore Theatre and arrest ed each and every member of the cast of the play, consisting of about fifty- four members. The police officers also arrested me at performance in which I was playing in a play entitled “DIAMOND LIL” at the Royale Theatre on West 45th Street, New York City, and I and the artists so arrested were arraigned a little before midnight at the Night Court before a Police Magistrate sitting therein, charged with giving an immoral exhibition under Section 1140a of the Penal Code of the State of New York.

  I was arrested about five minutes of eleven, when I closed my performance in “Diamond Lil” At that time the play “THE PLEASURE MAN” had not yet been finished, so that clearly the defendants herein had premeditated the arrest regardless of the nature of the play.

  We were again arraigned today in the Magistrate’s Court on West 54th Street, and the matter was adjourned until Thursday, October 4, 1928.

  In the meantime the actors and actresses playing in the production have become very much worried over their arrest, and the arrest has had a demor alizing effect upon the morale of the cast.

  The defendants have threatened to arrest the members of the cast and to arrest me again if any further performances of the play are given.

  I deny that the said play “THE PLEASURE MAN” is indecent or immoral. I deny that it is in any sense objectionable. It is good, clean, wholesome dramatic entertainment.

  The acts of the defendants are arbitrary and tyrannical. The threats to arrest the members of the cast and to arrest me again and again are made for the purpose of demoralizing the cast, so that no further performances of the play will be given.

  If the production of the play should be interrupted, it will mean that we will lose the booking of the theatre, and that the investment of the producer will be swept away.

  Moreover, it will mean great loss and damage to me, because I have a contract with the producer under which I receive royalties during each and every week that the play is presented, and if the play should be closed down I will lose royalties for an indefinite time and the amount of my loss cannot be esti mated or calculated, and my damage will be irreparable.

  If the defendants are permitted to continue their plan of arresting the members of the cast and me for each performance of the play, the play will have to shut down, and irreparable damage will be caused.

  Therefore I pray that an injunction be granted, restraining the defendants from making any further arrests or doing anything to demoralize or intimidate the members of the cast of this play.

  For all of which no previous application has been made.

  That the reason an order to show cause is asked for is that it is of the utmost urgency that a speedy adjudication of this motion be made as the injury complained of is causing the plaintiffs great damage.

  Sworn to before me this

  2nd day of October, 1928. (signed) MAE WEST

  Marion L. Ekin

  Notary Public, New York Co. Clerk’s No. 133, Register’s No. 9139. Commission expires March 30, 1929.

  [Carl Reed described the development of the project and affirmed the char acters were all “norma! men and women.” The play was “clean, wholesome, and interesting.” Moreover, the first night audience included “distinguished and prominent people.” He concluded by pointing out the financial loss he [and by implication other Broadway producers] would suffer if he were found guilty and fined. —L.S.]

  7. CARL REED S REPLY AFFIDAVIT IN ANSWER TO CHARGES AGAINST PLEASURE MAN.

  SUPREME COURT: NEW YORK COUNTY CARL REED, MAE WEST,

  Plaintiffs,

  —against—

  CHARLES WARREN both individually and in his official capacity as Commission of Police of the City of New York, JAMES S. BOLAN, Deputy Chief Inspector of the Police Department of the City of New York, JAMES J. WALKER, both individually and in his official capacity as Mayor of the City of New York, WILLIAM F. QUIGLEY, both individually and in his official capacity as License Commissioner of the City of New York, JOAB H. BANTON, both individually and in his official capacity as District Attorney of the County of New York, and the officers under the command of any of the said defendants and their agents, et al.

  Defendants

  STATE OF NEW YORK COUNTY OF NEW YORK

  CARL REED, being duly sworn, deposes and says:

  I am a theatrical producer, and have been such for a great many years. I produced many successful plays, among them being “Aloma of the South Seas” “Stronger Than Love” at the Belasco Theatre, “So this is Politics” at the Henry Miller Theatre, “The Creaking Chair” at the Lyceum Theatre, and “Sport of Kings” at the Lyceum Theatre.

  Early in August, 1928, Miss May {sic} West submitted to me a synopsis of a story. I read the same withinterest, and Miss West told me that she would have a completed play on that story in time to go to rehearsal, if I was inter ested and desired to make a production thereof.

  I told her that I liked the story. She thereafter brought a manuscript of the play to me. It was then entitled “Back Stage” We found that the title “Back Stage” had been used in a motion picture, and rather than have any law suits we decided to change the title, and we hit upon the title “THE PLEASURE MAN”

  I thereupon arranged for a production of the same. I entered into 54 contracts with actors and actresses, including a jazz band, and obligated myself to pay salaries to the star actors and actresses for the run of the play, and to the minor artists for the usual period of a run with a two weeks notice clause.

  I purchased some of the scenery, and had other parts of the scenery made to order at an expense involving about $25,000. I spent $3,000 to $4,000. in advertising the play. The production cost of $25,000. including not only the scenery but the wardrobe and lighting and scenic effects, and other acces sories of the play.

  I also entered into a contract with Miss West under which I agreed to pay her royalties for each and every week that the play was produced. The play was rehearsed and produced at the Bronx Opera House, Borough of Bronx, City of New York, on September 17, 1928.

  The production was successful from the start, and the public and critics were unanimous in their approval. The play was clean, wholesome and good, and in fact it was a play with a moral, and intended to preach a sermon to the audience.

  I received many letters and telegrams from people in the profession and from other walks of life, all of them commendatory and all of them unani mous in their praise of the play. Many great artists of the stage saw the play and praised it.

  I did not receive a single communication from any person complaining of the show or criticizing it in any shape form or manner. No one came to the box office and made any complaint about the play. The public apparently approved of the play and of the subject and the manner in which it was presented. Mr. McGeehan, the defendant, informed the house manager of the theatre that he thought one of the songs should be eliminated, and I, without hesitation, acceded to his wishes and eliminated the song.

  No other suggestion was made to me by any man in public life or by any one in authority to change any of the lines or take out any songs or to make any other changes in the play.

  During that week in the Bronx, with a popular scale of prices from 50c to $1.50, we took in approximately $5,800. at the box office, which is a substan tial sum in that theatre for a try-out show, performances being in the nature of try-out performances as is customary with new plays before bringing them to New York City.

  After the week in the Bronx, I presented the play for the week commencing September 24th, 1928, at the Boulevard Theatre, Jackson Heights, Queens.

  The box office receipts that week with the same scale of prices were about $8,500., again a very good substantial sum, and an indication that the play would be a tremendous success.

  I was informed by the house manager of the fact that many people in the audience came more than once to see the play. The play appealed strongly because of its theatrical flavor sh
owing life back of the stage, and showing the comedy and tragedy of that life. It appealed particularly because of its moral flavor showing the punishment that is meted out to a willful and persistent transgressor.

  The characters of the play are all normal men and women. There are no abnormalities, no sex perversions and no filth in this play. It is clean and wholesome, and I deny that there is anything indecent or immoral in the presentation of this play.

  I entered into a contract with the Chanin Theatre Corporation for the production of the play at the Biltmore Theatre on or about the 29th day of August, 1928. Before this contract was made I had many other offers from managers and lessees of theatres in the City of New York who asked me to give them the booking for this play. I attach hereto and make part of this affidavit a copy of the contract between the Chanin Theatres Corporation and myself.

  I am informed and believe that the Chanin Theatres Corporation, which booked this play for the theatre, has a contract with the Chambrook Realty Co., Inc., and that the Chambrook Realty Co., Inc. is the lessee of said Biltmore Theatre and operates the same.

  Both the Chambrook Realty Co. Inc. and the Chanin Theatres Corporation are interested in the production to the extent that one is to receive a booking fee for its services, and the other is to receive a rental for the use of its theatre, and they also will be damaged irreparably by the acts of the defendants here inafter complained of.

  The opening performance in New York City was given on October 1st, 1928, at the Biltmore Theatre. The public manifested great approval. I was present at the performance and mingled with the audience and nowhere did I hear a word of disapproval, nowhere a word of complaint, but on the con trary everyone thought that the play was clean, wholesome, interesting and particularly dramatic and effective.

  In the audience I noted many of the most prominent people in the City of New York whom I recognized. Indeed the audience was a most distinguished and representative audience. I received many letters and telegrams of congratulations, and not one communication criticized the play in any aspect.