A comprehensive film buff would always have at least some Mae West trivia lurking in their back pocket. Mae West is an iconic film star and actress from the early days of American film, and was a dynamic and controversial figure during her time in Hollywood. Born in 1893 and passing in 1980, Mae West enjoyed spent decades as one of the most important members of the legendary elite of Hollywood’s golden age.

            Did you know that Mae West started performing at the tender age of five? She was one of many in the early days of Hollywood to come from the authentic performing pedigree that was associated with the Vaudeville stages. Her first professional job was with a Vaudevillian company called the Hal Clarendon Stock Company which began in 1907, when West was fourteen. She performed under many different stage names, including Baby Mae and Sis Hopkins. She graduated from the Vaudeville company to begin performing in Broadway shows in 1911. And her big break came in 1918 in a show called Sometime.

            Any Mae West quiz would likely want to know if you knew that West was arrested and on what charge? She was arrested in 1927 for “corrupting the morals of youth” based on the show “Sex” which she had written and was performing in .

            Mae West Trivia should also recall the fact that she is credited by many as the savior of the Paramount movie studio. After years on broadway, in 1932 she signed with Paramount studios and starred in She Done Him Wrong which won the Best Picture Oscar and single handedly saved the studio. She would co-star in her career with such icons as Cary Grant, Randolph Scott, and W.C. Fields among others.

            Mae West was a writer, actress, director, producer, and appeared in television, film, broadway, Radio and performed on several recording albums. She was one of the most multi-talented stars of her generation and continued to perform in a variety of different ways throughout her career.

            Right from her early arrest, West had troubles with moral judges and censors taking exception to her work. She was frequently forced to see the scripts she was starring in become judiciously edited by those who wanted to ensure that there was less opportunity for her to exude her steaming sensuality on the big screen, something the establishment at large was quite uncomfortable with.