ARCHIVE OF CORRESPONDENCE RELATING TO "MR. MAE WEST." In 1911 18 year-old Mae West married fellow vaudevillian Frank Wallace, though it doesn't appear that the two ever lived together as man and wife. West and Wallace quickly parted ways, perhaps at the insistence of West's lawyer and lover, James Timoney, and while West's vaudeville and stage career took off, Wallace's floundered. By the 1930s, when West found fame in the movies, Wallace and his dancing partner LaMae were eking out an existence dancing in theaters, clubs, and tap rooms throughout the east coast and Midwest. Hoping to capitalize on West's fame, Frank began to publicize his early marriage in the attempt to raise his own profile. This lot features a collection of correspondence and documents relating to the Vaudeville team of Wallace and LeMae and their ongoing litigation with West over her failure to acknowledge the early marriage. Highlights include: 1.Typed Manuscript to Mae West, 2 pp, 4to, Bronx NY, March 19, 1939, from Frank, some toning, creasing, wear at edges. In part: "Recently I have made every effort to avoid the booking of my dancing partner, Miss Trixie LaMae and myself in the vicinity and close proximity of the theatre in which you are now appreaing in Brooklyn. In the main, we turned down such bookings because the manner in which they wanted to bill and publicize the act would have been a reflection on you, and although this may have been to our advantage, my dancing partner and I were not in accord with this policy. " 2.Typed Letter, 2 pp, 4to, LA, August 10, 1940, to "Mrs. Mae West Wallace," reminiscing about their marriage and discussing his suit. In part: "When I think back and remember our marriage on April 11, 1911, I know that we were both happy then. I was just about the happiest and proudest young man in the world. When I stood by your side and held your hand and said, "I do' I did not have my fingers crossed After I made the mistake of employing Jim Timoney to represent us, he put different ideas into your head. HE made you believe that you did not want a baby; that it might spoil your beautiful figure, and that fame, money, diamonds and jewels were worth more than the love of an honest man and a family. Well, you have had your choice. You have had fame, diamonds, jewels and money. Are you happy?" Present also is Wallace's contract with his lawyer to prosecute his claim against Mae West; a copy of complaint against James Timony, 8 pp, legal folio, Los Angeles, n.d., for encouraging his wife (Mae West) to live apart from him way back in 1911, suing for the amount of $5,000; an ad for Wallace and LeMae printed as a court summons; correspondence between Wallace and his lawyer Avery Blount; and a draft of letter to the Police Gazette threatening to sue for misrepresenting their case. A wealth of information about one of the must embarrassing publicity maelstroms in West's life.
ARCHIVE OF CORRESPONDENCE RELATING TO "MR. MAE WEST." In 1911 18 year-old Mae West married fellow vaudevillian Frank Wallace, though it doesn't appear that the two ever lived together as man and wife. West and Wallace quickly parted ways, perhaps at the insistence of West's lawyer and lover, James Timoney, and while West's vaudeville and stage career took off, Wallace's floundered. By the 1930s, when West found fame in the movies, Wallace and his dancing partner LaMae were eking out an existence dancing in theaters, clubs, and tap rooms throughout the east coast and Midwest. Hoping to capitalize on West's fame, Frank began to publicize his early marriage in the attempt to raise his own profile. This lot features a collection of correspondence and documents relating to the Vaudeville team of Wallace and LeMae and their ongoing litigation with West over her failure to acknowledge the early marriage. Highlights include: 1.Typed Manuscript to Mae West, 2 pp, 4to, Bronx NY, March 19, 1939, from Frank, some toning, creasing, wear at edges. In part: "Recently I have made every effort to avoid the booking of my dancing partner, Miss Trixie LaMae and myself in the vicinity and close proximity of the theatre in which you are now appreaing in Brooklyn. In the main, we turned down such bookings because the manner in which they wanted to bill and publicize the act would have been a reflection on you, and although this may have been to our advantage, my dancing partner and I were not in accord with this policy. " 2.Typed Letter, 2 pp, 4to, LA, August 10, 1940, to "Mrs. Mae West Wallace," reminiscing about their marriage and discussing his suit. In part: "When I think back and remember our marriage on April 11, 1911, I know that we were both happy then. I was just about the happiest and proudest young man in the world. When I stood by your side and held your hand and said, "I do' I did not have my fingers crossed After I made the mistake of employing Jim Timoney to represent us, he put different ideas into your head. HE made you believe that you did not want a baby; that it might spoil your beautiful figure, and that fame, money, diamonds and jewels were worth more than the love of an honest man and a family. Well, you have had your choice. You have had fame, diamonds, jewels and money. Are you happy?" Present also is Wallace's contract with his lawyer to prosecute his claim against Mae West; a copy of complaint against James Timony, 8 pp, legal folio, Los Angeles, n.d., for encouraging his wife (Mae West) to live apart from him way back in 1911, suing for the amount of $5,000; an ad for Wallace and LeMae printed as a court summons; correspondence between Wallace and his lawyer Avery Blount; and a draft of letter to the Police Gazette threatening to sue for misrepresenting their case. A wealth of information about one of the must embarrassing publicity maelstroms in West's life.
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.jpg "Source: Christie's")
.jpg "Source: Christie's")
