Hard to say. She had some very nice things to say about her first husband, Lew Brice - she was only 17 when she married him, and he was twice that. I think she enjoyed her time with her second husband, living the high life in South America as the wife of a corporate executive. It seems to me that she probably had many liaisons - she appeared to be very popular and sociable - but she mentions only her affair with Sidney Blackmer.
I think it's possible she honestly does not remember many things that went on in her life because of all the drug and electroshock therapy she had over the years. Many people in Mae's situation were virtually destroyed by what she went through, but Mae was always a survivor.
My impression from Mae's own story was that the love of her life was James Cagney; whether or not they actually had an affair is never mentioned. You'll have to judge for yourself. Mae says a lot in what she doesn't say -- you'll see what I mean when you read her book.
Mae Clarke, and Other Forgotten Stars
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charliechaplinfan
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I've just been reading this thread. I never knew that Mae Clarke had suffered so. Good for her for getting through the tough times and facing live in the movies again.
I'm intrigued by what you sat about Cagney being the love of her life. I read a biography of Jimmy a few years ago by John McCabe nothing was ever mentioned in this about any extra marital affairs that Cagney might have had. I understand that the book had the families backing so it would be imprudent to include such details. He was extraordinarily devoted to his wife, Willie. Is it possible it was unrequited love on Mae's part.
I can completely understand someone falling for him. I bet he had charisma
I'm intrigued by what you sat about Cagney being the love of her life. I read a biography of Jimmy a few years ago by John McCabe nothing was ever mentioned in this about any extra marital affairs that Cagney might have had. I understand that the book had the families backing so it would be imprudent to include such details. He was extraordinarily devoted to his wife, Willie. Is it possible it was unrequited love on Mae's part.
I can completely understand someone falling for him. I bet he had charisma
Failure is unimportant. It takes courage to make a fool of yourself - Charlie Chaplin
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jdb1
Well - I wasn't speaking just about affairs -- Cagney seems to be the man and the actor Mae most admired.
We have to bear in mind that she was very young when she started out in movies. She looked older than she actually was. As she says in her book "I was born in 1910, and I've got the papers to prove it!" I think there was something of a case of hero-worship involved in her view of Cagney. It's obvious on the screen, at least to me, that the two of them relished working together, and in the comedies they did there is a real chemistry at work.
We may never know exactly what kind of relationship they had, but from the way Mae spoke of him in her memoirs -- I'd say she loved him.
We have to bear in mind that she was very young when she started out in movies. She looked older than she actually was. As she says in her book "I was born in 1910, and I've got the papers to prove it!" I think there was something of a case of hero-worship involved in her view of Cagney. It's obvious on the screen, at least to me, that the two of them relished working together, and in the comedies they did there is a real chemistry at work.
We may never know exactly what kind of relationship they had, but from the way Mae spoke of him in her memoirs -- I'd say she loved him.
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movieman1957
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I'm reading a book on Cagney now. (Cagney.The Authorized Biography by Doug Warren with James Cagney.) Very little is written about her. Practically nothing more than people who claim they thought of the grapefruit scene and the scene in "Lady Killer" where he "drags" her by her hair. From what I've heard he was totally devoted to Billie as well.
I have another book on Cagney that I'll try and see if there is more info on her.
This is a rather episodic book that spends little time on his films but gives a decent chronology of his studio dealings. Good background on his youth though.
I have another book on Cagney that I'll try and see if there is more info on her.
This is a rather episodic book that spends little time on his films but gives a decent chronology of his studio dealings. Good background on his youth though.
Chris
"Time flies like an arrow, fruit flies like a banana."
"Time flies like an arrow, fruit flies like a banana."
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jdb1
I don't really think there was any more to their relationship than mutual affection and respect. I didn't mean to start such a controversy -- you can love someone deeply without jumping into bed with him/her.
Mae also had such a long-term friendship with Herbert Yates of Republic Pictures. She was that kind of person - she appears to have been very loyal to her friends, and they to her.
I suppose, though, that a deep friendship between a man and a woman was more unusual in their day.
Mae also had such a long-term friendship with Herbert Yates of Republic Pictures. She was that kind of person - she appears to have been very loyal to her friends, and they to her.
I suppose, though, that a deep friendship between a man and a woman was more unusual in their day.
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charliechaplinfan
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Sorry I didn't mean to add to any controversy.
It's quite touching that they had a deep and true friendship and Mae loved him. I think if a young girl was after a mentor in Hollywood at that time they could have done far worse than to look to Jimmy Cagney. He came across as a man with scruples who was prepared to fight Warner's and someone who was loyal to both his wife and his friends. A true gentleman in Hollywood.
Mae's story sounds fascinating.
It's quite touching that they had a deep and true friendship and Mae loved him. I think if a young girl was after a mentor in Hollywood at that time they could have done far worse than to look to Jimmy Cagney. He came across as a man with scruples who was prepared to fight Warner's and someone who was loyal to both his wife and his friends. A true gentleman in Hollywood.
Mae's story sounds fascinating.
Failure is unimportant. It takes courage to make a fool of yourself - Charlie Chaplin
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jdb1
Over the past few months I've been informally researching another forgotten female star, Trixie Friganza, and I'd like to share with you what I've learned about her.
Last fall, TCM ran a series of Vitaphone shorts, among which was Friganza's My Bag O'Trix. This was the title of one of her vaudeville acts, a portion of which she recreated for this very early sound movie. I just loved her to pieces, and I was inspired to try to find out something about her.
Trixie Friganza was born Delia O'Callahan in Grenola, Kansas, in 1870. The website for this tiny town proudly features Friganza as one of its celebrities, along with Eugene Pallette, who is buried there (although Palette was born in Winfield, KS, there apparently is a family plot in Grenola). Friganza's family moved to Cincinnati, where she grew up. She was an outgoing girl who loved to perform. She took singing lessons, and was good enough to get parts in operettas. She made her way to New York, where she worked in choruses in operettas and musicals, eventually landing larger, and eventually starring, roles.
Friganza herself was rather large, and was often cast as an older, dowager woman type, although she also used her size to play younger, comedy roles. She was popular, and was dubbed "The Champagne Girl" by the press. Friganza appeared in some early Ziegfeld productions. I found reference to one called "La Poupee" (1897), but I don't see any evidence that she was in any of the "Follies" shows. However, she worked steadily in musicals, in New York and around the country, and even went to London with road companies of some of her shows.
Gradually, Friganza began to develop a solo act, which she took on the road to great success. She sang, she danced, and she told jokes. In fact, she is probably one of the very first, if not the first, women who could be classified a stand-up comedian. As she got older, she got "heftier," and she used her size and weight as part of her act. She described herself as "a perfect 46." She told jokes about the fat woman in society - her jokes weren't so much derogatory against herself as they were social commentary, and the women in the audience resonded positively. She often spoke directly to members of the audience as part of the act - something we take for granted today for our stand-ups, but something that was considered daring and revolutionary then. (Daring in terms of keeping control of the act -- most other performers wouldn't have dreamed of breaching that fourth wall.)
Friganza was very outspoken about the condition of women in America, and gave many interviews and wrote many newspaper articles about the subject. She told women that they should not be slaves to fashion, especially when the fashions of the day (early 20th century) were so unrealistic vis-a-vis the female body. She was a staunch supporter of Women's Suffrage, and spoke at rallies, wrote articles in support, and allowed her name to be used by suffrage organizations. Friganza was married at least three times, never giving up her own name. (Actually, Friganza was her mother's maiden name, and "Trixie" was a childhood nickname.) Friganza had a house in Brooklyn, in the neighborhood now known as Bensonhurst, not far from the area that produced the three Horwitz brothers who became some of the Three Stooges.
Continued
Last fall, TCM ran a series of Vitaphone shorts, among which was Friganza's My Bag O'Trix. This was the title of one of her vaudeville acts, a portion of which she recreated for this very early sound movie. I just loved her to pieces, and I was inspired to try to find out something about her.
Trixie Friganza was born Delia O'Callahan in Grenola, Kansas, in 1870. The website for this tiny town proudly features Friganza as one of its celebrities, along with Eugene Pallette, who is buried there (although Palette was born in Winfield, KS, there apparently is a family plot in Grenola). Friganza's family moved to Cincinnati, where she grew up. She was an outgoing girl who loved to perform. She took singing lessons, and was good enough to get parts in operettas. She made her way to New York, where she worked in choruses in operettas and musicals, eventually landing larger, and eventually starring, roles.
Friganza herself was rather large, and was often cast as an older, dowager woman type, although she also used her size to play younger, comedy roles. She was popular, and was dubbed "The Champagne Girl" by the press. Friganza appeared in some early Ziegfeld productions. I found reference to one called "La Poupee" (1897), but I don't see any evidence that she was in any of the "Follies" shows. However, she worked steadily in musicals, in New York and around the country, and even went to London with road companies of some of her shows.
Gradually, Friganza began to develop a solo act, which she took on the road to great success. She sang, she danced, and she told jokes. In fact, she is probably one of the very first, if not the first, women who could be classified a stand-up comedian. As she got older, she got "heftier," and she used her size and weight as part of her act. She described herself as "a perfect 46." She told jokes about the fat woman in society - her jokes weren't so much derogatory against herself as they were social commentary, and the women in the audience resonded positively. She often spoke directly to members of the audience as part of the act - something we take for granted today for our stand-ups, but something that was considered daring and revolutionary then. (Daring in terms of keeping control of the act -- most other performers wouldn't have dreamed of breaching that fourth wall.)
Friganza was very outspoken about the condition of women in America, and gave many interviews and wrote many newspaper articles about the subject. She told women that they should not be slaves to fashion, especially when the fashions of the day (early 20th century) were so unrealistic vis-a-vis the female body. She was a staunch supporter of Women's Suffrage, and spoke at rallies, wrote articles in support, and allowed her name to be used by suffrage organizations. Friganza was married at least three times, never giving up her own name. (Actually, Friganza was her mother's maiden name, and "Trixie" was a childhood nickname.) Friganza had a house in Brooklyn, in the neighborhood now known as Bensonhurst, not far from the area that produced the three Horwitz brothers who became some of the Three Stooges.
Continued
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jdb1
Now on to Trixie at the movies.
Friganza made 14 silent films, the first in 1923, called Mind Over Motor, in which she starred. She had fairly large roles in the others, working in comedies, dramas and westerns. She made movies for DeMille and King Vidor, and worked with such stars as Laura LaPlante, Pola Negri, William Boyd, ZaSu Pitts and Edward Everett Horton. Among her films is a 1928 version of Gentlement Prefer Blondes, with Mack Swain and Ford Sterling, and starring Ruth Taylor as Lorelei Lee. Taylor is the mother of actor/writer/humorist Buck Henry. It seems that this filming of the story is now lost.
Friganza was in several sound movies, starting with her short My Bag O'Trix (1929). She also appeared in a short in 1937 which was apparently a big deal in its time, called How to Undress For Your Husband. Friganza had co-starring roles a film with Buster Crabbe called Wanderer of the Wasteland (1935) (a Zane Gray western in which she played a character named "Big Jo"). She had a small part in the first version of A Star Is Born (1937). She was also in a Buster Keaton movie called Free N Easy (1930), which co-starred a very young Robert Montgomery. She was usually the dragon mother of the pretty girl, or a Marie Dressler type.
Unfortunately, Friganza's increasingly worsening arthritis made it difficult for her to continue making movies. She gave up trying to work at the studios, and took a job in a Catholic girls' high school as the drama instructor. At her death, in 1955, she left much of her estate to that school, and the rest to various film industry organizations.
Well, now. It seems to me that in her own way, Trixie Friganza was as formidible, outspoken, hard-working and effective as someone like Katharine Hepburn, and she didn't have any family fortune to cushion her ride through life. Because she made so few films, her work is now forgotten, but even though I haven't seen most of it I have a feeling it's very good.
There appears to be more material on her at the NY Public Library, in the Performing Arts branch, which I intend to take a look at. I like this woman very much, and I hope her story has been of interest to you.
Friganza made 14 silent films, the first in 1923, called Mind Over Motor, in which she starred. She had fairly large roles in the others, working in comedies, dramas and westerns. She made movies for DeMille and King Vidor, and worked with such stars as Laura LaPlante, Pola Negri, William Boyd, ZaSu Pitts and Edward Everett Horton. Among her films is a 1928 version of Gentlement Prefer Blondes, with Mack Swain and Ford Sterling, and starring Ruth Taylor as Lorelei Lee. Taylor is the mother of actor/writer/humorist Buck Henry. It seems that this filming of the story is now lost.
Friganza was in several sound movies, starting with her short My Bag O'Trix (1929). She also appeared in a short in 1937 which was apparently a big deal in its time, called How to Undress For Your Husband. Friganza had co-starring roles a film with Buster Crabbe called Wanderer of the Wasteland (1935) (a Zane Gray western in which she played a character named "Big Jo"). She had a small part in the first version of A Star Is Born (1937). She was also in a Buster Keaton movie called Free N Easy (1930), which co-starred a very young Robert Montgomery. She was usually the dragon mother of the pretty girl, or a Marie Dressler type.
Unfortunately, Friganza's increasingly worsening arthritis made it difficult for her to continue making movies. She gave up trying to work at the studios, and took a job in a Catholic girls' high school as the drama instructor. At her death, in 1955, she left much of her estate to that school, and the rest to various film industry organizations.
Well, now. It seems to me that in her own way, Trixie Friganza was as formidible, outspoken, hard-working and effective as someone like Katharine Hepburn, and she didn't have any family fortune to cushion her ride through life. Because she made so few films, her work is now forgotten, but even though I haven't seen most of it I have a feeling it's very good.
There appears to be more material on her at the NY Public Library, in the Performing Arts branch, which I intend to take a look at. I like this woman very much, and I hope her story has been of interest to you.
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moira finnie
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This is great! Thanks Judith.
I know it may differ regionally , but if people have Time Warner cable around the country, look for your Free on Demand channel on digital cable. TCM periodically runs shorts such as the Vitaphone ones(along with several movies). Maybe Trixie will be broadcast again soon.
I know it may differ regionally , but if people have Time Warner cable around the country, look for your Free on Demand channel on digital cable. TCM periodically runs shorts such as the Vitaphone ones(along with several movies). Maybe Trixie will be broadcast again soon.
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feaito
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jdb1
Thanks for your positive feedback.
I was thrilled to discover that Trixie owned a house in my old stomping grounds, Bensonhurst, Brooklyn. It's very likely the house is still standing. I have the address; I'll have to take a look some time. And last week, I saw a play at the Harvey Theater in downtown Brooklyn, which used to be the Brooklyn Majestic, a venue frequently played in by Trixie. It was fun to think of her firing off one-liners and plucking her bass fiddle in that space.
(Wonder if Henny Youngman [born in London, but raised in Brooklyn] saw her, and modelled his violin and wisecracks act after hers? Entirely feasible.)
I was thrilled to discover that Trixie owned a house in my old stomping grounds, Bensonhurst, Brooklyn. It's very likely the house is still standing. I have the address; I'll have to take a look some time. And last week, I saw a play at the Harvey Theater in downtown Brooklyn, which used to be the Brooklyn Majestic, a venue frequently played in by Trixie. It was fun to think of her firing off one-liners and plucking her bass fiddle in that space.
(Wonder if Henny Youngman [born in London, but raised in Brooklyn] saw her, and modelled his violin and wisecracks act after hers? Entirely feasible.)