Mae West

Iconic actress and singer, famed for her witty, sexually suggestive performances.

Chronology: 1893-08-17 – 1980-11-22

Origins & Early Life

Mary Jane West (August 17, 1893 – November 22, 1980), known as Mae West, was an American actress, singer, comedian, screenwriter, and playwright. Recognized as a prominent sex symbol of her time, she was known for portraying sexually confident characters and for her use of double entendres, often delivering her lines in a distinctive contralto voice. With a career spanning more than seven decades, she was frequently associated with controversies over censorship and once stated, "I believe in censorship. I made a fortune out of it." West is listed as one of the top 25 female movie stars of all time in the American Film Institute's survey AFI's 100 Years...100 Stars.

Pivotal Works & Achievements

For her contribution to the motion picture industry, she received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. West began performing in vaudeville and on stage in New York before moving on to film in Los Angeles. By 1933, she was one of the largest box-office draws in the U.S. and, by 1935, she was also the highest paid woman and the second-highest paid person in the U.S. (after William Randolph Hearst).

Enduring Legacy & Impact

Censorship had increasingly made West's sexually suggestive humor difficult to sustain on screen. She was included in the "Box...

Source: Wikipedia