During her spectacular older years Mae allowed a biography to be written of her by Jane Ardmore (who would go on to write many celeb biographies, including Joan Crawford's). Its a hard to find and expensive book (usually going for over $50) from the 1950s so many people have not read it. Most assume its a 'inventive' autobiography written by Mae. Mae didn't write it, though inventive is the word. Events, places, and dates don't sync up and Mae's age and origins are never really given. To this day no one (and many have looked including Allan Ellenberger who has written books of celeb census records) can find a real census record of her early years, no one is certain she was really born Mae Koenig in 1889 though as always it sounds 'plausible'.
Mae was so much fun. She and Nita Naldi did an old timey stage show in the 40s and apparently got along well. She told Nita when asked for your age to always say '29'. She held to this by running around in the shortest tightest dresses possible. She also knew Olive Thomas, reporting Ollie was the one who pointed Valentino out to her as (paraphrasing) 'A dancer at Maxim's. Damn beautiful isn't he?'
Mae needs a new accurate biography, and I'm happy to report one is in the works. Michael G. Ankerich has begun researching the project, and has made contact with her elusive son (the way ahead of his time named Koran, later renamed David). He's trying to find people who knew Mae, especially in her later years at the Motion Picture Fund Home. She died in 1965, so there should be SOMEONE out there somewhere who knew her, encountered her, or knew someone who knew her.
Michael has asked that if anyone knew her or has any information to contribute that they email him at mgankerich@charter.net . I encourage you all to help in any form or way you can!
1 comments:
Oh i love this peice on mae murray! She led such an amazing life. I just recently did a peice on her at my own blog (at 'http://theyhadfaces-silentfilmblog.blogspot.com/' if it means anything). I just finished my piece when i saw this. I had know idea that Ollie pointed Valentino out to her though i wouldnt be suprised (they were both ziggie's big headliners along with kay laurel and ina claire). Ive been very interested in the reletivly forgotten divas like mae murray and pola negri. I have done an abridged bio on both on my blog but i wanted to see if you have heard of someone named brigitte helm. I trust youve seen the legendary metropolis, well brigitte played maria and the robot, she was a famous beauty in germany and made some beautiful films. any way, shes one of those greta garbo types who can be world famous and then dissapear in the blink of an eye. A good film to watch of hers can be found on youtube called some fancy german name but its something like 'awgabe' it should pop right up if you look up 'gw pabst' though. She seemed really interesting and i thought that you might like her!
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