Quotes and anectdotes from the wise to the foolish, and the courageous to the drunk

Mae West Actor

  • Gender: Female
  • Citizenship: United States
  • Born: Aug 17, 1893
  • Died: Nov 22, 1980

Mary Jane "Mae" West was an American actress, singer, playwright, screenwriter and sex symbol whose entertainment career spanned seven decades.

Known for her bawdy double entendres, West made a name for herself in vaudeville and on the stage in New York before moving to Hollywood to become a comedienne, actress and writer in the motion picture industry. In consideration of her contributions to American cinema, the American Film Institute named West 15th among the greatest female stars of all time. One of the more controversial movie stars of her day, West encountered many problems, including censorship. When her cinematic career ended, she continued to perform in Las Vegas, in the United Kingdom, and on radio and television, and to record rock and roll albums. Asked about the various efforts to impede her career, West replied, "I believe in censorship. I made a fortune out of it."

A hard man is good to find. good

It's not the men in my life that count, it's the life in my men. life & men

Personality is the most important thing to an actress's success. success

Save a boyfriend for a rainy day - and another, in case it doesn't rain. dating

A man can be short and dumpy and getting bald but if he has fire, women will like him. women

Ten men waiting for me at the door? Send one of them home, I'm tired. home & men

I never worry about diets. The only carrots that interest me are the number you get in a diamond. diet

I only have 'yes' men around me. Who needs 'no' men? men

Personally, I like two types of men - domestic and foreign. men

Marriage is a great institution, but I'm not ready for an institution. great & marriage

I used to be Snow White, but I drifted. funny

Love isn't an emotion or an instinct - it's an art. art & love

I only like two kinds of men, domestic and imported. men

One and one is two, and two and two is four, and five will get you ten if you know how to work it. work

Love conquers all things except poverty and toothache. love

A man's kiss is his signature. men

When I'm good, I'm very good. But when I'm bad I'm better. good

Too much of a good thing can be taxing. good

Look your best - who said love is blind? best & love

The best way to hold a man is in your arms. best

When I'm good I'm very, very good, but when I'm bad, I'm better. good

It's hard to be funny when you have to be clean. funny

Love thy neighbor - and if he happens to be tall, debonair and devastating, it will be that much easier. love

She's the kind of girl who climbed the ladder of success wrong by wrong. success

When women go wrong, men go right after them. men & women

He's the kind of man a woman would have to marry to get rid of. marriage

Too much of a good thing can be wonderful. good

A woman in love can't be reasonable - or she probably wouldn't be in love. love

Between two evils, I always pick the one I never tried before. funny

Any time you got nothing to do - and lots of time to do it - come on up. time

I like a man who's good, but not too good - for the good die young, and I hate a dead one. good