Mae West was born in Brooklyn, New York to "Battling
Jack" West and Matilda Doelger. She began her career
as a child star in vaudeville, and later went on to write
her own plays.
Though her first movie role was a small part in the 1932
film Night After Night, her scene has become famous.
A coat check girl exclaims, "Goodness! What lovely
diamonds!", after seeing Mae's jewellery. Mae replies,
"Goodness had nothing to do with it".
Her next film, in which she starred, was in 1933. She
Done Him Wrong was based on her earlier and very popular
play, Diamond Lil. Mae West went on to write and
star in seven more films, including My Little Chickadee,
with W. C. Fields. Her last movie was Sextette
in 1978, two years before her death.
