Mae West, a Hollywood intercourse image of the Nineteen Thirties, was in her 60s when she launched into a “passionate affair” with 21-year-old Richard DuBois — however it was her closely muscled lover who finally walked away.
“By all accounts from the individuals who have been there, it was, on the very least, a passionate affair,” writer Michael Gregg Michaud advised Fox Information Digital. “This was 1954… There was a couple of 40-year age distinction right here… She preferred younger males. But it surely was additionally a part of the parable she labored so laborious to create about herself.”
“She needed to be referred to as a global intercourse image, and she or he was going to do every thing to maintain that title,” Michaud shared. “She offered herself in a really attractive approach. She surrounded herself with very attractive males. Richard was considered one of them. However she left a long-lasting impression on him.”
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Michaud has written a brand new ebook concerning the traditional Hollywood star, “Mae West and Her Adonises.” It focuses on her later years when she hit the nightclub circuit and carried out alongside a sea of Herculean boy toys who rapidly grew to become lovers when the curtains went down.
“That is my third ebook about Mae West,” Michaud defined. “She had a really lengthy and productive life. There are a number of biographies already written about her, however I needed to give attention to this one side of her life, which has by no means been totally explored earlier than.
“I needed to dig deep into her nightclub acts and the way they have been perceived by the general public. Sure, she was making films, however she needed to hit the highway. And he or she by no means let her age restrict her in how she offered herself. She didn’t suppose there was something previous a couple of attractive lady.”
It was in 1954 when West heated up Las Vegas with a nightclub act. On the time, Hollywood was censoring her saucy screenplays with a heavy stroke, inflicting her as soon as scorching movie profession to chill down, Life journal reported.
So West did what she knew greatest — surrounded herself with Chippendales in loincloths and never a lot else on stage.
It was there that she met DuBois.
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“All anyone has to do is have a look at an image of him on the web,” Michaud chuckled. “He was an awfully good-looking younger man with an much more extraordinary physique. After she first laid eyes on him, she instantly featured him on her present, proper from the very starting. It didn’t take lengthy for him to specific an curiosity in her.”
DuBois, who was topped Mr. USA in 1957, was praised for his “good biceps” and “well-proportioned determine,” the Los Angeles Instances reported. Earlier than becoming a member of West, he was a sought-after physique mannequin who received the Novice Athletic Union Mr. America bodybuilding contest, the outlet shared.
In line with Michaud, DuBois was shy when West ordered him to flex his muscular tissues upon their first assembly. Nonetheless, he obeyed.
West would later write that DuBois’ physique was paying homage to a Greek god, making him “unforgettable.”
In line with Michaud, DuBois’ boyish infatuation rapidly morphed into “a bodily relationship” with West.
“He was very smitten together with her,” Michaud defined. “However for Mae, it was all bodily. She wasn’t in search of a boyfriend. They maintained a bodily relationship, however she didn’t have an emotional relationship with him. Often with males, as soon as they start to specific any emotional curiosity in her, it was a turnoff. That wasn’t what she needed.”
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“She definitely preferred him, however it was [more of an] fascinating association for her,” Michaud added.
In line with the ebook, West had little interest in DuBois “apart from intercourse.” And to maintain herself occupied, she reached out to a former lover, champion wrestler Vincent Lopez.
“He traveled from his house in Mexico and joined her in Hollywood days earlier than her departure for Nevada,” Michaud wrote. “She organized for him to accompany her within the capability of escort and private supervisor. Lopez took that to imply that his prime activity was to maintain the muscle boys away from West — a lot to DuBois’ chagrin.”
In the meantime, West was decided to maintain incomes massive bucks. In line with the ebook, West’s wage was a whopping $12,500 every week. DuBois was paid $500 every week, whereas among the different muscle males have been paid $200.
“The troupe performed two reveals an evening — at 8 p.m. and a pair of a.m. — seven days every week, with three reveals on Fridays and Saturdays,” the ebook outlined.
DuBois’ film star appears caught the eye of audiences. But it surely was West alone he had his eye on.
Competitors was fierce.
“Mickey Hargitay joined the present as a muscle man,” Michaud advised Fox Information Digital about actress Mariska Hargitay’s father. “That started some little bit of rivalry there as a result of Mickey was trying to get forward in present enterprise. But it surely was Mae West’s former boyfriend, Vincent Lopez… [who] did his greatest to maintain her away from DuBois. It didn’t work, however it nonetheless bothered DuBois.”
Within the ebook, Michaud wrote: “Behind the scenes, private dramas matched the comedy present on stage. West cleverly deliberate her sexual assignations with DuBois within the lodge the place all of them stayed, avoiding the watchful eye of Vincent Lopez. She demanded intimate time with love-sick Mr. America each night time. The star was within the temper for intercourse, however Dick DuBois was within the temper for love. He believed he had fallen in love together with her.”
“DuBois continued to see West each night time after the final present,” Michaud continued. “Even when he was drained and in determined want of relaxation, he was summoned to her room. His frustration together with her disinterest in something besides intercourse typically had him pacing the lodge hallways, speaking to himself. He was nonetheless very jealous of any time she spent with Lopez, however to maintain the peace, she assured him that nothing romantic was happening.”
DuBois ultimately “fell into despair.” Whereas West was desperate to proceed enjoying “their sexual recreation” away from Lopez’s watchful eyes, DuBois had had sufficient.
“He gave her an ultimatum,” Michaud advised Fox Information Digital. “He mentioned, ‘Both Vincent Lopez goes, or I’ll go.’ She stored Vincent Lopez. There have been solely a few weeks left on the tour, however DuBois left… Vincent tried to maintain all of the muscle males, or anybody for that matter, away from her once they weren’t on stage.
“Richard was very threatened by that. He felt that it was Vincent Lopez who was interfering probably the most. Mae advised Richard that she’d identified Vincent for thus a few years, that he was a loyal good friend, and she or he simply didn’t need to dump him on the finish of the tour… Mae didn’t need Richard to go, however it was disappointing for him.”
“Mickey Hargitay was promoted,” mentioned Michaud. “And Mae West grew to become curious about one other muscle man, Chuck Krauser. It was not simply bodily, however emotionally. They started a relationship.”
“When it got here to Richard DuBois, Mae West thought of him as one of many bodily wonders of the world,” Michaud continued. “Once you have a look at him, you possibly can see why he could be very interesting. However he needed extra.”
DuBois went on to seek out love. In 1960, he married and had a son. He later took on a very totally different position — that of evangelist.
“He retired from bodybuilding and have become a minister,” mentioned Michaud. “And he stayed a minister… till he died… [But] he was at all times respectful of Mae West. He gave one interview later in life and mentioned that he felt there wasn’t something contradictory about being a muscle man and showing on stage in a bikini backside. He mentioned, ‘I feel it helped put together me to be a minister.’ He was a really fascinating fellow, however an enchanting determine.”
Michaud wrote that for the final 19 years of his life, DuBois was the pastor of the Gospel Lighthouse church in Santa Monica, California. He died in 2007 at age 74.
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As for West, she modified Krauser’s title to the extra interesting Paul Novak. It caught for the remainder of her life. She died in 1980 at age 87.
“Paul was together with her… till her dying,” mentioned Michaud. “… He was her protector, her fixed escort and companion once they went out… Paul took excellent care of her. He was an excellent cook dinner, and he watched her food plan very carefully and helped her keep in form with barbells, dumbbells and a stationary bicycle.
“It was an fascinating match… I imagine she was proud of that association.”
