April 19, 1927: Mae West sent to jail

Mae West was a movie star known for her double entendres – perhaps, though, the name of her show Sex was a bit too straightforward. On this day in 1927, the production got her sentenced to 10 days in prison.

By February of that year, Sex, a star vehicle written by West, had run for 10 months. But with the mayor gone on vacation, his buttoned-up deputy, Joe McKee, ordered the police to deal with some of the more, ahem, progressive theatrical offerings.

For her portrayal of a prostitute – and her refusal to close the show – West was convicted of “corruption of the morals of youth.” She spent eight days on Welfare (now Roosevelt) Island, with the last two pardoned for good behavior; she boasted of wearing silk underwear for the duration of her stay.

She was 34 at the time, and the stunt heightened her exposure. Within five years, she’d be a movie star, telling Cary Grant “Why don’t you come up sometime and see me?” in 1933’s She Done Him Wrong.

For more on Mae West, see:

• Her official site
• New York‘s Complete History of Scandals