HOLLYWOOD -- Friends of Mae West gathered today for a private invitation-only funeral for the legendary screen siren who left her leading men speechless and taught Americans to smile about sex.
Paul Novak, a former Mr. America who was Miss West's companion for 26 years, originally planned a lavish Hollywood sendoff for the buxom 'come up and see me sometime' actress. He wanted to give her 'the greatest Hollywood funeral we've ever had.'
But Novak Sunday decided 'against a three-ring circus' and instead planned this afternoon's smaller private service at a replica of Old North Church at the Forest Lawn Memorial Park in Hollywood Hills.
Two days after Miss West's death, movie tough guy George Raft, who launched her career by getting her a small role in 'Night After Night' in 1932, died of emphysema Monday.
After the service Miss West's body will be shipped back to New York for interment in the family plot at a cemetary in Brooklyn.
Miss West died of natural causes in her elegant Hollywood apartment at the age of 88 last Saturday, three weeks following her release from Good Samaritan Hospital after treatment for a concussion suffered in a fall and a subsequent stroke.
Novak and Dolly Dempsey, the president of her fan club, were with her when she died. A priest administered the last rites.
Among those paying her tribute were Lucille Ball, who described the actress as 'a one-time-only character' and Anthony Quinn, who said she would 'go down in history as a special and unique woman.'
Miss West made her imprint with appearances, mostly starring roles, in just 10 movies in the 1930s and 1940s, including 'She Done Him Wrong' with Cary Grant and 'My Little Chickadee' with W.C. Fields.
She also wrote and appeared in several Broadway plays, including the landmark 'Sex' and the classic 'Diamond 'Lil,' made several guest television appearances, recorded four albums and in the 1970s returned to the screen with two more movies -- 'Myra Breckenridge' and 'Sextette.'
Among the famous lines she wrote and popularized were 'It isn't what you do, it's how you do it,' 'When I'm good I'm very good, but when I'm bad I'm better' and 'Come up and see me sometime.'
