Frank Szatkus born in 1890 in Brookline, New York, was a Vaudeville performer, song writer and a dancer. Frank Szatkus was the first husband of Mae West. The real name of Frank Szatkus is not clear, The surname Szatkus is not his birth surname and there’s very little to no evidence to support his birth data. Frank Szatkus mentioned his parents name to be his father Anthony J. Szatkus and his mother Anna U. Szatkus lived their life in Albany, New York. After 1940, the death records were dug in, and it was found out that Frank’s claimed father Anthony himself was born in 1895 which makes Frank’s claimed father younger than him and he was the second husband of Anna. After putting so much effort to find out the real identity of Frank Szatkus, his birth certificate is still off the limit.
Table of Contents
Frank Szatkus and his wife Mae West
Frank and his wife Mae West tied their knot in 1911 when Frank Szatkus was 21 years old and Mae West was just 17 years old.
Mae west was the biggest sex symbol of the film industry during 1935. Mae started her journey of fame from a very young age of 5. She started her career with roles in Plays like “Sometime”, A la Broadway” and later started writing her own material. During her early 30’s Mae tried her luck on screen with movies like ‘Night after Night”, “She done him wrong” and many more fetching her the title of Hollywood sex symbol.
Frank Szatkus and Mae West were married from 1911 till 1942. After 5 years of marriage with Frank, they kept their marriage a secret, mostly because it was more likely for single women to gain popularity more easily. Around 1935, at the peak of her stardom, a clerk found out their marriage certificate. He quickly made people aware of the same. Mae West denied the truth and refused to acknowledge Frank Szatkus. Frank sued her for the same matter and finally she accepted the truth in 1937 that Frank is indeed her husband and had to give $8 million of fortune to Frank as a compensation.
Frank Szatkus Career and demolish
Frank szatkus was known as ‘Song and Dance man’. He lived the majority of his career in Henderson. One of his notable dancing acts with Miss Trixie La Mae during 1949 is still one of his best works. Frank has also composed a few songs during his career, We All get Together, Happy Moments ect are a few examples of his composed songs.
It is rumoured that Mae West was not properly educated but she had a lot of plays and albums which she took credit for. Mostly as Frank claimed he was the one behind those works.
Frank Szatkus died in 1966 at the age of 76. Frank Szatkus is now resting in Saint Louis Cemetery. Though Mae didn’t have much to say on Frank’s memory, his later life partner in show and friend Trixie stayed on his deathbed and is now buried in the same cemetery.
