Mae West, the renowned and controversial actress whose career spanned several decades over the 20th century, was spectacularly successful. She used her considerable affluence to invest wisely in San Fernando Valley real estate. By all measures, she was a wealthy woman.
She was not born wealthy, however. Her mother, who had worked as a corset model, was a German immigrant. Her father was a “prizefighter.”
One of Ms. West’s most famous quotes is: “I’ve been rich, and I’ve been poor. Believe me, rich is better.”