Frank M. (Szatkus) Wallace (1892 - 1966)

Born 31 Oct 1892 in Brooklyn, New York City, New York, United States

Husband of Mary Jane West — married 11 Apr 1911 (to 21 Jul 1942) in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA

Died 15 Oct 1966 at age 73 in Henderson, Henderson, Kentucky, United States

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Biography

Frank was a song and dance man and appeared in vaudeville. He was the husband of the actress Mae West.

Here's a link to a wonderful story about Frank and Mae, which can be found here.^[1]

Frank was born 1892 in Brooklyn, New York. It's unclear what his surname was at birth. He was referred to as the son of Anthony J. Szatkus and Anna U Szatkus^[2] of Albany, New York, in various newspaper articles published in 1935 during the controversy of whether he was actually the husband of Mae West. Mae had denied ever being married, but later, admitted it, and sought a divorce from Frank. In the articles, Frank's mother refers to "Mamie West," who had married her son. After looking at census records (1930 and 1940) and death records, it's apparent that Anthony Szatkus couldn't have been Frank's father, in that Anthony was born in 1895 (so actually younger than his son) and that he was Anna's second husband. All attempts so far to find a record that ties Anna to her first husband has been fruitless. So Frank's birth surname is currently unknown.^[3]

He died 15 October 1966 in Henderson, Kentucky at the age of 73.^[4]He was buried at Saint Louis Cemetery in Henderson.^[5]

Obituary:^[6]

Frank Wallace Dies; Husband of Mae West

Henderson--Frank M. Wallace, former husband of show business' famous Mae West, died Saturday in Methodist Hospital. He was 73.

The retired "song and dance man" who had made his home in Henderson for the last 14 years, married Mae West in 1911. During their 5 1/2 years of marriage they toured the vaudeville circuits with a burlesque song and dance act that was to make Miss West immortal.

In 1949 Wallace started a dancing act with Miss Trixie la Mae, ow a resident of Henderson. Since his retirement he has composed such songs as "happy Moments" and "We All Get Together."

Wallace, a native of New York, is survived by a sister, Mrs. M. Wardenburg of Long Island, N.Y.

Funeral services will be at 9 a.m. Monday at the First Holy Name Catholic Church. Friends may call after 7 a.m. Sunday at the Moss Funeral Home.

Sources

1. ↑ Boyett: Henderson residents made mark in show biz Frank Wallace and Mae West.
2. ↑ Anna Szatkus, the mother of Frank Wallace, died 9 September 1939 at Colonie, Albany, New York. "New York, State Death Index, 1880-1956", database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:QGJ4-PGF7 : 20 October 2019), Anna U Szatkus, 1939..
3. ↑ Actor's Mother Tells of Wedding to Mamie West, Supposed Mother-in-Law Has Never Seen Mae in Movies, Times-Picayune Thursday, Apr 25, 1935 New Orleans, LA Page: 8.
4. ↑ Frank M Wallace in the Kentucky, U.S., Death Index, 1911-2000.
5. ↑ Find a Grave Memorial for Frank M. Wallace.
6. ↑ "United States, GenealogyBank Historical Newspaper Obituaries, 1815-2011", database, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:Q5QF-KPRR : 18 July 2020), Frank M Wallace, 1966.

See also:

• Michael Gabbard
• Mae West "It Ain't No Sin" by Simon Louvish