A good guess, but it's not Mae West. Right time period, though: Hollywood's Golden Age.

Edit: I have to be away from the computer for a few hours, so I thought I'd throw in a few more hints:

Her screen name was not the name she was born with.

She was married three times, but at the time of her death she was single. She had no children.

She acted opposite some of Hollywood's biggest leading men, playing comedy or drama.

She, herself, has been depicted in several movies.

Signor V.

Last edited by Signor Vitelli; 10/27/12 06:38 PM. Reason: Added more clues to the Clues Closet.
"For me, there's only my wife..."

"Sure I cook with wine - sometimes I even add it to the food!"

"When life itself seems lunatic, who knows where madness lies?"

"It was a grass harp... And we listened."

"Do any human beings ever realize life while they live it? Every, every minute?"

"No. Saints and poets, maybe... they do some."