Mae West was an American actress, playwright, and sex symbol whose bawdy one-liners and uninhibited persona shook up early 20th-century entertainment. Rising to fame on Broadway, she made Hollywood films like "She Done Him Wrong" that pushed the boundaries of censorship. Known for her wit ("When I'm good, I'm very good, but when I'm bad, I'm better."), West became an enduring pop culture figure representing sexual liberation and sass.