Temple Tuesday: We Should Be Together

One of my VERY favorite Shirley song and dance numbers is “We Should Be Together,” which she performs with George Murphy in “Little Miss Broadway.” Like all good musical numbers it happens fairly organically as part of the plot. The two dance through the foyer of the rich Bee-yotch (played perfectly by Edna Mae Oliver) who is trying to kick Shirley’s movie family out of their home.



With Shirley doing her best to thaw out the old codger, take a guess at what happens to her movie family? Little known fact: Edna Mae Oliver was a strong candidate to play the Wicked Witch in MGM’s “Wizard of Oz.”



The coat and hat that Shirley wears in this number went up on the auction block in 2015. Residing in Shirley’s personal collection since she filmed this number in 1938, it was very well preserved.



From the auction description:

The blue woolen double-breasted coat has a fine Belgian lace collar, breast pocket with lace-edged hankie, and two pockets with flaps. Along with a blue woolen beret. Included are two vintage photographs of Shirley Temple wearing the costume. The costume was worn by Betsy (Shirley Temple) in the 1938 film "Little Miss Broadway", notably in the song and dance routine "We Should Be Together" with George Murphy, and on various publicity occasions.





Here’s Shirley wearing the same coat and hat with announcer George Fisher at the premiere of “Rebecca of Sunnybrook Farm,” 1938



Here’s the number; forgive the colorization!



See more Shirley photos at my main website.