Temple Tuesday: The Flip Side of Shirley

In the September 1935 issue of Hollywood Magazine, Shirley and her mother, Gertrude, were on the cover in a “Natural Color Photograph.” Looking at the little girl’s bright-red lips, this photo does not quite look natural! Those Shirley fans with eagle eyes will also note that her trademark spit curl is on the wrong side of her forehead. For whatever reason, the magazine flipped the photo. Thanks to the miracle of photoshop, I was able to correct that. I also did my best to desaturate her lips. They still look too plump, as if she was getting ready for an episode of “The Real Housewives.”



The article inside was titled, “Bringing Up Shirley Temple.” Gertrude was interviewed by columnist Marian Rhea during the filming of “Curly Top.” 

“You may drink,” said Mrs. George Temple, firmly, “down to there—no farther.” “There” was marked by a row of lettering on a bottle of Coca-Cola in the hands of a diminutive, curly-headed individual nattily attired in a man’s overcoat approximately eight sizes too large, a derby hat ditto, and a pair of spectacles which, for the same reason, kept sliding down over a very neat but ineffectual nose.



Came muffled tones from small lips already busy with a straw: “Yes, Mommy.” Glub. One inch gone already….Glub. The row of letters was reached all too soon. Glub.

“Shirley Temple! How much did I say you might drink?”

The derby-hatted one relinquished the bottle, regretfully—“You SAID only down to the letters, but I slipped a little…” Mrs. Temple bit her lip. “I see…. Well, slips do happen, sometimes, but—” meaningly, “they must not happen too often.” “Okay, Mommy,” said Miss Temple and, tilting the derby over one eye, she shuffled back on the “Curly Top” set, kicking the overcoat out behind as a duchess would her train.

There ended my first graphic example of how Gertrude Temple is bringing up Shirley. I made an entry in my notebook: Rule No. 1: She has been taught to OBEY.



Pictured above with costar John Boles, with the script in her lap, and below, cavorting with director Irving Cummings. And so goes the rest of the article, outlining the four magical rules that the author gleaned from Gertrude:



Rule No. 2: Shirley is not spoiled with praise.



Rule No. 3: Health comes first.



Rule No. 4: Shirley is not allowed to get away with anything.

Okay parents, did you get all that?

Rule No. 2: Shirley is not spoiled with praise.

See Shirley Temple more photos at my main website.