Irvin S. Cobb was an author/humorist in the 1930’s who crossed paths with our gal Shirley Temple for a few photo opportunities. With a middle name of “Shrewsbury,” I can understand why he stuck with just the middle initial in public.
Like many celebrities of the day, Cobb visited Shirley on the set of her movies. This particular one was 1934’s “Baby Take A Bow.” On the left is director Harry Lachman. Of course you want to see the book in Shirley’s hand, which was Cobb’s Down Yonder with Judge Priest and Irvin S. Cobb. Looks like this copy belonged to Esmé Ward; wonder who she was?
Director John Ford made two feature films based on the Judge Priest short stories. Here’s what the cover of the book looks like, up close and personal:
As host of the evening’s ceremonies at the Los Angeles Biltmore hotel, Cobb was the one who presented Shirley with her miniature Oscar on February 27, 1935:
Shirley Temple takes the Academy Award for outstanding work in motion pictures in 1934 from Irvin S. Cobb, humorist, who presented the trophies at the annual banquet held recently.
Here is Shirley’s account of the evening from her autobiography, Child Star:
“One great towering figure in the cinema game,” humorist Irvin S. Cobb read, “one giant among the troupers…for monumental, stupendous, elephantine achievements in 1934…a special award for…Shirley Temple!” I recognized my name but with total surprise. Nobody had even hinted I might win anything. Having watched the earlier succession of winners, I knew what to do. Leaping to my feet, I ran up the ramp to the stage. Right behind me in ladylike haste came Mother, with Father hard on her heels. I reached out for the small Oscar statuette, but Cobb withdrew it from my outstretched hand. He had a white, goatish face. “I’ll give you this if you’ll give me a kiss,” he said. The audience howled in appreciation. As he spoke could see little showers of moisture fly out in my direction, each droplet reflecting as a speck in the spotlight before disappearing somewhere on me or my hair. Damp, casual kisses are one of my intense dislikes, but with an eye on the Oscar I turned my cheek upward. Cobb leaned down while the audience cheered. Just as he kissed me I got a firm handhold on the statuette. “Thank you all very much,” I called upwards toward the microphone, not letting go. “Mommy, can we go home now?” Circling just beyond Cobb’s outstretched reach, I ran back down the ramp ahead of my parents. “You-all ain’t old enough to know what this is all about!” he called after me. He was right.
Reading Shirley’s description today, there is more than a certain amount of “ick” associated with Cobb’s behavior. The dress she wore that night:
…and a closeup of her miniature Oscar:
At November 15, 1935 the dedication of the 20th Century-Fox soundstage for the late Will Rogers, Shirley had the honor of unveiling the plaque, with Cobb on the far right. While the other men in the photo were definitely Hollywood’s heavyweights, let’s face it; Shirley was the star that day!
There we go; just Shirley. Much better!
While digging for info on Cobb, I also stumbled upon this shot of the two outside Shirley’s Fox Bungalow:
There were at least four separate occasions where the two posed for photos; were they friends? One could safely say these were just staged publicity opportunities which benefitted Cobb much more than the world famous Temple. There is no other mention of the humorist in Shirley’s book other than the event at the Biltmore.
See more Shirley Temple photos at my main website.
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