Temple Tuesday: Shirley in Modern Screen

Although she didn’t make the cover (that honor went to WWII pinup favorite, Betty Grable!), Shirley earned a featured article in the October 1943 issue of Modern Screen Magazine. Her next picture, David O. Selznick’s “Since You Went Away” was in production and the heat was turning up on Shirley’s career for the first time in years. Titled, “Senior Miss,” the article by Jeanne Karr caught fans up on the now teenage Shirley Temple. According to the article, she was dating a “…young scion of San Francisco’s upper crust.” Karr also claimed that Shirley had rented the Temple bungalow to Cab Calloway, asking that his payment for the service be “one autographed record a week.”



For the photo above, the caption read, “Doll house, outside kitchen window, is sandbagged, set aside as family shelter. Shirley, caught in Colton, California, sweet shop during recent blackout, autographed in pitch dark, chatted with mayor.” For the photo of her brushing her dog’s hair in the foyer of her Brentwood home, the caption was, “Shirley owns one real jewel, saves it for the best. Nothing-to-it Dept.: Rumors that she’ll quit school, wear upswept hair shades blonder.” What a relief to know those two rumors weren’t true!



The overhead shot below didn’t make the cut for this issue.



Most of the article was about Shirley’s upcoming new film:

Mrs. Temple came home one day and told Shirley that David O. Selznick wanted her for a picture. “My goodness!” said Shirley at 15, much as she used to say it at five. “I guess that’s about the tops.” There’d been several deals on the fire. Gone from the films for 18 months, Shirley’s far from forgotten.  Her fan mail continues at the rate of 3,000 a week. Then Mr. Selznick called Mr. Temple. He was going back into production with a picture called “Since You Went Away,” the story of a woman’s life while her husband was at war. Claudette Colbert was to play the woman, Jennifer Jones her elder daughter, Monty Woolley another prominent part. Selznick wanted Shirley for the younger daughter. It would be no starring vehicle for her—but it would be a good part in a good story with a good cast. That was enough for the Temples—and the name of David O. Selznick was producer. They had agreed, however, that from now on, Shirley was to make her own decisions. So Mrs. Temple went home from the preliminary conference and told her about it. And she guessed, it was about the tops. “You’d like to do it then?” “Who wouldn’t?” chuckled Miss Temple of the movies.




Between childhood and womanhood she’s still the kid you loved. The qualities you found endearing are her own. She’s suffered from poor pictures. But we have an idea that Selznick will give you Shirley as she is. Take it from us, you couldn’t ask for anything nicer.

The last tip from the magazine can found on the back cover; ladies, all you need is ONE CAKE of Camay soap for softer, smoother skin!



See more teenage Shirley Temple photos at my main website.