Temple Tuesday: Shirley & The Living Dolls

In the 1936 Shirley Temple star vehicle, “Poor Little Rich Girl,” she plays a motherless child (albeit a wealthy one!) who only has her  dolls to play with. Shirley sings the Mack Gordon & Harry Revel song, “Oh, My Goodness” to them while she explains her lonely plight. Side note: the two also collaborated on “Rebecca of Sunnybrook Farm” (1938), parting ways in 1939. 20th Century-Fox paired Gordon up with composer Harry Warren for 1940’s “Young People.” I guess you could say Mack was just wild about Harry…



Back to the main story…Shirley’s four dolls come to life and dance for her. This screen magic was accomplished by having four “live” actresses perform the choreography for Shirley via split screen effect. In these publicity shots, you can see the actresses paired with their corresponding dolls: Julie Cabanne (Japan), Geneva Sawyer (American Jazz/Soul), Lucille Miller (Russia), and Esther Brodelet (The Netherlands) .



Choreography for the film is credited to Ralph Cooper and Jack Haskell. Were they needed for this number? Probably not.



Geneva Sawyer had been a vaudeville dancer before coming to Hollywood. She was signed to a Fox Studio stock contract after her work in “Stand Up and Cheer” (1934), the film that catapulted Shirley to stardom with the song, “Baby, Take A Bow.” Geneva’s work on “Poor Little Rich Girl” caught the attention of Shirley’s beloved dancing costar, Bill Robinson. Fate stepped in as Robinson happened to be on set when the number was filmed; he was so impressed with her work and ability to quickly learn routines that he requested she be made his (uncredited) assistant dance director for “Dimples,” Shirley’s next film.



Thanks to Robinson’s praise, Fox studio chief Darryl Zanuck gave Geneva the assignment of assistant dance director, making her the only female in Hollywood at that time to have this position. She worked with choreographer Nick Castle on all of Shirley’s 1938-1940 films (except “Susannah of the Mounties” where there was little need for dancing). She also garnered a screen credit for each of those films (other than “Just Around the Corner”). In 1941, Sawyer became a full-fledged dance director at Fox, working on such films as “Blood and Sand” (1941), “Jitterbugs” (1943), and “In the Meantime, Darling”(1944).



Little is known about her private life, however this January 1936 shot of Geneva with her sister Francis spills the beans on her recent divorce from Los Angeles businessman James J. Warrick:

Her husband kissed the maid [note: on New Year’s Eve, no less!], Mrs. Geneva Warrick, left, complained in winning her divorce suit yesterday. Francis Sawyer, her sister, shown with her, corroborated the charge.



Don’t mess with Geneva! To see her and Robinson dancing together, you can see this ultimately deleted clip from “Cafe Metropole” (1937) for which the footage still survives:



Here’s a closeup of the doll that Geneva represented. It is incredible the amount of detail that went into creating all four of these dolls for a sequence that lasted only a few minutes.



Shirley kept all four dolls and added them to her personal collection. They were auctioned off by Theriault’s in 2015. From the catalog description:

FOUR ONE-OF-A-KIND DOLLS FEATURED IN THE 1936 FILM "POOR LITTLE RICH GIRL" Lot Number: 291 15" (38 cm.) Each depicts a grown lady, with sculpted paper mache shoulder head with painted complexion and facial features, muslin body with carved wooden loosely hinged limbs, and wig in appropriate style to match the costume. Each is wearing original costume as it appeared in the film, including Dutch girl, German girl, stylish black soul singer, and Japanese lady. Generally excellent condition. Realized Price: $8,000 Presale Estimate: 1000+



The daughter of silent movie director Christy Cabanne and vaudeville actress/costume designer Vivien Lyle Montrose, Julie Cabanne is shown below in matching makeup and costume to her doll-sized counterpart:



Julie’s career never really took off; her last role (uncredited as a chorine) was in Fox’s “In Old Chicago” (1938), which starred Tyrone Power, Alice Faye, and Don Ameche. She “retired” when she married Carlyle Blackwell, raising their son (Garrett) and daughter (Pamela Ann) in Los Angeles.

Shirley’s silk pajamas were auctioned off in 2015, too. From the catalog description:

SILK POLKA DOT PAJAMAS WORN BY SHIRLEY TEMPLE IN THE 1936 FILM "POOR LITTLE RICH GIRL" Lot Number: 290 The ivory silk satin one-piece pajamas with cheerful red polka dot pattern features a double-breasted top with large pearlized buttons, puffed sleeves, and full-length bloomer-style pants with elasticized ankles. Generally excellent. Included is a vintage photograph of Shirley wearing the costume. The costume was worn in early scenes of the 1936 film "Poor Little Rich Girl" as she sang "Oh Me, Oh My" and then wistfully sang to her four dolls that "You're the Only Friends I've Ever Had". Realized Price: $8,000 Presale Estimate: 1500+



Melissa (aka “The Colonel”) sent a shot of the original 1930’s composition doll that she owns, wearing the pajama set modeled after the one Shirley wore in “Poor Little Rich Girl”:



Finally, here’s a poor quality colorized clip showing Shirley performing the number:



This film has yet to have a proper DVD/Blu ray release and has only been made available on VHS and Laserdisc. Considering Disney owns the Shirley Temple Fox catalog now and that they tend to “hide” titles that might cause backlash, it is doubtful that this one will see the light of day, especially because of this very sequence which could be seen as cultural misappropriation. Just a few days ago, there was an outrage over the alleged Disney censorship of the Fox movie, “The French Connection” (1971), winner of five Academy Awards including Best Picture. It has still not been determined if Disney or Criterion made the cuts. Education and explanatory text…yes. Censorship and destruction…no.

See more Shirley Temple photos at my main website.

Temple Tuesday: Tra La La La

In 1940, Shirley Temple made “Young People,” her last movie for 20th Century-Fox under the contract that reaped the movie studio millions. The final number in the film is a catchy tune called, “Tra-La-La-La,” with lyrics by Mack Gordon and music by Harry Warren. It was one of the first two songs composed for the movie according to Variety’s March 9, 1940 post. Nick Castle and Geneva Sawyer staged the dances for the film, including this one which featured Temple’s costars, Charlotte Greenwood and Jack Oakie.

Hedda Hopper attempted to drum up some enthusiasm for this lackluster project in her Hollywood column from April 15, 1940:

“The Young People” set is full of human interest these days. Of course, Shirley Temple is always human interest—and especially since she plays the adopted child of Jack Oakie and Charlotte Greenwood.…On the sidelines is the only dance directing team in the business. They are Geneva Sawyer and Nick Castle—a heck of a cute pair. Geneva’s more quiet than Nick—never takes her eyes off Shirley when she’s working. She’s as attentive as Mrs. Temple. Nick is all over the place, will talk about Shirley at the drop of a hat. I was ready to listen, so he went on. “She’s colossal—the greatest little trouper I ever saw. I’m telling you this kid—what’s her name?—” Even though he’s worked with her for months, he still calls her “What’s-her-name”. He thinks too fast to remember names. “Why, she does an Astaire in this picture that’s better than the master himself.” When I asked Nick if she jumps over chairs and tables, he snapped, “No! Just over Oakie and Greenwood.” So, if anyone thinks Shirley hasn’t learned her business A to Izzard, you should have seen her directing the still man how to make pictures of her routine, and I’ll be darned if he didn’t take her advice.

The truth of the matter was that the Temple family was tired of Fox, and Fox was just as tired of them, especially since 12-year old Shirley’s box office receipts had begun to dip. While it was solid entertainment, “Young People” was not of the caliber of Shirley’s previous films. Still, “Tra-La-La-La” remains one of my favorite musical numbers from a Temple film. Shirley’s voice and dancing have matured, even if the song and Castle’s choreography do not push their limits. The cute little jumper that Shirley wears was designed by Gwen Wakeling, who did most of Shirley’s wardrobe at Fox.



Wanna’ see what that dress looks like today?



Thanks to Melissa (aka “The Colonel”), you can see it in all its detailed glory.



This was one of the items originally sold at the “Love, Shirley Temple” auction back in 2015. Shirley also wore it for publicity shots, including this one taken at Universal Studios with their resident superstar, Deanna Durbin.



But back to the jumper…and the beautiful embroidery:



That’s Temple sweat you can see on the blouse; you can be sure she put her all into that number!



AND her name on the label!



Button detailing:



The construction featured a combination of buttons and hook and eye closures:





And finally a puffed sleeve detail:



I hope you enjoyed this inside look at Shirley’s final Fox film costume. MANY thanks to Melissa for generously allowing us to have a peak at this treasured piece from her private collection.



How fitting that the last shot of today’s post shows Shirley singing that final note from “Tra-La-La-La”:



See more Shirley Temple “Young People” photos at my main website.

Temple Tuesday: On Fifth Avenue

Shirley Temple’s 20th Century-Fox swan song, “Young People” was definitely a lesser effort that did not fare so well at the box office. Still, it is an enjoyable watch and yielded one of my favorite Temple tunes, “On Fifth Avenue.” After a montage of musical clips from her past, the stage curtain is pulled aside to introduce us to teen Shirley. The hair is darker, the baby fat is gone, but the charm and star quality still remain. Dancing with Jack Oakie and Charlotte Greenwood, who portray her screen parents, the trio are decked out in top hats and tuxes. The publicity machine made much about this Mack Gordon/Harry Warren song and dance number. From the Hollywood Reporter, March 9, 1940:

Start of ‘People’ Held; Rehearsals Go Next Wk.
Starting date on 20th’s “The Young People,” Shirley Temple starrer, was set back yesterday from March 14 to around April 1. Change is to put more musical numbers in the production. Shirley Temple, Jack Oakie and Charlotte Greenwood start dance routine rehearsals next week under supervision of Nick Castle and Geneva Sawyer.



One month later Hollywood columnist Sidney Skolsky wrote this for the New York post, April 2, 1940:

Shirley Temple, Jack Oakie and Charlotte Greenwood were in the music hall at 20th Century-Fox rehearsing a song and dance number, “Fifth Avenue,” for the picture “Young People.” The music of the song is by Harry Warren and the lyric by Mack Gordon. I stood there and listened to Shirley, Jack and Charlotte sing:

Every Joe, every Jane,
Walks along that dreamer’s lane, on Fifth Avenue,
Pricing rings, pretty things,
That they can’t afford to buy.
But they smile, they don’t care,
For everyone’s a millionaire,
When you’re strolling on Fifth Avenue.

These were the snatches of the lyric that I caught. “Okay,” said Dance Directors Nick Castle and Geneva Sawyer, “take an intermission for a while.” I talked to Jack Oakie. I hadn’t written an interview with him in years. “What are you doing in this picture?” I asked.

“I’m playing Shirley Temple’s father,” he said.

My, how the years roll by. “The last time I interviewed you, Jack, you were carrying the football for Paramount.”



Hedda Hopper entered the gabfest on Tuesday April 16, 1940, gushing about Shirley’s upcoming flick:

“The Young People” set is full of human interest these days. Of course, Shirley Temple is always human interest—and especially since she plays the adopted child of Jack Oakie and Charlotte Greenwood. There’s Jack, whose comeback does my heart good to see. I hope he gets wise to himself and sticks to swell supporting roles. Jack’s a great feature comic, and they go on forever. On the sidelines is the only dance directing team in the business. They are Geneva Sawyer and Nick Castle—a heck of a cute pair. Geneva’s more quiet than Nick—never takes her eyes off Shirley when she’s working. She’s as attentive as Mrs. Temple.

Nick is all over the place, will talk about Shirley at the drop of a hat. I was ready to listen, so he went on. “She’s colossal—the greatest little trouper I ever saw. I’m telling you this kid—what’s her name?—” Even though he’s worked with her for months, he still calls her “What’s-her-name”. He thinks too fast to remember names. “Why, she does an Astaire in this picture that’s better than the master himself.”

When I asked Nick if she jumps over chairs and tables, he snapped, “No! Just over Oakie and Greenwood.”

So, if anyone thinks Shirley hasn’t learned her business A to Izzard, you should have seen her directing the still man how to make pictures of her routine, and I’ll be darned if he didn’t take her advice.
**



Oakie’s weight even made the news, April 17, 1940:

A MUCH LIGHTER JACK OAKIE WILL BE IN “YOUNG PEOPLE”

Although Jack Oakie is grateful to Dance Director Nick Castle and Geneva Sawyer for working 13 pounds of avoir-dupois off his midriff during three weeks of strenuous rehearsals for the seven numbers in “The Young People” the Wardrobe Department feels decidedly otherwise about the matter.

Because every one of Oakie’s 15 costume changes for the film have to be made over, thanks to the weight he has already lost and what he expects to lose before the numbers actually are shot. Oakie’s weight is down to 177 pounds now, just 20 more than his all-time low, reached in 1938 after a strenuous diet.

April 26, 1940:

Production Resumed On ‘Young People’

Actual production of “Young People” was resumed this week at 20th Century-Fox, following a two-week interval for rehearsal of the opening dance number “Fifth Avenue.” Originally, the number was scheduled to be shot a week ago, but several days’ illness of Shirley Temple, held up rehearsals. Thus far there have ben three days of shooting covering two opening numbers of the film in which Charlotte Greenwood and Jack Oakie appear without Shirley. Tunes for the seven numbers in the film were written by Mack Gordon and Harry Revel. Dance Directors Nick Castle and Geneva Sawyer designed the dance numbers.

The number even gets a low-key reprise at the end of the film.



Does she rival Fred Astaire in this number? As much as it pains me, I would have to say she’s a very distant number two. However, the number is more than pleasant and the tune will stay with you (happily!) long after you first hear it. Film historian and author Jeanine Basinger summed it up best when she said that Shirley gives the appearance of a “best pupil at the local dance recital.” Had she been given the opportunity and continued coaching, there’s no doubt that Shirley could have become an incredible dancer after seeing the potential of her early years.

See more Shirley Temple photos at my main website.