Even if you don’t “get” the reference to the movie “Airplane!” (1980) in the title of today’s post, Shirley fans can still enjoy it! I recently acquired two color transparencies of Shirley and John Agar wearing costumes from 1949’s “Adventure in Baltimore” at what appeared to be some kind of celebrity event. Naturally, it was Shirley expert supreme Rita Dubas who tipped me off to the backstory!
In the July 1949 issue of
Modern Screen, the magazine carried a breathless article about a party held at actor Robert Stack’s home. Yes, Robert Stack of “The Untouchables,” “Unsolved Mysteries,” and the classic disaster spoof “Airplane!” The article is a charming and innocent look at how times have changed in the last seventy-five years, especially the games played at the party AND the menu! I present the article in its entirety for your enjoyment.
The quiet dinner party which Bob Stack had planned mushroomed into a fancy dress party featuring games and a mob of guests.
“Come dressed” the party invitation said, so some came in calico and others in lace. They stacked up the records, stoked in the food and let ’er rip!
John Agar was, quite naturally, Shirley Temple’s beau.
by reba and bonnie churchill
Robert Stack had carefully enclosed tiny hand-sketched maps with the invitations to his costume party, showing just how to get to his Bel-Air home, high on a crest overlooking Los Angeles. But as we started up the steep winding road that led to Bob’s house, no map was needed. All you had to do was follow the gay caravan of gypsies, cowboys, swashbuckling cavaliers, French maids, 1890 belles and what have you.
Sporting these brightly bizarre get-ups were Shirley Temple and John Agar, Guy Madison and Gail Russell, the Donald O’Connors, Martha Hyer and Dick Jackson, Anthony Curtis and Lois Maxwell, Michael North and Barbara Lawrence, Dick Flato and Annie Rooney—and we, the Churchills. Reba was a 17th-Century French countess, while Bonnie appeared as a be-haloed angel (the halo was through the courtesy of two bent clothes-hangers).
(photo above) Donald O’Connor doesn’t need an audience to be funny, but he’s got one anyhow in the attentive Mike North. The ladies (Barbara Lawrence and Gwen O’Connor) concentrate on gossip and good food.
As we followed trail-blazers Guy and Gail into Bob’s flagstone driveway, we could hear soft music and the laughter of early arrivals. Through giant eucalyptus trees, we caught glimpses of multi-colored Chinese lanterns strung around an emerald-green pool.
We rang the bell—or, rather chimes—and the oak-carved door swung open on a burst of festive noise. Against a background of balloons, serpentines and confetti, stood our grinning host, Bob Stack. Tonight he was Two-Gun Texas Bob, toughest cowboy in the West.
Taking a properly bow-legged stance, he drawled, “Howdy, friends! Right proud y’all could come to my little ole git-together!”
“Little” proved to be a bit of an understatement. The party had started out to be a dignified dinner for six, featuring barbecued pheasant (which Bob had shot on a hunting trip some months ago and had been keeping in the deep freeze). But somehow, plans had snowballed until the guest list had multiplied to 20—but the pheasant hadn’t.
This switch in menus didn’t bother Bob or his guests. He dropped the pheasant back in the deep freeze and started ordering other food.
(photo above) Martha Hyer has Dick Jackson nibbling out of her hand while host Stack serves Shirley.
The first sensation of the evening came when Barbara Lawrence appeared in a black wig. At first, we thought she’d dyed her blonde tresses. “Oh, no!” we moaned, “you didn’t!”
“Of course not,” said Barbara. “Mike North just talked me into being Carmen to his Don Jose. Never again! My head itches like fury.”
Donald O’Connor thoughtfully inquired, “You mean you don’t know if you’re Carmen or going?”
Before Barbie could crown him with a coke bottle, Gwen O’Connor led him quietly over to the phonograph, where Guy and Gail were piling on samba records.
Then, between shakes and twirls, Guy explained that he and Gail were trying out some of the steps they’d learned on their two-day tour of Cuba.
Besides the dance-steps, they’d also acquired two cases of sunburn and a couple of native drums, which Guy had installed in this apartment and insists on thumping at all hours. “He’s pounding out his own eviction notice,” said Gail.
(photo above) This alternate shot didn’t make the article. In the detailed view below, you can see Martha Hyer and Bob Stack in front, with Tony Curtis and Lois Maxwell behind them.
Those who weren’t dancing drifted onto the glass enclosed patio, where pale pink and aqua porch furniture was strategically placed. Here there was a low, very wide, green-marble coffee table bearing heaping bowls of homemade potato chips and pop corn. Across one end was a garden-banked wall, on which small bunches of old-fashioned flowers had been mingled with ferns and other greenery.
(photo above) Gail Russell tries out a shootin’ iron from the trophy room—and even though it isn’t loaded, Guy Madison, Bob, and Lois Maxwell stay out of her way. Gail spent most of the evening samba-ing with Guy.
Sitting just in front of this were Shirley and John Agar, decked out in the 1905 costumes they’d worn in RKO’s Adventure in Baltimore.
(photo above) This cute image of John and Shirley also failed to make it into the story.
Lois Maxwell had also borrowed a period gown from the studio. But when trying it on at home, she’d decided it wasn’t exactly her type. “I took a pair of scissors and snipped off the sleeves,” confessed Lois, “and let my Adrian tendencies take it from there.”
Before the evening was over Reba was wishing that she’d done a little snipping on her costume. It was a French colonial hooped-skirt outfit designed by Kay Drake. Before going through any door, she had to pause a moment and remember to shift sideways.
(photo above) After some persuading, Shirley and John Agar, Barbara Lawrence and Mike North got Bob to take them to the trophy room. The 400-pound phonograph console was moved out to the patio where there’s dancing space. (He-man Bob gave up trying to push it alone.) Lois, Bob, Guy, Gail and Gwen select their favorite records.
No one needed to be urged twice to approach the candle-lit buffet with its centerpiece of lilacs, when dinner was announced. The fragrance of steaming silver casseroles filled with tomato rarebit was a beautiful lure. There we found other delicacies spread before us. There were twin trays of jelly-glazed baked ham decorated with large slides of baked apples, green peas, tossed salad, scalloped potatoes, and the most wonderful crab meat and avocado in aspic that any of us had ever tasted. The dessert was fresh strawberry pie (with with whole berries) topped with whipped sour cream. Glory be! Some of the recipes had been int he Stack family for generations.
The boys gallantly volunteered to prepare trays for the girls. Jack Agar, with a stately bow, presented us Churchills with our dinners. (Not that we minded, but it might have been better if he hadn’t filled over half of our plates with delectable but calory-filled scalloped potatoes)
(photo above) Bob acts as safety-man for bannister-sliding Bonnie. He had to catch her twice before anyone guessed the charade she was acting out—Fallen Angel, natch! Richard Flato came as a bandleader with baton and music case. Gail Russell adds a false nose, a blond goatee—and presto, a maestro!
Martha Hyer and Dick Jackson migrated out to the flagstone terrace to eat their dinners. Here, Bob had umbrella tables and chairs set up.
Others, more venturous, walked down the narrow stepping-stone path, bordered wth camellias, to dine beside the swimming pool. This was heavenly. A warm night, a ceiling of stars, jasmine and honeysuckle heavy in the air, and—leave us face it—heavenly food.…
After dinner, Don O’Connor decided that now as the time to play games. Dick Flato—who has the killer role in Vendetta—gave Don a crafty glance as he suggested that oldie, Drop the Handkerchief.
Tony Curtis immediately excused himself from participating. Tony, you see, was wearing the dashing Beau Brummel outfit Douglas Fairbanks, Jr., had sported in The Fighting O’Flynn. And the skin-tight trousers were just that—skin tight. “As far as I’m concerned,” he announced, “if any fair lady drops her handkerchief tonight, I’ll just have to let it lie there—for security reasons!”
Thereafter we played everything from charades to monopoly. The latter was at Don’s request. The guy won every game.
(photo above) “Diamond Jim” O’Connor suggested all the games—and walked off with all the prizes. The next day, he and Gwen started a two-week vacation. After “Yes Sir, That’s My Baby,” “Curtain Call at Cactus Creek” and this fancy dress brawl, he needed the rest.
By the time “Diamond Jim” O’Connor’s winning streak was over, we were all too weary to compete. So, we went exploring in the trophy room. Here, Bob keeps part of his umpteen (we counted 30 on one table alone) medals and awards for sailing, flying, skeet-shooting, polo and just about every sport but jacks.
Though we literally had to drag Bob into the room, we did finally wring out one statement about his interests in sports. Seems his fervor for death-defying motorcycle and motorboat racing is getting to be a thing of the past. When he was an aerial gunnery instructor in the Navy, one of the new recruits accidentally shot 25 holes into his plane. It was then that Bob decided that if he ever lived to be a civilian, he’d take it a bit easier. Dying in bed holds a great appeal for him, now.
Also in the room was Bob’s desk, piled high with papers, books, and letters. (It looked almost as cluttered as does ours when we’re writing our newspaper movie column.) Right next to the desk is where the phonograph console usually sits.
“But,” groaned Bob, “I got ambitious. Thought it would be more convenient to have the records and paraphernalia on the patio.” The moving job proved to be a little more strenuous than he’d anticipated—for the console weighs 400 pounds. After one push, he’d called for reenforcements.
But the effort had been worthwhile—at least, for those who hadn’t had to labor! The phonograph kept spinning most of the evening. Even in the trophy room you could catch faint strains of the “Polonaise” or the last chorus of “So In Love.”
When we returned to the patio, we found Annie Rooney trying out a second piece of pie for size. She’d planed in from New York that afternoon and was a house guest of the O’Connors. Just before we’d left for the party, Don and Gwen had frantically called us with the stimulating question of where to find a costume for Annie at eight o’clock on a Saturday night.
The problem had finally been solved when Gwen had taken a large hem in one of Annie’s black dresses, added a doily atop her brown locks, and presented her with a duster (vaguely resembling a dish mop). Voilà! She was a French maid.
All evening Shirley and John wore matching smiles and looked as pleased as punch. Thirteen-month-old Linda Susan had soloed for the first time that morning. Shirl had been bedded with the sniffles for several days and had been isolated from the baby. When she recovered, Su-Su had been so glad to see her that she’d promptly started walking toward her.
The balloons and serpentines, which had been neglected up until now, were re-discovered. Mike North and Fick Flato entered into a balloon-blowing marathon. It wasn’t until Mike was blue int he face from puffing into his balloon that Barbara Lawrence let him in on the fact that there was a pinsize hole in the bottom of it.
Guy and Gail were back doing their Latin-American antics and rapidly gaining converts. We all finally formed into a long conga line and—one, tow, three, ugh!—wove around the living room and den.
Footloose and fancy dress—that we were, that we were! THE END
Well, not quite the end! Those who are feeling nostalgic may want to have a party like this at their own home. Here are a few of the recipes to get you started. These were printed in the magazine and were supposedly the same recipes Stack used.
tomato rarebit1 pound sharp cheese, grated
1 (10 1/2 ounce) can condensed tomato soup
2 egg yolks
2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
1 teaspoon dry mustard
2 egg whites, stiffly beaten
1⁄2 teaspoon salt
English muffins or crumpets, toasted and buttered
This can be kept warm in double boiler for a half hour before serving. Heat grated cheese and tomato soup in top of double boiler until cheese melts. Beat egg yolks slightly, add Worcestershire sauce, dry mustard, and blend. Add to cheese mixture. Fold in stiffly beaten egg whites and salt. May be thinned with milk or tomato juice if desired. Serve on well-buttered, toasted English muffins or crumpets. Serves 8.
crab and avocado in tomato aspic1 1⁄2 tablespoons unflavored gelatin
2 1⁄4 cups tomato juice
1⁄2 teaspoon salt, or to taste
1 tablespoon lemon juice, or to taste
1 pound flaked cooked crab meat
1 1⁄2 avocados, peeled and diced
1⁄2 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce, or to taste
Allow gelatin to soften in 1⁄4 cup cold tomato juice. Heat remaining tomato juice and dissolve gelatin in it, stirring thoroughly. Add salt, lemon juice, Worcestershire sauce if desired, and cool. Arrange avocados in mold with crab meat. When tomato mixture has thickened to consistency of unbeaten egg whites, pour over diced avocados and crab meat. Chill until firm. Unmold and serve on lettuce with mayonnaise. May be made the day before, if convenient. Serves 8 to 10.
scalloped potatoes8 medium potatoes pared, cut in slices
2 large onions, sliced
Salt and pepper
Flour for dredging
4 tablespoons butter
Top milk
Arrange a layer of sliced potatoes in buttered baking dish, then a thin layer of sliced onions. Sprinkle with a tablespoon (or a little more) flour, salt and pepper. Dot with butter. Continue layers until dish is filled. Add milk until it may be seen through top layer. Bake in moderate oven (350°F.) until potatoes are tender. Serves 8.
Happy baking! See more Shirley Temple photos at my
main website.
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