Temple Tuesday: We Should Be Together

One of my VERY favorite Shirley song and dance numbers is “We Should Be Together,” which she performs with George Murphy in “Little Miss Broadway.” Like all good musical numbers it happens fairly organically as part of the plot. The two dance through the foyer of the rich Bee-yotch (played perfectly by Edna Mae Oliver) who is trying to kick Shirley’s movie family out of their home.



With Shirley doing her best to thaw out the old codger, take a guess at what happens to her movie family? Little known fact: Edna Mae Oliver was a strong candidate to play the Wicked Witch in MGM’s “Wizard of Oz.”



The coat and hat that Shirley wears in this number went up on the auction block in 2015. Residing in Shirley’s personal collection since she filmed this number in 1938, it was very well preserved.



From the auction description:

The blue woolen double-breasted coat has a fine Belgian lace collar, breast pocket with lace-edged hankie, and two pockets with flaps. Along with a blue woolen beret. Included are two vintage photographs of Shirley Temple wearing the costume. The costume was worn by Betsy (Shirley Temple) in the 1938 film "Little Miss Broadway", notably in the song and dance routine "We Should Be Together" with George Murphy, and on various publicity occasions.





Here’s Shirley wearing the same coat and hat with announcer George Fisher at the premiere of “Rebecca of Sunnybrook Farm,” 1938



Here’s the number; forgive the colorization!



See more Shirley photos at my main website.

Temple Tuesday: Captain January

Today’s headlining Shirley Temple photo is from the 1936 film “Captain January” and shows Shirley between takes of an intricate tap number performed effortlessly on a spiral staircase. Seeing the 6 year old perform this number on film is one of the many reasons audiences embraced her. She was 100% natural without any artifice, and put a smile on the faces of those overwhelmed by the Great Depression of the 1930s. From the publicity blurb on the back of the photo:

“CAPTAIN JANUARY’S” LIGHTHOUSE - Midway on the spiral stairway are Guy Kibbee in the title role and Shirley Temple, the star, in Darryl F. Zanuck’s production of “Captain January,” for 20th Century-Fox, on a set especially built for the picture. The stairway is 31 feet high and weighs 6,000 pounds. It is used for a dance which Shirley performs descending the steps as she recites the multiplication table.



As is typical with any Shirley movie, there’s a villain. In this one, Sara Haden plays a truant officer who is hellbent on taking Shirley away from her guardian, Captain January (Guy Kibbee). Actors Slim Summerville and Kibbee are on the left; meanie Sara is on the right.



What to do? How does the poor Lighthouse keeper fight the villain?



Never fear; in a Temple movie, just when things seem darkest, a happy ending emerges, as seen here with a young and lanky Buddy Ebsen at right.



In the 2015 Love, Shirley Temple auction, four costumes from the film surfaced. The top of this sailor suit was worn during the "Codfish Ball” number and the pants were worn in the staircase sequence featured here:



The dress that belonged to her character’s mother, tailored to fit her for a comic opera trio with Summerville and Kibbee:



Shirley wears this during an exam that the truant officer has her take in the hopes that she can be proved to be dumb enough to warrant being taken away from Captain January. No such luck! Of course Shirley passes the exam with flying colors!



This beautiful dress is worn when Shirley strikes it rich, getting adopted by her wealthy Aunt:



See more Shirley Temple photos at my main website.

Temple Tuesday: Shirley’s Favorite

Today’s post celebrates “Wee Willie Winkie,” the movie Shirley Temple herself said was her very favorite childhood movie to make. She remembered that most of all she wanted director John Ford to not just like her, but respect her as a professional.

“[He] made no bones about his indifference toward me, saying, “Working with a child star is a most horrible thing.” Mutual cooperation between us was paramount if I were to do a good job, but I also simply wanted Ford to respect me as a professional and like me as a person.…Halfway through the film several things happened which did seem to catch Ford’s attention.…He asked me directly if I was ready to do a particularly hazardous scene myself or if I preferred a double. The action called for me to flee across a dirt trail and climb quickly to safety on a rocky island directly in the path of a herd of several dozen stampeding horses erupting from the Khyber Pass. Doubles always were an unwelcome thought, their presence connoting professional inadequacy. But additionally, danger was appealing. Imminence of peril does wonders to concentrate the senses. Without split-second timing and sure feet, I knew I could easily be a victim. There lay the attraction.…On Ford’s signal I bolted across the path and leaped up among the boulders just as the stampede of wild horses plot and thundered by me on both sides in a swirl of snorting and pounding hooves. From my rocky perch I looked through the dust and across at Ford. I could see he was smiling, finger and thumb circled in the traditional gesture of approval.”

Another convert to the Temple of Shirley.

Here’s the publicity still blurb from this photo:

READY FOR ACTION — Shirley Temple, star of 20th Century-Fox’s “Wee Willie Winkie” awaits the cry for “Action” with a backward glance at the camera, in the foreground. To the right are Pat Somerset and Gavin Muir, who have the roles of Highlander officers in “Wee Willie Winkie.”



The outfit Shirley wore in this scene was part of the 2015 “Love, Shirley Temple” auction:



From the Theriault’s catalog:

SILK DRESS AND PINAFORE WORN BY SHIRLEY TEMPLE IN THE 1937 FILM "WEE WILLIE WINKIE"

Featuring a fine loosely woven tussah silk dress with fitted bodice, set-in waist and yoke, widely flared skirt, pouffed sleeves and unusual matching trim of layered scallops at the collar, sleevelets, and hem, with bands of alternating lace and dimity. Included with the dress is a flowered cotton pinafore with ruffles and pockets which Shirley sometimes wore with the dress, an original petticoat, and a wooden-handled parasol with owl's head carved handle tip. Generally excellent condition, some fabric darkening around the shoulders. The petticoat has the original studio label "8210 Shirley T". Various parasols were used by Priscilla (Shirley) in the film, of which this appears to be one. Two vintage photographs of Shirley wearing the costume are included. The costume, with and without the pinafore, was worn by Shirley Temple in her role of Priscilla Williams in the 1937 film "Wee Willie Winkie", notably in an early scene with Victor McLaglen (Sergeant MacDuff) when she asks "Who ever heard of a soldier named Priscilla?" MacDuff then proclaims her new name will be Wee Willie Winkie and she is now "a full-fledged soldier of the Queen".

Realized Price: $6,250 • Presale Estimate: 5000+

This still from the movie shows Shirley marching, which was one of her favorite parts of making this film:



From the publicity blurb:

MAKING A SOLDIER out of Shirley Temple is Victor McLaglen’s job in this scene from “Wee Willie Winkie.”



This elaborate costume also made it’s way to the Theriault’s auction:

SHIRLEY TEMPLE SCOTTISH REGIMENTAL COSTUME FROM THE 1937 FILM "WEE WILLIE WINKIE"

The costume includes plaid woolen kilt, twill jacket with ornate brass buttons with royal crest design of the Black Watch, Third Battalion, Royal Regiment of Scotland, white leather belt with emblem "Dieu et mon droit" (God and my right), sporran, argyle plaid wool leggings, woven spats with buttons, and cap with Latin motto emblem of the Royal Stuart dynasty of Scotland (translated "no one attacks me with impunity"). Excellent condition. Included are two vintage photographs of Shirley Temple wearing the costume. The young star Shirley Temple, named Priscilla Williams in the 1937 film, wore this uniform in multiple scenes alongside co-star Sergeant MacDuff (Victor McLaglen) as he trains Priscilla in the proper discipline of a Scottish soldier. The costume designer for the film was Gwen Wakeling. In later years, Shirley Temple declared that "Wee Willie Winkie", which had been directed by John Ford, was her favorite film of all that she made.

Realized Price: $14,000 • Presale Estimate: 20,000+

I think this photo bears out the fact that Shirley won Ford over:



See more Shirley Temple photos at my main website.

Temple Tuesday: Just Around The Corner

“Miss Annie Rooney” from 1942 was touted as Shirley Temple’s first screen kiss; however, 1938’s “Just Around the Corner” made a somewhat valiant attempt of giving Shirley a love interest with co-star Bennie Bartlett. His character begins the film as a snobby little schoolboy, but by the time Shirley cuts off his foppish curls and introduces him to the local hoods (resulting in a black-eye), he’s a regular kid! Just look at that shiner!



And how about that dress Shirley is wearing!?! The detailing on the bodice for just a few short scenes is really incredible. Costumer Gwen Wakeling made even the most simple costumes unique.



Venerable crusty-codger Claude Gillingwater plays Bennie’s Uncle Sam, who appreciates Shirley’s character turning his nephew into a real boy and rewards her with a buck.



Can’t take my eyes off all that detailed ruching and embroidery. I wonder what happened to that dress?



It went up on the auction block in the 2015 “Love, Shirley Temple” sale. Here’s the catalog description:

Of apple green silk crepe, the dress features an extraordinary bodice of richly detailed ruching in shades of brown, yellow and white that extends from the yoke to the hips, with matching short puffed sleeves, and with a skirt of narrow pleats. The dress has an organdy collar with embroidered edging, matching sleeve cuffs, little pearl buttons, sash, and matching panties.

But Dave, who got it? Where is it now? Settle down, readers! I have the answer!



None other than my friend Melissa, aka “The Colonel” was able to get the winning bid on this beauty, and here’s a shot of where it resides today in her Shirley Shrine:



See more Shirley Temple photos at my main website.

Temple Tuesday: Journey of a Dress

In the 1936 Shirley Temple classic “Stowaway,” the curly-haired moppet is ably supported by Robert Young and Alice Faye. Naturally she’s an orphan who plays matchmaker for her two costars. The costume shown here, designed by Royer, was worn by Ching-Ching (Shirley Temple) in the scene with Susan Parker (Alice Faye) when she changes from her Chinese costume to this dress, bought in the dress shop of the steam ship. Shirley exclaims, "I've never had a dress as nice as this" while twirling around, and then meets up with “Uncle” Tommy (Robert Young) where she exclaims, "I'm a stowaway, but I didn't mean to be."



This dress was also worn in a deleted scene and musical number that followed. There are many existing stills from this deleted scene which can be pieced together thanks to a vintage storybook tie-in published by Saalfield.

There is a knock at Susan’s stateroom door, and Tommy and friends enter. They’re singing “Happy Birthday” and carrying gifts. When Ching says it’s not her birthday, Tommy responds, “It must be mine.” He opens a package with a dress. “But it doesn’t fit me!” “You’re fooling,” exclaims Ching Ching. “It’s a party!”



In this vintage lobby card, it looks like Helen Westley’s character, Mrs. Hope, was breaking up this party!



The gang appears to be singing a song in this shot; it could be “All Aboard the Dreamland Choo Choo” or “I Wanna Go to the Zoo”, as both were mentioned in newspaper articles at the time as songs from “Stowaway,” and there was “Zoo” sheet music. No sheet music for “Choo Choo,” but there is a recording – but that may have been done later, as “Choo Choo” was also slated for – and deleted from – “Rebecca of Sunnybrook Farm.” Most likely it was “Zoo” that they sang here; later, Ching Ching and Tommy would sing a snippet of it as they returned to the ship.

This photo from the deleted scene shows Ching Ching with a pair of scissors. Most likely it came after the party, as she’s wearing her corsage.



Almost 80 years later, this dress came up for sale at the Shirley Temple estate auction held by Theriault’s in July 2015. First thing you’ll notice is that the person who tinted the vintage lobby cards wasn’t concerned with accuracy, as the original dress is blue, not red.



Lifelong Shirley Temple aficionado Melissa, aka “The Colonel,” was at the July 2015 auction. “I didn't even dream of owning a costume, let alone from one of my very favorite Shirley films,” she told me recently. The dress came up for bid and was gone, along with a number of other Temple screen-worn costumes. Who bought them? The Nate Sanders Auction House.



In this case, patience was a virtue as Melissa was able to obtain this costume the second time around directly from Nate. “I was elated but nervous about my purchase...it was a big expense that took me four months to pay for, but it was a quintessential Shirley dress, worn in several scenes including a deleted musical number. As soon as it arrived I noticed the exceptional detail and craftmanship. And lots of snaps and hooks and eyes!”



Melissa generously shared these images of her prized acquisition which now resides in her Shirley “shrine.”





On a side note, The Danbury Mint released this 8" miniature Shirley doll wearing the “Stowaway” dress. The fact that Shirley Temple Black herself chose this outfit for the doll tells me it was a very special one to her...and they even got the color right!



A little more information on the designer of the dress. Louis/Luis Royer also did the gowns for “Bright Eyes” and “Baby Take A Bow” as well as the costumes for “Miss Annie Rooney.”

See more Shirley Temple photos at my main website.

Temple Tuesday: Just the facts, ma'am!

Today's Temple Tuesday post is an update of what has happened to the remaining "lost" vintage Shirley Temple movie costumes since I last wrote about them. There are still three items floating around in parts unknown to their true owner. The passionate folks behind Shirley's Army (a group of dedicated Shirley Temple fans with Melissa Tonnessen at the helm) helped compile this list of dates and info detailing all that has occurred. It reads like a very unfortunate episode of "Dragnet."



Much of the information will make you cringe, as this comedy of errors (that unfortunately has yet to produce a laugh) unfolds before your eyes.

Love, Shirley Temple Auction by Theriault's in Kansas City July 14, 2015
Shirley Temple aficionado Tonya Bervaldi-Camaratta buys the "Bright Eyes" aviator costume (with 2 caps), "The Little Princess" gown (with cape), and the "Wee Willie Winkie" traveling outfit. Tonya eventually goes on to acquire other Shirley Temple costumes, including a yellow dress from "Stowaway" (1936) and a coat from "Little Miss Broadway" (1938). She pledges to loan these precious pieces of film history for public display to organizations and museums so that the Shirley Temple legacy can continue.

Flash forward to Summer 2017
Tonya loans her costumes to upscale doll craftsman R. John Wright's Hollywood-themed Albany Doll Convention. She hand-delivers some pieces by car, including a fragile outfit from "The Little Colonel" (1935).



August 28, 2017
Four distinctive green boxes are taken by Tonya to a UPS shipping facility in Gainesville, Florida. Tonya calls the folks at RJW (R. John Wright) and tells them when to expect the four boxes. When Wright receives the shipment, they confirm with Tonya that all has arrived. Unfortunately, they didn't bother to count the number of boxes and failed to realize that one was missing.

September 6, 2017
The people at RJW proceed to open the three boxes they received for the first time and realize things are missing. They call Tonya and it becomes clear that the box containing the white and gold satin gown from "The Little Princess" (1939) and two Aviator Caps from "Bright Eyes" (1934) never arrived in Vermont.





Tonya promptly calls UPS and they tell her that they will begin their search for the missing box.

September 7-9, 2017
The RJW Convention proceeds as if nothing is amiss. Shirley Army members are the only attendees who know that five additional Shirley Temple movie costume pieces are not there on display.

September 14, 2017
In what might seem like unrelated news...on September 14, online auction house Cargo Largo conducts an auction of 5000 unclaimed UPS boxes. Bidders write their best bid on a box and are notified the following day if they won. A lady from Kansas City bids on some vintage children's costumes that are in very good shape. She picks up her winnings the very next day from Cargo Largo. In case you haven't done the math, this means UPS turned Tonya's merchandise over to Cargo Largo as unclaimed goods only 17 days after she shipped them. You might want to think twice before shipping anything of value with UPS.

September 15, 2017
According to this woman's story, on the way home, she tosses the brown aviator cap from her winning stash into a box and leaves it outside an orange Kansas City Donations clothing donation bin (labeled as benefiting the "Ozanam" organization), which is located in front of El Maguye Mexican Restaurant at 3738 S. Noland Rd., Independence Missouri. Once home, our Kansas City Gal notes the 20th Century Fox wardrobe label with "Temple" hand written inside the collar of one of the dresses and does some online research. She finds information on the Theriault's Auction where Tonya bought the costumes and realizes what she has and now knows the aviator cap is part of a costume. She returns to the donation bin, but the box she left beside it and the brown leather aviator cap that was inside that box are gone. She emails Theriault's Auction House via their website's "Contact Us" form.

September 16, 2017
At 8:02 am Theriault's emails her back and asks her to send photos of the costumes, which KC Gal does. These photos reveal four of the five missing costumes: the "Bright Eyes" aviator outfit (minus the 2 caps), the "Wee Willie Winkie" dress and jacket, the yellow "Stowaway" dress, and the "Little Miss Broadway" coat.

Meanwhile, still no good news from UPS for Tonya, and she makes the heartbreaking announcement to a select few in Shirley's Army that a box went missing. Tonya continues to follow up with UPS to no avail. All they can tell her is that the box was scanned in Gainesville and again in Orlando (onto a truck, off a truck, but not scanned into the warehouse) and never scanned again. Nature steps in with hurricane season and throws yet another unfortunate curveball into the mix, as packages begin to pile up from the chaos in Florida. UPS tells Tonya to wait one more week due to the hurricanes. A UPS investigator tells Tonya he will contact Orlando and get back to her on September 27. He never calls Tonya back. When Tonya calls him back, he tells her he never did contact Orlando for her. UPS tells her they are closing her case.

September 20, 2017
Tonya announces to all Shirley's Army members that UPS has closed her case. Members discuss options and actions to take. Don't mess with Shirley fans; it's not worth it! Melissa Tonnessen (aka The Colonel, pictured below at right with entertainment reporter Amanda Champagne on the left and Shirley's son, Charles Black Jr.) "tags" Stuart Holbrook (the auctioneer at Theriault's who originally auctioned off the costumes back in 2015) on Facebook to alert him. Stuart responds a few hours later from Germany, posting that he is sorry this happened. He advises Tonya to be "relentless" in her pursuit with UPS. Stuart contacts the auction house co-owner back in the U.S. about general business related things and asks if she has heard anything about the costumes. She tells him she received an email through Theriault's web "Contact Us" form five days earlier from a woman who said she had four of the five costumes and was interested in selling them. Tonya is consulted and tells UPS this additional news.



September 21, 2017
Theriault's calls Kansas City Gal. While not accusing her of any wrongdoing, Theriault's lets KC Gal know that the costumes were improperly sold to her and that they were probably stolen. In this same conversation KC gal refuses to reveal where she obtained the costumes. Theriault's offers to reimburse KC Gal the amount she paid to have them returned to Tonya. It is at this point that KC Gal reveals what she did with the brown aviator cap. She claimed she never saw or had the gray Aviator Cap or "The Little Princess" satin gown. Negotiations fail. KC Gal now knows the true value of what she has bought and refuses to relinquish ownership. The dirty rat.

Tonya announces to Shirley's Army that she now knows who has four costumes. She is still hoping to personally negotiate their return, with some help from UPS. The Army gets to work on recovering "The Little Princess" satin gown and two Aviator caps, as KC Gal continues to claim she never had them.

September 22, 2017
Carolyn Mani at Heritage Auctions is called by Gayle Share and generously agrees to spread the word through her company and throughout the entertainment memorabilia auction world, so that KC Gal will be stopped from selling. Carolyn's email is forwarded to Woolsey Ackerman, a member of Shirley's Army who works with auction houses within 2 hours of the request having been made, so we know the word has quickly spread. Forget "Mommie Dearest"; don't #$%^ with Shirley's Army!



September 23, 2017
Tonya is worried that KC Gal will destroy the costumes now that she won't be able to sell them for money, so Tonya drafts an email asking her to reconsider, letting her know that UPS should "make things right" with her. Tonya receives her response...AFTER the buyer sees the KSHB-TV 41 6pm news report on September 25 detailing the lost Shirley Temple costumes. I will deviate from giving "just the facts, ma'am" and say that KC Gal's actions up to this point do not show her to be a very stand-up Gal.

UPS sends police to KC Gal's house for proof that she owns the costumes and she produces her Cargo Largo receipt, so the police can do nothing. Hard to believe.

September 24, 2017
Shirley's Army, fearing KC Gal might still try to sell the costumes, mobilizes to spread the word to thrift shops and vintage/antique shops in Kansas City. There is a thorough search of online sales sites such as eBay, Craigslist, etc. The amount of tweeting, emailing, Facebook alerts, and calls to media outlets that Shirley's Army accomplishes in a short time would make your eyes cross. In brainstorming about how to get the word out, Woolsey suggests contacting the news outlets that profiled the Kansas City auction in 2015.

Meanwhile, Tonya contacts UPS Customer Relations and speaks to Mike O'Connor, who says he will look into things and reopen the case. He asks Tonya not to put anything else on social media for a day until she hears from him within 24 hours. Tonya reports this to the Army late that evening. Can you guess who doesn't call back as promised? Tonya makes the call instead and is "less impressed" about his willingness to help than she was the night before, so she decides to go public again. As luck would have it, she gets contacted by The Kansas City Star who ends up breaking the story. Cat Reid from KSHB-TV 41 contacts Melissa (The Colonel!) and Melissa puts her in touch with Tonya who is quickly interviewed for the 6pm newscast. Due to the avalanche of publicity, KC Gal realizes she will be unable to sell the costumes for the major profit she had expected and contacts Tonya. During a three-way phone conversation (including her attorney), Tonya pleads for the costumes' return and tells KC Gal that UPS will pay a reward/ransom. KC Gal agrees and also gives Tonya more information regarding the Cargo Largo process and that she (allegedly) never saw "The Little Princess" satin gown or gray "Bright Eyes" aviator cap.

September 26, 2017
UPS picks up the four costumes and pays off KC Gal with the "reward" money. What does Tonya get for her trouble? A bouquet of flowers from UPS. You have got to be kidding, right? UPS should be kissing Tonya's feet at this point for their bungling ineptitude. How did these costumes become part of an auction at Cargo Largo in the first place?!?

September 27, 2017
The four costumes (see photo below) are delivered by UPS to Tonya, mercifully in the same condition in which they left. KC Gal emails Tonya the exact location of the donation bin where she left the brown aviator cap, where a Shirley's Army member promptly places a reward poster.



September 29, 2017
Tonya's interview with Gainesville WCJV-TV 20 is on both the 5 and 6 news reports:



October 12, 2017
Closer Magazine publishes a story on the still missing "Little Princess" costume.

Today, Tonya was notified that UPS has officially closed the case. Most likely legal action will follow, but of the utmost importance to Tonya is the return of the still missing items. Somehow, Tonya continues to be upbeat and cheery through all of this, summoning the ghost of Shirley Temple herself. PLEASE spread the word and help Tonya get her costumes back so that they can be shared with the public again for many years to come.

More Shirley Temple at my main website.

Shirley For Sale: The Untold Story!

This week I had the honor of interviewing Stuart Holbrook, President of Theriault's, the famed auction house for antique dolls and childhood playthings that is handling the Love, Shirley Temple exhibit and auction. He was extremely gracious in answering all of the questions that I had for him about Shirley and the many items that are being sold off on July 14. If you've had the chance to see the items as they toured across the country, then you have seen what AMAZING shape they are in. I was stunned at how these beautiful costumes looked as if they had just recently been crafted despite being approximately 80 years old. How have they defied the ravages of time? Holbrook assured me that not a thing was held back. I asked him how was it possible that Gertrude and Shirley were so smart about the storage of these items? He replied that Gertrude definitely set the standard for how things should be preserved. "The depression-era generation was very cognizant of heirlooms and the saving of items. Everything had value and was cherished. Gertrude's standard was passed on to Shirley; the foundation was laid by Shirley’s mother."



In the 1930s, Shirley was the top box office draw in the world. In order to keep the Temple family happy, 20th Century Fox gave Shirley's mother Gertrude whatever was within reason and she often asked for unique things. One of those things was that Shirley's contract allowed Shirley to take all of her costumes home with her. The Studio didn’t really have much use for the outfits Shirley wore; not only were they designed for a child, but these costumes were very identifiable as Shirley’s. Where else could they use them again?



One thing that was NOT included with the costumes was the jewelry that Shirley wore. For instance, in the exhibit you'll note that Shirley's "Little Princess" crown and scepter are not on display with the dress and cape. Famous movie jeweler Joseff of Hollywood created those and their contract stipulated that they got everything back. Those two items are normally sitting in the Joseff archives, but it appears that they are on display in the San Francisco Airport International Terminal through July.



Everything that was part of this collection was in fantastic shape. No deterioration of any sort. The one item that looked like it might have succumbed to old age were the overalls Shirley wore during the "An Old Straw Hat" number in Rebecca of Sunnybrook Farm. When all of the items were found to be pristine, Holbrook was a little surprised that the Rebecca overalls seemed so dirty.



In looking at the movie, he discovered that the grime was intentionally added by the costume department to give Shirley a more authentic farm girl look.



Vintage photos show Shirley at home in Brentwood with her rather large collection of dolls in display cases; I wondered if the costumes were held elsewhere? Holbrook answered that the costumes had never been seen by the public before. When Gertrude moved to Palm Springs in the 1950s, Shirley's doll collection (which had been stored in a climate controlled space in the Brentwood home) was loaned temporarily to a museum and put on display. Afterwards, they were packed up, stored in boxes and bins in a climate controlled storage facility. These pieces had the added benefit of California's mild climate.



I was a little disappointed that I didn't get to see Shirley's Steinway Baby Grand Piano. However, given its size it is understandable that it did not get taken all over the country. Have no fear, it WILL appear in Kansas City for the big July 14 event. Inside the piano is a wonderful inscription: “I hope dear Shirley that you will like this piano as much as the Steinways like you! And that's a lot!” signed by Theodore Steinway himself.



Shirley adored co-star Bill "Bojangles" Robinson. In Shirley's 1935 classic, "The Little Colonel," Robinson and Temple became the first interracial dance pairing in Hollywood history. They held hands and danced together without any thought or care about the difference in the colors of their skin. The scene was so controversial that it was deleted when shown in the southern states. Shirley's first stand-in, Marilyn Granas, remembers the complete awe exhibited on set when the staircase dance was being filmed...in one take! "Everyone was in a state of shock, wondering how did they just do that, while standing in complete silence." The last stop for the "Love, Shirley Temple" tour is the Frazier History Museum in Louisville, Kentucky from July 3rd - 8th. It was selected because of its mid-south location which draws from a vast region. It also has a connection to "The Little Colonel," which was set in Kentucky.



One costume that seems to have disappeared over the years is this "The Little Colonel" ensemble:



The hat and boots have survived, but Holbrook was unsure about what happened to the rest of the outfit. There are no records that show if Shirley ever had it in her possession.



Bill Robinson was very protective of Shirley and her innocence, being careful not to explain why he would have to stay in different hotels than her. If you're wondering what was Shirley's most beloved item in the exhibit, most likely it was the model racing car given to her by Robinson.



Because the car was a gift from "Uncle Billy," she loved it even more. He went to a lot of effort to get it for her. Even as an adult, the car had a special place in Temple's home. Her 2.5 car garage had space for Shirley's car, her husband Charles' car, and the model car from Bill Robinson. It remained a wonderful memory for her.



There is a photo in the exhibit that is quintessential Shirley in Holbrook's opinion. It shows her driving the car with Robinson on the back holding on for dear life. "The smile on her face is a true genuine Shirley Temple smile. Not an actress moment or a publicity smile. She was beaming ear to ear." I was curious if the car still ran, but Holbrook informed me that the engine had been removed.



The two also performed together at the Will Rogers Memorial in 1935, dancing up and down the aisle to get donations.



I also was curious as to what pieces were the favorites of Holbrook himself. "The things that evoke the most emotions in people, such as Shirley's Raggedy Ann, which was her very first doll."



"There is a photo of her playing with it outside her Santa Monica home, just being a child, before she really made it big."



"I enjoy seeing anything from Bill Robinson; there is some personal correspondence from Bill to Shirley. Each note from him shows his heartwarming nature. He also gave her this pair of carved wooden dolls from Germany that whistle when keywound."





"Of the outfits, the polka dot dress from 'Stand Up And Cheer' is the Ruby Slippers of children’s costumes."



"The dutch costume from "Heidi" and all of its detail is another favorite. The emotions that these costumes evoke from people is astounding; they literally cause tears. These are some of the most memorable moments of the tour for me. When examining these outfits, it is obvious that the studio spared no expense in making sure Shirley's costumes were perfect. For 'Wee Willie Winkie,' the buttons and details in the hat were authentic Scottish Regimen."





This film is a personal favorite of Holbrook's because it has more of a "manly John Ford feel to it; it is more of an epic. Victor McGlaglen was fabulous in it!" He also pointed out that it was wise of 20th Century Fox studio head Darryl Zanuck to change up the typical Temple format with this film to keep the public from getting bored with her. This is part of the reason Shirley had so many years at the top of the box office charts.



Although it is known as a box office flop, "The Blue Bird" (1940) is one of my favorite Temple films mainly because Temple was allowed to play (albeit briefly) against type. She relished playing a little brat for once, but the public just couldn't stand it. I noticed that there was nothing from this film on display. Holbrook assured me that the collection had at least 2 or 3 costumes from the movie. Since Shirley was older (and larger) in 1940, many of the costumes from this part of her career were left out because of their size/scale in relation to the other costumes, and simply put, they just were not as iconic as the ones that did make the exhibit.



The "Love, Shirley Temple" exhibit has also attracted a number of amazing guests who have taken the time to share their memories of Shirley. Her first stand-in, Marilyn Granas was one of them. Although she didn’t know Shirley that well on a personal level, she was around to see many of the historic moments of Shirley's early career (such as the previously mentioned filming of the staircase dance). Here are the two on the set of "Now and Forever," 1934.



Marilyn's function was mainly to help the film crew set the lighting for Shirley. In Marilyn’s contract she was supposed to have on screen appearances in Shirley's films. Unfortunately, those scenes were constantly being cut, as her contract didn't stipulate the filmed scenes had to be used in the finished edited version. In "Curly Top," Holbrook said it seemed like a natural that Granas would be at least one of the girls used in the orphanage scenes, but again, there is no trace of Granas in the finished film.



A few published sources have credited the above photo from 1933's "Polly Tix in Washington" as Marilyn's first appearance in a Shirley film. Marilyn vehemently denied this, stating that she was never in any of the Baby Burlesks. Her last time as Shirley's stand-in was "The Little Colonel." There were a number of factors that contributed to Marilyn leaving the role of Shirley's stand-in. One of the reasons was that she just wanted to be a little girl again; she really did not want to be an actress. “I wasn’t talented. I had my hair in curls and was about the same height, but that was all.” Probably the final blow was that the studio insisted she color her hair blonde to match Shirley's. She didn’t want to dye her hair so after "Colonel" they parted ways. Back in "the real world" and living as a normal little girl, she was hit by a schoolmate and called a liar for stating that she was Shirley's stand-in. Nobody believed her, so she kept it a secret until her 50s. Even her own husband was unaware until he discovered the fact after seeing a documentary about Shirley where his wife was mentioned by name. Among other things, Marilyn went on to become a casting director. “I can tell you I casted many children throughout my career and there never was one who was as talented or as natural as Shirley Temple, nor will there ever be.” Here is a shot of the two eating lunch between takes of "Baby Take A Bow."



I have often wondered since her passing what will become of Shirley; will the public remember her and her contributions to film and politics? Will the family continue to “market” Shirley? Holbrook assured me that the partnership of Shirley's family is very intent on the preservation of Shirley's legacy. Just the other day he was looking at things from 1928 that were either born or invented, including Shirley, Maya Angelou, Andy Warhol, and Mickey Mouse. Shirley's is the only name (other than Mickey Mouse who obviously is not a real person) that you could go anywhere in the world and someone would know what it means. "She truly has unbelievable name recognition. You often hear the phrase 'six degrees of separation.' With Shirley, I truly believe it is one degree of separation. Everyone has a story that connects directly to her. Shirley's family wants to make sure that future generations will remember that this little girl was an angel who made us smile, laugh, dance, and saved this nation in its darkest hour."

One of Holbrook's favorite memories of the exhibit occurred on the first day, when two 85 year old twin sisters came in from Rochester and sang "On The Good Ship Lollipop" in front of Shirley's original dress and then spontaneously burst into tears, hugging each other. When I asked what was Shirley's appeal, Holbrook replied "The nostalgia of youth. The secret was that she was herself. We always saw the real Shirley Temple; we saw her every time. She was what we want our better side to be. She was always our best side." The recent Palo Alto exhibit saw nearly 5,000 people line up to see Shirley's memorabilia between Friday thru Sunday. For the 50 hours that the exhibit was open, that equals about 100 people per hour. Not bad!

In asking about the range of expected prices for the auction, Holbrook told me that he wants approachability for this sale. "There are amazing emotions all over the world for this little girl. We want it accessible to everyone. The breadth of items (about 600 pieces/lots) makes it possible to have something for everyone; there are items that are expected to sell for $100-200 and some that may go for $20,000 or more. No one who is a Shirley fan will feel that they are left out." Holbrook also speaks enthusiastically about the exhibit's coffee table book that consists of 360 pages in full color; it is a true commemorative work. "It will be considered one of the quintessential Shirley documents in her history. It is a beautiful memory of her with a forward from her family." At the time we talked, the book was getting ready to ship. I cannot wait to see it!



If you'd like to order your own copy, visit the Theriault's site. Don't delay, as this volume is sure to sell out quickly. As a final note, I know there has been much sadness and disappointment (myself included!) that Shirley's family did not want to keep these cherished items. Stuart Holbrook made it very clear that it was Shirley's wish that these items be shared with the public for future generations to be able to have access to them. When attempts made by Shirley and her family to donate them to museums failed, this became the best option to fulfill Shirley's desire. Many thanks to Stuart Holbrook for helping the legacy of Shirley Temple Black live forever!

See more Shirley at my main website.