Temple Tuesday: A Lot of Bull

When Shirley Temple signed on at MGM in January 1941, the publicity machine wasted little time in promoting its newest star. None other than Clarence Bull was enlisted to give Shirley the glamour treatment, as seen by the portraits shown here. For a bit more about Bull, here’s an excerpt from the 2008 book Glamour of the Gods by Robert Dance and John Russell Taylor:

Clarence Sinclair Bull’s long association as a photographer with the studio that would become Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer began when producer Samuel Goldwyn hired him in 1919. Managing to survive the commotion of the consolidation of Hollywood in the early and mid-1920s, Bull found himself at the helm of MGM’s stills department when the studio was formed in 1924, and stayed there until retiring in 1961. The enormity of MGM’s output of films in the 1920s—they advertised a new feature every week—saw Bull’s domain grow. He was responsible for managing MGM’s staff of photographers and the large support crew of technicians needed to develop, re-touch, print and collate the hundreds of thousands of prints distributed annually by MGM’s publicity department. At least one photograph from the 1920s shows Bull with twelve stillsmen who juggled the task of shooting photos on as many as a dozen films that might be concurrently in production. At MGM, like the other studios, these men—and it was an almost exclusively male profession—worked six days a week and often long hours each day. Generally one photographer was assigned to a production and, as filming was underway, he would document each scene using an 8 x 10 view camera. These cameras not only had lenses with sharp resolution, but contact prints could be made from the negatives quickly and in enormous quantities. The stills made for each film were numbered sequentially and gathered together for a book. Stills photographers also created the images used for poster art, lobby cards and other forms of advertising conceived by imaginative publicity chiefs and their staffs.

The first photo was numbered 5241; the one below 5245:



5257:



5266:



For SJR, I knew you’d want to see this detail:



Often, movie studios would allow their stars to wear gowns provided by the costume department when they were to be seen in public at events. This would ensure that the stars looked their best for the paparazzi! Shirley wore the gown seen above to the February 8, 1941 Greek War Relief Benefit at Grauman’s Chinese Theatre. Back row: Frank Morgan, Melvyn Douglas, Charles Laughton, Dick Powell, and Reginald Owen. Seated: Madeleine Carroll, Samuel Goldwyn, Clark Gable, Carole Lombard, Shirley Temple, and Myrna Loy. , 



Back to Bull…the photo below was stamped #5267:



The accompanying caption is extremely interesting:

SHIRLEY TEMPLE…Young veteran of the screen, poses for her first portrait sitting after signing her contract with Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer. The youngster will start work on two pictures for the studio “Barnacle Bill,” with Wallace Beery, and “Babes on Broadway,” with Mickey Rooney and Judy Garland. Here the tiny star wears a many-pleated skirt with a pique-collared jacket.

By the time the photo was released, the plans had been changed! Shirley was removed from both films, most likely because the Temples did not feel Shirley should be relegated to supporting roles. Instead, Shirley was made the lead in a low-budget picture (or at least as low budget as MGM could do!) titled, “Kathleen.” MGM’s frustration can be seen on the back of the photo. The portion of the above caption about her two projects AND the description of the outfit were crossed out; in pencil the following simple replacement was written:

The young star is now working in “Kathleen.”

Despite all the initial excitement and publicity about working at Hollywood’s most elite film studio, Shirley’s contract was canceled after the one movie.
   
See more teenage Shirley Temple photos at my main website.

Girl 27: The Patricia Douglas Story

Although it came out seventeen years ago, the documentary “Girl 27” is still shocking. It begins with a passage from Luke 8:17, which perfectly sets the tone. Writer/director David Stenn made public the tragic story of the 1937 rape of Patricia Douglas at the hands of an MGM exhibitor/salesman, David Ross. As Stenn told Vanity Fair, “I managed to find old newspaper coverage, previously unseen photos, damning studio documentation, long-forgotten legal records, privately shot cinematographic evidence hidden in an MGM film vault, and, most amazing, Patricia Douglas herself. I tracked the reclusive invalid down and eventually persuaded her to break her 65-year silence.”



Hollywood’s most glamorous studio, Metro-Goldwayn-Mayer, invited exhibitors to come to Hollywood to stay at the Ambassador Hotel and attend a wild party at the Hal Roach Studio’s ranch. Over a hundred young girls (many underage) were hired for what they thought was a film. Louis B. Mayer told the exhibitors that anything they wanted would be provided to them during their visit.



One of those exhibitors was David Ross from Chicago. What a charmer.



A natural-born dancer, Douglas drifted into movies “just for something to do.” Since she was supported by her mother, Douglas had no need to work. So when a casting call came on the afternoon of Sunday, May 2, 1937, she demurred at first, but later agreed to show up. “They never mentioned it was for a party,” she recalls. “Ever. I wouldn’t have gone! Oh God, oh God, I wouldn’t have gone.”



The call sheet with the name of Pat Douglas, aka Girl 27. What did the girls receive for their “role”? What they thought was a shot at stardom, hot meal, and $7.50 for the day at the remote Culver City ranch, aka “Rancho Roachero.”



The exhibitors who had been partying all day assumed the professional dancers were theirs to do whatever they wanted to. Isn’t that what Louis B. Mayer told them upon arrival? The girls were trapped at a location with no phones or transportation and had to fend for themselves. Douglas ended up being violently raped, losing her virginity to a man she had no interest in. With guts rarely shown by women at the time (for fear of repercussions), Patricia went public and pressed charges against her rapist. “I did want him punished,” she recalled. “I couldn’t get him out of my mind, because he took my innocence, because I was a virgin, and he left me with horrendous memories of my first time. And believe it or not, it affected the rest of my life physically. I was a frigid woman, and I never changed. I believe that I was about thirty-five when I stopped dating. But you can never miss what you never had.”



Stenn’s compelling documentary shows his journey of how he uncovered the facts of the case, long buried or destroyed many years ago. Here he is with USC archivist, Ned Comstock, as he first looks at the file from Patricia’s case, full of papers not seen since the 1930s.





Stenn also sought out Douglas herself. “I was furious when I heard from David. Imagine, sixty-five years nobody knowing what happened to you when you were young, and here comes some young fellow from out of the blue, and wants to talk to me about the case. I didn’t care about the story being told; I kept it a secret for sixty-five years. Why not die with it? Who would care?” Stenn did, and he patiently chipped away at Douglas’ reluctance. Eighty-six at the time, she finally agreed to tell her story.



David asked her, “Have you ever been in love?” “No,” she replied. “I have never been in love, and I have never known what it is to love somebody.” Pressing on, David asked, “Do you think that was taken away from you by what happened at the MGM party?” “Yes, because I believe no matter how much I feel towards a man, I don’t trust.”



In a touch of irony, while a rape victim was crucified in the press, a movie star was completely protected. The documentary reveals how Loretta Young and Clark Gable (married at the time to Ria Langham) had a child out of wedlock but covered it up by telling the public her biological daughter had been adopted.



As her daughter, Judy Lewis, tells the camera: “Hollywood knew the true story; I was the only one that didn’t.” The contrasting story shows how Hollywood treated people according to their earning potential.

Make sure you see “Girl 27.” You won’t regret it. See more Classic Movie & TV photos at my main website.

Temple's Turkeys

Temple Tuesday is two days late, but these photos go perfectly with today’s celebration of Thanksgiving. Whether you get riled up about the origins of the celebration or not, EVERYONE would benefit from slowing down and taking at least one day to focus on what they can be thankful for. Just getting the disclaimer out of the way first, folks, cause that’s how I operate.

Photo #1 is from 1935 and shows Shirley in the duds that she wore during the orphanage sequences from “Curly Top.” Even though the film was shot from May 25, 1935 through July 10, 1935, the publicity department was thinking ahead by shooting photos that could be used during the upcoming Thanksgiving holiday. From the accompanying (now) gruesome caption:

“You eat now, and I’ll eat Thanksgiving Day,” seems to be the idea Shirley Temple, little Fox Film star, has as she watches one of her turkeys go after the corn supply.



One of Shirley’s semi-notorious stories from her childhood film career took place during the filming of “Rebecca of Sunnybrook Farm.” Early in the film, Rebecca (Shirley) goes to visit neighbor Tony Kent (Randolph Scott). Her cousin Gwen (Gloria Stuart) eventually joins the two as Rebecca dines on some turkey that Tony’s butler (Slim Summerville) has served the little girl. The photos above and below were taken during the filming of this sequence.



Shirley’s brother Jack was hired as third assistant director, to which she would later say, he “spent time thinking up things to take care of, one of which was me.” Director Allan Dwan fired him after a dispute over a roasted turkey prop. The turkey had been sprayed with insecticide and Jack loudly ordered her not to eat it, which she had no intention of doing. Out of spite, she popped the turkey in her mouth, prompting her brother to shake her to dislodge it. “Despite a slightly bitter taste, it was good turkey and my disobedience was immensely satsisfying.” Below, Shirley calms down between takes of the sequence by doing a little crafting:



In the 1938 film “Just Around the Corner,” Shirley and Bennie Bartlett share some turkey in the kitchen as their characters play matchmakers for their family. Do their attempts work? Of course they do!



The film was released just in time for Thanksgiving, on November 11, 1938. From the Sunday, November 20, 1938 Milwaukee Sunday News-Sentinel:

Hollywood’s little dream-girl-come-true (Shirley Temple, of course) is pictured having a dream of and for herself…and Shirley’s vision should come true Thanksgiving Day. As for the forthcoming holiday, seems to us Shirley has quite a few things for which to be thankful. Only 9 1/2 years old, she has earned a sizable fortune…should be able to enjoy a bright and bountiful future. On the other hand, millions of moviegoers might well remember to be appreciative of the happiness and cheer she has given them from the screen. Then there are the thousands outside the motion picture industry for whom her fame has been a source of livelihood…employees of doll manufacturers and children’s clothing concerns, etc. Doesn’t the title of her next picture, “The Little Princess,” fit Shirley to a ‘T’? The film a 20th Century-Fox production, will be her first full-length Technicolor vehicle.



The dress Shirley wears while carving the turkey was seen in “Just Around the Corner” and is known as the Lucky Penny dress, named after her character in the film, Penny Hale.



“The Blue Bird” (1940) was shot from September to October of 1939, so it stands to reason that Shirley would be photographed carving yet another turkey, wearing her peasant garb from the movie.

After a brief retirement in 1940, Shirley was back in the kitchen with a turkey again in 1941 during the filming of MGM’s “Kathleen.” These publicity shots were taken in Shirley’s Brentwood kitchen.











In the above and below shots, you can see the Morgantown Ruby Red goblets on the top shelf, as Shirley happily pretends to munch on her Flintstone-sized turkey leg.



I hope you all have a joyous, reflective, and relaxing day. I’ll be out this morning running the Turkey Trot, attempting to earn whatever calories I take in! And while I’m at it, I’d like to wish a VERY happy birthday to faithful Daveland reader and stellar Shirley’s Army member, SJR!!
 
See more Shirley Temple photos at my main website.

Temple Tuesday: Marsha, Marsha, Marsha

When Shirley Temple joined the MGM stable of stars in 1941, it’s not surprising that she was given the glamour treatment. Boasting “more stars than there are in heaven,” Shirley was spruced up as much as you could a twelve year old. From the publicity machine:

Shirley Temple steps out of her dressing room—it’s No. 7, and her name is beside the door—in a white formal gown.



Before the makeup and hair people got a hold of Shirley, she was given a tour of MGM by Judy Garland and Mickey Rooney. Louis B. Mayer was very happy to have the hottest teen talent in Hollywood and made the most of this publicity opportunity. Below is a shot of Judy, Mickey, producer Mervyn LeRoy, Shirley, Marsha Hunt, and Fay Holden, on the set of “Blossoms in the Dust.” Judy was sitting in Greer Garson’s chair. I hope Greer was okay with that, as Judy does look a bit uncomfortable!



Never heard of Marsha Hunt? Sadly, that’s not surprising. Blacklisted in the 1950’s during the McCarthy era, she had to shift gears career wise and never quite recaptured her earlier fame, which is fine, as it inspired her to become more active in humanitarian causes. Marsha campaigned to end world hunger, aid the homeless, and supported same-sex marriage, among other notable causes. Shirley and Marsha had something else in common besides film careers; they have both been turned into dolls. 



In 2004, artist and creator of the Gene Marshall fashion doll, Mel Odom, worked with Ashton Drake to release this tribute to Marsha Hunt titled “Mel Loves Marsha.”



Although the doll was a restyled Gene doll, the outfit was all Marsha, based on the outfit seen in this MGM publicity shot:



Marsha had a lead role in the 1947 melodramatic film noir, “Smash-Up, the Story of a Woman,” allegedly based on Bing Crosby and his first wife, Dixie. The cat fight between Marsha and Susan Hayward is the stuff of legend.



Ashton Drake released Gene as Marsha in the “Smash-Up” outfit in 2004:



I’ll save you the trouble of hunting down the catfight scene:



Marsha began her film career at Paramount, which included a role in the Jack Benny musical, “College Holiday” (1936). One of the Edith Head outfits she wore in the film is shown here:



…and was reproduced by Integrity Toys for Gene in 2007:



While the dolls are beautiful, nothing compares to the real-life Marsha, as shown here in this 1967 photo:



What else did Marsha and Shirley have in common? The United Nations. From the Alt Film Guide website:

It was a trip she took around the world in 1955 that opened her eyes to her true calling in life. Dismayed by the poverty she saw on this trip, she realized that she’d been on a soundstage for so much of her life and that there was so much to learn about the world. She vowed in that moment to become a “planet patriot.” One of Hollywood’s first celebrity activists, Marsha worked with the United Nations Association when it wasn’t popular to do so. Even after her local United Nations gift shop was firebombed, she didn’t relent, but went out on the lecture circuit, fighting ignorance and raising awareness. She had limited funds but unlimited passion.

Shirley’s first diplomatic assignment was as U.S. delegate to the United Nations by President Richard Nixon in 1969. Shirley championed issues such as refugee rights, the challenges for the aging population, and environmental concerns. Here is Shirley with husband Charles Black seeing “his wife off to work,” as the photo’s caption stated:



Marsha Hunt recently passed away at the age of 104 on September 7. If you’d like to know more about her (and you should!), watch the trailer for the 2015 documentary about her called, “Sweet Adversity”:



See more Classic Movie & TV photos at my main website.

Temple Tuesday: The 3 R’s

Today, for Temple Tuesday, the 3 Rs stand for “Reduse, Reuse, and Recycle.” In the 1941 MGM film, “Kathleen,” Shirley Temple performed in the standard dream sequence, decked out in an ornate feathered concoction complete with headdress, necklace, and fan.







Apparently, Shirley’s mother wrangled the same deal that existed at 20th Century-Fox, where Shirley was allowed to keep her wardrobe. Seven years later at a Hollywood costume party, Shirley wore the exact same outfit. From the vintage publicity blurb that accompanied the following photo of Shirley and her then husband, John Agar:

COLONIAL PAIR that would cop the beauty prize at any show are Shirley Temple and John Agar (right). Shirley looks very much the grande dame with a white wig covering her short hair, and John in his uniform—well, handsome is the word. After appearing together in RKO’s “Baltimore Escapade,” [NOTE: retitled “Adventure in Baltimore” for release] Selznick players went their separate ways (filmwise that is): Shirley to 20th for “Mr. Belvedere Goes to College” and John into John Ford-directed movie, “She Wore a Yellow Ribbon.”





 You’ll note that except for the necklace (which MGM most likely did NOT allow her to take home!), everything is the same. The 1948 necklace came up for auction in 2016.



The photo below was accompanied by this blurb:

SHIRLEY TEMPLE dances in feathers while husband. John Agar appears in the uniform he wears in RKO’s forthcoming “Fort Apache” at a recent fancy dress party.



From the Akron Beacon Journal, Sunday November 14, 1948:

Cute Shirley Temple was just as perky in a powdered wig as with her own curly top. The handsome Yankee soldier is hubby John Agar.



Also shown in the Journal are Rock Hudson & Vera-Ellen, Don DeFore & wife, Marion, Loretta Young & Rosalind Russell (as twins!), George Jessel, Ava Gardner, and Terry Moore.

According to other coverage of the event, Shirley (dressed as Marie Antoinette) was “judged the prettiest gal there. The lensmen asked her to present a watch to General Grant (Jessel) in appreciation of swell job he did as M.C.”



Much was made about the public kiss between the married couple:



How the dress appeared when it came up for auction in 2016: 



From the catalog description:

The extraordinary multi-layered gown of soft rose features a satin-fitted bodice with elaborate center panel decorated with sequins, rhinestones and metallic braid, above a multi-layered skirt including three layers of richly gathered tulle with sequins on the top layer, rose sateen petticoat, and still more multi-layered cotton petticoats with layered skirt ruffles, all above a hooped frame with wide panniers that gives form to the skirts. Feathered corsages decorate the skirt all around, and match the feathered fan that she holds as well as her fan headdress. Included are dyed-to-match kid shoes by Capezio, decorated with faux jewels including large "rubies". The gown was worn by Shirley Temple in her role of Kathleen, in the 1941 MGM film of that name, during the fantasy scene, as Kathleen imagines she is a star on Broadway and performs a remarkable descending-the-staircase dance. Realized Price: $2,750

The headdress, fan, and shoes:



A closeup of the headdress from the 1948 costume party; it’s a match!





Many thanks to Melissa (aka “The Colonel”) for tracking down all the vintage articles for this post!

See more teen Shirley Temple photos at my main website.