Temple Tuesday: Shirley's Lullaby

In this photo stamped September 22, 1936, Shirley Temple meets Rosa Ponselle. From the accompanying caption:

TWO PRIMA DONNAS MEET AND PLAY

Shirley Temple, star of motion pictures, and Rosa Ponselle, famous grand opera star rehearsing an Italian lullaby in Miss Temple’s bungalow at the 20th Century-Fox studios. The two great artists entertained each other with their favorite songs and when Miss Ponselle sang the lullaby to Shirley she immediately wanted to learn it to sing to her dolls. Now it is one of her favorite numbers.

Ponselle attempted a career in Hollywood, making screen tests for MGM and Paramount, but that was as far as things went. She retired about one year after the above photo was taken, settling down with her husband Carle Jackson at her estate, Villa Pace, located near Baltimore.

Since one photo for Temple Tuesday would not be enough, here are a few other shots of Shirley at the piano, starting with a behind-the-scenes image from “Young People” (1940) with Charlotte Greenwood:



Shirley with an unidentified woman, circa 1940:



Also 1940:



At her home on Rockingham, 1943:



The songs on her piano included “As Time Goes By” from “Casablanca” and “I’ll Be Seeing You.”



An alternate shot from the same shoot:



Last but most important of all, the image that began it all. The very first time I ever saw Shirley Temple was in this scene from “Curly Top” (1935), where she danced on top of a white piano being played by John Boles. The rest is history!



See more Shirley Temple photos at my main website.

Temple Tuesday: Shirley at the Piano

Melissa (aka “The Colonel”) recently gifted me this 1940 shot of Shirley at home, playing her Steinway piano. The Baby Grand was sold at the 2015 “Love, Shirley Temple” Theriault’s auction. Here’s the catalog description:

SHIRLEY TEMPLE'S BABY GRAND STEINWAY PIANO WITH PERSONAL INSCRIPTION FROM STEINWAY

5' x 10 1/2'. Having luxury walnut Chippendale case, the Steinway L model baby grand piano has original lyre and pedals, traywork, soundboard and ribs, bridges, pinblock, tuning pins, and key tops. The piano has Steinway serial number of 299183 and was produced in 1939, according to Steinway records. Included are the original bench and various photographs of Shirley Temple at the piano.

NOTE: this picture accompanied the auction, but it is obvious that it is much earlier than 1939; based on how she looks I would guess 1935.



The piano was a gift to her from the Steinway company in 1939, and features an inscription plate reading "I hope dear Shirley that you will like this piano as much as the Steinways like you! And that's a lot! Theodore G. Steinway 1939".



Presale Estimate: 30,000+
Realized Price: $45,000



Here are a few 1944 shots I found of Shirley at home at the piano:





Answering fan mail; note the ink well for her refillable pen at the lower left of the shot.



See more Shirley Temple photos at my main website.