Temple Tuesday: Rumplestiltskin and Raitt

A few behind-the-scenes shots (you know I dig those) for “Rumpelstiltskin,” the February 2, 1958 episode of “Shirley Temple’s Storybook.”  Shirley sips some coffee while chatting with associate producer Alvin Cooperman (also a producer for “The Untouchables”):

Did Cooperman REALLY think that Shirley wasn’t aware of the cropping of the frame in the television camera?!? Pshaw…Shirley knew it ALL! In all seriousness, he was a huge fan of Shirley’s:

Shirley learned her lines in two days and was ready for direction when she came down from Atherton for rehearsals. She had all the warmth and laughter in her voice that the series needed. She was the storyteller telling stories to her children. Nobody could be better. 

A few images showing her rehearsing the opening of the episode. As the hostess of the show, Shirley would sing the theme song and then tell the audience what fairy tale they would be enjoying that evening.

Oh, to know what she is whispering in this man’s ear!

Shirley chatting it up with John Raitt, who played the King.

Surely you all know that John is singer Bonnie Raitt’s father!

See more “Shirley Temple’s Storybook” photos at my main website.

Temple Tuesdays: Rumpelstiltskin 1958 Pt. 2

More photos from the taping of the February 1958 "Rumpelstiltskin" episode of Shirley Temple's Storybook. In today's shots, Shirley is rehearsing the theme song of the show, "Dreams Are Made for Children."



For the actual show, Shirley "floated" out on a "cloud" and sang the tune, dressed to the nines in Don Loper gowns.





I could only find this poor vocal copy on youtube of Shirley singing the theme song. As an adult, Shirley really did have a very pleasant voice.



Looking fairly serious, Shirley inspects the medal of John Raitt, the star of the episode.



She looks annoyed here; did Raitt use some foul language, or did he flub a line?



Here's a previously posted shot of Raitt and Shirley, all smiles:



More Shirley Temple Storybook photos at my main website.

Temple Tuesdays: Rumpelstiltskin 1958

This set of images from 1958 shows Shirley Temple Black behind the scenes of her television anthology series "Shirley Temple's Storybook." The episode being filmed was "Rumpelstiltskin," starring Jonathan Harris (aka Dr. Smith from "Lost in Space"), John Raitt, Kurt Kasznar, and Celia Lovsky. A detailed shot of the monitor; I believe Kasznar is at the center of the image:



As narrator of the show, Shirley did not act in this episode, which is why she was able to oversee the filming from a TV monitor:



Another detailed view of the monitor:





Smoking was not something Shirley did very much in public, preferring to keep the nasty habit private.



Shirley does seem intrigued by the show:



Airing on February 2, 1958, "Rumpelstiltskin" was the second episode of the series.

More 1950s Shirley Temple photos at my main website.