Screen Gem Saturdays: Happy (Early) Birthday, Rosalind Russell

In honor of Rosalind Russell's upcoming birthday, I am posting a photo from her 1942 on-set celebration.



From the publicity blurb:

HAPPY BIRTHDAY: Rosalind Russell, who celebrated her birthday (June 4, 1942) recently by working all day at Columbia in "My Sister Eileen" shuts her eyes to make a wish as she cuts the cake presented to her by Director Al Hall ad the cast. Left to right, Donald McBride, Shirley Temple, Allyn Joslyn, Miss Russell, Al Hall, Gordon Jones, Janet Blair and Richard Quine.

Shirley Temple was in between films, so apparently had some time on her hands. As shown in a previous post, she made the rounds at Columbia that day, visiting Fred Astaire & Rita Hayworth (filming "You Were Never Lovelier"):



Former director Alexander Hall ("Little Miss Marker"), who is probably glad that the grown-up Shirley is not sitting on his lap.



See more Classic Movie & TV photos on my Classic Movie & TV web page.

Screen Gem Saturdays: Shirley Temple visits Columbia Studios

Shirley Temple‘s first “retirement” was at the ripe old age of 12. After one minor film for MGM, she did an even more minor effort entitled, “Miss Annie Rooney,” released May 29, 1942, which was most notable as her very first on-screen kiss (which amounted to little more than a chaste kiss on the cheek). Of this low-budget film, Variety said: “Shirley is still a conscientious worker in any film that comes her way, even though her appeal remains limited to less sophisticated tastes.” The New Yorker: “not much, about not much.” The New York Times: “‘Miss Annie Rooney’ is a very little picture. In fact, it is a very grim little picture....Meanwhile, couldn’t Miss Temple be kept in school for just a little while?”

What do you do after you get reviews like that? How about visit another film studio, surround yourself with hot celebrities, and get a blurb written about yourself in the press! That’s exactly what Shirley did as she toured Columbia Studio on June 20, 1942. First up was on onset visit for the film “You Were Never Lovelier” (released November 19, 1942) with Fred Astaire and Rita Hayworth, directed by William Seiter (who directed Shirley in “Dimples,” “Stowaway,” “The Little Princess,” and “Susannah of the Mounties). Rita does not look too happy about being left out of this particular dance step.



On the set of “My Sister Eileen” (released September 24, 1942), Shirley posed with Director Alexander Hall (who directed Shirley in “Little Miss Marker” back in 1934) and a less-than-thrilled looking Rosalind Russell.



Here are Shirley and Hall together again after their previous film eight years beforehand:



Shirley did make a triumphant comeback under the guidance of David O. Selznick two years later, but in the meantime, she lived the life of a normal teenager.

See more Shirley Temple photos at my main website.