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.

Love in Tomorrowland

Love exists in Tomorrowland, and here is visual proof from September 1960. My first question is why does the man have to wear an uncomfortable helmet, but the girl gets to go without? Sounds like discrimination! Note the gadget on the man’s harness; is that supposed to be a camera or some kind of device to wipe out pesky little kids?



In the previously posted shot below from one month earlier, it appears to be the same couple working together. They just couldn’t get enough of each other.



One year later in August 1961, a different set of folks are portraying the outer space people. Looks like the disparity in helmets was finally taken care of!



See more Disneyland Spaceman/girl photos at my main website.

The Twelve Astrojets

The Disneyland Astrojet attraction in Tomorrowland opened in 1956, replacing the Court of Honor flags (shown above). Construction can be seen in the 1956 shot below:



The attraction once it was completed, circa 1956:



Note the Skyway pylon that would eventually be covered by the Matterhorn:)



This off-the-shelf-thrill ride gave guests a birds-eye view of the Park and helped alleviate the lack of attractions that were initially existed in Tomorrowland. Circa August 1956:



The rockets were named after stars, with the red ones being odd numbered and the blue ones even.



1958:



In the detailed image below you can see Canopus, Sirius, and Altair:



A July 1959 shot taken from a Skyway bucket:



My collection finally has images for each of the rockets, beginning with Canopus #2:



Capella #4:



Arcturus #5:



Rigel #6:



Antares #7:



Spica #8:



Procyon #9:



A barely visible Regulus #10:



Castor #11:



Altair #12:



And the two I haven’t been able to assign numbers, starting with Vega (my latest acquisition):



and Sirius:



Anyone know the numbers of those two? See more Disneyland Astrojets photos at my main website.

Monday at the Mausoleum: Holy Cross Cemetery

Located just off California State Route 94, Holy Cross Cemetery & Mausoleum had its first burial in 1919. It is the only Catholic Diocesan Cemetery currently serving San Diego County (sounds like it should have a drive-thru window, huh?). Visible from most incoming flights to San Diego, it is very well-maintained and feels safe. Unlike a neighboring cemetery (that shall remain nameless here), the mausoleums are accessible during the day without having to ask an attendant to unlock the doors. You also won’t find a plethora of buckets filled with water from leaks as a result of deferred maintenance.



The Mausoleum was added in 1939, and where a number of my relatives (from the Italian side!) are interred.



Walking through the grounds of a cemetery is like a combined tour of both art and history. I enjoy seeing the statuary and markers (some more than others) and attempting to fill in the blanks of those buried below. The saddest markers of those of the children, knowing that their parents must have been overcome with grief at such early loss.



I didn’t see too many family tombs, but the styling of this one was outstanding.



The inside of the mausoleum is tastefully done, with beautiful statues, art, and stained glass throughout.









Some of the people I recognized buried here included Willam Gargan:



Known to me because he played Shirley Temple’s father in “Miss Annie Rooney” (1942), pictured at center:



The previously mentioned actress Charlotte Henry, from “Alice in Wonderland” (1933) and “Babes in Toyland” (1934):



Andrew Cunanan, who went on a killing spree across the country in 1997 (ending in Miami Beach with the death of Gianni Versace), is also interred here. He was born in National City, not that far from Holy Cross Cemetery.



Still to find are silent screen actress Anita Page and actor Johnny Downs. Looks like a return visit is on the to-do list.

See more photos at my main website.

Temple Tuesday: LIFE can be cruel!

At first glance, the above photo is a charming shot of Shirley Temple, former child star and darling of the 1930s, and Mary Pickford, a “child” star from the teens and 1920s. At the time this 1943 photo was taken, Shirley was poised for a comeback under the direction of producer David O. Selznick. Mary had gone behind the camera, producing films for United Artists, which she was one of the founding members back in 1919. LIFE Magazine typically was kind to movie stars and often got exclusive photos and stories as a result; for this particular image, they were rather cruel. It ran full page in the October 4, 1943 issue with the headline, “TWO GREATEST HAS-BEENS.” From the rest of the feature:

Shirley Temple and Mary Pickford are seen here on a Hollywood movie set. Miss Temple is 15. Mary Pickford is 50. They are almost of a size. Their combined careers almost span the history of the motion picture industry. Mary Pickford has appeared in 60 full-length movies, Shirley Temple in 28. They are Hollywood’s two greatest has-beens. They are has-beens in the same peculiar way. Both of them have finished great movie careers. Mary Pickford as “America’s Sweetheart”; Shirley Temple as the screen’s greatest child actress. Miss Temple, for many years a top box-office draw as a curly-headed moppet, is now taking on her first real dramatic role. When Mary Pickford was her age she was appearing in David Belasco’s “Warrens of Virginia.” The occasion for their meeting was an on-the-set party to celebrate the first of shooting on Shirley Temple’s new picture, United Artists’s “Since You Went Away.” Miss Pickford, a part owner of United Artists, is also beginning a new movie career. Recently she paid $410,000 (the top price for a Broadway play) for the screen rights to “Junior Miss,” which she will soon produce. It is rumored that Shirley Temple will have one of leading roles in the movie.

There were so many other ways LIFE could have chosen to describe these two legends, all of which would have been more respectful. Below is another shot of Temple and Pickford from the party:



From the accompanying caption:

In the friendly, informal atmosphere of a typical American home, Claudette Colbert and Producer David O. Selznick recently entertained a group of Hollywood notables at a “housewarming.” Scene of the unusual gathering was the “Hilton Home” set, on which will be shot some of the footage for Selznick’s “Since You Went Away,” story of a typical American home in wartime. Present at the party were Producer Selznick, Director John Cromwell and members of the all-star cast, Claudette Colbert, Joseph Cotten, Jennifer Jones, Shirley Temple, Monty Woolley, Robert Walker, Hattie McDaniel, Neil Hamilton, Eric Sinclair, Rhonda Fleming, Christopher Adams and Vicci Styles. Left to right: Commander Garcia, Shirley Temple and Mary Pickford.

A detail of the pin Mary is wearing:



Below are cast members Robert Walker, current wife Jennifer Jones, Selznick (who would eventually marry Jones), Shirley, and Joseph Cotten. Ingrid Bergman, smiling in the background, was a visitor to the set party.



Another shot with Bergman, Selznick, Temple, and Jones. That’s some purse Jones has tucked under her arm!



Below is a shot of Shirley getting ready. The accompanying blurb:

LADY’S TIME OUT to fix up before returning in front of the cameras. Shirley Temple has her hair done by Cleo, the hair stylist, for a scene in David O. Selznick’s “Since You Went Away.” Others in the all-star cast are Claudette Colbert, Joseph Cotten, Jennifer Jones, Monty Woolley and Robert Walker.



Poor Cleo; no credit or last name could be found for her on imdb. In an attempt to make up (pun intended) for that, below is a color shot of Shirley in the same outfit on the cover of Modern Screen Magazine, circa April 1944:



See more Shirley Temple photos at my main website.