Shirley Temple Adoration Thread- Page 2

[StageManager2]

Posted: 10/20/06 at 1:11pm

She had screen presence, but do you think she had acting talent?

[justme2]

Posted: 10/20/06 at 1:23pm

Yes, but I think the acting talent came after she turned about 7 or so. If you watch her earlier pictures, you can see her eyes drift off camera still, as if looking for the direction.

[Mamie]

Posted: 10/20/06 at 2:24pm

People that worked with her say that she was just incredible - and a little embarassing for them. They say she always showed up for the first day of filming with the entire script memorized. Not just her lines but the whole script! She would cue the others when they'd forget a line. Alice Faye said there were times when she felt pretty stupid just standing next to her!

[JohnBoy2]

Posted: 10/20/06 at 2:37pm

Yes, I do think she could act; but her presence was remarkable. For my tastes, screen presence is far more important to being an enjoyable film star, than acting talent. All of my screen favorites have lots of presence.

[MasterLcZ]

Posted: 10/20/06 at 3:49pm

doodle, that's "Oh, My Goodness" in POOR LITTLE RICH GIRL.
Shirley sings it in several different accents (Dutch, Russian and Hi-De-Ho) to her dolls in her bedroom.

But my favorite Shirley impression is when she sings "You Gotta S-M-I-L-E to be H-A-Double-P-Y" in STOWAWAY in the styles of Al Jolson & Eddie Cantor and imitates Fred and Ginger with a Fred Astaire doll!

Two tantalizing Shirley might-have-beens: She was asked to be in PANAMA HATTIE on Broadway (I'm sure Merman would have just LOVED working with her and vice versa!), and was slated for the Virginia Widler role in BABES ON BROADWAY during her very brief career at MGM (Mickey, Judy and Shirley...wow).

[hannahshule]

Posted: 10/20/06 at 4:28pm

When I was in 1st grade, I had my first slumber party, and we stayed up all night (almost) watching Shirley Temple films. Who could forget "Animal Crackers in my Soup". I think she was very talented, just look at her tap, and prescence is abit of a talent (at that age) in itself.

Damn good drink too.

[doodlenyc]

Posted: 10/20/06 at 4:34pm

Thanks, Master!

I recently watched the tv bio-pic of her and it was extrodinary how professional she was, and her parents adored her and looked out for her. They had the scene where she remembers Barrymore's lines better than him, and picking up Bill Robinson's choreog. so quickly.

She had a great life, it seems...except for losing Dorothy.

[papalovesmambo]

Posted: 10/20/06 at 4:35pm

i had a crush on her in fort apache even though she starred with then hubby john agar.

Updated On: 10/20/06 at 04:35 PM

[DayDreamer]

Posted: 10/20/06 at 4:42pm

Love her! When I was growing up, the tv station at home would have special programming during vacation time - we actually had tv in the morning. They always showed a Shirley Temple movie at 11:00 am.

[doodlenyc]

Posted: 10/20/06 at 4:44pm

That's disturbing, papa.

besides, I dont think she actually had a hoo ha.

[Calvin]

Posted: 10/20/06 at 4:46pm

Can you believe I've never seen any of her movies? Would they be lost on me if I started watching them as an adult?

I did love Miss Vicki on The Simpsons: "Tappa tappa tappa! I'm ever so pissed!"
Updated On: 10/20/06 at 04:46 PM

[papalovesmambo]

Posted: 10/20/06 at 4:48pm

c'mon, doodle, she was 19 by then and had been married for 2 years to agar (yep she married him at 17).

[doodlenyc]

Posted: 10/20/06 at 4:52pm

Calvin...it's never too late to come out, dear.

come on...rent The Littlest Colonel and Poor Little Rich Girl.

[Unknown User]

Posted: 10/20/06 at 4:59pm

even tho she was older, i really like THE BLUEBIRD!

[Rathnait62]

Posted: 10/20/06 at 5:01pm

Calvin - The Little Princess, Baby Take a Bow, and Heidi.

You'll never look back.

[Calvin]

Posted: 10/20/06 at 5:02pm

All right. I'll try. But childhood nostalgia can be a dangerous thing.

Not that it's a valid comparison, but as a kid, I loved the movie "Spaceballs." One of my college roommates had never seen it, so we rented it to make him watch it. As we sat through it, and he never once cracked a smile, I came to the horrid realization: That...movie...was...never...funny.

[Rathnait62]

Posted: 10/20/06 at 5:03pm

This is not childhood nostalgia. This is pure, unadulterated DELIGHT.

Well, except for papa.

Updated On: 10/20/06 at 05:03 PM

[Glebb]

Posted: 10/20/06 at 10:16pm

Curly Top and Bright Eyes are fab.

[best12bars]

Posted: 10/21/06 at 4:16am

My favorite Shirley film is a weird, obscure one... and a flop, even, in its day...

The Blue Bird

The Russian fairy tale that Fox rushed into production as her answer to "The Wizard of Oz," complete with B&W beginning and finale, book-ending a Technicolor fantasy. This was Shirley at the tail end of her childhood. She plays a spoiled brat of a girl, searching for the blue bird of happiness. The supporting cast is superb around her, particularly the evil Gale Sondergaard (who was first choice to play the Wicked Witch in The Wizard of Oz, before they decided not to go "glamorous" with that character).

I particularly love the music in The Blue Bird, and its message. And Shirley gives a fine, non-sugary acting performance in it.



EDIT: n69n---I just realized you mentioned liking this one too! Yay!

Updated On: 10/21/06 at 04:16 AM

[Glebb]

Posted: 6/29/08 at 9:18am

Watching DIMPLES and the kid is really tapping.
I always assumed that she was fake tapping since she was so little but I just focused on her from the knee down and she's got the lose ankle and what looks like perfect technique to me!

[nygrl23]

Posted: 6/29/08 at 12:15pm

Shirley Temple's (ambitious) mom wasn't thrilled with the news she was pregnant with the future star. Neither was Judy Garland's (ambitious) mom. One more thing they had in common.

[louisamayfoster]

Posted: 6/29/08 at 11:31pm

I think it was easy to adore Shirley. She was cute and very, very smart, a bit of a tom boy (loved being made an honorary G-woman by J. Edgar Hoover) and the studios gave her the best of everything as she was the top box office draw for four years.

She was born late to Gertrude and George Temple - she had two much older brothers. Her mom devoted all of her time to her and tried to keep her as unspoiled as possible. I think she did a wonderful job. If only I could listen in to a few of the conversations those two had each night as mom sat wrapping Shirley's curls around her finger and pinning them.

[miss pennywise]

Posted: 6/29/08 at 11:40pm

HEIDI is the first movie I remember watching and crying over. She was heartbreaking in that film.

I adore STOWAWAY, which she made when she was 7. What a cast! Alice Fay, Robert Young, Eugene Pallette and Arthur Treacher!

And, as far as when she was "older," I have always enjoyed her in THE BACHELOR AND THE BOBBYSOXER (not to mention Cary Grant and Myrna Loy.)

My mother watched her movies when she was a little girl as did I...and now MY daughter. Awwwww.

[mattnyc2]

Posted: 6/30/08 at 7:45am

I need new glasses. I read the thread title as "Shirley Temple ABORTION thread." Whoops.