I don't remember one ever being shown on TV, to be perfectly honest. You don't see many musicals from the '30s, let alone Shirley Temple movies. There's a very good reason for that. They are very much "of their time". I suspect only diehard fans would find her films watchable. I think the best tribute would be a documentary about her brief but enormous impact on Hollywood and the world. I'd watch that, but not one of her films.
She was the first of the child stars and she set the formula they all followed. Many others have come along since and been pretty much the same. So looking back she doesn't really seem that special, which is unfair as she blazed the trail.
Her Films were shown pretty regularly in the 1970's and 80's as were the 'Andy Hardy' films Mickey Rooney made and even all of the old Bela Lugosi Dracula films.
The taste for 30's & 40's nostalgia seemed to vanish in the 1990's hence the younger people on here have never seen most of the stars from Hollywood's Golden Age.
Her Films were shown pretty regularly in the 1970's and 80's as were the 'Andy Hardy' films Mickey Rooney made and even all of the old Bela Lugosi Dracula films.
The taste for 30's & 40's nostalgia seemed to vanish in the 1990's hence the younger people on here have never seen most of the stars from Hollywood's Golden Age.
Well I certainly don't remember them being on regularly. There were only 3 channels, so it would be harder to miss them. And I would have tried very hard. But to be fair there were many more films on mainstream TV back then so perhaps you're right. Those old horror films certainly were regularly shown, but then I wouldn't class them as '30s musicals. ;-)
You certainly used to see more of the classic black and white films in those days. It's a great shame people apparently won't watch them now, they are missing a lot.
Her Films were shown pretty regularly in the 1970's and 80's as were the 'Andy Hardy' films Mickey Rooney made and even all of the old Bela Lugosi Dracula films.
The taste for 30's & 40's nostalgia seemed to vanish in the 1990's hence the younger people on here have never seen most of the stars from Hollywood's Golden Age.
Granada TV certainly showed them regularly along with George Formby And co
Pc brigade weren't fans and with the preoccupation the TV stations had of showing everything in colour got sidelined
That's why I love BBC 4
Just because its black and white doesn't mean its not worth seeing
Laurel and Hardy another example
Granada TV certainly showed them regularly along with George Formby And co
Pc brigade weren't fans and with the preoccupation the TV stations had of showing everything in colour got sidelined
That's why I love BBC 4
Just because its black and white doesn't mean its not worth seeing
Laurel and Hardy another example
If they were shown in the Granada region that would explain why I didn't see them. I don't understand what PC has to do with not showing Shirley Temple films. They were just very dated compared to other films of that era. Nothing to do with being non PC as far as I'm aware.
Shirley Temple was a reassuring reminder that child stars can go on to lead happy and successful lives away from Hollywood. Unlike some, she accepted that her hey day was over and rather than hang around on the fringes of Hollywood, trying to compete with the new stars of the day, she walked away and created a life for herself elsewhere. It's refreshing to read of someone like her who didn't have a string of broken marriages and dysfunctional relationships and end up a drug addled alcoholic wreck.
Shirley Temple was a reassuring reminder that child stars can go on to lead happy and successful lives away from Hollywood. Unlike some, she accepted that her hey day was over and rather than hang around on the fringes of Hollywood, trying to compete with the new stars of the day, she walked away and created a life for herself elsewhere. It's refreshing to read of someone like her who didn't have a string of broken marriages and dysfunctional relationships and end up a drug addled alcoholic wreck.
Yes, it is unusual to say the least and she was just a sweetheart when she was little. A wonderful lady I think, she had a great and long life and may be rest in peace.
If they were shown in the Granada region that would explain why I didn't see them. I don't understand what PC has to do with not showing Shirley Temple films. They were just very dated compared to other films of that era. Nothing to do with being non PC as far as I'm aware.
I'm thinking in particular of her films with Bill Robinson
The treatment of black people in some of those were seen as not pc by that time..though granted these were in turn based on old novels
I've read many were not very impressed either on her insistence about attending his funeral when he passed away including the bosses of the studio's she helped save ..a bit rich as many were imegrants themselves!!
I rather believe she would prefer to be remembered as someone who help break down prejudice first and as an actress second
Whatever your views though I think we can all agree the world's a sadder place now she's left it
God bless Shirley x
It has never been easier to find out whether a celebrity is still with us, or their exact age. The Internet Data Base gives detailed information on anyone who ever appeared in a film or TV.
Or you can just Google their name.
I think Howardessex simply meant that, without checking, his GUESS would have been that she had left us before now, not an outlandish notion either. Although I think you realise that but couldn't resist a little educating on "how the internet works."
Sky ran her childhood films regularly for a couple of years in the mid - late 90s, that's when I saw most of them. Bright Eyes, Baby Take A Bow, Just Around The Corner, The Little Princess, The Blue Bird, many others, all wonderful escapism. C4 also showed a few during the 90s, when they could still be bothered to utilise their rights to the Fox back catalogue to show something other than the same select few Western and War Films ad infinitum as is sadly their preference these days. I remember Curly Top, Stowaway, and strangely quite a downbeat non-musical little divorce drama, Our Little Girl.
I don't remember one ever being shown on TV, to be perfectly honest. You don't see many musicals from the '30s, let alone Shirley Temple movies. There's a very good reason for that. They are very much "of their time". I suspect only diehard fans would find her films watchable. I think the best tribute would be a documentary about her brief but enormous impact on Hollywood and the world. I'd watch that, but not one of her films.
I remember watching Wee Willie Winkie with my gran way back when I was very small (late 80s/early 90s?) so unless that's one of those pesky false memories they've shown at least one in the last 30 years.
I do agree that a lot of her films would now be considered problematic but there must be some that still suitable for screening. It's a shame to think there won't be any sort of tribute programming for her here in the UK but she's probably just not been a big deal here for a very, very long time.
Sad news.Amazing how iconic and well known someone who was only a child star not someone who acted in films as an adult became.
Would that really happen in 21st century Hollywood?Doubtful.
I loved Shirley Temple but when I re-watched all her movies as an adult I was horrified at the amount of work this poor child must have done to achieve such a high standard at dance, singing and learn
her script. Poor kid. When I read her mother used to say "Sparkle Shirley, Sparkle"!!!!! when she was on the film set, what pressure that poor child had on her to perform perfectly, get her lines right and "Sparkle"!!!
I loved Shirley Temple but when I re-watched all her movies as an adult I was horrified at the amount of work this poor child must have done to achieve such a high standard at dance, singing and learn
her script. Poor kid. When I read her mother used to say "Sparkle Shirley, Sparkle"!!!!! when she was on the film set, what pressure that poor child had on her to perform perfectly, get her lines right and "Sparkle"!!!
This book covers over her upbringing & how she became a child star right up to the end of her Hollywood heyday.
I remember that during some interview promoting her autobiography, she said that she was planning to write another book on her later days after her illustrious Hollywood career but for some reason, she never did.
Shirley also had an autobiography called 'My Young Life' released in 1945 and it was actually written by a ghost writer, not Shirley herself, probably based on instructions from her mother, Gertrude who was largely responsible for her daughter's merchandise.
This book covers over her upbringing & how she became a child star right up to the end of her Hollywood heyday.i
I remember that during some interview promoting her autobiography, she said that she was planning to write another book on her later days after her illustrious Hollywood career but for some reason, she never did.
Shirley also had an autobiography called 'My Young Life' released in 1945 and it was actually written by a ghost writer, not Shirley herself, probably based on instructions from her mother, Gertrude who was largely responsible for her daughter's merchandise.
Thank you for the information.A shame that furthur book about post Hollywood life never materialised.I suspect it could have been intriguing.
I see BBC TWO on Sunday the 23rd of February early in the morning are showing Bachelor Knight AKA The Bachelor and the Bobby-Soxer. Pity they are not showing her movies from when she was younger in the 30's.;-)
Shirley Temple was a reassuring reminder that child stars can go on to lead happy and successful lives away from Hollywood. Unlike some, she accepted that her hey day was over and rather than hang around on the fringes of Hollywood, trying to compete with the new stars of the day, she walked away and created a life for herself elsewhere. It's refreshing to read of someone like her who didn't have a string of broken marriages and dysfunctional relationships and end up a drug addled alcoholic wreck.
I see BBC TWO on Sunday the 23rd of February early in the morning are showing Bachelor Knight AKA The Bachelor and the Bobby-Soxer. Pity they are not showing her movies from when she was younger in the 30's.;-)
That's not exactly one of her most iconic films. Typical. *rollseyes*
To do Shirley's memory as a movie star justice, they'd need to show something like Bright Eyes or A Little Princess.
At least they're screening something though, so maybe I should just be grateful.
That's not exactly one of her most iconic films. Typical. *rollseyes*
To do Shirley's memory as a movie star justice, they'd need to show something like Bright Eyes or A Little Princess.
At least they're screening something though, so maybe I should just be grateful.
The reason BBC2 are showing it is because it's an RKO film, and the BBC has somehow got an infinite right to the RKO library. I'm not sure if she made any other films for RKO.
Channel 4 currently has rights with Fox, the studio which Temple made all her 'classic' films with. I think though that they don't have rights to the entire back catalogue - which they did seem to have back in the 90s - but just 'packages'. That's why they only now show the same bloody Westerns and War films over and over and over and over and over again, as opposed to comedies, musicals etc (When was the last time a Betty Grable film was on terrestrial TV?).
Comments
RIP Shirley
Her Films were shown pretty regularly in the 1970's and 80's as were the 'Andy Hardy' films Mickey Rooney made and even all of the old Bela Lugosi Dracula films.
The taste for 30's & 40's nostalgia seemed to vanish in the 1990's hence the younger people on here have never seen most of the stars from Hollywood's Golden Age.
You certainly used to see more of the classic black and white films in those days. It's a great shame people apparently won't watch them now, they are missing a lot.
Granada TV certainly showed them regularly along with George Formby And co
Pc brigade weren't fans and with the preoccupation the TV stations had of showing everything in colour got sidelined
That's why I love BBC 4
Just because its black and white doesn't mean its not worth seeing
Laurel and Hardy another example
Yes, it is unusual to say the least and she was just a sweetheart when she was little. A wonderful lady I think, she had a great and long life and may be rest in peace.
I'm thinking in particular of her films with Bill Robinson
The treatment of black people in some of those were seen as not pc by that time..though granted these were in turn based on old novels
I've read many were not very impressed either on her insistence about attending his funeral when he passed away including the bosses of the studio's she helped save ..a bit rich as many were imegrants themselves!!
I rather believe she would prefer to be remembered as someone who help break down prejudice first and as an actress second
Whatever your views though I think we can all agree the world's a sadder place now she's left it
God bless Shirley x
I think Howardessex simply meant that, without checking, his GUESS would have been that she had left us before now, not an outlandish notion either. Although I think you realise that but couldn't resist a little educating on "how the internet works."
I remember watching Wee Willie Winkie with my gran way back when I was very small (late 80s/early 90s?) so unless that's one of those pesky false memories they've shown at least one in the last 30 years.
I do agree that a lot of her films would now be considered problematic but there must be some that still suitable for screening. It's a shame to think there won't be any sort of tribute programming for her here in the UK but she's probably just not been a big deal here for a very, very long time.
Would that really happen in 21st century Hollywood?Doubtful.
her script. Poor kid. When I read her mother used to say "Sparkle Shirley, Sparkle"!!!!! when she was on the film set, what pressure that poor child had on her to perform perfectly, get her lines right and "Sparkle"!!!
Did Shirley ever write an autobiography?
Yes, she did write her official autobiography way back in 1988 although it wasn't the first.
http://www.amazon.com/Child-Star-Shirley-Temple-Black/dp/0070055327
This book covers over her upbringing & how she became a child star right up to the end of her Hollywood heyday.
I remember that during some interview promoting her autobiography, she said that she was planning to write another book on her later days after her illustrious Hollywood career but for some reason, she never did.
Shirley also had an autobiography called 'My Young Life' released in 1945 and it was actually written by a ghost writer, not Shirley herself, probably based on instructions from her mother, Gertrude who was largely responsible for her daughter's merchandise.
The New York Times obituary reminds us of the kind of sexualisation and punishment Shirley Temple and her contemporaries endured as child actors.
http://www.nytimes.com/2014/02/12/arts/shirley-temple-black-screen-star-dies-at-85.html?smid=tw-share
Three cheers for your post.
That's not exactly one of her most iconic films. Typical. *rollseyes*
To do Shirley's memory as a movie star justice, they'd need to show something like Bright Eyes or A Little Princess.
At least they're screening something though, so maybe I should just be grateful.
The reason BBC2 are showing it is because it's an RKO film, and the BBC has somehow got an infinite right to the RKO library. I'm not sure if she made any other films for RKO.
Channel 4 currently has rights with Fox, the studio which Temple made all her 'classic' films with. I think though that they don't have rights to the entire back catalogue - which they did seem to have back in the 90s - but just 'packages'. That's why they only now show the same bloody Westerns and War films over and over and over and over and over again, as opposed to comedies, musicals etc (When was the last time a Betty Grable film was on terrestrial TV?).