WEE WILLIE WINKIE

Generations of moviegoers fell in love with the movies while watching a sunny, irrepressible little girl who sang, danced, and helped set the world to rights.  In celebration of Shirley Temple’s 80th birthday year, the Academy will premiere newly restored prints of two of her classic films.

John Ford directed Temple in WEE WILLIE WINKIE, an adaptation of a Rudyard Kipling tale set in Colonial India.  While visiting her grandfather, a British army colonel, Temple’s character, nicknamed “Wee Willie Winkie,” finds herself in the midst of hostilities and must use her abundant charm and quick wits to help save the day.  In REBECCA OF SUNNYBROOK FARM, Temple becomes a radio singing star, unbeknownst to her disapproving aunt.

At age six, Shirley Temple received a Special Award, a miniature Oscar® statuette, “in grateful recognition of her outstanding contribution to screen entertainment during the year 1934.”  As an adult, Shirley Temple Black has continued her contributions to society as a diplomat with the State Department, where she has served as ambassador to Ghana and Czechoslovakia and as a delegate to the United Nations.

WEE WILLIE WINKIE (1937) Cast Shirley Temple (Priscilla Williams), Victor McLaglen (Sergeant MacDuff), C. Aubrey Smith (Colonel Williams), June Lang (Joyce Williams), Michael Whalen (Lieut. ‘Coppy’ Brandes), Cesar Romero (Khoda Khan), Constance Collier (Mrs. Allardyce), Douglas Scott (Mott), Gavin Muir (Captain Bibberbeigh), Willie Fung (Mohammet Dihn), Brandon Hurst (Bagby), Lionel Pape (Major Allardyce), Clyde Cook (Pipe Major Sneath), Lauri Beatty (Elsie Allardyce), Lionel Braham (Major General Hammond), Mary Forbes (Mrs. MacMonachie), Cyril McLaglen (Corporal Tummel), Pat Somerset (Officer), Hector Sarno (Driver).

Directed by John Ford.  Executive Producer Darryl F. Zanuck.  Associate Producer Gene Markey.  Screenplay Ernest Pascal, Julien Josephson.  Based on the story by Rudyard Kipling.  Cinematography Arthur Miller.  Film Editing Walter Thompson.  Art Direction William Darling, David Hall.  Set Decoration Thomas Little.  Costume Design Gwen Wakeling.  Music Alfred Newman.  Sound Eugene Grossman, Roger Heman.  Twentieth Century-Fox.  1937.  35mm.  Black and whtie. 100 mins.  Print courtesy of Twentieth Century Fox.

Academy Award® nominee:  Art Direction (Darling, Hall)

REBECCA OF SUNNYBROOK FARM (1938) Cast Shirley Temple (Rebecca Winstead), Randolph Scott (Anthony Kent), Jack Haley (Orville Smithers), Gloria Stuart (Gwen Warren), Phyllis Brooks (Lola Lee), Helen Westley (Aunt Miranda Wilkins), Slim Summerville (Homer Busby), Bill Robinson (Aloysius), Raymond Scott Quintet (Themselves), Alan Dinehart (Purvis), J. Edward Bromberg (Dr. Hill), Dixie Dunbar (Receptionist), Paul Hurst (Mug), William Demarest (Henry Kipper), Ruth Gillette (Melba), Paul Harvey (Cyrus Bartlett), Clarence Hummel Wilson (Jake Singer), Franklin Pangborn (Hamilton Montmarcy), William Wagner (Reverend Turner), Eily Malyon (Mrs. Turner), Mary McCarty (Florabelle), Sam Hayes (Radio announcer), Gary Breckner (Radio announcer), Carroll Nye (Radio announcer).

Directed by Allan Dwan.  Executive Producer Darryl F. Zanuck.  Associate Producer Raymond Griffith.  Screenplay Karl Tunberg, Don Ettlinger.  Suggested by the novel by Kate Douglas Wiggin.  Cinematography Arthur Miller.  Film Editing Allen McNeil.  Art Direction Bernard Herzbrun, Hans Peters.  Set Decoration Thomas Little.  Costume Design Gwen Wakeling.  Musical Direction Arthur Lange.  Sound George Leverett, Roger Heman. Twentieth Century-Fox.  1938.  35mm.  Black and white. 81 mins.  Print courtesy of Twentieth Century Fox.