Shirley Temple's Storybook
Encyclopedia
Shirley Temple's Storybook is an American children's
anthology series hosted and narrated by Shirley Temple
. The series features adaptations of fairy tale
s and other family-oriented stories performed by well-known actors, although one episode, an adaptation of The House of the Seven Gables
, was meant for older youngsters. The first season of sixteen black-and-white and colored episodes aired on NBC
between January 12, 1958 and December 21, 1958 as Shirley Temple's Storybook. Thirteen episodes of the first season re-ran
on ABC
beginning on January 12, 1959. The second season of twenty-five color episodes aired on NBC as The Shirley Temple Show between September 18, 1960 and July 16, 1961 in much the same format that it had under its original title.
Temple's three children made their acting debuts in the last episode of the first season, "Mother Goose". When a stagehand
said 'shit' during a "Mother Goose" rehearsal, Temple had him fired, telling the stunned cast it was a children's show–although no children were present during the rehearsal. Three of the first season episodes were done live, and each of the three took ten days of preparation. Temple read each script and made suggestions for improvement if necessary.
published three fairy tale collections under Temple's name based on the first season: Shirley Temple's Storybook (the complete season), Shirley Temple's Fairyland (selections from the first season), and Shirley Temple's Stories That Never Grow Old (selections from the first season). A fourth book, Shirley Temple's Favorite Tales Of Long Ago (illustrated and published by Random House
in 1958) includes "The Magic Fishbone", "The Nightingale", "The Valiant Little Tailor", and "The Little Lame Prince".
Children's television series
Children's television series, are commercial television programs designed for, and marketed to children, normally scheduled for broadcast during the morning and afternoon when children are awake. They can sometimes run in the early evening, for the children that go to school...
anthology series hosted and narrated by Shirley Temple
Shirley Temple
Shirley Temple Black , born Shirley Jane Temple, is an American film and television actress, singer, dancer, autobiographer, and former U.S. Ambassador to Ghana and Czechoslovakia...
. The series features adaptations of fairy tale
Fairy tale
A fairy tale is a type of short story that typically features such folkloric characters, such as fairies, goblins, elves, trolls, dwarves, giants or gnomes, and usually magic or enchantments. However, only a small number of the stories refer to fairies...
s and other family-oriented stories performed by well-known actors, although one episode, an adaptation of The House of the Seven Gables
The House of the Seven Gables
The House of the Seven Gables is a 1668 colonial mansion in Salem, Massachusetts, USA. The house is now a non-profit museum, with an admission fee charged for tours, as well as an active settlement house with programs for children...
, was meant for older youngsters. The first season of sixteen black-and-white and colored episodes aired on NBC
NBC
The National Broadcasting Company is an American commercial broadcasting television network and former radio network headquartered in the GE Building in New York City's Rockefeller Center with additional major offices near Los Angeles and in Chicago...
between January 12, 1958 and December 21, 1958 as Shirley Temple's Storybook. Thirteen episodes of the first season re-ran
Rerun
A rerun or repeat is a re-airing of an episode of a radio or television broadcast. The invention of the rerun is generally credited to Desi Arnaz. There are two types of reruns—those that occur during a hiatus, and those that occur when a program is syndicated. Reruns can also be, as the...
on ABC
American Broadcasting Company
The American Broadcasting Company is an American commercial broadcasting television network. Created in 1943 from the former NBC Blue radio network, ABC is owned by The Walt Disney Company and is part of Disney-ABC Television Group. Its first broadcast on television was in 1948...
beginning on January 12, 1959. The second season of twenty-five color episodes aired on NBC as The Shirley Temple Show between September 18, 1960 and July 16, 1961 in much the same format that it had under its original title.
Temple's three children made their acting debuts in the last episode of the first season, "Mother Goose". When a stagehand
Stagehand
A stagehand is a person who works backstage or behind the scenes in theatres, film, television, or location performance. Their duties include setting up the scenery, lights, sound, props, rigging, and special effects for a production.-Types of stagehand:...
said 'shit' during a "Mother Goose" rehearsal, Temple had him fired, telling the stunned cast it was a children's show–although no children were present during the rehearsal. Three of the first season episodes were done live, and each of the three took ten days of preparation. Temple read each script and made suggestions for improvement if necessary.
Season 1
| Episode # | Episode title | Original airdate |
|---|---|---|
| 1-1[C][L] | "Beauty and the Beast" | January 12, 1958 |
| 1-2 | "Rumpelstiltskin" | February 2, 1958 |
| 1-3 | "The Nightingale" | February 18, 1958 |
| 1-4[C][L] | "The Legend of Sleepy Hollow" | March 5, 1958 |
| 1-5 | "Dick Whittington and His Cat" | March 23, 1958 |
| 1-6 | "The Land of Green Ginger" | April 18, 1958 |
| 1-7 | "Rip Van Winkle" | May 6, 1958 |
| 1-8 | "The Sleeping Beauty" | June 8, 1958 |
| 1-9 | "The Little Lame Prince" | July 15, 1958 |
| 1-10 | "The Magic Fishbone" | August 19, 1958 |
| 1-11 | "The Wild Swans" | September 12, 1958 |
| 1-12 | "Hiawatha" | October 13, 1958 |
| 1-13 | "Rapunzel" | October 27, 1958 |
| 1-14 | "Ali Baba and the 40 Thieves" | November 12, 1958 |
| 1-15 | "The Emperor's New Clothes" | November 25, 1958 |
| 1-16[C] | "Mother Goose" | December 21, 1958 |
- C^ Episode was telecast in color.
- L^ Live episode.
Season 2
| Episode # | Episode title | Original airdate |
|---|---|---|
| 2-1 | "The Land of Oz" | September 18, 1960 |
| 2-2 | "Kim" | September 25, 1960 |
| 2-3 | "Winnie-the-Pooh" | October 2, 1960 |
| 2-4 | "Tom and Huck" | October 9, 1960 |
| 2-5 | "Madeline" | October 16, 1960 |
| 2-6 | "Little Men" | October 23, 1960 |
| 2-7 | "The Prince and the Pauper" | October 30, 1960 |
| 2-8 | "Emmy Lou" | November 6, 1960 |
| 2-9 | "The Reluctant Dragon" | November 13, 1960 |
| 2-10 | "The Black Arrow" | November 27, 1960 |
| 2-11 | "The Indian Captive" | December 4, 1960 |
| 2-12 | "The House of Seven Gables" | December 11, 1960 |
| 2-13 | "The Black Sheep" | December 18, 1960 |
| 2-14 | "Babes in Toyland" | December 25, 1960 |
| 2-15 | "Pippi Longstocking" | January 8, 1961 |
| 2-16 | "King Midas" | January 15, 1961 |
| 2-17 | "Rebel Gun" | January 22, 1961 |
| 2-18 | "The Terrible Clockman" | January 29, 1961 |
| 2-19 | "The Fawn" | February 5, 1961 |
| 2-20 | "Onawandah" | February 12, 1961 |
| 2-21 | "The Return of Long John Silver" | February 19, 1961 |
| 2-22 | "The Little Mermaid" | March 5, 1961 |
| 2-23 | "The Peg-leg Pirate of Sulu" | March 12, 1961 |
| 2-24 | "The Princess and the Goblins" | March 19, 1961 |
| 2-25 | "Two for the Road" | July 16, 1961 |
Book collections
Random HouseRandom House
Random House, Inc. is the largest general-interest trade book publisher in the world. It has been owned since 1998 by the German private media corporation Bertelsmann and has become the umbrella brand for Bertelsmann book publishing. Random House also has a movie production arm, Random House Films,...
published three fairy tale collections under Temple's name based on the first season: Shirley Temple's Storybook (the complete season), Shirley Temple's Fairyland (selections from the first season), and Shirley Temple's Stories That Never Grow Old (selections from the first season). A fourth book, Shirley Temple's Favorite Tales Of Long Ago (illustrated and published by Random House
Random House
Random House, Inc. is the largest general-interest trade book publisher in the world. It has been owned since 1998 by the German private media corporation Bertelsmann and has become the umbrella brand for Bertelsmann book publishing. Random House also has a movie production arm, Random House Films,...
in 1958) includes "The Magic Fishbone", "The Nightingale", "The Valiant Little Tailor", and "The Little Lame Prince".
DVD release
Selected episodes of the second season were released on Region 1 DVD in 2006. At least four volumes from the first season were released on VHS from Season 1, including "Ali Baba and the Forty Thieves" as Volume 4.Award nomination
| Year | Award | Result | Category |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1961 | Primetime Emmy Award Primetime Emmy Award The Primetime Emmy Awards are awards presented by the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences in recognition of excellence in American primetime television programming... |
Nominated | Outstanding Achievement in the Field of Children's Programming |