Customer Reviews

Shirley Temple Storybook Collection 6-pk

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1 star:		(4)

 

 

As the product's name suggests, the Shirley Temple Storybook Collection contains previously unavailable episodes from the star's short-lived fairytale TV series, The Shirley Temple Show. Shirley serves as your endearing host and navigator as the hottest stars of the `60s parade through several DVDs of familiar and less-known fables and fairy tales. Several notes to the prospective buyer: Shirley is a fully grown young woman by this time, so please don't go into this expecting an adorable little girl. Secondly, although Shirley hosts every episode and is occasionally engaged as a minor role, she is not the star in these features--that job is delegated to luminaries such as Landau and Moorehead.

That said; this DVD pack is an excellent opportunity for the avid Shirley Temple fan to expand their collection with material that hadn't been available for nearly fifty years. Fans would also enjoy the opportunity to see the star in her later years, since we all too-often neglect that phase of her career in favor of our idealized childhood image of the actress. In any event, this pack is an excellent value for the money and an equally excellent way to expose children to a Disney-free version of popular stories (because why should one company have a monopoly on your children's minds?)

This product was most likely low budget but to be honest with you it is actually enjoyable to watch. Basically its similar to Barney or similar show 6 disks with 2 one hour shows on them. Many old timer comedians such as Agnes Morehead (from what some of us remember as bewitched)and others of the 1961 timeframe. Some might like it only for the value of seeing an adult Shirley Temple. Otherwise great for the kids without the going green mentality by most shows now a days. I recommend it for all Shirley Temple fans, past and present.

"Shirley Temple's Storybook" (aka "The Shirley Temple Show") was a successful television series (that ran in colour on NBC between 1958 and 1961) where Miss Temple hosted and more often than not, starred in, adaptations of fairy tale classics and other works of children's literature. Serving as the precursor to other shows like "Faerie Tale Theatre" and "Tall Tales and Legends", "Shirley Temple's Storybook" boasted a galaxy of stars from stage and screen, elaborate production values and lavish costumes.

Episodes:

THE LITTLE MERMAID
Shirley Temple takes center stage in this lovely adaptation of Hans Christian Andersen's fairytale about a beautiful mermaid who trades away her tail in a bid to fall in love with a shipwrecked prince (Donald Harron). Co-starring Cathleen Nesbitt, Ray Walston and Nina Foch as the Mer-Witch.

PIPPI LONGSTOCKING
Astrid Lindgren's colourful, fearless young heroine comes to life thanks to a perfectly-cast Gina Gillespie. We follow Pippi on several adventures with her neighbours Tommy (Gregory Irvin) and Annika (Kelly Smith), including a day at school where Pippi matches wits with teacher Miss Lindquist (Renie Riano), and a visit to a carnival with Tor Johnson as the strong-man!

KIM
Shirley Temple must have especially loved this episode, as it was repeated at least twice during the run of the series. Based on the Rudyard Kipling novel, the story follows the incredible adventure of one small boy (Tony Haig) upon whose shoulders rested the entire fate of the British army. Co-starring Michael Rennie and Alan Napier.

WINNIE THE POOH
The characters of A.A. Milne's Hundred Acre Wood come to thrilling life thanks to the marionettes workshopped by Bil and Cora Baird in this lovely episode, starring Shirley Temple as Mother and featuring Teddy Eccles as Christopher Robin.

BABES IN TOYLAND
Originally broadcast for Christmas 1960, this adaptation of the Victor Herbert operetta is co-hosted by Shirley and her three children. Temple also takes the role of gypsy witch Floretta, with Jonathan Winters as evil Uncle Barnaby, chasing after his two young relatives (Michel Petit and Angela Cartwright), so he can steal their inheritance.

THE LAND OF OZ
Based on "The Marvelous Land of Oz" by L. Frank Baum. Princess Ozma (Shirley Temple) is transformed into a boy called Tip, by the witch Mombi (Agnes Moorehead). Growing up as a mischievous young man--instead of the future ruler of Oz--Tip frees the enchanted Jack Pumpkinhead and unwittingly embarks on a thrilling adventure to overthrow evil Lord Nikidik (Jonathan Winters).

THE RELUCTANT DRAGON
Based on the book by Kenneth Grahame, this is the tale of a special friendship between a young boy and a nervous dragon. But when the rest of the townspeople learn of the dragon, the boy must find a way to save him. With John Raitt, Charles Herbert, Jack Weston and Alice Pearce.

THE PRINCESS AND THE GOBLINS
Shirley Temple stars as Princess Irene in this adaptation of George MacDonald's fantasy novel, about a mysterious, hidden race of goblins and the adventurous princess who, with the assistance of brave miner Curdie (Jack Ging) discovers their plot. Co-starring Alice Pearce, Mary Wickes, Arte Johnson, Jack Weston and Irene Hervey.

MADELINE
Gina Gillespie brings to life the plucky heroine of Ludwig Bemelman's series of children's books. In an old house in Paris that's covered in vines, lived twelve little girls in two straight lines. The youngest one was Madeline... Co-starring Imogene Coca as Miss Clavel, we follow Madeline and next-door neighbour Pepito (Michel Petit) as they go in search of missing dog Genevieve, but become side-tracked by the delights of a colourful gypsy circus. Keep your eyes peeled for Ann Jillian as the oldest of the Clavel girls.

THE TERRIBLE CLOCKMAN
This striking episode is based on the original story by Jules Verne. The villagers of a small Swiss town are terrorised by an evil sorcerer, who twists time and enchants a mechanical monster to stalk the streets. Shirley Temple stars as Gerande, with Eric Portman, Sam Jaffe and David Frankham.

THE HOUSE OF THE SEVEN GABLES
Nathaniel Hawthorne's supernatural novel comes to life with Shirley Temple playing Phoebe Pyncheon. When Phoebe goes to stay with her cousins (Agnes Moorehead and Martin Landau) at their gothic mansion, little does she realise the terror and mystery that will befall her...

Loved the sotries, however one of the disk was completely blank. Very frustrating especially when my grandchildren wanted to watch that story

Most of the unhappy reviews are from people who bought it without a clue what it was going to be. There are gobs of Shirley Temple collections out there, including some good ones, as well as a set of shorts she appeared in before she became famous, so you have to know what you are ordering. I knew this was from a series of dramatizations of fairy tales and popular stories hosted by Shirley Temple around 1960. I expected the quality to be very poor, like old Kinescopes. I was pleasantly surprised. Though they look like videotape, they are in color and look pretty good, considering. Undeniably watchable. In some she is only a host-narrator (a couple are entirely puppet productions), while in others she has a strong role. These are comparable to videotaped stage plays, except that these were edited productions, not live performances. But the production values if performed on stage today would not be much different. At least one of these was performed before an audience. And there are some delights to be seen, like the campy scenes with the Sea Witch (Nina Foch) and her underwater advisor (Ray Walston) in The Little Princess. A great chance to see some very fine actors and actresses in performances that haven't been available for 50 years. A note on packaging: While the photos of the product shows a boxed set, the set I received was held together by only a sleeve.

I honestly enjoyed watching a lot of these shows when they aired in 1961. But the one fable that wasn't included was "Rapunzel!" Agnes Moorehead played the witch in that one. And to be honest, her performance scared the u-know-what out of me!

This was a Christmas gift for young girls. I thought it would be actual Shirley Temple movies which they would have
loved, and of course they weren't. It was too late to return them so I gave these to the girls anyway. I was extremely
disappointed in this purchase.

Great series that conveys the best of humanity and ideals in children. It has been good for 50 years. Great for birthdays and Christmas for girls especially.

I enjoy sharing with my granddaughter, the many moments of joy at watching Shirley Temple. This media allows us to share in a current mode.

It was a gift I bought for someone. Don't know how they like it. I know she will like it because she has not
seen any of the movies before.