Films › War Babies (1932)
War Babies
Shirley Temple's first speaking role: an 11-minute pre-Code Baby Burlesks short with toddlers playing soldiers and a cafe dancer.
Production Background
War Babies was produced by Jack Hays for Educational Pictures and directed by Charles Lamont. Released September 18, 1932, the 11-minute one-reeler was the second installment in the Baby Burlesks series of pre-Code shorts that cast preschool children in parodies of recent feature films. Distribution went out through Educational Film Exchanges, with Universal Pictures and Fox Film also handling Baby Burlesks titles.
Three-year-old Shirley Temple, who had been signed to Educational Pictures in 1932 after casting director Charles Lamont spotted her at a dance school, received $10 a day for her work in the series. Wikipedia's dedicated article identifies her character as Gloria, the cafe dancer; the Shirley Temple filmography article lists the role as Charmaine — sources disagree on the character name.
Synopsis
The action unfolds inside a cafe where toddlers pose as adult musicians, soldiers, a bartender and a dancer. A captain and a visiting sergeant compete for the affections of the young dancer played by Temple, using candy as gifts. When the soldiers are called away to duty, the sergeant manages to steal a kiss from the dancer behind the captain's back before departing.
Cast & Crew
- Director: Charles Lamont
- Producer: Jack Hays
- Shirley Temple as: Gloria (per the film's Wikipedia article; Charmaine per the Shirley Temple filmography page)
- Cast: Georgie Smith, Eugene Butler, Philip Hurlic, Ted Frye, Georgie Billings, Ashley Shepherd
Behind the Scenes
War Babies marked Shirley Temple's first speaking role on film, and according to the dedicated Wikipedia article, it contains her first onscreen kiss, shared with co-star Eugene Butler. She was three years old during filming.
The Baby Burlesks shorts paid their star performer $10 a day. Temple later characterized the series as 'a cynical exploitation of our childish innocence' and noted that the shorts 'were sometimes racist or sexist' (quoted in the Baby Burlesks Wikipedia article).
Lamont, who would direct seven of the eight Baby Burlesks entries, had personally discovered Temple and signed her to Educational Pictures earlier that year. The conceit of dressing preschool children as adults — here, as soldiers, musicians and a cafe entertainer — was the series' core formula across all eight shorts.
Reception & Legacy
Contemporary reception is not documented in the Wikipedia sources consulted. The short circulated for decades as a Shirley Temple curiosity. As of 2009 the Baby Burlesks shorts were available on videocassette and DVD, and War Babies can now be viewed free at the Internet Archive.
Fun Facts
- Released September 18, 1932 as the second Baby Burlesks short.
- Runtime is 11 minutes.
- Shirley Temple was three years old at the time of filming.
- Her first speaking role on film.
- Contains what the Wikipedia article calls her first onscreen kiss, with Eugene Butler.
- Directed by Charles Lamont, who had discovered Temple at a dance school.
- Produced by Jack Hays for Educational Pictures.
- Available free on the Internet Archive.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is War Babies about?
It's an 11-minute pre-Code comedy short in which toddlers play adults in a cafe — soldiers, musicians, a bartender, and a dancer — with a captain and a sergeant vying for the dancer's attention before being called to duty.
Was War Babies Shirley Temple's first film?
It was not her debut, but Wikipedia identifies it as her first speaking role. She had previously appeared in the first Baby Burlesks entry, Runt Page (January 1, 1932).
How old was Shirley Temple in War Babies?
She was three years old when the film was made and released in September 1932 (she was born April 23, 1928).
Is War Babies in the public domain?
The film circulates freely and is hosted on the Internet Archive; the Wikipedia article does not formally state a public-domain status, but the short is widely available without restriction.
Where can I watch War Babies for free?
The Internet Archive hosts a free viewable copy; shirleytemplefilms.com embeds the Internet Archive player.
Source: archive.org/details/war_babies