LITTLE MISS BROADWAY

Little Miss Broadway
20th Century-Fox, 1938, B/W, 70 minutes, ***
Premiere release July, 1938
General release September, 1938

Orphan Shirley is adopted by Pop Shea (Edward Ellis) and his daughter Barbara (Phyllis Brooks). The Sheas run a hotel for vaudevillians. When Pop Shea gets behind in the rent, Wealthy Sarah Wendling (Edna May Oliver), owner of the hotel, threatens to close it down unless Shea can come up with the rent payment, but fast. Roger Wendling (George Murphy), Sarah's nephew, befriends the Sheas and does his best to keep auntie from kicking them out on the street. Murphy and Temple have a song and dance number together, "We Should Be Together," and dance the finale scene together. Shirley sings, "Be Optimistic," "If All the World Were Paper" and "Swing Me an Old Fashioned Song."

Setting is contemporary (ca. 1938) New York City

In Charge of Production: Darryl F. Zanuck
Associate Producer: David Hempstead
Directed by: Irving Cummings
Original Screen Play by: Harry Tugend and Jack Yellen
Music and Lyrics by: Walter Bullock and Harold Spina
Dances Staged by: Nick Castle and Geneva Sawyer
Musical Direction: Louis Silvers
Art Director: Bernard Herzbrun, Hans Peters
Set Decorations by: Thomas Little
Costumes: Gwen Wakeling
Sound: George Leverett, Roger Heman
Photography: Arthur Miller
Film Editor: Walter Thompson

Cast: Shirley Temple [Betsy Brown], George Murphy [Roger Wendling], Jimmy Durante [Jimmy Clayton], Phyllis Brooks [Barbara Shea], Edna May Oliver [Sarah Wendling], George Barbier [Fiske], Edward Ellis [Pop Shea], Jane Darwell [Miss Hutchins], El Brendel [Ole], Donald Meek [Willoughby Wendling], Patricia Wilder [Flossie], Claude Gillingwater [Judge], George and Olive Brasno [Themselves], Charles Williams [Mike Brody], Charles Coleman [Simmons], Russell Hicks [Perry], Brian Sisters [Themselves], Brewster Twins [Themselves], Claire DuBrey [Miss Blodgett], Robert Gleckler [Detective], C. Montague Shaw [Miles], Frank Dae [Pool], Clarence Wilson [Scully], Eddie Collins, Syd Saylor, Jerry Colonna, Heinie Conklin ["Jimmy and the Bandits" Band Members], Ben Welden [Taxi Driver]

Musical Program: [0:00] Overture: "Little Miss Broadway" (played by Orchestra behind titles); [0:01] Be Optimistic (sung by Shirley Temple, The Brian Sisters and Orphan Girls); [0:05] Auld Lang Syne (sung by Orphan Girls as Shirley leaves); [0:12] How Can I Thank You (sung by Shirley Temple to Phyllis Brooks); [0:17] We Should Be Together (sung and danced by Shirley Temple and George Murphy); [0:25] If All the World Were Paper (sung by Shirley Temple to George Murphy); [0:28] When You Were Sweet Sixteen (Shirley Temple and Mens Quartet); [0:45] Happy Birthday to You (sung and played by "Jimmy and The Bandits" and Ensemble at Shirley's birthday party); [0:45] How Can I Thank You (reprised by Shirley Temple); [0:51] Be Optimistic (reprised by Shirley Temple, The Brian Sisters and Orphan Girls); [1:02] Stars and Stripes Forever (excerpt played by "Jimmy and The Bandits" in the Courtroom); [1:02] Thank You for the Use of the Hall (spoken in verse by Shirley Temple); [1:03] Loch Lomond (sung by Mens Quartet); [1:04] Swing Me an Old Fashioned Song (sung by Shirley Temple, Mens Quartet and Girls Chorus); [1:06] Little Miss Broadway (sung and danced by George Murphy); [1:08] I'll Build a Broadway for You (sung and danced by George Murphy and Shirley Temple)