On January 20, 2011, we launched the show with a three-minute introduction explaining what this podcast was going to be. It was recorded the very first time we sat down in front of a microphone and it’s a little…raw. Truth be told, we didn’t fully know what the show was going to be like, we just had a vague idea: women’s biographies told conversationally with a touch of irreverence. Likewise, we had no clue what being a podcaster meant, Beckett always describes that time as a, “nearly vertical learning curve.”
Today, ten years and 217 episodes later, we have a better grip on what the show is and what it means to us to be able to share these stories, but what does it mean to you, Dear Listener? A lot of podcasts have clever names for their listeners, but we have always thought of you as friends on the other side of our mics; like you’re across from us at a table. “Friends” it is.
We asked you, our Friends, four questions and gave you the opportunity to record your answers. This episode is a collection of those answers- along with commentary from us. We thought that this was the best way for us to celebrate this milestone WITH you.
We raise our glasses to you, Dear Friends! To those who subscribe, tell a friend, buy some merch, make any donation, head projects in the Lounge, and those who have volunteered their professional services to help us over the last 10 years: Thank you! Cheers!
…celebrate our 10th anniversary with us and “appear” on an upcoming episode!
******************THANK YOU FOR ALL YOUR CALLS! YOU CAN HEAR THEM ON EPISODE 169****
RSVP in the affirmative by clicking the recording button and answering one of our questions below. There is nothing to sign up for, no special equipment, and nothing to install; you can use the microphone on your computer or your phone (iPhone users will need to connect through Safari.) When your recording begins, state your name and where you’re calling from remembering that this will be included in your segment.
Please answer one of these questions and try to keep your answers to about a minute so that we can get as many as possible into an episode.
Do you have any stories about how an episode or subject impacted your life?
What was your favorite episode and why? Or, What was your first episode, what brought you back?
Where do you listen or who do you listen with?
Wild Card! A question that you wish we had asked you.
Not crazy about your voice being on a podcast or want to remain totally anonymous? No problem, email your answer to chicks@thehistorychicks.com with “ANNIVERSARY ANSWER” in the subject line, and we’ll read it for you. Again, let us know the name to use when we read it.
We can’t guarantee that all of your answers will make it into the episode and we won’t be able to contact you to confirm that they are. We may also edit your response for time or content so if you stumble, or accidentally cuss, or scream at your kids to stop making all that racket because you’re recording a podcast…simply start over and we’ll take out the oopsie part. The recording does cut off at the three-minute mark.
Thank you for being a huge part of this episode! Whether you’ve hung out with us for 10 years or one episode, thank you very,very much for listening!
We kick off 2021 with optimism and a charming smile, but Shirley Temple Black was a lot more than just an adorable, emotional cheerleader through the Depression, that was only her first act.
Shirley Temple was born on April 23, 1928, in Santa Monica, California. She was the third, last, and the only daughter of George and Gertrude Temple.
Shirley’s brothers were 9 and 13 years older than she was which gave Mama Gertrude a lot of time to dote on Shirley. Look, we moms we all know that our kids are the most talented, most adorable, brightest kids on the planet–Gertrude just went with that and enrolled the tot into dance classes at barely three years old.
Shirley in 1933’s Glad Rags to Riches, one of her Baby Berlesk films.
Gertrude was right, it wasn’t long before Shirley was discovered and her film career began, which was great as the country was getting deep into the Great Depression and Americans needed the cheer and optimism the little girl provided, the happy endings of her movies, and the way those 56 curls bounced…simply put: Shirley Temple provided the right escapism by the right person at the right time.
Her first feature movie was Stand up and Cheer. In it, she sings and dances with James Dunn the song Baby Take a Bow. This is not that movie- so confusing, this is her fifth feature-length movie.
She signed her name at Grauman’s in 1935; her actual star and induction into Walk of Fame were given in 1960. Flickr, Troy David
Shirley leaves a meeting with President Roosevelt in 1938. Library of Congress
Beckett’s mom on the left, before she learned she wasn’t naturally a redhead!
But the years and years of superstardom didn’t inflate her ego to unsustainable proportions, they only set the foundation for the strong, determined, and seemingly eternally optimistic woman Shirley was going to grow into. So what if her first marriage was a flop except for the child it produced? Her second marriage in 1949 gave her two more well-loved children and a happily ever after.
1948, she’s was wrapping up her film career and her first marriage was on its last legs. via wikicommons
Shirley and baby Susan, 1948– Shirley is 20. Public Domain
Shirley herself divided her life into three acts: Child star, Mother and Wife, and Public Service. The third act had her traveling the world, serving as US Ambassador to both Ghana and Czechoslavakia, as the first female Chief of Protocol for the State Department, a trainer of future Ambassadors, surviving and speaking out about breast cancer, and doing impressive (and global) work for both the Multiple Sclerosis Society and environmental organizations.
Chief of Protocol (and President Ford) 1976 Public Domain
Shirley Temple Black, 1998 (at 70, dang, she did aging well!) Shutterstock
Shirley Temple Black died at age 85 on February 10, 2014, of COPD. She’s interred in the Alta Mesa Memorial Park in Palo Alta California and lives on as an eternally tap-dancing, singing, joyful bundle of cute in the hearts of anyone who watches her movies.
Shirley did so much more with her life than appear in movies, but we’ll just go ahead and perpetuate that image watching videos like this one, seven-year-old Shirley (although her bio had her as six…we cover that and all her other Hollywood treatments in the podcast) dancing with Bill “Bojangles” Robinson as the first interracial dance pair on film:
Time Travel with The History Chicks
Books!
Good for looking at both Shirley and America during her film career.
The autobiography written in 1980s, she claimed part two was being written, her son had promised its publication in 2018, but it never was.
More in-depth biography but Shirley was still alive when it was published so it ends
The other biography, The Shirley Temple Story by ester David and Irene David is hard to find and doesn’t seem to be available online, if your library doesn’t have it you can try EBay, your Grandma’s bookshelf, or Etsy.
Web!
The Shirley Temple Pinterest board is the best place to go for links to even more intel on the moppet! We have a board for every episode, following is encouraged and appreciated!
Santa Monica History Museum has an annual Shirley Temple exhibit, when they are open, which they aren’t right now.
Want to brush up on your geography? This is Beckett’s favorite site to do that! SPORCLE
We aren’t going to link you up to all the Shirley Temple movies, you’ll have to do that yourself, but here’s a couple of clips for immediate enjoyment.
Will Farrell’s Pearl the Landlord is very inappropriate, you’ll have to look it up yourself, but it reminded Beckett of the Baby Berlesks, which you can watch on Amazon Video (although they are a buck apiece.) If you’re into more wholesome content, you can watch Shirley Temple’s Storybook on Prime Video (no extra charge.) Mod 60s Retelling of Classic Fairytales.
Here is Shirley when she was on her book tour in the late 80s, the part about her “encounter” in an MGM office is at the 12:20 mark.
Here’s some info on the Shirley Temple Peony (which, admit it, is a fun word to say) from Gardenia.net
And for no other reasons than we mentioned it in this episode and it amuses Beckett so, we’ll end with this:
Just kidding, we’ll end with this (special thanks to Lindsey Marie from Twitter for reminding me! S.)
Break music: Little Blossom by John Marco Leon End music: B-Movie, by The Spoons Both used with permission
Mrs Claus- subject of literature, film, and art…but who was she? (Photo Courtesy Enesco)
Mrs. Claus isn’t a one-dimensional support player in Santa’s life- when the spotlight shines on her it’s easy to see depth, wisdom, wit, beauty, endurance, and some really amazing cookie recipes. As is our tradition (and we’re all about the traditions over here) today we are sharing the story of Mrs. Claus for Christmas!
Older and wiser folks may want to preview this episode for holiday spoilers (antasay ausclay ablefay) before little ears listen. For more photos and links, visit the original SHOWNOTES HERE
The main body of this episode is from 2014, but in the updated portion, Beckett talks about this ad for Mark & Spencer (this is the EP, there’s a 60-second version as well.)
Whatever holiday and whatever traditions you have, we hope that you and yours are able to make it very merry this year! We’ll be back in January (so long, 2020!)
Susan and Beckett
End song: Santa Will Find You, Mindy Smith, courtesy MusicAlley
A familiar portrait of Charlotte, a chalk drawing by George Richmond in 1850. wikicommons
This week we’re revisiting our discussion of the life of Charlotte Brontë (entirely because we made a gamble and lost–explanation in the first minute of the episode.) Charlotte didn’t let her circumstances and the discouragement of others stand in the way of her goal of becoming a published author; she got knocked down over and over before she was able to present the world with one of the most beloved heroines in literary history. Along the way, we have a chance to talk about the lives of her literary sisters: Emily and Anne.
If you’re in our private Facebook group, The History Chicks Lounge, Charlotte is the subject of this week’s Sunday Bake Parade. Early in the pandemic, the group started a weekly baking challenge based on a shared weekly theme of a former subject. Each Sunday the new subject is revealed and, over the course of the week. we get inspired by her and bake (or cook, or mix…we’re pretty loose with the definition of “bake”) and snap a picture of our creation. On the following Sunday, we have a show-and-tell of our bakes and explain how the subject inspired us. It could be her era, area, maybe a recipe we know she made, or something named after her…whatever motivated us to create. Repeat. You should come play! Join us HERE by answering a very simple question.
If this is the first time you’ve joined us for this episode, you can find all the links and recommendations for media (and more) in the original Shownotes!
As we in the US celebrate our Thanksgiving this week, we thought that this was a perfect time to revisit Pocahontas, the real story not the Disneyfied one. All links to things we talked about can be found on the original shownotes from 2017, POCAHONTAS SHOWNOTES.
Break music: Courtesy of James Harper of Harper Active; End Music: Daughters of History by Morning Spy
Parents may want to preview this before kids listen as we continue to step back from reality (sorta) to talk about the many lives of Wonder Woman. When we left our heroine, she had just been launched into the comic book world in 1942. This episode covers her many adventures, her multiple worlds, the time she was stripped of her powers, and the women who brought them back. (more…)
Little Ears warning: Parents may want to preview this episode, we discuss several adult themes including suicide, alternative lifestyles, and…” adult play.”
We step back from reality (sorta) to talk about the many lives of Wonder Woman, her original creator William Moulton Marston, the women who originally inspired the superhero, and the creators who recrafted her to suit their own visions. It’s a heck of a ride. And there is a Little Ears warning–you know how cartoons often have adult themes and jokes that go right over the heads of little kids? We talk about some of Wonder Woman’s in these two episodes–oh yeah, two! There’s A LOT to talk about, her story begins in the early 1900s and hasn’t ended yet! (more…)
Belva Lockwood was the first qualified woman to run for President of the United States and she did it while suffragists were still battling for the vote in 1884 and 1888.
Shirley Chisholm was the first black woman to run for POTUS in 1972 and the first female nominee for the Democratic party.
This week we divide and conquer to give you a remastered two-fer of glass-ceiling crashing women in US politics. Beckett shares the life of Belva Lockwood and Susan talks about Shirley Chisholm in this mini-series of women who ran for the office of POTUS. (more…)
Victoria, deep in thought about…we have no idea. Brandley Rulofson
The 2020 US Presidential election is officially underway so we that this was a perfect time to revisit the life of the very first woman to run for the US Presidency in 1872, years before women could legally vote. Victoria Woodhull crafted a life for herself from pretty raw materials. (more…)
