Shirley Temple's Storybook

American television anthology series hosted by Shirley Temple

Shirley Temple's Storybook was an American children’s anthology television series hosted and narrated by former child star Shirley Temple. Airing on NBC during the late 1950s and early 1960s, the series dramatized fairy tales, children’s stories, and family-friendly classics. It combined live-action performances with Shirley Temple’s introductions, creating a program that appealed to both children and nostalgic adults who remembered Temple’s 1930s Hollywood films.

Shirley Temple's Storybook
Genre	Children’s anthology series
Created by	NBC Television
Presented by	Shirley Temple
Country of origin	United States
Original language	English
Seasons	2
Episodes	41
Running time	60 minutes
Original network	NBC
Original release	1958; 1960–1961 (as The Shirley Temple Show)

The series originally ran for two seasons: the first season in color in 1958, and the second season, retitled The Shirley Temple Show, airing from 1960 to 1961. Shirley Temple's Storybook is remembered for its ambitious production values, star-studded guest appearances, and for reviving Shirley Temple’s career in a new medium after her retirement from acting in feature films.

Background and development

By the mid-1950s, Shirley Temple had long since retired from her career as Hollywood’s most famous child star of the 1930s. Married and raising a family, Temple sought new opportunities that would allow her to remain in the public eye without returning to full-time film work.

Television executives at NBC saw potential in Temple’s enduring popularity. They envisioned a program where she would introduce dramatizations of fairy tales and literary classics, using her wholesome image to lend credibility and family appeal.

In 1958, NBC premiered Shirley Temple’s Storybook, one of the network’s earliest anthology series aimed at children and families.

Format

Each episode of Shirley Temple’s Storybook featured Shirley Temple appearing on screen to introduce the story. She would often appear in a set resembling a cozy living room or library, addressing the audience directly and setting the tone for the tale.

The dramatizations themselves were performed by a rotating cast of guest stars, many of whom were established film and television actors. Stories ranged from classic fairy tales like Beauty and the Beast to adaptations of works by Hans Christian Andersen, the Brothers Grimm, and Charles Perrault.

Seasons and broadcast history

Season 1 (1958)

The first season aired in 1958 on NBC. It was produced in color at a time when most television broadcasts were still black-and-white, making it one of the network’s prestige family programs. However, many local stations broadcast the episodes in black-and-white due to technical limitations.

Season 2 (1960–1961)

In 1960, the program returned under the new title The Shirley Temple Show. This second season consisted of 25 episodes, continuing the anthology format but expanding into broader children’s literature, legends, and even historical tales.

The show aired on Sunday evenings, positioned as family entertainment in direct competition with other popular programs of the era.

Episode guide

Season 1 (1958)

Episode	Title	Original air date	Notes
1	Beauty and the Beast	1958	One of the most remembered episodes, lavishly produced.
2	The Emperor’s New Clothes	1958	Adaptation of Hans Christian Andersen’s tale.
3	Rumpelstiltskin	1958	Featured Temple’s narration with dramatic retelling.
4	Mother Goose	1958	A celebration of nursery rhymes and characters.
5	Ali Baba and the Forty Thieves	1958	Arabian Nights adaptation.

Season 2 (1960–1961, The Shirley Temple Show)

Episode	Title	Original air date	Guest stars
1	Winnie the Pooh	Oct 1960	First live-action U.S. adaptation of A. A. Milne’s classic; stars included character actors portraying Pooh and friends.
2	The Sleeping Beauty	1960	A retelling of the fairy tale.
3	Pippi Longstocking	1960	Among the earliest American adaptations of Astrid Lindgren’s character.
4	Tom Sawyer	1960	Based on Mark Twain’s novel.
5	The Little Mermaid	1960	A Hans Christian Andersen adaptation with elaborate underwater effects.
25	Madeline	1961	Based on Ludwig Bemelmans’ children’s book.

Guest stars

The series featured numerous guest stars, lending prestige and attracting adult audiences:

• Charlton Heston
• Elsa Lanchester
• Agnes Moorehead
• Jonathan Winters
• Martin Landau
• Christopher Plummer
• Jeanette Nolan

These appearances gave Shirley Temple’s Storybook an unusually high profile compared to other children’s programming of the period.

Production

Shirley Temple’s Storybook was produced in Hollywood with higher production budgets than most children’s anthology shows. Sets, costumes, and special effects were often elaborate, reflecting NBC’s commitment to prestige television.

Directors included long-time television veterans, and scripts were adapted from public domain stories, allowing a wide range of classic material to be dramatized.

Reception

Critical reception of Shirley Temple’s Storybook was generally positive. Reviewers praised Temple’s warmth and sincerity as a host, though some critics felt the dramatizations were uneven in quality.

Audiences, however, responded favorably, and the show maintained steady ratings throughout its run. It became an important family program for NBC, even though it was eventually overshadowed by more modern formats in the 1960s.

Cultural significance

• Shirley Temple’s Storybook represented an early attempt at prestige children’s television, bridging Hollywood film talent and family broadcasting.
• It introduced American audiences to live-action versions of beloved fairy tales and children’s literature, including the first televised U.S. appearance of Winnie-the-Pooh.
• For Shirley Temple, the series marked her successful reinvention from film star to television personality.

Syndication and home media

Some episodes of Shirley Temple’s Storybook were syndicated in the 1960s and 1970s, often shown during holiday seasons.

In later decades, select episodes were released on VHS and DVD collections. The Winnie the Pooh episode and other fairy tales became popular with collectors of vintage television.

The complete series has not been fully restored or released in a single home media collection, though some episodes are preserved in archives and private collections.

Legacy

Shirley Temple’s Storybook remains a notable part of television history:

• It demonstrated Shirley Temple’s enduring cultural influence beyond her film career.
• The program influenced later children’s anthology series, including adaptations by Walt Disney and others.
• Historians view it as a transitional work, linking classic Hollywood sensibilities with emerging television traditions.

Timeline

Year	Event
1958	NBC debuts Shirley Temple’s Storybook.
1960	Series retitled The Shirley Temple Show for season 2.
1961	Final episode airs, ending the series after 41 episodes in total.
1970s	Episodes syndicated for holiday and family programming.
2000s	Selected episodes released on DVD and digital streaming.

References

• Parish, James Robert. The MGM Stock Company: The Golden Era. Arlington House, 1973.
• Parish, James. The MGM Story. New York: Crown Publishing, 1975.
• Parish, James. The MGM Years of Shirley Temple. Hollywood Books, 1985.
• Brooks, Tim and Marsh, Earle. The Complete Directory to Prime Time Network and Cable TV Shows. New York: Ballantine Books, 2007.
• Terrace, Vincent. Encyclopedia of Television Shows, 1925–2010. McFarland, 2011.
• Slide, Anthony. The Television Industry: A Historical Survey. New York: Greenwood Press, 1986.
• Castleman, Harry, and Podrazik, Walter J. Watching TV: Six Decades of American Television. Syracuse University Press, 2003.

External links

• Shirley Temple’s Storybook on IMDb
• Library of Congress — Television archives
• The Paley Center for Media — Shirley Temple’s Storybook collection
• NBC — Network history
• Encyclopaedia Britannica — Shirley Temple biography

See also

• Roovet News Media