War Babies (1932) Director: Charles Lamont Studio: Educational Pictures (distributed by Fox Film Corporation) Starring: Shirley Temple, Georgie Smith, Eugene Butler, Arthur J. Maskery Release Date: September 11, 1932 Runtime: 11 minutes Format: Black-and-white, sound short film Country: United States Language: English Genres: Comedy | Musical | Short Summary: War Babies is a one-reel comedy short from the “Baby Burlesks” series, starring a very young Shirley Temple. Set against a parody of wartime melodramas, the film features toddlers dressed in adult costumes (with diapers for bottoms) as they lampoon adult themes of love, jealousy, and conflict in a café frequented by soldiers. Shirley Temple plays the flirtatious cabaret singer who entertains the troops, leading to comic rivalries and slapstick mischief. Background: Part of the controversial Baby Burlesks series (1932–1933), War Babies was one of Shirley Temple’s earliest screen appearances. Directed by Charles Lamont, the shorts were produced by Educational Pictures as satirical mini-films with children performing exaggerated adult roles. Though popular at the time, the series has since drawn criticism for its exploitation of child actors. Still, the films are historically notable as they launched Temple’s career, eventually making her one of Hollywood’s biggest stars of the 1930s. Trivia: This short is considered Shirley Temple’s first credited screen role. The Baby Burlesks shorts were often banned from television later due to their suggestive humor and depiction of children. Charles Lamont, the director, went on to have a successful career directing comedies, especially with Abbott and Costello. Surviving prints of War Babies are now part of classic film archives and Shirley Temple retrospectives. Hashtags: #WarBabies1932 #ShirleyTemple #BabyBurlesks #ClassicComedy #ShortFilmHistory #OldHollywood