Shirley Temple Classics: "The Blue Bird" Quiz

Answer: Gale Sondergaard

Tylette was Mytl's and Tyl Tyl's cat. When turned into a human by Light, she developed an evil plan to stay a human forever.

Gale Sondergaard was a beautiful actress known for playing conniving, cunning, and overall sneaky villains. She was offered the part of The Wicked Witch of the West for "The Wizard of Oz", but gave it up when she found out that she would have to wear the green makeup. It wasn't such an unwise decision - Margaret Hamilton, who did end up playing The Wicked Witch, permanently had skin tinged a bit green!

Answer: The Royal Forest

Mytl and Tyl-Tyl were busy trying to catch a blackbird in The Royal Forest. Just as they did though, they got spotted by a guard. Mytl and her brother made a run for it and escaped. Mytl then explained to Tyl-Tyl that had the guard caught them, he would have "put us in a dungeon and cut off our heads" because catching birds in The Royal Forest was "against the law".

Answer: Her doll

On their way through town, Mytl and Tyl-Tyl walked past Angela's house, who was sick and in bed. Angela instantly fell in love with their blackbird, and offered to trade her doll, Katrina, for the blackbird. Snotty Mytl refused, and told Angela that "I promised this bird to another little girl for Christmas." Mytl later told Tyl-Tyl that Mytl was actually the little girl that she promised the bird to.

"The Bluebird" wasn't the first time young actress Sybil Jason (born in 1929 - one year younger than Shirley) appeared alongside Shirley Temple - Sybil had already played opposite Shirley in "A Little Princess" a year prior.

Answer: True

Once they got home, Mytl threw a big fit about how poor her family was. She was just a really unhappy young girl. In the middle of the night, a fairy came named Light, and sent them off to find The Bluebird of Happiness. Light brought to life their dog, Tylo, and their cat, Tylette, played by Eddie Collins and Gale Sondergaard, respectively, to aid Mytl and Tyl-Tyl on their search.

Answer: The Past

There were so many places to look for The Bluebird of Happiness! They first went to The Past, where they visited with their deceased grandparents, who live quite happily amongst their grandmother's birds and grandfather's carvings in a magical land... but only when they were thought of by their family. Otherwise, they were asleep on a bench.

Answer: Lay-Dee-Oh

Shirley Temple only sang one song in the film. Interestingly enough, "Lay-Dee-Oh" was also the only time she ever attempted to yodel in a film.

Mytl's grandfather was showing off things he had made with wood, such as clocks and music boxes. Mytl said she wanted to sing "The Farmer in the Dell", but her grandmother scoffed, saying "Who wants to sing that silly little thing?". They decided on the song "Lay-Dee-Oh" - Mytl's grandmother used to sing Mytl that when Mytl was in her cradle. Mytl began dancing and singing, while the music boxes played music.

Afterwards, Mytl looked for The Bluebird of Happiness in her grandmother's birdcages, but had no luck - there was every color bird EXCEPT blue.

Answer: Luxury

They went to the house of Mr. and Mrs. Luxury, even though Light warned them not to. It was Tylette's goal for the children to never find The Bluebird of Happiness, so that she might forever be human, and not just a cat.

At the home of Mr. and Mrs. Luxury, the children and Tylette could have whatever they want (Tylo was banished to the doghouse). That did not make them any happier - it only made them fight more.

Answer: Abraham Lincoln

Abraham Lincoln was the 16th president of the United States, from 1861-1865. The character prophesied that the people in the world would "destroy" him. Mr. Lincoln was born in 1809, the only hint given as to when the movie possibly took place.

Answer: In a fire

Tylette asked the trees to cause an uproar, to kill the children, so that she would remain human forever. They wound up catching on fire, so her plan failed when she lost her life, and not the children. Note the usage of "lost her life" - she didn't die, as cats have nine lives. She appeared in the end of the film as a cat, once again.

Answer: True

In the end of the original script, Angela was given a dramatic scene where she was able to walk again, but after filming it, the studio decided to cut the scene out, fearing that it would distract the audience from Shirley. So at the end of the film, you saw Angela on her feet and walking, but no explanation on how it happened. "The Bluebird" was Sybil Jason's last film - unfortunately. At such a young age, she had tremendous talent.

I hope you enjoyed my first "Shirley Temple" quiz! Thank you so much for playing!