Shirley Jean Rickert


This filmography was made in collaboration with Matthew Lydick.


full name: Shirley Jean Rickert
married name: Shirley Jean Measures
burlesque name: Gilda (also briefly known as Gilda Edwards)
born Mar. 25, 1926, in Seattle, WA
died Feb. 6, 2009, in Saratoga Springs, NY


1927


1929


1930

How's My Baby? (featured role: the baby)
June 22, 1930 - Mermaid/Educational - 2 reels - Mermaid Comedy series
©June 28, 1930. Starring Monte Collins and T. Roy Barnes.
The Sins Of The Children (role: Taylor child)
June 28, 1930 - Cosmopolitan/MGM - 9 reels - feature
Starring Louis Mann, Robert Montgomery, Elliott Nugent and Leila Hyams. Also released as 7 reel silent version.
Mickey's Merry Men (small part: girl carrying train of dress)
July 20, 1930 - Larry Darmour/Standard Photoplay/RKO - 2 reels - Mickey (himself) McGuire series
©July 20, 1930. Reissued as Mickey's Brigade.
Night Work (bit part: orphan)
Aug. 3, 1930 - Pathé - 9 reels - Eddie Quillan feature
©June 6, 1930. Shirley had her Ruth Taylor hairdo by the time this film was made.
Follow Thru (role: little cherub)
Sep. 27, 1930 - Paramount - 10 reels - Technicolor - Charles (Buddy) Roger & Nancy Carroll feature
©Sep. 26, 1930. Filmed in 2-strip Technicolor.
Lightnin' (undetermined role)
prem. Nov. 28, 1930 - Fox - 10 reels - Will Rogers feature
©Oct. 31, 1930. Released Dec. 7, 1930.

1931

103. Helping Grandma (supporting role: Shirley)
Jan. 3, 1931 - Roach/MGM - 2 reels - prod. G-37 - Our Gang series
Filmed July 28 to Aug. 6, 1930. ©Oct. 1, 1930.
104. Love Business (bit part: Shirley)
Feb. 14, 1931 - Roach/MGM - 2 reels - prod. G-38 - Our Gang series
Filmed Sep. 3 to 15, 1930, with retakes Sep. 20, 1930. ©Oct. 26, 1930.
105. Little Daddy (small part)
Mar. 28, 1931 - Roach/MGM - 2 reels - prod. G-39 - Our Gang series
Filmed Oct. 30 to Nov. 13, 1930. ©Feb. 6, 1931.
The Stolen Jools (small part)
Apr. 4, 1931 - Masquers Club/National Variety Artists/Paramount - 2 reels
The Our Gang kids are among the multitude of stars featured in this short.
106. Bargain Day (featured role: Shirley)
May 2, 1931 - Roach/MGM - 2 reels - prod. G-40 - Our Gang series
Filmed Dec. 14 to 23, 1930, with retakes Jan. 26 to Feb. 2, 1931. ©Mar. 23, 1931.
Everything's Rosie (small part: Rosie as a child)
prem. May 22, 1931 - RKO - 8 reels - Robert Woolsey feature
Filmed spring 1931. ©May 22, 1931. Released June 13, 1931. Working title: Going, Going, Gone.
107. Fly My Kite (supporting role)
May 30, 1931 - Roach/MGM - 2 reels - prod. G-41 - Our Gang series
Filmed Mar. 2 to 14, 1931. ©May 7, 1931.

1932

Love Pains (small part: little girl)
Feb. 13, 1932 - Roach/MGM - 2 reels - prod. S-4 - All Star series with The Boy Friends
Filmed Sep. 23 to Oct. 1, 1931. ©Mar. 1, 1932.
Once In A Lifetime (role: flower girl)
Oct. 2, 1932 - Universal - 9 reels - Jack Oakie & Sidney Fox feature
©Sep. 2, 1932.

1933

Stage Mother (role: Shirley Lorraine as a child)
prem. Sep. 20, 1933 - MGM - 9 reels - Alice Brady feature
©Sep. 28, 1933. Released Sep. 29, 1933.
Mickey's Touchdown (supporting role: "Tomboy" Taylor)
Oct. 14, 1933 - Darmour/Standard Photoplay/Columbia - 2 reels - Mickey (himself) McGuire series
Credited as Shirley Jeane Rickert. ©Oct. 1, 1933.
Mickey's Tent Show (supporting role: "Tomboy" Taylor)
Oct. 27, 1933 - Darmour/Standard Photoplay/Columbia - 2 reels - Mickey (himself) McGuire series
Credited as Shirley Jeane Rickert. ©Oct. 20, 1933.
Mickey's Covered Wagon (supporting role: "Tomboy" Taylor)
Nov. 30, 1933 - Darmour/Standard Photoplay/Columbia - 2 reels - Mickey (himself) McGuire series
Billed as Shirley Jeane Rickert. ©Nov. 20, 1933.

1934

Mickey's Minstrels (supporting role: "Tomboy" Taylor)
Jan. 11, 1934 - Darmour/Standard Photoplay/Columbia - 2 reels - Mickey (himself) McGuire series
Credited as Shirley Jeane Rickert. ©Jan. 2, 1934. Working title: Mickey's Troupers.
Mickey's Rescue (supporting role: "Tomboy" Taylor)
Mar. 23, 1934 - Darmour/Standard Photoplay/Columbia - 2 reels - Mickey (himself) McGuire series
Credited as Shirley Jeane Rickert. ©Mar. 14, 1934.
Mickey's Medicine Man (supporting role: "Tomboy" Taylor)
May 18, 1934 - Darmour/Standard Photoplay/Columbia - 2 reels - Mickey (himself) McGuire series
©Apr. 30, 1934.
The Scarlet Letter (role: Humility Crakstone)
Sep. 18, 1934 - Darmour/Majestic - 8 reels - Colleen Moore feature
©Nov. 15, 1934.
I'll Fix It (role: little girl)
Nov. 10, 1934 - Columbia - 7 reels - Jack Holt feature
©Sep. 28, 1934.
'Neath The Arizona Skies (supporting role: Nina Morrell)
Dec. 5, 1934 - Malvern/Monogram - 6 reels - John Wayne feature
Credited as Shirley Jane Rickert. ©Jan. 15, 1935.
One Hour Late (role: little girl)
Dec. 14, 1934 - Paramount - 8 reels - feature
©Dec. 14, 1934. Starring Joe Morrison and Helen Twelvetrees.

1935

Straight From The Heart (role: Austin's daughter)
Mar. 22, 1935 - Universal - 8 reels - feature
©Jan. 8, 1935. Starring Mary Astor, Roger Pryor, Baby Jane and Henry Armetta.
The Drunkard (role: Julia)
prem. Apr. 3, 1935 - Exploitation/Stage & Screen - 63 min. - feature
Credited as Shirley Jean. Starring James Murray, Clara Kimball Young, Janet Chandler and Bryant Washburn.
I Live My Life (role: child at Christmas party)
Oct. 4, 1935 - MGM - 10 reels - Joan Crawford feature
©Oct. 1, 1935.

1936

Crash Donovan (role: young girl)
Aug. 1 ,1936 - Universal - 6 reels - Jack Holt feature
©July 21, 1936.

1937

Heidi (small part as member of minuet)
Oct. 15, 1937 - 20th Century-Fox - 10 reels - Shirley Temple feature
©Oct. 15, 1937.

1938


1940

Five Little Peppers In Trouble (small part: Kiki)
Sep. 1, 1940 - Columbia - 7 reels - Five Little Peppers feature
©Aug. 24, 1940. Also featuring Edith Fellows and Tommy "Butch" Bond. Shirley plays piano (or at least pretends to) while Fellows sings "The Blue Danube Waltz" by Johann Strauss.

1942

The Major And The Minor (role- college girl)
prem. Sep. 16, 1942 - Paramount - 10 reels - Ginger Rogers & Ray Milland feature
©Oct. 16, 1942.
Get Hep To Love (role: student)
Oct. 2, 1942 - Universal - 8 reels - Jane Frazee & Robert Paige feature
Also featuring Gloria Jean and Donald O'Connor. ©Aug. 25, 1942.

1943

Best Foot Forward (role: dancer)
prem. June 29, 1943 - MGM - 10 reels - Technicolor - Lucille Ball & Harry James feature
©July 14, 1943. Released Oct. 8, 1943.
In Old Oklahoma (role: dancer)
Dec. 6, 1943 - Republic - 11 reels - John Wayne & Martha Scott feature
©Oct. 13, 1943.

1944

Meet The People (role: dancer)
prem. June 1, 1944 - MGM - 10 reels - Lucille Ball & Dick Powell feature
©Mar. 23, 1944.

1946

If I'm Lucky (role: dancer)
Sep. 2, 1946 - 20th Century-Fox - 78 min. - feature
Starring Vivian Blaine, Perry Como, Harry James and Carmen Miranda. ©Aug. 31, 1946.

1947

The Long Night (role: girl in theater)
May 28, 1947 - Select/RKO - 101 min. - Henry Fonda feature
©Aug. 6, 1947. Also starring Barbara Bel Geddes, Vincent Price and Ann Dvorak.
Good News (role: dancer)
prem. Dec. 4, 1947 - MGM - 93 min. - Technicolor - June Allyson & Peter Lawford feature
©Dec. 5, 1947. Released Dec. 26, 1947.

1951

Royal Wedding (role: dancer in Haiti number)
prem. Mar. 8, 1951 - MGM - 93 min. - Technicolor - Fred Astaire & Jane Powell feature
Released Mar. 23, 1951.

1952

The Pace That Thrills (role: girl)
prem. Mar. 21, 1952 - RKO - 63 min. - feature
Starring Bill Williams, Carla Balenda, Robert Armstrong, Frank McHugh and Steve Flagg. ©Feb. 5, 1951.
Singin' In The Rain (role: chorus girl)
prem. Mar. 27, 1952 - MGM - 12 reels - Technicolor - feature
©Mar. 11, 1952 (in notice: 1951). Released Apr. 11, 1952. Starring Gene Kelly, Donald O'Connor and Debbie Reynolds.

1953

I Love Melvin (role: chorus girl)
Mar. 20, 1953 - MGM - 77 min. - Technicolor - Donald O'Connor & Debbie Reynolds feature
©Feb. 2, 1953 (in notice: 1952).

1954

The A-B-C's Of Love (role: Gilda the Golden Girl)
Jan. 1954 - Billiken/Mishkin - 64 min. - Gilda feature
Credited as Gilda. An adult film. The release date is according to the TCM website, though it's somewhat questionable. Given that Shirley got into burlesque dancing in 1954, and that the earliest screening I've been able to confirm happened on March 28th, I'm guessing that the shooting of the film may have been what happened in January.
The Human Jungle (role: stripper)
prem. Sep. 28, 1954 - Allied Artists - 6 reels - Gary Merrill & Jan Sterling feature
©Sep. 26, 1954. Released Oct. 3, 1954.

1955


1956


1957


1958


1959


1960


1962


1965


1966


1967


1968


1971


1972


1973


1974


1975

Woman Is episode (guest appearance)
Mar. 4 - WGBY/PBS - 30 min. - TV episode
Local program in Springfield, MA.

1976


1977


1978


1979


1982

Hawkes Eyeview episode (guest appearance)
May 20, 1982 - WGBY/PBS - 30 min. - TV episode
Local program in Springfield, MA.

1984

Our Gang: Inside The Clubhouse (archival)
May 8, 1984 - Lang/Camellia City Telecasters - 93 mins. - TV documentary
Includes footage from "Helping Grandma," and "Bargain Day."

1986

Classic Comedy Teams (archival)
1986 - Bergamn-Harris/Movietime/GoodTimes - video documentary
Includes footage from "The Stolen Jools."

1993


1994

The Our Gang Story (archival)
1994 - Film Shows/GoodTimes - 120 min. - video documentary
Includes footage from "The Stolen Jools" and "Fly My Kite."

1995


2001


2002


2003


2005


Shirley Jean Rickert's payroll history

The following is a list of most of Shirley's history at the Roach studio, with the amounts she was making from week to week. The dates given are Saturdays, the last day of each week at the studio. The only exceptions would be Saturdays that were also holidays, in which case the Friday date is used for those weeks.

After this, another week or so passed before Shirley was signed to a longterm contract.

Much of the week ending Dec. 20th and the entirety of the week ending Dec. 27th are missing from the payroll ledger, but filming began on Bargain Day during this period.

After this, Shirley's contract was terminated and she moved on to film projects away from the Roach studio. She did, however, return to the studio six months later to work in the Boy Friends comedy Love Pains, though I don't have the payroll information for that. She also turned up at the studio almost four years later for one day of work.


See anything that needs changing? Contact me at BtheW@aol.com.


© Robert Demoss and Matthew Lydick.


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