Shirley Temple

She was named United States ambassador to Ghana and Czechoslovakia, and served as Chief of Protocol of the United States. Her film career began when she was three years of age, and she starred in 29 films up to the age of ten. She is 18th on the American Film Institute’s list of the greatest female American screen legends of classic Hollywood cinema. She was Shirley Temple.

Shirley Jane Temple was born on 23rd April, 1928, at the Santa Monica Hospital, California. George and Gertrude Temple were her parents, and Shirly had two brothers, John and George Jr. The family was of Dutch, English and German ancestry and they moved to Brentwood, Los Angeles.

Shirley was encouraged by her mother to develop her singing, acting and dancing talents, and in September, 1931, she was enrolled in Meglin’s Dance School, in Los Angeles. It was around this time that Gertrude started styling her daughter’s hair in ringlets.

Charles Lamont, who was a casting director for Educational Pictures, noticed Shirley and invited her to an audition. Shirley was signed to a contract in 1932 to “Baby Burlesks”, which were 10 minute comedy shorts ‘satirizing’ recent films and events, using preschool children in every role. Moving on, Educational Pictures promoted Shirley to 20 minute comedies. To help with the production costs, Shirley and her co-stars modeled for breakfast cereals and other products. Shirley was ‘lent’ to Tower Productions and Universal, Paramount and Warner Bro Pictures for several roles in films. Her first part was in the film “The Red-Haired Alibi” in 1932.

Shirley was soon propelled into stardom, when she appeared in the film “Bright Eyes” (1934), which was a musical specifically created for her. She was cast as an orphan (which became a frequent role), and in this musical Shirley sang one of her most popular songs “On The Good Ship Lollipop”. By the end of 1934, Shirley was one of Hollywood’s top stars, and the following year, she received a special Academy Award for her “outstanding contribution” to screen entertainment in 1934. It was the time of the Great Depression and Shirley’s optimistic films, along with her spirited singing and dancing, and her dimples and blond ringlets, gave a welcome ‘escape’ from the difficult times.

Between the years of 1935 and 1938, Shirley was Hollywood’s top box-office attraction. Shirley starred in: The Little Colonel 1935 / Curly Top 1935 / Wee Willie Winkie 1937 / Heidi 1937 / Rebecca of Sunnybrook Farm 1938. Shirley became so popular that a doll, in her likeness, and a non alcoholic beverage was created in her name. Her last big ‘hit’ was The Little Princess in 1939, but after this, she failed to attract a large audience, and 20th Century Fox dropped her contract.

In 1945, Shirley married John Agar. She was only 17 years old, he was 24. John launched an acting career of his own. Shirley starred in the television show Shirley Temple’s Storybook (1957-1959), and the Shirley Temple Show (1960), but the return to entertainment was a brief one. The young couple had a daughter in 1949, Linda Susan. They divorced in 1949 and Shirley gained custody of her daughter.

In 1950, Shirley married Charles A. Black who was a businessman. The couple had a son, Charles, who was born in 1952, and a daughter, Lori, who was born in 1954. They stayed together until Charles' (senior) death of complications from a bone marrow disease in 2005.

From 1944, Shirley was diagnosed with breast cancer, and she had a modified radical mastectomy and the tumor was successfully removed. Her public disclosure was a milestone in improving breast cancer awareness.

From 1969 to 1970, She was a delegate to the UN General Assembly. 1974 to 1976, Shirley served as U.S. ambassador to Ghana, 1979-1977 as Chief of Protocol for U.S. President Gerald Ford, and 1989-1992, as ambassador to Czechoslovakia. Shirley wrote two autobiographies: “My Young Life” (1945) and “Child Star” (1988).

Shirley Temple died on 10th February, 2014, at her home in California. She was a lifelong cigarette smoker and died of COPD (chronic obstructive pulmonary disease). She is buried at Alta Mesa Memorial Park.

The older generation remember Shirley Temple, with her ringlets and tap dancing and her innocent smile, but when Shirley was growing up, her films became less popular. There were many rumours that surrounded this child actress. For example, it was ‘circulated’ that Shirley was really a 30 year old dwarf, and the Vatican dispatched Father Silvio Massante to discover the truth. Her ‘trademark’ hair was sometimes yanked at by so-called fans who believed it was a wig (which was not very nice for a little girl).

Unfortunately, one story was true when Shirley went for a preliminary interview with Arthur Freed, who was a popular MGM producer. During the interview, he unzipped his trousers and exposed himself to the 12 year old Shirley, who (being so young and innocent) just giggled. Arthur threw her out of his office and this was the reason why Shirley left MGM after only one film.

Although (back then) Shirley did endure other different types of ‘abuses’, she felt dearly loved by her parents, her mother in particular: “My mother was, I think, the most wonderful mother that a girl could have”. In an interview in 1988, Shirley said of her parents: “They bathed me in love my whole life”.

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