Shirley Temple (April 23, 1928 – February 10, 2014)
“Any star can be devoured by human adoration, sparkle by sparkle.”
I was saddened to learn of the passing of Shirley Temple, who remains the most famous and iconic child star in film history. How famous was she as a child? Imagine Miley Cyrus and multiply it by a factor of 50.
Seemingly the perfect antidote for Depression-era America, the moppet entertained a generation with her singing, dancing, and overall cuteness that somehow never seemed too icky. Temple was the top box office star in the world for four consecutive years, 1935-1938, but found the transition to adult roles challenging.
After retiring from acting in the late-1940s, Shirley Temple became an ambassador to Ghana and Czecholslovakia. In the early 1970s she was one of the first famous women to publicly discuss a mastectomy. She was the mother of three. The fact that she is still so well-known after 80 years is quite amazing, but not as impressive as having become a well-adjusted adult, a feat that under the circumstances is, perhaps, her greatest accomplishment of all. Her official website is shirleytemple.com.
By all accounts Miss Temple had a wonderful life. I suspect she will continue be the gold standard to which all child performers are compared for perpetuity.
You may also enjoy:
How a 45-Minute Visit with Michael Jackson Led to Years of Nightmares
