Shirley Temple
“The dimpled child star whose songs and curls lifted a nation through the depths of the Depression.”
Released in May 1934, 'Stand Up and Cheer!' turned six-year-old Shirley Temple into an overnight phenomenon. Within a year she was the top box-office star in America and received a special miniature Juvenile Oscar, the first ever awarded.
America's Sweetheart
Born in Santa Monica in 1928, Shirley Temple was performing on film by age three. Her dimples, ringlets, and tap-dancing made her the defining child star of the Great Depression.
Top of the World
After 'Stand Up and Cheer!' in 1934 she became the No. 1 box-office attraction in the country for several years. President Roosevelt credited her films with lifting national spirits during hard times.
A Second Act in Diplomacy
Retiring from acting at 22, Temple reinvented herself in public service as Shirley Temple Black. She served at the United Nations and as U.S. ambassador to Ghana and Czechoslovakia.
Career Timeline
- 1928Born Shirley Jane Temple in Santa Monica, California
- 1932Begins film work in 'Baby Burlesks' shorts
- 1934Breakthrough in 'Stand Up and Cheer!'
- 1934Charms audiences singing 'On the Good Ship Lollipop'
- 1935Receives the first-ever Juvenile Academy Award
- 1938Ranked Hollywood's top box-office draw
- 1940Departs 20th Century-Fox as box office cools
- 1950Retires from acting at age 22
- 1969Named U.S. delegate to the United Nations
- 1974Appointed U.S. Ambassador to Ghana
- 1989Appointed U.S. Ambassador to Czechoslovakia
- 2014Dies in Woodside, California, age 85
Biggest Hits
- The non-alcoholic 'Shirley Temple' cocktail was named after her during her childhood stardom.
- She helped lead Czechoslovakia's transition during the 1989 Velvet Revolution as U.S. ambassador.
The Moment You Remember
The image of little Shirley tap-dancing down a staircase alongside Bill "Bojangles" Robinson is the moment that endures. Their joyful step-dance, one of the first of its kind between a Black and white performer on screen, captured the exuberance that made her a national treasure.
Portrait: Unknown author · Public domain (PD-US, published 1931-1977 without notice) · via Wikimedia Commons