Shirley Temple

She first got married when she was 17 to John Agar, an Army sergeant, in 1945. They had one daughter and divorced in 1950.

Her second marriage was to Charles Alden Black, a WWII United States Navy intelligence officer, in 1950. The couple had two children. They had a loving marriage that lasted for 54 years until Charles’s death in 2005.

She was diagnosed with breast cancer in 1972 and had a successful recovery. After her treatment she became one of the first famous women to openly discuss about the disease through radio and television.

She was born as the youngest child of Gertrude Amelia and George Francis Temple. Her father was a bank employee while her mother stayed home to manage the house. She had two brothers.

She loved to sing and dance from an early age and her mother encouraged her daughter’s interests and had her enrolled at Meglin’s Dance School when she was just three. Her fashion loving mother styled Shirley’s hair in ringlets.

Educational Pictures noticed the pretty little girl during a talent search at the dance school and signed her in 1932.

Her initial assignments consisted of a series of one-reelers called ‘Baby Burlesks’ followed by two-reelers called ‘Frolics of Youth’ in which she played Mary Lou Rogers. She also modeled for breakfast cereals and other products during this time.

She made her feature film debut with a small role in the movie ‘Red-Haired Alibi’ in 1932.

In 1933 Educational Pictures went bankrupt and Temple signed with Fox Films in 1934. Her movie ‘Stand Up and Cheer!’ released the very same year became her breakthrough movie. The movie was a big hit and everyone loved the sweet and innocent little girl.

The year 1934 was a very busy one for the six year old. She appeared in several movies including ‘Bright Eyes’ in which she portrayed an orphaned child who is the centre of a fierce custody battle. This film was written specifically to showcase the child artist’s talents.

She played Elizabeth, a young orphan, in ‘Curly Top’ (1935). Her portrayal of a sweet but naughty and energetic child was well loved by the viewers. The movie was a big commercial hit.

She played a little girl, Marky, who is held as collateral by a group of gangsters in ‘Little Miss Marky’. The movie was based on a short story of the same name by Damon Runyon. The movie was very popular and has been remade several times.

In the movie ‘Bright Eyes’, she played an orphaned child, Shirley Blake. The movie focused on the relationship between Shirley, her godfather, and an elderly uncle. The film had been developed with specifically Temple in mind.