Shirley Temple was easily the most popular and famous child star of all time. She got her start in the movies at the age of three and soon progressed to super stardom. Shirley could do it all, act, sing and dance and all at the age of five! Fans loved her as she was bright, bouncy and cheerful in her films and they ultimately bought millions of dollars worth of products that had her likeness on them. Dolls, phonograph records, mugs, hats, dresses, whatever it was, if it had her picture on there they bought it. Shirley was the box-office champion for three straight years, 1936-37-38, beating out such great grown up stars as Clark Gable, Bing Crosby, Robert Taylor, Gary Cooper and 'Joan Crawford' . By 1939, her popularity declined. Although she starred in some very good movies like Since You Went Away, and the The Bachelor and the Bobby-Soxer, her career was nearing its end. Later she served as an ambassador to Ghana and Czechoslovakia. It was once guessed that she had more than 50 golden curls on her head.



Fort Apache (1948): $110,000
Since You Went Away (1944): $2,200 (per week)
Stand Up and Cheer! (1934): $75/week
Pardon My Pups (1934): $1,000/wk+$35,000 bonus at the end of each film to be held in trust until contract is over+$250/wk for her mother
Kid in Hollywood (1933): $150/week
The Red-Haired Alibi (1932): $50 (two days)

Charles Black, the San Francisco businessman she married after divorcing John Agar, admitted to her while they were courting that he had never seen any of her movies. Her daughter "Lorax" (Lori Black) was the bass player for the rock band The Melvins . She was supposed to play Dorothy in The Wizard of Oz (1939), but 20th Century Fox refused to lend her to MGM, so Judy Garland was cast in the role. Has three children: Linda Susan Agar, whom Charles Black later adopted, (b. January 30, 1948), Charles Alden Black Jr. "Charlie" (born in Bethesda, Maryland, April 24, 1952) and Lori Alden Black (b. April 9, 1954). Both daughters were born in Santa Monica, California, at the same hospital, not to mention delivered by the same doctor, as Shirley had been years before. Became a Dame of Malta, although NOT from the officially recognized Roman Catholic order -- but rather from a non-Roman Catholic unaffiliated entity. She learned her trade at Meglin's, a popular talent school. Judy Garland was once a fellow "Meglin Kiddie". Appears on sleeve of The Beatles's "Sgt Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band". Auditioned twice to be in "Our Gang" / "The Little Rascals." She apparently failed the first audition, and made the second while she was appearing in the "Baby Burlesks" series. "Our Gang" director Robert F. McGowan refused to agree to Shirley's mother's request that Shirley receive star billing with "Our Gang," so she didn't get in. She was voted the 38th Greatest Movie Star of all time by Entertainment Weekly. At age six she became the youngest person ever to be presented with an Oscar. Was named #18 Actress, The American Film Institutes 50 Greatest Screen Legends Is portrayed by Ashley Rose and by Emily Hart in Child Star: The Shirley Temple Story (2001) (TV) She calls it corny but she admitted that she fell in love with Charles Black at first sight. They met while she was in Honolulu. He was working for a shipping company there at the time. 11/1/06: She broke her wrist in a fall at her northern California home. At the age of 6, she was the youngest presenter at the Oscars ever. She presented the "Best Actress" award in 1935. The winner was Claudette Colbert. A soft cocktail - Shirley Temple - was created in her honor consisting of, Ginger Ale (or 7-Up), Grenadine and Orange Juice, topped with a Maraschino Cherry and a slice of lemon. A close friend and supporter of Republican Presidents Richard Nixon and Ronald Reagan. Her childhood home is located at 231 Rockingham Avenue, Brentwood, California. Was pregnant with daughter Linda Susan "Susie" Agar (later changed to Black), during the filming of That Hagen Girl (1947). When Gary Cooper first met Shirley Temple on the set of their movie Now and Forever he asked for her autograph.