Little Miss Sunshine

By

Dawn Pisturino

Today, when film buffs pay homage to Hollywood in the 1930s, they gush over glamor stars like Bette Davis, Carole Lombard, and Jean Harlow. But the big superstar from 1934-1938 was a precocious little girl with golden ringlets named Shirley Temple.

Born April 23, 1928 in Santa Monica, California, Temple went on to appear in 29 films between the ages of 3 and 10. But as her childhood waned, so did her shining star, and she retired from films in 1950 at the age of 22.

The Great Depression was in full swing in the mid-1930s, and the federal government had asked powerful studio moguls in Hollywood to embark on a mission of “cheering Americans up.” Shirley Temple, managed by her practical and astute parents, fit that role to a tee.

She was a natural born actress who played the role of the little savior in low-budget comedies and melodramas that pitted rich against poor and hard-hearted, miserly crooks against loving, generous saints. She often played the role of an orphan, which accurately reflected the plight of so many of America’s children at that time.

Popular actors like Gary Cooper, John Boles, James Dunn, Victor McLaglen, Randolph Scott, and John Barrymore played opposite the feisty little girl. She charmed them with upbeat childhood ditties like “Animal Crackers in My Soup,” “On the Good Ship Lollipop,” “You Gotta Eat Your Spinach, Baby,” and others. These songs became classic childhood fare for later generations.

But her most memorable performances occur with vaudeville dancer Bill “Bojangles” Robinson in films such as “The Little Colonel,” where he teaches her the staircase dance. Under his guidance, Temple became an accomplished tap dancer.

Popular culture embraced the dynamic childhood star with nationwide sales of dolls, toys, clothing, and other items bearing the Shirley Temple image and name. Temple became a wealthy young lady, thanks to the financial management of her parents.

By the time of her death on February 10, 2014, Temple had enjoyed an extensive career as a child entertainer, radio host, TV producer, and a U.S. Ambassador. But she will always be remembered as the darling little girl with the golden ringlets who laughed and cried and sang and danced her way into people’s hearts.

August 17, 2021