Reports are filtering through that a true icon of the golden age of Hollywood has passed away at age 85.
I'm in my 50s and always had fond memories of this huge star of the 1930s. There was no denying she was an American original. Whilst I would never call myself an out and out fan, she certainly made me smile seeing her in the films of her heyday, even today when I see them on television now and again. A sad day.
Everyday that passes now it seems someone from our youth is leaving this planet. She left an indelible mark the world over for many generations. How many people can lay claim to that?
I used to watch her TV show, SHIRLEY TEMPLE STORYBOOK. I was 12 and she was about 30. I wondered if there was a chance I could marry her...thanks for the memories, Shirley...
Buddy Ebsen dancing in a Sailor suit. Other images, Shirley and Bojangles doing that dance on the steps. My sister's favorite was HEIDI and she still makes me come over and watch it on DVD with her now from time to time. Also remember the movie where she was smoking the Peace Pipe with some indian chief, in a TeePee perhaps.
Great entertainment movies with great character actors and usually good messages for kids!
R.I.P. Shirley. You were truly one of a kind. You're now up there with your first husband John Agar, your second husband Charles Black, your parents and your brother George.
One of the biggest movie stars Hollywood has ever known. Certainly the most popular child star who's ever lived, by a mile. She did everything with flair and class. I've been in love with her my entire life. A true American treasure, may she rest in peace.
When I was growing up, one of our local television stations had a Saturday morning show called "Shirley Temple Theater," in which they had Temple's films on a regular rotation. I saw many of her most popular films as part of that series. In the 50 years since, however, I've probably revisited only one or two of those films. Yet I still have vivid memories of many scenes from them. A review of Shirley's films can be found in this thread:
Shirley, I would start with THE LITTLE PRINCESS and HEIDI ("It's the height of punctuality"), particularly for the interplay with actors Arthur Treacher, Mary Nash and Marsh Mae Jones (who plays a good girl and a bad girl equally well). But don't overlook CURLY TOP, OUR LITTLE GIRL or BRIGHT EYES (with great support from Janes Withers and Charles Sellon).
