Shirley Temple

American actress and diplomat (1928 - 2014)

Shirley Temple, later known as Shirley Temple Black (April 23, 1928 – February 10, 2014), was an American actress, diplomat, and TV host. She was the first to receive the Academy Juvenile Award in 1934.

Shirley Temple
Temple in 1948
Born(1928-04-23)April 23, 1928
DiedFebruary 10, 2014(2014-02-10) (aged 85)
Cause of deathChronic obstructive pulmonary disease
Resting placeAlta Mesa Memorial Park, Palo Alto, California, U.S.
NationalityAmerican
Other namesShirley Temple Black
Occupations
  • Actress
  • singer
  • dancer
  • businesswoman
  • diplomat
Years active1932–65 (as actress)
1967–92 (as public servant)
Spouse(s)
(m. 1945; div. 1950)

(m. 1950; died 2005)
Children3, including Lori Black
27th United States Ambassador to Czechoslovakia
In office
August 23, 1989 – July 12, 1992
PresidentGeorge H. W. Bush
Preceded byJulian Niemczyk
Succeeded byAdrian A. Basora
18th Chief of Protocol of the United States
In office
July 1, 1976 – January 21, 1977
PresidentGerald Ford
Jimmy Carter
Preceded byHenry E. Catto Jr.
Succeeded byEvan Dobelle
9th United States Ambassador to Ghana
In office
December 6, 1974 – July 13, 1976
PresidentGerald Ford
Preceded byFred L. Hadsel
Succeeded byRobert P. Smith
Personal details
Political partyRepublican
Websitewww.shirleytemple.com
Signature

Acting career

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Movies

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Temple started her film career at age 3, appearing in short films. She became a superstar in 1934 with the movie Bright Eyes. She starred in other popular films like Curly Top, The Little Colonel, Dimples, Wee Willie Winkie, and The Little Princess. Though her popularity declined as she grew up, some of her teen movies, such as Since You Went Away, Fort Apache (with Henry Fonda and John Wayne), and The Bachelor and the Bobby-Soxer (with Cary Grant and Myrna Loy), became classics. Temple married John Agar in 1945, then Charles Black in 1950, retiring from movies at 22.

Television

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After focusing on her family, Temple returned to TV in the late 1950s with the show Shirley Temple's Storybook on NBC. The series featured dramatizations of fairy tales like Beauty and the Beast and stories like Pippi Longstocking. Well-known stars like Charlton Heston and Agnes Moorehead appeared on the show, which was nominated for an Emmy Award in children's programming. The show ended after two seasons.

Politics

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Temple became active in the Republican Party in California. She ran unsuccessfully for the U.S. House of Representatives in 1967. She was involved with the Commonwealth Club of California and served as its president in 1984.[1][2]

She served as a U.S. Representative to the United Nations (1969) under President Nixon,[3][4] and was the U.S. Ambassador to Ghana (1974–1976) under President Ford.[5] She was the first female Chief of Protocol of the United States (1976–1977) and later became the U.S. Ambassador to Czechoslovakia (1989–1992) under President George H. W. Bush.[6]

Illness and death

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Temple had breast cancer in the early 1970s and had a mastectomy. She died on February 10, 2014 from chronic obstructive pulmonary disease at her Woodside, California home, at the age of 85.[7]

Other websites

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References

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  1. "Hoover Institution Commonwealth Club Database". Archived from the original on 2014-03-06. Retrieved 2014-04-21.
  2. "In Memoriam: Shirley Temple Black - Commonwealth Club". www.commonwealthclub.org.
  3. Edwards 356
  4. Windeler 85
  5. Edwards 357
  6. Thomas, Andy; Scheftel, Jeff 1996. Shirley Temple: the biggest little star: biography. A&E Television Networks. ISBN 0-7670-8495-0
  7. "Hollywood star Shirley Temple dies". BBC News. 11 February 2014.