Shirley Temple Dead at 85; Top 5 Movies by the Former Child Actress [WATCH]
She was the first-ever child star, and now Hollywood's stars shine a little less bright with the news that Shirley Temple -- who, in the 1930s, shot to superstardom with her wide variety of family-friendly films -- has died at the age of 85.
The New York Times spoke to Temple's publicist, Cheryl Kagan, who confirmed her death. She was known as the "darling of the Depression years" with her precious curls, sweet singing voice, and infectious laugh. She left Hollywood at the age of 23 to focus on being a wife and a mother, and -- in the 1960s -- served as an ambassador to the United States for Ghana and the former Czechoslovakia, and made a noted political career for herself (most notably as a Republican fund-raiser and as a chief of protocol for President Gerald Ford).
While many of us today are too young to remember a time when Shirley Temple was in the pop culture lexicon, she was a darling of our grandparents' generation, to be sure. And in an era of bratty teen stars (Justin Bieber), drug-addicted former child actresses (Lindsay Lohan), and former "darlings" who go off the rails when they become of age (Miley Cyrus), it's refreshing to look back at a life lived with dignity, grace, and class.
Here, then, are the top 5 Shirley Temple movies of all time:
5. Heidi: Based on the novel of the same name, this family movie shows off both Temple's sizable acting chops and dance moves.
4. The Little Princess (pictured): This is a film set during the Second Boer War (!!!!) and tells the story of a father who sends his daughter off to a prestigious boarding school before he goes off to war.
3. Rebecca of Sunnybrook Farm: This film tells the story of a girl whose father groomed her to be a radio star, but success doesn't come as quickly as he'd like.
2. Honeymoon: One of only a handful of films she made as a teenager, this comedy was geared to showcase Shirley as a viable romantic lead. Shortly after The Bachelor and The Bobby-Soxer dropped (in the same year), though, she divorced John Agar, married Charles Black, and retired from public life to be a wife and mother.
1. Bright Eyes: This movie is best known for the iconic song, On the Good Ship Lollipop, which is how the vast majority of Shirley Temple fans remember her.
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