dual personalities

You’ve probably heard that Shirley Temple died yesterday. Very sad. So it seems appropriate to include this picture of Shirley Temple sitting on Abraham Lincoln’s lap in The Littlest Rebel (1935) since it is the Great Man’s birthday today. Only Shirley could get away with such antics.

Shirley Temple Black, whom I have blogged about here and here and here, was quite a gal. She had a huge movie career–she was America’s top box-office draw from 1935 to 1938, a record no other child star has come near. She beat out such grown-up stars as Clark Gable, Bing Crosby, Robert Taylor, Gary Cooper and Joan Crawford. After she retired at age 22, she had a great (second) marriage and family,

Shirley and her husband–hello, Charles

and, after a successful foray into television, an important second career in public service.

Ambassador Shirley in Prague 1989

Phew. She was a fine example to all women everywhere. And she was an Episcopalian to boot.

A statement released by her family said, “We salute her for a life of remarkable achievements as an actor, as a diplomat, and most importantly as our beloved mother, grandmother, great-grandmother and adored wife for fifty-five years of the late and much missed Charles Alden Black.”

Well, I don’t know about you, but I plan to overdose on some wholesome Shirley goodness over the next few days. She was one-of-a-kind.

You can read the whole NY Times obit here.

TCM will celebrate Shirley Temple with eight back-to-back films on Sunday, March 9, starting at 4:30pm ET. Don’t miss HEIDI (’37), BRIGHT EYES (’34) & THE LITTLE PRINCESS (’39), among others. Mark your calendar!

*…and at thy coming may the martyrs receive thee, and bring thee into the holy city Jerusalem. (BCP, Burial of the Dead, Rite I)