Farewell Shirley Temple

Saying goodbye to Shirley Temple is like saying goodbye to childhood.  That is probably not how she would like to be remembered but one cannot avoid the fact that Shirley Temple was the biggest child star ever.  I remember seeing my first Shirley Temple movie at the age of 7, I believe it was “Captain January”, and wanting to be just like her, tap dancing and all.  Her movies were always light hearted, full of exploits and hardships but you were always sure of a happy ending.

There are any number of things to admire about this woman, her intelligence, her activism and her re-invention of herself but one of the things I truly admire is that she carried her celebrity with grace.  Despite being a pampered star and no doubt being a little wild within her circle no scandal ever attached to her and she grew up to be a responsible, respected citizen.  I remember when she spoke out about her breast cancer back in the early ‘70s and made it a platform to help others with breast cancer awareness.  She went on to a diplomatic career that earned the respect of career diplomats and dignitaries.  At all times she won friends and admiration for her grace and dignity.

Just like in her movies, Shirley Temple Black retained her dignity throughout her life.  Now that is a Class Act.

I actually have this autographed picture, slightly tattered!