Temple began her film career in 1932 at the age of three and, in 1934, found international fame in Bright Eyes, a feature film designed specifically for her talents. She received a special Juvenile Academy Award in February 1935 for her outstanding contribution as a juvenile performer to motion pictures during 1934, and film hits such as Curly Top and Heidi followed year after year during the mid-to-late 1930s. Licensed merchandise that capitalized on her wholesome image included dolls, dishes, and clothing. Her box office popularity waned as she reached adolescence, and she left the film industry in her teens. She appeared in a few films of varying quality in her mid-to-late teens, and retired completely from films in 1950 at the age of 22. She was the top box-office draw four years in a row (1935–38) in a Motion Picture Herald poll.
Temple returned to show business in 1958 with a two-season television anthology series of fairy tale adaptations. She made guest appearances on television shows in the early 1960s and filmed a sitcom pilot that was never released. She sat on the boards of corporations and organizations including The Walt Disney Company, Del Monte Foods, and the National Wildlife Federation. In 1988, she published her autobiography, Child Star. Temple was the recipient of awards and honors including Kennedy Center Honors and a Screen Actors Guild Life Achievement Award.
Temple ranks 18th on the American Film Institute's list of the greatest female American screen legends of all time.
Temple began dance classes at Meglin's Dance School in Hollywood in 1931, at the age of 3. Her film career began when a casting director from Educational Pictures visited her class. Although Temple hid behind the piano in the studio, she was chosen by the director, invited to audition, and, eventually, signed to a contract with Educational.
Temple worked at Educational from 1932 to 1933, and appeared in two series of short subjects for the studio. Her first series, Baby Burlesks, satirized recent motion pictures and politics. In the series "Baby Burlesks", Shirley would dress up in a diaper, but then be wearing adult clothes everywhere else. The series was considered controversial by some viewers because of its depiction of young children in adult situations. Her second series at Educational, Frolics of Youth, was a bit more acceptable, and cast her as a bratty younger sister in a contemporary suburban family.
While working for Educational Pictures, Temple also performed many walk-on and bit player roles in various films at other studios. She is said to have auditioned for a lead role in Hal Roach's Our Gang comedies (later known as The Little Rascals) in the early 1930s; various reasons are given for her not having been cast in the role. Roach stated that Temple and her mother were unable to make it through the red tape of the audition process, while Our Gang producer/director Robert F. McGowan recalls that the studio wanted to cast Temple, but they refused to give in to Temple's mother's demands that Temple receive special star billing. Temple, in her autobiography Child Star, denies that she ever auditioned for Our Gang at all. However, Temple had some connection with Our Gang in that Temple's carpool friend, David Holt, had a small role in the 1933 Little Rascals film Forgotten Babies.
Temple was finally signed to Fox Film Corporation (which later merged with 20th Century Pictures to become 20th Century Fox) in late 1933 after appearing in Stand Up and Cheer! with James Dunn. Later, she was paired with Dunn in several films.
Temple would stay with Fox until 1940, becoming the studio's most lucrative player. Her contract was amended several times between 1933 and 1935, and she was loaned to Paramount for a pair of successful films in 1934. For four solid years, she ranked as the top-grossing box office star in America. Shirley's birth certificate was altered to hold on to her babyhood; her birth year was advanced from 1928 to 1929. She was not told her real age until her twelfth (actually thirteenth) birthday.
Her popularity earned her both public adulation and the approval of her peers. Even at the age of five, the hallmark of her acting work was her professionalism: she always had her lines memorized and dance steps prepared when shooting began.
Temple also made pictures with Carole Lombard, Gary Cooper, Adolphe Menjou, and many others. Arthur Treacher appeared as a kindly butler in several of Temple's films.
Temple's ability as a dancer (especially a tap dancer) is well known and celebrated. Even in her earliest films she danced, and she was able to handle complex tap choreography by the age of five. She was teamed with famed dancer Bill "Bojangles" Robinson in The Little Colonel, The Littlest Rebel, Rebecca of Sunnybrook Farm and Just Around the Corner. Robinson also coached and developed her choreography for many of her other films. Because Robinson was African-American, and the South was replete with racism, his scenes holding hands with Temple had to be edited out in many cities in the South.
Aside from the films, there were many Shirley Temple product during the 1930s. Ideal's numerous Temple dolls, dressed in costumes from the movies, were top sellers. Original Shirley Temple dolls bring in hundreds of dollars on the secondary market today. Other successful Temple items included a line of girls' dresses and hairbows. Several of Temple's film songs, including "On the Good Ship Lollipop"(from 1934's Bright Eyes), "Animal Crackers in My Soup" (from 1935's Curly Top) and "Goodnight My Love" (from 1936's Stowaway) were popular radio hits. She frequently lent her likeness and talent to promoting various social causes, including the Red Cross.
Temple was the first recipient of the special Juvenile Performer Academy Award in 1935 for recognition of her outstanding contribution to screen entertainment in 1934. Seventy years later, Temple is still the youngest performer ever to receive this honor, or any Oscar. She is also the youngest actress to add foot and hand prints to the forecourt at Grauman's Chinese Theatre.
Poor Little Rich Girl
Shirley Temple Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Listen, dear, to ev'ry word I mention
While I tell you just the way I feel
While I tell you why you're my ideal
You are an angel without any wings
A vision so lovely to see
Are you the reason my happy heart sings
Will I forever be faithful to you
You're mine and you always must be
Do I adore you, you know that I do
But Definitely
So Definitely
You are the moon, the stars, the sun,
You're ev'ry beat of my heart
you're so supreme
But if it all turns out to be only a beautiful dream
Let's keep on dreaming
Millions or billions can't equal your worth
Your love is a blessing to me
Are you an armful of heaven here on earth?
You are
But Definitely
In "But Definitely," Shirley Temple expresses her deep admiration and affection for the person she loves. The lyrics are a declaration of her love and devotion, with Temple proclaiming that her significant other is her ideal and an angel without wings. She expresses her certainty of their love and faithfulness, calling them the moon, stars, and sun, and stating that their love is a blessing to her.
The tone of the song is sweet and sincere, and Temple's delicate yet powerful voice adds to the emotion behind the lyrics. The song is a lovely tribute to the strength and stability of a true love, and it highlights the joy and beauty that can come from being in a loving relationship.
Line by Line Meaning
May I have your very kind attention
Can I please have your complete focus
Listen, dear, to ev'ry word I mention
Please pay close attention to every single thing I'm about to say
While I tell you just the way I feel
While I express my emotions honestly to you
While I tell you why you're my ideal
While I explain why you're perfect for me
You are an angel without any wings
You're a heavenly creature with no need for physical wings
A vision so lovely to see
A sight so beautiful to behold
Are you the reason my happy heart sings
Do you cause my heart to sing with joy?
But Definitely
Most definitely
Will I forever be faithful to you
Will I always remain loyal to you
You're mine and you always must be
You belong to me and that will never change
Do I adore you, you know that I do
Do I love and cherish you? Of course, I do
So Definitely
Without a doubt
You are the moon, the stars, the sun,
You're everything to me
You're ev'ry beat of my heart
You're the rhythm of my life
you're so supreme
You're the pinnacle of perfection
But if it all turns out to be only a beautiful dream
But in the off chance that this is all just a dream
Let's keep on dreaming
Let's continue to imagine and hope for the best
Millions or billions can't equal your worth
You're priceless and nothing can compare to you
Your love is a blessing to me
Your love is a gift that I am grateful for
Are you an armful of heaven here on earth?
Are you a heavenly treasure that I'm lucky enough to have on this earth?
You are
Yes, you are
But Definitely
Most definitely
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: HARRY REVEL, MACK GORDON
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
PG Christine
Grew up with Shirley Temple movies. Never fails to put a smile on my face. She was an extraordinary child.
Bryan Jason
Hello how are you doing 😊😊😊
Hatsune Miku Channel The Famous Youtuber
Hey, Today is Shirley Temple's death anniversary 😊😊😔😔
Janet Smolenski
I too grew up with her and loved all her movies. I also find myself smiling while watching her movie. I wondered why and realized because she is exactly the way we wish people would act. Loving, friendly, forgiving etc.
suvarna bhat
100 %
Me a fan of hers
She kept me happy in lockdown
Milo Torres
@Janet Smolenski so truer words can't be spoken she was golden heart by nature and her mom 🤔👍🙏💎💙👼✨💪✌️😊🌠
lavetta moff
Shirley Temple was an extraordinary child who became an extraordinary adult that served her country. Sadly there are no children in films today that can even compare.Her movies are timeless,and always bring a smile to my face.
Caroline Wolter Hall
Facts!
Debra Mckay
@Caroline Wolter Hall mmmmmmlllmmmmkmplpmlp ok
Debra Mckay
@Caroline Wolter Hall mmmmmmlllmmmmkmplpmlp ok