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.
Tra-La-La-La
Shirley Temple Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Here′s a little tune that always helps you when you're blue
Just a pretty little ditty, and you ought to learn it, too
It will cheer you up whenever skies above are gray
When things go wrong
Its just the song
To chase your cares away
Tra-la-la-la, what a merry world we live in
Tra-la-la-la, all of it is yours and mine
So wear a smile, sing a little while it's raining
And through the clouds, ev'ry little star will shine
Tra-la-la-la, what′s a little bit of trouble?
You live and learn things are gonna turn out fine
Just feel that way
And ev′ry little day
Will seem like spring
If you'll just sing
Tra-la, tra-la-la-la-la
The song "Tra-La-La-La" by Shirley Temple is a cheerful and uplifting tune that provides encouragement and motivation to listeners in times of distress or despair. It begins with a statement that implies the song's power to lift one's mood and then encourages listeners to learn and sing along to the ditty. The song serves to remind listeners that no matter how bad things may appear, they will get better with time and a positive attitude.
In the chorus, Temple exclaims that the world is merry, and everything is available for everyone to enjoy. She encourages people to wear a smile and sing, even when it is raining, so that every little star can shine through the clouds. Moreover, Temple acknowledges that trouble is a part of life, but it is essential to learn and believe that everything will turn out fine. The song reassures people that every day will seem like spring if they sing and maintain a positive attitude.
In summary, "Tra-La-La-La" is a simple yet powerful and inspiring song that encourages and motivates listeners to face obstacles and troubles in life head-on. It provides a reminder that by singing and staying positive, things will eventually get better.
Line by Line Meaning
Here's a little tune that always helps you when you're blue
I have a song that can make you feel better when you're feeling down
Just a pretty little ditty, and you ought to learn it, too
It's a simple and lovely song that you should learn to sing as well
It will cheer you up whenever skies above are gray
This song can bring you happiness even when your surroundings seem gloomy
When things go wrong
During difficult times
Its just the song
This is the song that can make it better
To chase your cares away
It can take away your worries
Away, away, and ev′rything will be okay
With this song, everything will be alright
Tra-la-la-la, what a merry world we live in
Isn't it wonderful we live in a happy world full of music
Tra-la-la-la, all of it is yours and mine
All the joy and beauty of the world belongs to each of us
So wear a smile, sing a little while it's raining
Even when things seem grim, keep smiling and singing
And through the clouds, ev'ry little star will shine
The darkness will pass and light will shine through
Tra-la-la-la, what′s a little bit of trouble?
What is a little bit of hardship in the grand scheme of things?
You live and learn things are gonna turn out fine
Everything will work out, just keep learning and growing
Just feel that way
Believe in yourself and your happiness
And ev′ry little day
Each and every day
Will seem like spring
Will feel like a new beginning with endless possibilities
If you'll just sing
If you just sing this song
Tra-la, tra-la-la-la-la
Tra-la-la-la-la
Writer(s): Mack Gordon, Harry Warren
Contributed by Amelia C. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Helen Vivas
One of my ultimate favorite Shirley songs
emerybayblues
When I was a kid, the local channel would show Shirley Temple movies on Saturdays, and this was the theme.
Tammie
Her tapping really advanced here :) great movie, love and miss her. The songs are so catchy and always fun!
Shizue Leigh Hicks
Jack Oakie and the wonderful Charlotte Greenwood. From Wikipedia: "She earned the unique praise of being, in her words, the '...only woman in the world who could kick a giraffe in the eye.'"
Burke Herrick
Magic and happiness roll up in one.
Lee Mclaury
Her last musical
Roro
Thanks for posting that
Shirley Temple
+Rawa'a Al-tartour your very welcome! :)
Anna James
Person: What is suppose to be the difference between Surley back then and Elasta in the future? Next Person: I don’t know, all I heard was that they are going to look almost alike, just one much taller than the other. 3rd Person: Why are you guys talking about the baby, she is not even 1 years old yet, this year.
Rachel Johnson
I swear I heard her fall and maybe it’s just my ears