April Birthday Girl

 

I could not let the month of April pass by without a special Happy Birthday salute
to a precocious, curly-topped moppet, who stole America's heart during the
 dark days of the Great Depression, and who later traded in her acting career for
  the real life role as a US ambassador to the nations of Czechoslovakia and Ghana.

She is the one and only Shirley Temple!

Shirley Jane Temple Black

(April 23, 1928-February 12, 2014)

I love all of Shirley's movies, however, my favorite, "Bright Eyes" (1934)
features her singing what can only be called her "signature song".

"On The Good Ship Lollipop"

(1934)

After taking tap lessons at the Meglin Dance Studio in Hollywood as a toddler,
Shirley would later display her amazing dancing talent alongside actor/dancer
 Bill "Bojangles" Robinson in the 1935 movie, "The Little Colonel".

Shirley Dances With Bill "Bojangles" Robinson

"The Little Colonel"

(1935)

And with actor Buddy Ebsen, who would one day portray television's millionaire
hillbilly Jed Clampett, and detective Barnaby Jones, seen here dancing
 with Shirley in the 1936 movie, "Captain January".

"At The Codfish Ball"

(1936)

Shirley also paired up with British actor and dance man
 Arthur Treacher, in 1939's "The Little Princess".

"The Old Kent Road"

(1939)

I am pleased to know that I have something in common with Shirley too,
and that is, doll collecting!   I have several Shirley Temple dolls in my ever
expanding doll family and I absolutely love them!  Two of my latest acquired
Shirley dolls were found in mint condition ( Danbury Mint editions)
 standing amid the usual bric-a-brac on a shelf in a local thrift store.

  When I spied those familiar golden brown ringlets from across 
the store I made a beeline for these beautiful dolls, whose total price, 
 along with another lovely doll I found, (not a Shirley) but handmade in Ireland,
cost me only $21.00!  (It was Senior Discount Day).  But what a great find!

In 2015, some of Shirley's massive doll collection and other memorabilia were put on display 
in museums around the nation as part of an event sponsored by Theriault's Auction,
appropriately called "Love, Shirley Temple".
Picture courtesy/Theriaults