R.I.P - Shirley Temple America's Little Darling Has Died Aged 85

America's Sweetheart Shirley Temple the original child star , has sadly died at the age of 85.

Her adorable charm and curls made her one of the most iconic most popular stars of 1930's  brought smiles to an a hard decade of poverty, a true silverscreen sweetheart. How many actors in cinematic history can say their career kicked off successfully at the age of 3 retired by 22 from film? Shirley Temple was that star, she was spotted after the studio that gave her her break Educational Pictures found her in the local dance schools of California.

The studio exploited her charm  with two short films  Baby Burlesks and Frolics Of Youth but its was when she was 4 when she made her big screen debut with Red Haired Alibi.  Often portrayed as the little orphaned girl who stole our hearts and in 1934 it was Bright Eyes that delivered her first success, year later becoming the youngest ever winner of an Oscar, aged 6. Temple starred in total 43 films several short films with Curly Top (1935), The Littlest Rebel (1935) and Stowaway (1935) been her most notable.

In 195o aged 22 an teen Temple was not a cinema draw as she was when she was a child retiring from the big screen to the small screen however the stardom disappeared quickly.

In 1967 now married known as Shirley Temple Black she returned to the public eye into politics becoming a diplomat acting as ambassador to Ghana and Czechoslovakia. She was also an UN representative and represented Republican Party politician.

In a statement announcing her death, 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 55 years of the late and much missed Charles Alden Black."

Even after she left the limelight of politics lifetime  awards, honours as the world still remember her as the little gir who sang  'The Goodship Lollipop', Shirley Temple died in California on Monday surrounded by Family, our thoughts go out to her family.

Check out this 50 minute tribute for Shirley Temple

source: BBC News (post shared with our main site The Peoples Movies)