The Disturbing History Of Shirley Temple, Baby Superstar

Old Hollywood used to be a living hell. The actress Shirley Temple who started to film at the age of three is proof of it. Her first credited role was in the Baby Burlesks. It was a series of short films where popular movies were satirized. Children in those films played adults. Shirley later described the show as «cynical exploitation of our childish innocence». Children worked a lot for small salaries. Shirley was made to work after an operation and dance with an injured foot. For those who misbehaved there was a «punishment box». Children were forced to sit on the block of ice to «cool off». After the debut, Shirley’s career quickly took off. She signed up a contract with Fox. At that time, the film studio was on the brink of bankruptcy. Shirley’s appearance saved Fox. And she became an America’s sweetheart. Between 1935 and 1938, she was the top box office star. The 9-year-old girl beat Clark Gable. People loved her adorable smile and curly hair. But her childhood was passing quickly. So studio milked maximum from her. Before the age of 22, she filmed in 55 movies. Her working conditions weren’t that great. To make her cry, the director was usually telling her that her mother had been kidnapped. A lot of rumors encircled her. The novelist Graham Greene described the 8-year-old girl as a sex object. Shirley and the studio sued him, but he wasn’t the only one. The main danger for the young actress were producers. In her autobiography, Shirley described harassment. One of the producers exposed himself to her when she was 13. Another tried to assault her. But as Shirley described it, it had little influence on her future life. When Shirley got older, her golden hair turned brown. And she became a common teenager. Her films weren’t that popular anymore. She finished her career at the age of 22. Shirley became a loving mother and started work as an ambassador. She was one of the child stars who did not self-destruct through alcohol, drugs, or sex.

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