You know Buddy Ebsen, right? He was a legendary dancer and actor, and his story about Shirley Temple is something else. Here's what his daughter, Kiki Ebsen, shared with Closer: "When Shirley, just a kid back then, arrived on set for 1936’s Captain January, she wasn’t messing around. She walked up to Buddy and asked if the dance was ready. Buddy told her he needed to tweak it a bit. Shirley didn’t beat around the bush—she said, 'Call me when it’s ready, and I’ll learn it.' The point? She had zero time for anything that wasn’t set in stone."
Now, picture this: Shirley comes back after a while, and guess what? She picked up that complex dance routine in just an hour. Kiki Ebsen couldn’t help but add, "He was absolutely blown away by her talent. She was something else."
There’s never been anyone quite like Shirley Temple. By the time she was 10, she’d already starred in 29 films. But let’s be real—her life wasn’t all sunshine and rainbows. During her peak years, she worked tirelessly, faced death threats, and even inappropriate advances. By the time she retired at 22, she had only $40,000 to show for it. As she once joked, "I stopped believing in Santa Claus when I was six—my mom took me to see him in a store, and he asked for my autograph."
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At just 3 years old, Shirley started her journey with dance lessons. Soon enough, she found herself in Baby Burlesks, short parody films she’d later describe as "a cynical exploitation of our childish innocence, sometimes racist or sexist." But hey, it wasn’t all bad. When Shirley or her young co-stars acted up on set, they’d be made to sit on a block of ice in a locked, windowless sound booth. Shirley wrote in her memoir Child Star, "That black box didn’t do any lasting damage, but it taught me a lesson. Time is money, and wasted time equals wasted money, which equals trouble."
Shirley's Rise to Stardom
At age 6, Shirley became a household name with her unforgettable performance singing "On the Good Ship Lollipop" in Bright Eyes. Her son, Charles Black Jr., told Closer, "She was a phenomenon during a very unique moment in the film industry. Her charm and good family values made her films a hit." Shirley’s mom, Gertrude, was always by her side, fiercely protective. "Her mother wouldn’t let her play with other kids on set unless they were deemed 'socially acceptable,'" recalled Marilyn Granas, Shirley’s stand-in.
Parties, Perils, and Publicity
Every year around Shirley’s April 23 birthday, the studio threw lavish parties for her. But as Granas explained, "They weren’t really social events—they were all about publicity. People would bring presents, but Shirley never opened them. They all went straight to charity." Now, let’s talk about the scary stuff. After the 1932 kidnapping of aviator Charles Lindbergh’s son made headlines, Shirley started receiving death threats. Her parents set up an elaborate security system with guards patrolling their gated home, and her dad even started carrying a gun.
The most terrifying incident happened in 1939 at an L.A. theater where Shirley was promoting The Blue Bird. A deranged woman stood up in the front row and aimed a gun directly at Shirley, believing the little girl had stolen her daughter’s soul. Thankfully, the woman was subdued, but it was a close call that left everyone shaken.
Hollywood's Betrayal
Despite earning millions for Fox Studios, Shirley was let go in 1941 due to slumping ticket sales. MGM picked up her contract with a new plan: "First, we’ll get rid of the baby fat…then new hair," Shirley recalled being told by producer Arthur Freed. But it didn’t stop there. Freed unzipped his trousers and exposed himself to her in his office. "I reacted with nervous laughter," Shirley said. Shocked, Freed threw her out.
At the height of her career, Shirley earned $10,000 a week, racking up a cool $3.2 million. She also made money from dolls, clothing, and other merchandise. So imagine her shock at 22 when she discovered her bank account held just $40,000. "Ninety-seven cents of every dollar she made was gone," explained author John Kasson. Shirley’s father had squandered her earnings on bad investments. "They probably used it on a bigger house and family expenses," Kasson added, "but Shirley didn’t blame him. She thought he was poorly advised."
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Shirley's Second Act
Shirley didn’t let setbacks define her. She found happiness in her second marriage to Charles Black, a man who claimed he’d never seen one of her movies. And she carved out a second career as an American diplomat. "I’ve lived three lives: acting, being a wife and mother—which is a career—and international relations," she said. "I’m proud of all of them."
