Shirley Temple starred in the 1934 film Bright Eyes and later became a U.S. ambassador. She was born in 1928 and began appearing in films as a child, quickly becoming one of Hollywood’s biggest box-office attractions. Bright Eyes was built around her performance as Shirley Blake, an orphan whose singing and charm drive the story.
Temple’s signature number in the film, “On the Good Ship Lollipop,” became one of the defining recordings of her childhood career. Her popularity helped make her the top box-office star in America during much of the mid-1930s, even though she was still a young child.
After leaving acting, Temple entered public service. President Gerald Ford appointed her ambassador to Ghana in 1974, and President George H. W. Bush later appointed her ambassador to Czechoslovakia in 1989. She is therefore remembered both as a major child star and as a diplomat.