Commemorating the Iconic Child Star and International Ambassador
On June 9, the Google Doodle honors the remarkable life of Shirley Temple, America’s beloved child star who transitioned into a distinguished international ambassador. This date marks the anniversary of the Santa Monica History Museum’s opening of a special exhibit showcasing rare memorabilia dedicated to Temple, which occurred in 2015, a year after her passing in 2014 at the age of 85.
Temple was born in Santa Monica, California, in 1928, during the Great Depression, and quickly emerged as a beacon of hope for struggling Americans. President Franklin D. Roosevelt famously referred to her as “Little Miss Miracle,” remarking, “As long as our country has Shirley Temple, we will be all right.” He highlighted the joy she brought to audiences, allowing them to forget their troubles for just 15 cents at the movies.
Temple starred in iconic films such as Little Miss Marker (1934), Stand Up and Cheer, and Bright Eyes, the latter featuring her famous song “Good Ship Lollipop.” Remarkably, she retired from Hollywood at the age of 22 and later ventured into politics. In 1969, she was appointed as the US representative to the United Nations and served as ambassador to Ghana in 1974 and to Czechoslovakia in 1989.
Her granddaughter, Teresa Caltabiano, penned a tribute for the Google Doodle, reflecting on how Temple’s experiences in the film industry during challenging times ignited her lifelong curiosity about people and the world. “If you’ve seen a Shirley Temple movie, you have, in a sense, gotten to know who she was as a person,” Caltabiano expressed.