“Little Miss Miracle” Shirley Temple was the first child star to become a household name in the United States. Her signature curls and endearing movie presence lightened the mood during a dark time in American history.
FDR was quoted as saying, “As long as we have Shirley Temple, we will be alright” by Hollywood Reporter. But, like many other child stars who followed in her footsteps, she struggled to keep her career going after her first success.
A weaker talent would have been wrecked by a troubled first marriage and the loss of high-profile opportunities to rivals like Judy Garland. While his time in the movies as a kid was brief, it was incredibly successful, and it set the stage for a long and fruitful career as a diplomat, political activist, and public servant.
How often do child stars nowadays become the United States Ambassador to Ghana after having a delicious mocktail named after them? Let’s go more into the intriguing life of success that this American cinema superstar has had since leaving Hollywood.
What Happened to Shirley Temple?
She mentioned Temple as one of the persons who helped her out during her sickness. The celebrity was diagnosed with breast cancer in the fall of 1972. Grossman pointed out that this was a time when women and, more specifically, actresses and significant performers, would often try to hide the fact that they were unwell.
In this era of medicine’s past, some doctors would conduct mastectomies under the guise of a biopsy. Women, the argument went, wouldn’t be able to take in such bad news before the operation. The doctors taking care of Temple weren’t keeping anything from her.
Similarly, Temple didn’t plan to keep her sickness a secret from anybody. A press conference was held at Temple in the guise of a medical mastectomy. Temple urged her female readers to not “sit at home and be terrified” and to instead perform self-breast exams.
A second statement from Temple said, “The physician can make the surgery; I’ll take the decision.” With her moving story, Temple became the first celebrity to open up about her cancer battle in a major tabloid.
How Many Times Did Shirley Temple Married?
Shirley was married two times, here below are the details about her marriage:
Shirley Temple’s First Marriage at Age 17
Shirley Temple spent most of her early life on the stage and in the film industry, and the fast pace of her professional and personal life were inseparable. By the time Temple was a young adult, she was a seasoned performer who smoked a pack a day and was desperate to be engaged before any of her classmates from high school (New York Times).
Having met a few months earlier through a common acquaintance, actress ZaSu Pitts (via Washington Post), Temple wed US Army Air Corp soldier John Agar in 1945 at the tender age of 17.
David O. Selznick, a movie producer, offered the gorgeous Agar a lucrative position, and he accepted, despite just having a passing interest in acting. Despite having great chemistry in “Fort Apache” and “Adventures in Baltimore,” the real-life romance between Temple and Agar was not as successful.
In 1948, Temple and Agar welcomed their daughter Linda Susan into the world, adding to the public’s perception of their happiness. However, the couple’s marriage was far from perfect. Agar had a problem with alcohol and was arrested for driving under the influence.
Agar’s unpredictability and violent temper also caused problems. Agar, a hesitant and insecure film actor, had to endure the scornful moniker “Mr. Shirley Temple” (as reported by The Washington Post) due to his wife’s tremendous success. They separated in 1949 and apparently remained unable to communicate with each other until their deaths (Washington Post).
Shirley Temple’s Second Marriage
Film historian David Thomson said that when Shirley Temple transitioned from her bouncy blond hair to a more mature look, she had become an “unremarkable teenager” (via the New York Times), and this had a negative impact on her career.
By 1949, audiences had stopped going to see her movies, and Temple had recently separated from husband John Agar. After meeting Charles Adlen Black, a US Naval officer, businessman, and ardent surfer (via The Almanac), Temple’s personal life began to improve.
Temple said, “I fell in love with him at first sight” after meeting at a party. It’s a cliche explanation, but it’s the truth” (Los Angeles Times). On December 6, 1950, little than a month after her divorce from Alden, Temple and Black tied the knot.
By the time Temple and Black wed, Temple had already retired from acting; her last picture was 1949’s “A Kiss for Corliss.”
During the Korean War, Temple accompanied Black to Washington, D.C., where he was stationed at the Pentagon, thereby ending his career as a performer. Temple and Black were an incredible pair; they were married for over 55 years and had two children, Charles Jr. and Lori.
With the below link, you may read about the relationships of other celebrities:
