Shirley Temple

The most popular star of the 1930s was also the most diminutive -- the dimpled, dancing dynamo Shirley Temple, who made more than 40 movies before reaching the ripe old age of 12.

Born April 23, 1928, in Santa Monica, Calif., Temple made her first film appearance in the two-reel comedy series Baby Burlesks (1931-1933), in which she performed dead-on impressions of adult screen sirens such as Greta Garbo. A breakout performance in Stand Up and Cheer (1934) led to starring roles in a string of vehicles -- including Bright Eyes (1934), Curly Top (1935), The Little Colonel (1935) and Heidi (1937) -- showcasing Fox Pictures' tiny savior.

Despite her considerable talent and tremendous popularity as a child star, the public failed to embrace a mature Temple, who retired from films in 1950 and turned her attention to politics, serving as a U.S. ambassador during the '70s and '80s.

Filmography