Happy Birthday Dame Elizabeth Rosemond Taylor!
(February 27, 1932-March 23, 2011)
Her sunny looks often led the critics to overlook her powerful performances and underrate her acting ability, but she has won over her detractors with tenacity and dedication to her craft. She was always striving to push herself to the limit. Revisiting her work is revelatory. Every time you watch her films you discover something new.
-Paul Newman
As encouragement before interviews or auditions, mrs. temple would often tell her daughter, “sparkle, shirl’!” but we all know that miss shirley temple went on to do more than just sparkle - she shined. with her precociousness, charisma, and natural screen presence, accompanied by her uncanny ability to memorize and perform entire scripts and dance routines at the drop of a hat, she was a shoe-in for stardom. james dunn, dorothy dell, gary cooper, carole lombard, lionel barrymore, alice faye and jack haley were just some of the screen legends among those who co-starred in shirley’s movies. it was because of shirley that many actors kept working during the great depression, as her blockbusters helped keep twentieth century fox afloat. this little dimple-faced, banana-curl haired girl was inarguably one of the biggest and most sought after stars of her time - and all before she was even old enough to cross the street alone. when shirley grew up, she became ambassador to ghana and czechoslovakia, but many still remember her as that pint-sized starlet who went to work simply to make people happy, who gave people hope during the depression when things looked dim, while others recall her simply as shirley temple, america’s first sweetheart, and someone who still brings warmth and happiness into the lives of new generations every day.
