Shirley Temple (April 23, 1928 – February 10, 2014) was easily the most popular child star of all time. She began her film career in 1932 at the age of three and soon progressed to super stardom. At age five, she was able to do it all: act, sing, and dance. In 1934, she found international fame in Bright Eyes, a feature film designed specifically for her talents. She received a special Juvenile Academy Award in February 1935 for her outstanding contribution as a juvenile performer to motion pictures during 1934. She was the top box-office draw four years in a row (1935–38) in a Motion Picture Herald poll. Fans loved her as she was bright, bouncy and cheerful in her films and they ultimately bought millions of dollars worth of products that had her likeness on them. Licensed merchandise that capitalized on her wholesome image included dolls, dishes, records, mugs, hats, dresses and more.

By 1939, her box office popularity declined as she reached adolescence, and she left the film industry in her teens. She appeared in a few films of varying quality in her mid-to-late teens, and retired completely from films in 1950 at the age of 22.

Temple returned to show business in 1958 with a two-season television anthology series of fairy tale adaptations. She made guest appearances on television shows in the early 1960s and filmed a sitcom pilot that was never released. She sat on the boards of corporations and organizations including The Walt Disney Company, Del Monte Foods, and the National Wildlife Federation. She began her diplomatic career in 1969, with an appointment to represent the United States at a session of the United Nations General Assembly. In 1988, she published her autobiography, Child Star. Temple was also the recipient of awards and honors including Kennedy Center Honors and a Screen Actors Guild Life Achievement Award. She ranks 18th on the American Film Institute's list of the greatest female American screen legends of all time.

Shirley Temple, the biggest little star, died on February 10, 2014 in California. She was 85.