This generation today is full of people who revolve around their phones and food. Hard work and true talent has not been seen in years. In the 1930’s, there were no phones, yet there were people changing the world. A young girl took place in this time period and set a perfect example as to someone who went out and did just this. She did not know what texting was, yet was perfectly happy and made millions of other people happy too. Her name was Shirley Temple. She won multiple awards and was very well rounded. However, not only was she famous for her movies and 56 ringlets; she was a woman that knew there was more to life than fame and fortune, and recognized that the world wasn’t all about her.
On April 28, 1928, a star was born. Shirley grew up in Santa Monica, California, with wonderful parents, George and Gertrude Temple, and two older brothers, Jack and George Jr. (Severson). Mrs. Temple was a performer, and encouraged her daughter to do the same. When Shirley was three, she began to dance at a small, local dance studio (“Shirley Temple (1928-2014)”). Dancing was easy for her, and her little feet tapping away with her great big smile amazed many because at a young age she had great talent. One day two producers were there scouting, and immediately fell in love with the girl with big brown eyes. She was signed a contract, and from there her career set off.
Her major fame lasted from about 1934-1939. This was about the time of the Great Depression, so little Shirley did more than an average star (“Shirley Temple: The Superstar”…). She gave Americans hope, and took their minds off of their troubles for a little bit. Her first official movie was called Stand up and Cheer, which primarily focused on boosting the...
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...ite. http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0000073/bio?ref_=nm_ql_1
Shirley Temple: America’s Little Darling. DVD. Wombat Productions. 31 August, 1993.
“Shirley Temple: The Superstar who had her Childhood Destroyed by Hollywood.” DailyMail. 18 April 2009. http://www.dailymail.co.uk/tvshowbiz/article-560626/Shirley-Temple-superstar-childhood-destroyed-Hollywood.html “Shirley Temple (1928-2014).” National Women’s History Museum and Girls Learn International. Feb. 2014. https://www.nwhm.org/education- resources/biography/biographies/shirley-temple/
“Shirley Temple 2014.” The Biography Channel Website. 23 Feb. 2014. http://www.biography.com/people/shirley-temple-9503798
“Temple, Shirley.” Grolier Multimedia Encyclopedia. Grolier Online, 19 Feb. 2014. http://go.grolier.com/
“Top 10 Shirley Temple Films.” HubPages. http://luna-b.hubpages.com/hub/Top-Ten-Shirley- Temple-Films
Myra Maybelle Shirley, also commonly known as the “Bandit Queen” was born on February 5, 1848, on a farm near Carthage, Missouri. She was one of six children, but the only daughter of her farmer parents, John and Elizabeth Shirley. When her family moved into Carthage, her father became a prosperous innkeeper and slave holder. Belle attended the Carthage Female Academy, where she excelled in reading, spelling, grammar, arithmetic, manner, Greek, Latin, Hebrew, and developed a love for playing the piano. She later attended another private school named Cravens, where she further nurtured her love for music.
During the 1930’s, the Great Depression was in full swing. The Depression was a period in American History when the economy was horrible. Most people did not have jobs, and if they did their paycheck was barely enough to put food on the table. At that time, many people did not experience happiness very often because of their money situations. However, there was one person who could turn any frown upside down, Shirley Temple. Shirley Temple, the best known child star of her time, ascended to unparalled box-office heights during the worst of the Great Depression, and brought humor and happiness to people in a time of great need.
As technology has developed over the years, society has become extremely reliant and addicted to the media. According to A.C. Nielsen Co., a global information and measurement firm, the average American youth watches twenty eight hours of television per week. Within a sixty-five year timeframe an individual will have spent a total of nine years watching TV (Herr). Both of these sects contribute millions of jobs providing individuals with ample opportunities, a gateway to success. It certainly provided the break for one African American woman to attain a status she could have only dreamt of as a child growing up in an unstable, emotionally debilitating, and unpromising environment. Oprah Winfrey is arguably one of the most influential women in modern times. She sprang up from seemingly nowhere becoming a media mogul, named most influential and wealthiest woman numerous years in a row by both Forbes and The Time. Oprah was brought to fame for her critically acclaimed talk show, which swiftly boosted her from rags to riches, and over the years resulted in her crowning as the “Queen of Talk.” Oprah Gail Winfrey, named the first African American female billionaire, was nominated for an academy award in her performance in The Color Purple, and through hard work and persistence forged her way into a position as CEO of her own television network and production company. Her self-entitled talk show, which would become the highest rated of its kind, served as a pioneer for many TV shows that emerged in the late 1980’s following the premiered of her show on daytime television. “I’m Oprah Winfrey, and welcome to the very first national Oprah Winfrey Show!” she exclaimed as the studio audience cheered enthusiastically (Brown). However, what pe...
Lotta Crabtree was born in New York in 1847, where she spent her first few years living, before moving to Southern California. With her parents Mary Ann Crabtree a upholsterer, furniture industry, and John Ashworth Crabtree a bookseller. Her Family was attracted by the gold rush and they moved so that they could be closer to it. Her father was the first to leave in search for gold in 1851 and Lotta and her mother moved soon after. In 1852 Lotta and her mother moved to California San Francisco for the race for gold. They weren't the richest family so they moved in with their friends that had been living there.Marry encouraged her daughter Lotta to begin dancing right away and enrolled her in dance classes at a very young age. Lotta Crabtree loved acting and performing for people while she was only a 6 year old girl. The Gold rush attracted lots of people to San francisco and that gave her a chance to perform in front of a huge audience. She danced for them and they threw nuggets and coins at her for her amazing dancing. People were throwing money at her like it was nothing and she was only 6 years old. She earned about 400 dollars per show which is an astonishing amount. Her mother collected her earnings and stored them away.This was only the beginning of Lotta Crabtree’s dancing and theater career.
Her lasting career was not given to her easily, therefore, creating an inspiring story full of hardships and success. Ever since she was a little girl, her dream was to become a successful and famous dancer. In New York City, when she was trying to fulfill her dream, she was unable to find a job in the theatre department. Instead of being discouraged, she decided to make something good come from it. She choreographed her own routines, created her own costumes, and organized solo recitals for audiences to enjoy. This event led her to the biggest adventure in her life that would later impact the world. She was invited to return back to London to pursue her education in the performing arts, so that she could further improve her talents that would make up her entire career.
In 1929, Eleanor made her Broadway debut in Follow Thru. After being in a Broadway show, her stardom kept rising until she made it to Hollywood. In 1935 she appeared in her first movie, George White's 'Scandals of 1935'.From then on, she just got more and more successful. One of her more memorable performances was in ‘Broadway Melody in 1940’ dancing alongside Fred Astaire to “Begin the Beguine’.
For the time period that Shirley was growing up in, it is remarkable that she had the courage to stand up for her beliefs. Strong minded and determined she challenged society. She was not able to stay quiet and keep her thoughts to herself; instead she spoke her mind. It seemed the harder society tried to suppress, the stronger she became. Perhaps being a woman of color she felt compelled to voice her opinion (Yuval-Davis 77). She stated that "My goal was to shake things up a little"(Chisholm 161). Not only did she shake things up, she helped to pave a ...
Shirley Temple Black was easily the most popular and famous child star of all time. She got her start in the movies at the age of three and soon progressed to super stardom. Shirley could do it all: act, sing and dance and all at the age of five! 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. Dolls, phonograph records, mugs, hats, dresses, whatever it was, if it had her picture on there they bought it. Shirley was box-office champion for the consecutive years 1935 to 1938, beating out such great grown-up stars as Clark Gable, Bing Crosby, Robert Taylor, and many more. By 1939, her popularity declined. Although she starred in some
Vocal talents She grew up in Cardiff, the daughter of a ship's fireman, Henry Bassey, and his wife Eliza Jane. In 1952, Shirley left school to work in the packing department of a sausage factory, all the while singing at local clubs. It was not long before Shirley turned professional, and even though she quit show business to become a waitress, her talent would not be ignored.
Paris, France - Josephine Baker, the sensual French dancer, was a completely different person just a few years back. Josephine Baker was born June 3, 1906 in the U.S. to a poor African American family where her dad abandoned her as soon as she was born and her mother remarried. To support her family, she worked as a babysitter for white families who never forgot to tell her, “Don’t kiss the baby.” As a child, she had seen the horrors of racism in her country, so when she was offered a chance to dance in France, she didn’t have a single doubt. In fact, Josephine could recall that that was one of the best days of her life. Her hands shook and her legs trembled with excitement as she entered the plane. Now, Josephine could say she was happy,
Around this time is when she adopted the name Ann Miller, and she kept it her entire career. At the age of 13, Miller became a showgirl at Bal Tabarin. She was hired as a dancer in San Francisco at the “Black Cat Club.” She repeatedly told the club she was 18 years old, so that she was able to work there. She was discovered by Lucille Ball and talent scout Benny Rubin. She was given a contract at the age of 13 with RKO in 1936 and remained there until 1940. She apparently gave RKO a fake birth certificate that said she was 18 years old. It was produced by her father, with the name “Lucy Ann Collier.” She signed with Columbia Pictures in 1941. There she starred in 11 “B-movie musicals” from 1941-1945. Sheended her contract in 1946 with one “A” film. Miller was famed for her speed in tap dancing. Studio publicists wrote in her press releases claiming she could tap 500 times per minute. However, the sound of ultra-fast “500” taps was looped in later. Since the stage floors were waxed and too slick for regular tap shoes, she hadto dance in shoes with rubber
Shirley Jackson grew up in a home like any other normal middle-class family. She lived with both of her parents in Burlington, California. Growing up, Shirley had a lot of tense relations with her parents, but mostly with her mother. Leslie Jackson, Shirley’s mother, set high standards for Shirley by the ways she was perceived by society and social norms. Shirley always seemed to disappoint her mother. The emotionally tearing and psychologically damaging relationship with her mother escalated to the point where her mother even told her she wished she had aborted Shirley. Roberta Rubenstein makes a great point in her work: House Mothers and Haunted Daughters: Shirley Jackson and Female Gothic, of the mental stress her mother put on her as a child that carried on throughout her life. Rubenstein says, “Throughout her life, Shirley was distressed by her mother’s profound insensitivity to her actual personality, combined with persistent attempts to control her unconven...
Growing up I know everyone has got the speech about accepting who they are and believing in themselves, however today everybody feels a sense of insecurity with the way the media stereotypes how they should be in order to be the best. When we turn on our computers and televisions we see people with perfect hair, shiny new cars, Louis Vutton shopping bags, and models for significant other. When we see these combinations, we say or think things like, “If I had that car, everyone would notice me, I mean I would have invites to everything and I’d just have the perfect life.” This is something that’s we have all down, and because of who we are, we then feel less than those who we admire. Well in the midst of the media’s constant shower of stereotypes I remember what my aunt said and gave me. Some time ago my aunt gave me a sterling sliver charm bracelet that features a locket box, a diamond star, and a compass.
Lucille Ball, a beloved Hollywood actress, overcame difficulties in childhood and adulthood, becoming a successful actress and studio head. She portrayed the relatable character “Lucy” in “I Love Lucy,” making her an American Icon.
The image has a huge effect in society. A celebrity’s image can characterize, shape and circulate societal myths in Hollywood. Marilyn Monroe was an American actress, singer, and model. People think her figure and beauty make her become a popular icon and sex symbol in the 1950s. When people talk about the name of Marilyn Monroe, a blonde beautiful sexy female's image will appear in people's minds. What has the beauty standard shown us through Marilyn Monroe in the mid-20th century? Besides the beauty what other things did she need in order for her to be famous at that time? Marilyn Monroe's status as a sex symbol has influenced many artists since her time, even though the beauty standard has been different since then. If we look at the celebrities today, we can find many imitators of Marilyn Monroe: Madonna, Britney Spears, Lindsay Lohan, and even Lady Gaga. They do this not only because of marketing and media needs, but also because people today still “worship” the image Monroe created. A half-century has passed since Marilyn Monroe's death, so why is she still relevant today? As time has passed, Marilyn Monroe's image is becoming even more meaningful and valuable. Think about the image she has created, the main point I want to study is: how does a woman who passed away at thirty-six years old, after starring in only a handful of movies, has such on the impact on women, especially young women, in the 21st century? To find the answer of how she has an impact on young women today will also show how some of the young celebrities today became successful.