On February 10, 2014, Shirley Temple Black, who as a child in the
1930s became one of Hollywood’s most successful stars, died at
her Woodside, California, home at age 85. The cause of death,
according to her death certificate released on March 3, 2014,
was chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).
Temple was a lifelong cigarette smoker but avoided displaying
her habit in public because she did not want to set a bad example
for her fans.
The plucky, curly-haired performer sang, danced and acted in
dozens of films by the time she was a teen; as an adult, she
gave up making movies and served as a U.S. diplomat.
Born on April 23, 1928, in Santa Monica, California, Temple began
taking dance lessons when she was three. In 1932, she was
discovered by an agent and cast in a series of short films called
Baby Burlesks. Her career took off in 1934, when she appeared
in the film Stand Up and Cheer.
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