Shirley Temple in a scene from the "Little Princess" (1939). Wikipedia
By Terry Fredrickson
For millions of senior citizens around the world, "child star" brings to mind a little girl named "Shirley Temple". She lifted spirits in the dark days of the Great Depression and her work might just do the same today.
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Remembering Shirley Temple Black (1928-2014)
Shirley Temple Black, the former child movie star, testifies before the a Senate Committee during hearings on her nomination as US ambassador to Czechoslovakia. AFP
Remembering Shirley Temple Black (1928-2014)
For millions of senior citizens around the world, the expression "child star" brings to mind a little girl named "Shirley Temple".
A movie actress/singer/dancer from the age of three, the cute little girl starred in 40 films before the age of 12. She was the youngest-ever Oscar winner, receiving her golden statue at the age of six.
Shirley Temple Black, her married name, died yesterday in her California home, surrounded by family members.
She was born in 1928 and grew up during the Great Depression, when economies around the world collapsed, leaving tens of millions of people unemployed or underdemployed.
Shirley Temple had that unique ability to lift their spirits and they flocked to movie theatres to see her films. She was the top draw at the box office for three consecutive years, from 1936 to 1938.
Later in life, she became a diplomat, serving as US ambassador to Czechoslovakia just as communist rule there collapsed in 1989.
One of her timeless songs is "Be Optimistic" from the 1938 movie, "Little Miss Broadway". It might be a good theme song here in Thailand during our current political troubles. Watch and read along and you'll see what I mean:
Be optimistic!
Don't you be a grumpy
When the road gets bumpy
Just smile
(Smile and be happy!)
Your troubles can't be
As bad as all that
When you're sad as all that
No one loves you
Be optimistic!
Don't you be a mourner
Brighten up that corner
And smile
Don't wear a long face
It's never in style
Be optimistic
And smile!
A Shirley Temply musical just had to have dancing. Here she is with the great tap-dancer Bill "Bojangles" Robinson in the 1935 movie "The Littllest Rebel".
Vocabulary
ability: a level of skill or intelligence - ความสามารถม กังวลใจ
ambassador: a senior official who lives in a foreign country and represents his or her own country there - เอกอัครราชทูต
bumpy: not smooth; involving both failures and successes - ไม่ราบรื่น
collapse: (of people and business) to fail suddenly; to suddenly be unable to continue or work correctly - ล้ม (ธุรกิจ)
consecutive: following one after another in order - ติดต่อกัน
current: of the present time - ปัจจุบัน
cute: pretty and attractive - น่ารัก
depression: a period of time when there is a lot of unemployment and poverty because there is very little economic activity - ภาวะเศรษฐกิจตกต่ำ
diplomat: an official whose job is to represent their government in a foreign country - นักการทูต
draw: attraction; something that causes people to be interested - สิ่งดึงดูด
flock: to go somewhere in large numbers; to gather together in large numbers - แห่กันไป
grumpy: unhappy and dissatisfied, often for no obvious reason - อารมณ์เสีย, อารมณ์ไม่ดี
lift spirits: to make some feel better emotionally, i.e., to feel happier -
long face: an unhappy look on your face -
mourner: someone who is at a funeral, especially a relative or close friend of the dead person - ผู้ไว้ทุกข์,ผู้ไว้อาลัย,ผู้โศกเศร้า
optimistic: expecting good things to happen or to be successful - โดยคาดหวังสิ่งที่ดี, มองโลกในแง่ดี
rule: control over the government of a country - การปกครอง
senior citizen: someone who is more than 60 years old - ผู้สูงอายุ, ผู้อาวุโส
statue: a human or animal image that is made of stone, wood, metal, etc. - รูปปั้น
surrounded: having something,people, etc. completely around all sides - ถูกล้อมรอบ
theme song: a song that is especially associated with a particular performer, show, etc. - เพลงประจำของรายการภาพยนตร์ โทรทัศน์ หรือวิทยุ
unemployed: not having a job - ซึ่งว่างงาน
unique: being the only one of its kind - ซึ่งเป็นหนึ่งเดียว
