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.Such actions are significant, for theyindicate the pleasure of star identification, expressed in tangible formsproduced outside of the consumer economy.Case Study: Shirley Temple and the Business of ChildhoodFor four years between 1935 and 1938, Shirley Temple headed the list oftop box-office stars in Hollywood.After successful starring roles in sevenfeatures during 1934, a special Academy award was bestowed on Temple- a miniature Oscar given in recognition of the child phenomenon.57 SHORT CUTSTemple's success came from how she represented a concept of childhoodthat could appeal not only to children but adults as well.As Charles Eckert(1974) suggests, Temple's popularity was made through her appeal touniversal: her cuteness, precocious talents and invocation of parentallove.That vision of childhood was marketed not only through the star'sfilms but also a huge merchandising industry that grew up around sellingthe Temple concept to Americans.Temple's screen career started at Educational Films, a productioncompany specialising in comedy shorts.In the early 1930s, Educationalbegan production of the Baby Burlesks, a series of comedy shortsfeaturing child performers in satires of box-office hits from the time.Temple debuted for Educational in the unreleased The Runt Page (1932), asatire of The Front Page (1931), before appearing in War Babies (1932), acomedy take on What Price Glory? (1926).At the same time as working forEducational, Temple was loaned out to other studios, includingsupporting roles on Red-Haired Alibi (1932) for Tower Productions, OutAll Night (1933) for Universal, To the Last Man (1933) at Paramount, and Asthe Earth Turns (1933) for Warner Bros.Temple's work on features provided a stepping stone into the studiosystem.After an unaccredited appearance in Carolina (1934) for Fox Film,the studio conducted a number of 'try outs' to test her singing anddancing skills.Temple abilities were showcased in the revue film Stand upand Cheer (1934) after which, on 9 February 1934, she signed a seven-yearcontract with Fox.The following year, Fox merged with Twentieth CenturyPictures, and Temple stayed with the studio until 1940.It was during heryears at Fox that Temple would be transformed into a child star, yet it wason loan to Paramount when she received her first significant popular andcritical acclaim with a role in Little Miss Marker (1934).When Paramountoffered to buy out Temple's contract, offering her $1,000 a week againstthe $150 she was earning, Fox saw off the move to raid the studio's newtalent.A revised contract was issued for $1,200 a week, rising byincrements of $1,000 a week annually for seven years.The contract alsoincluded the conditions that Temple make only three films per year andher mother, Gertrude, be paid $150 a week to act as the child's coach (see58 THE STAR SYSTEMEdwards 1988).Shirley Temple's rapid rise to popularity meant that withina year Gertrude was able to re-negotiate a salary of $4,000 a week for herdaughter and $500 for herself, with a $20,000 bonus for each filmcompleted.Temple's films dramatised both the anxieties and escapist fantasies ofchildhood.As Jeanine Basinger describes, the Shirley Temple film involveda familiar formula (1975: 11-13):Shirley played an orphaned child adopted by a rich father.orrich mother.or perhaps a rich grandfather or grandmother.Orshe played a child whose father wandered off absentmindedly,leaving her to cope.She was torn out of the arms of benefactorafter benefactor ('Oh, please, Cap, don't let them take me away'.'I want my daddy'.'No, no, I don't want to go to any oldorphanage').This basic ingredient of the child alone was mixedtogether with crusts of old codgers, heaps of adoring adults,pinches of heartbreak, and generous helpings of poverty (whichquickly melted into lavish living) - all stirred up with the subtletyof a McCormick reaper and garnished with a few songs anddances.According to this narrative logic, the loss of one family is replaced by anidealised version of the family as an all-providing, all-caring unit.Throughthis drama of the family, Temple was able to appeal to both child andadult audiences.Basinger argues that adult audiences were drawn toTemple through the fantasy of childish escape she represented: Theadult's fantasy was not so much to have a little girl like her (although thatmight do), but actually be her.To be taken care of, fussed over, listenedto' (1975: 14 (emphasis in original)).Eckert (1974) situates Temple's popularity against the background ofcrisis during the Depression era, and explains the star's appeal throughthe capacity of her image to displace the economic realities of the period.During the early 1930s, Eckert discusses how government-appointedbodies mounted an ideological war against appeals for state welfare.59 SHORT CUTSInstead of state-funded welfare relief, the President's Organisation onUnemployment Relief and the Committee on Mobilization of ReliefResources espoused the values of charity against welfare, the act ofgiving rather than taking.Although not a direct reflection of state policy,Eckert views Temple's image as having a relevance for the period throughperforming a similar work of ideological displacement.In her films,Shirley's characters were frequently seen to come from humble back-grounds, however the realities of those social and political conditionswere effaced.Instead, Shirley was seen to put hardship behind her withan overflowing bounty of love.Shirley solved the problems of others byher pure and unselfish acts of giving.This ideology of charity leads Eckertto argue that 'since her love was indiscriminate, extending to pinchedmisers or to common hobos, it was a social, even a political, force on apar with the idea of democracy or the Constitution' (1974: 68)
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