Shirley Temple Black was a child movie star during the Great Depression. She is best known for the movies “Little Miss Marker”, “Bright Eyes” and “Curly Top”. Temple Black’s songs “Good Ship Lollipop” and “Animal Crackers in My Soup” are still popular among children today.

Temple Black began acting at the age of three. She helped define the term “triple treat” in the world of performance: singer, dancer, actress. Her blonde corkscrew curls became iconic and a fad for young girls of the time. As a child she made $50,000 per movie and in 1937 she was one of the highest paid actors at $307,ooo.

Although Temple Black’s popularity in the movie world faded during the 1940s, she still remained a public figure through the 1990s as a foreign diplomat. She also co-founded the National Federation of MS Society in 1961 to help find a cure for her brother, who suffered from multiple sclerosis. In 1972 Temple Black defeated breast cancer.

President George H.W. Bush, who had appointed Temple Black as ambassador to the Czech and Slovak Federal Republic, said, “She captured the affections of millions around the world by her endearing performances on the silver screen as a young girl, but I also admired Shirley for her selfless service to our country later in her life”.

Shirley Temple Black lifted America’s spirits during the Great Depression of the 1930s and captured hearts. She died late Monday night (February 10, 2014) from natural causes at the age of 85.

Watch a video from Good Morning America on ABC News here.