Disturbing Horrors Behind Shirley Temple That_ll RUIN Your Childhood

Behind Shirley Temple's famous ringlets and dimples was a childhood marked by exploitation, abuse, and relentless work. She began dancing at 3 and starred in racially and sexually exploitative shorts like Baby Burlesks [citation:4][citation:5]. By age 10, she had made nearly 30 films, but her childhood was stolen. She was disciplined by being locked in a dark box on a block of ice [citation:5]. At 11, MGM producer Arthur Freed exposed himself to her [citation:4][citation:5]. At 17, producer David O. Selznick chased her around his office [citation:5]. She also survived an assassination attempt at a theater [citation:4]. The dark side of America's sweetheart is heartbreaking.