“ENJOYS MAKING FILMS”

Wairarapa Times-Age, 26 January 1940, Page 3

“ENJOYS MAKING FILMS”

SHIRLEY TEMPLE IN HER ELEMENT. Mrs George Temple, mother of the world’s No. 1 box office motion picture star,. said in a recent signed article in the Chicago “Tribune” that her job, as well as her husband’s, was to insure that Shirley remains healthy and happy and that she makes adequate progress in her schooling. “Shirley makes pictures because she enjoys it,” writes Mrs Temple, “and because it contributes to her future education and because she is fitted for it. She is a busy little person. When left alone she is never idle. Making pictures provides an ideal outlet for her energies and her will to make believe.

“It has been stated that Shirley will become fabulously wealthy when she grows up. This is an exaggeration, although it is true that she will have a considerable amount of money, all of which she has earned herself.

“No New Millionaires.” “But nowadays there are no new millionaires in the movie colony. Sev-enty-eight per cent of Shirley's earnings go to the Federal and State Governments for income taxes. Our policy in regard to charities has been to give to the limit of our abilities. Contributions are regularly made by Shirley to approved charities and both George (Mr Temple) and I out of our own incomes, which are independent of Shirley’s, give to the limit of our means. “Will Shirley receive all of her money when she comes of age? Yes, she will. We have done everything in our power to safeguard her earnings. Her money is carefully invested in a wide diversity of trusts, Government, State, and municipal bonds, stocks, annuities, and real estate. To insure that Shirley never will be in a position to squander her money or to be defrauded of it we have arranged that it will be given her gradually as she reaches and passes her majority. Only in the event of emergency that would impoverish everyone in this country could Shirley ever be left penniless. “What if Shirley tires of making pic-

tures? Then she shall stop making them. Should she conclude at some future time that she wants to become an artist, a dancer, or even a G-wo-man (this last happens to tempt her at the moment) then we shall encourage her to do whatever is proper. “She is Not a Genius.”

“We have been told that Shirley is an extraordinary child, a genius, a prodigy. For some reason this always makes me angry. I can see that she has a strong personality, but I don’t think she is a genius. To be sure, Shirley is intelligent, but no more so than any other intelligent child. I’ll be quite satisfied if she remains healthy, happy, and unselfish. I think' such people usually are easier to live with.

“Is Shirley really her age? That’s another question I’ve frequently been asked. Yes; she is. She will be 10 on next April 23.

“George and I take seriously the responsibility of having Shirley as our child. But that is because she is our youngster, and not because she is a ‘movie star.’ We should have taken just as seriously this job of parenthood if Shirley had never been lucky enough to become a so-called ‘cinema success.' The element of fortune which brought Shirley into the movies has merely made easier our opportunity to give her the sort of education and upbringing that every mother and father dream about for their children.”