Shirley Temple Merch
During this time, Temple’s favorite film was John Ford’s Wee Willie Winkie. The actress had kind of a cold relationship with Ford, but they later worked together in Fort Apache, and she grew close to the director. Temple even made him the godfather of her first daughter, Susan.
Victor McLaglen and Shirley Temple in Wee Willie Winkie 1937. Photo by 20th Century Fox / Kobal / Shutterstock
By the end of 1935, the adorable star was America’s sweetheart. At that point, she was making more from endorsements than from films. She was featured in advertisements for General Electric, Quaker Oats, and Packard Motors (which is odd for a six-year-old). On top of all that, Shirley Temple also had her own line of talking dolls! She was clearly on the road to a successful career.