Shirley Temple Memorabilia Collection Starts Nationwide Museum Tour In ‘Love, Shirley Temple’ Sponsored By Theriault's Auction House

Legendary Actress Shirley Temple's private collection of movie costumes and childhood memorabilia will travel the U.S. this spring and summer. A small selection of the iconic Hollywood star's movie costumes and personal memorabilia will be featured in a Theriault auction event on July 14th.  .   

Theriault's will sponsor a series of events highlighting items from Shirley Temple's famed childhood years, 1928-1940, entitled "Love, Shirley Temple."

The traveling museum exhibition will visit select cities from New York to California beginning April 30, 2015, and culminate with a spectacular auction event being held at the historic Little Theatre in Kansas City, MO on July 14th.

"As the leader in the preservation and auction of historic childhood objects, we are pleased to be offering such a personal collection from easily the most iconic youth of the 20th century," Stuart Holbrook, President of Theriault's, said in a statement. "As well, to be able to sponsor and share many of the pieces at prominent museums nationwide prior to the auction event is truly a privilege and an honor."

Theriault's is the world's auction leader for important childhood objects.

"The legacy of our mother's unique and legendary contribution to screen entertainment is embodied in these lovingly preserved artifacts of a childhood like few others in history," said the family of Shirley Temple in a statement. "We believe that, just as the celluloid magic of her youth continues to captivate and enrich successive generations, these artifacts should now be shared across the world with collectors, fans and museums as tangible reminders of this child-star's irrepressibly joyful and optimistic persona."

Temple's mother, Gertrude Temple preserved the memorabilia that attended her daughter's more than 40 films of the decade. Her work in preserving her daughter's historic collection will provide fans worldwide with an intimate look into the life and work of "America's Little Darling."

Shirley Temple, the famously dimpled child star danced, sang and smiled her way into hearts throughout the Great Depression years of the 1930s. Shirley Temple's childhood rise to enduring stardom was unprecedented in Hollywood during the 1930s and early 1940s.  Shirley Temple was indisputably the box office champion From 1935 through 1938, - a feat that has never been matched. 

"As long as our country has Shirley Temple, we will be all right," President Franklin Delano Roosevelt used to say.

The collection includes a child-sized racing car given to Shirley by her close friend and co-star Bill "Bojangles" Robinson, a Steinway baby-grand piano inscribed to her by, Theodore Steinway on behalf of his family, her extraordinary autograph books, and a myriad of Shirley's own cherished dolls, playthings and signed letters and photos from such luminaries as President Franklin Delano Roosevelt, Eleanor Roosevelt, Irving Berlin, Noel Coward, Marlene Deitrich and Orson Welles. In addition, Shirley Temple's most recognizable movie costumes will be viewed for the first time including:  the iconic red polka dot dress from her breakout film "Stand Up and Cheer" and the complete Scottish-kilt outfit from director John Ford's classic "Wee Willie Winkie." The exhibition will also include many paintings and illustrations done for her by famed artists, animators and cartoonists of the period.

The exhibits will begin with the first from April 30th to May 3rd at The Strong Museum in Rochester, NY and continue from May 7th-10th at The Wenham Museum north of Boston; May 21st-24th at The Morris Museum in Morristown, NJ, near Manhattan; June 4th-10th at the Santa Monica History Museum in California; June 12th-14th at the historic Stanford Theatre in Palo Alto, CA; and June 20th-27th in Fort Worth, Texas at the Fort Worth Arts Center. Additional exhibitions are anticipated in the Midwest, finishing just before the July 14th auction that will encourage and welcome worldwide participation.

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shirley temple
classic hollywood
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