Baby Burlesks: An Abbreviated Case Study of Childhood Sexual Abuse in Hollywood

Everybody knows the iconic curls. Shirley Temple’s films have catered to audiences for generations and are looked upon with favor, held close to many hearts as a staple of nostalgia. However, as allegations of child abuse in Hollywood continue to surface, the once innocent nature of Temple’s performances have a much darker connotation.

Always clad in dresses that are barely long enough to cover her backside and the counterpart of grown men, Shirley Temple’s juvenile stardom was set in situations far too mature for her age.

There are examples of the toll that being a child actor takes on an individual, with many stepping (or are pulled) away from the spotlight after the loss of their youth, innocence, or life. This is largely due to the exploitation they are subjected to in their early years. Children are used as pawns in the capitalistic machine to make money for an industry full of careless individuals with little regard for the well-being of others. In an interview with Larry King, Temple recalls a producer exposing himself to her when she was just 12 years old.