Shirley Temple became one of Hollywood’s most famous child stars before she was even old enough to drive. With movies such as Bright Eyes, Curly Top, and Heidi, her smile and talent made her America’s sweetheart. However, away from the cameras, another role eventually became even more important to her.
According to Hello!, the actress, who died in 2014 at age 85, was the mother of three children: Linda Susan Agar, Charles Alden Black Jr. and Lori Black. While they grew up with an incredibly famous mother, the Shirley Temple children largely chose lives far removed from Hollywood. Still, each followed a very different path.
Shirley Temple Found Her Greatest Joy With Her Children
Temple welcomed her first child, Linda Susan Agar, with her first husband, actor John Agar. Susan briefly tried acting and appeared on her mother’s television series, The Shirley Temple Storybook. However, she soon realized that Hollywood was not the life she wanted. Years later, Susan remembered having a close and joyful relationship with her mother. She described Temple as one of her best friends and fondly recalled their parties, travels, and shopping trips together.
After Temple married Charles Alden Black in 1950, the couple welcomed two children, Charles Jr. and Lori. Like his older sister, Charles Jr. briefly appeared on his mother’s show but decided against an acting career. Instead, he eventually entered real estate. He also remembered a surprisingly ordinary childhood despite his mother’s enormous fame. According to Charles Jr., the family regularly sat down and ate dinner together. That sense of normalcy offered a very different picture of Temple from the Hollywood icon audiences knew on screen.
Her Youngest Daughter Chose a Very Different Path
Lori Black took the most unconventional route of the three siblings. Unlike Susan and Charles Jr., she pursued a career in entertainment. However, she did not follow her mother into movies. Instead, Lori entered the rock scene and became a bassist for the Melvins.
Her life later included personal struggles, including legal trouble related to drug possession in 1991. Afterward, she completed community service, attended therapy, and received treatment. She later moved into freelance photography.
Meanwhile, Temple remained devoted to her family throughout her life. Her children have described a woman who valued motherhood, marriage, and time at home despite spending her earliest years surrounded by cameras. Her marriage to Charles Sr. also lasted until his death in 2005. Temple once called him the love of her life. Ultimately, the Shirley Temple children built identities beyond their mother’s extraordinary fame. Although one entered music and the others stepped away from show business, their memories reveal another side of America’s sweetheart: the mother they simply knew at home.
