The actor—and eventual US ambassador and interior decorator—once had a whole cottage devoted to storing gifts from fans The young child star at home with her Pekinese, Ching-Ching. Photo: Bettmann/Contributor/Getty Images Shirley Temple was just three years old when she made her first film. Born in 1928, the curly-haired cutie was launched into stardom with the release of the Fox studios feature film Stand Up and Cheer! in 1934. From 1935 to 1938, Temple was the biggest box office draw in the world, filling more seats in theaters than leading man Clark Gable and bona fide superstars like Joan Crawford and Greta Garbo. Earnings from the tiny tot’s films even pulled Fox out of financial distress and made it competitive with other large studios. At the time, the Great Depression wore heavily on Americans, and Temple’s effervescence, wit, and perpetually bright demeanor seemed to give the country hope amid dark days. Her impact on the nation was acknowledged by President Franklin D.…