Was Shirley Temple's Iconic Hair Fake?

Though Shirley Temple's curls took some diligent styling from her mother, all 56 of them were still her real hair. Unfortunately, rumors spread, even in the days before social media. As explained by Ranker, one rumor claimed that Temple wore a wig. This rumor spread so well that fans occasionally tried to prove it by pulling Temple's hair. 

Temple was not as concerned with the iconic curls as her mother (via MentalFloss). In fact, she did not attempt to keep the signature look when her hair began to change as she grew older. By the age of 17, her hair had turned from golden blonde to brown and her career subsequently declined (via Ranker). Nevertheless, Temple forged ahead with her personal ambitions without the film industry and without the golden curls. 

Upon her death in 2014, USA Today outlined highlights of Temple's adult life, explaining that she served as a State Department foreign affairs officer under President Reagan. President George H.W. Bush then appointed her as an ambassador to Czechoslovakia, where she was well-received and is remembered fondly just as she is in the United States, curls or no curls.

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