Back last fall, when I was researching Shirley Temple, I found discussed in her autobiography an interesting sidelight on her childhood career. In private life she was a tough little scrapper, an extreme "tomboy." She hung out with boys, played rough with them, fought with them, and was accepted as one of them. That kind of behavior in girls was unusual in those days, and often forbidden by parents. Shirley was lucky to have understanding parents who loved her just the way she was, and allowed her to be herself.

Roughness, aggression and boldness are qualities often found in little girls having an extremely high IQ, as she did. This bold, unafraid and assertive personality was undoubtedly an element in her screen talent, however feminine her roles may have been. Apparently in her case, both the boldness and the IQ were channelled into acting, while the physical aggression found its outlet in her offscreen play.