Shirley Temple Remembered in Northern Nevada

The passing of Shirley Temple at the age of 85 brings to close the University of Nevada, Reno’s history during the golden age of Hollywood. Shirley played the part of ‘Ellen Baker,’ a journalism student enrolled at ‘Clemens University,’ in “Mr. Belvedere Goes to College.”

The make-believe school in reality is the campus of UNR. The 1949 film features Clifton Webb as snobbish writer Lynn Belvedere, who enrolls at the university with the plan to get a four-year degree in only a year.

After rising to fame at the age of six in 1934 with her performance in ‘Bright Eyes,’ Shirley starred in a series of films, that saw her become the top grossing star at the American box-office during the height of the Depression. In all, she starred in 14 short films and 43 feature films between 1931 and 1961.

In early 1950, while vacationing in Hawaii, Shirley met and fell in love with Charles Alden Black, who passed away in 2005.  In later life, she became a United States ambassador to Ghana and later Czechoslovakia.

Funeral arrangements are pending.