Skip to main content

1946 Fifty Years Ago

December 2024
1min read

When Shirley Temple Didn’t Order One

The September 16 issue of Life magazine revealed that the former child star Shirley Temple, now a budding young woman of eighteen, would be seen drinking hard liquor in her forthcoming movie The Bachelor and the Bobby Soxer . The “aquabibulous Mrs. D. Leigh Colvin,” president of the Woman’s Christian Temperance Union, predictably condemned the news, but Life explained that Temple’s screen character would take a sip only to appear sophisticated and would instantly spit it out (understandably so; her cocktail of choice was Scotch-andbourbon). The article was accompanied with a photo showing the only other known instance of the perpetually innocent Temple imbibing: her wedding the previous year, which she toasted with champagne.

A week later, with a cold war under way, Europe in turmoil, labor unrest at a peak, and a red-hot congressional election brewing, Life continued its hard-hitting reportage with a cover story about a dog that liked to play with a cat.

Enjoy our work? Help us keep going.

Now in its 75th year, American Heritage relies on contributions from readers like you to survive. You can support this magazine of trusted historical writing and the volunteers that sustain it by donating today.

Donate