Brief Summary
This video explores the history, composition, and cultural impact of the Shirley Temple drink. It covers the drink's ingredients, its connection to the child star Shirley Temple, and the legal battle over the drink's name.
- The Shirley Temple drink traditionally consists of ginger ale, grenadine (pomegranate flavored), and a maraschino cherry.
- Shirley Temple, the actress, reportedly disliked the drink, finding it too sweet.
- A lawsuit arose when a soda company tried to market a bottled version called "Shirley T," leading to a debate over whether the name "Shirley Temple" had become generic.
What is a Shirley Temple?
The Shirley Temple drink traditionally includes ginger ale and grenadine, topped with a maraschino cherry. Grenadine is pomegranate flavored, despite the common misconception that it's cherry flavored. Variations exist, such as the Roy Rogers (Coke instead of ginger ale) and the Dirty Shirley (with vodka).
Who was Shirley Temple?
Shirley Temple was a child star born in 1928 who began acting at age three. She became famous during the Great Depression for her optimistic performances in movies like "Bright Eyes," where she sang "On the Good Ship Lollipop." Her popularity was so immense that President Franklin D. Roosevelt said, "As long as our country has Shirley Temple, we will be all right." By age 12, she had starred in 43 movies.
The Origin of the Drink
The Shirley Temple drink was supposedly created when Shirley was out to eat with her parents on her 10th birthday. The staff, not wanting to serve her an Old Fashioned (an alcoholic beverage), created a non-alcoholic version using ginger ale and grenadine, complete with a cherry on top. The exact location of its creation is debated, with claims from the Royal Hawaiian Hotel, the Pig and Whistle, and Chasen's or the Brown Derby in Hollywood.
Shirley Temple Hated the Drink
Shirley Temple disliked the Shirley Temple drink, calling it "saccharine sweet" and "icky." She claimed she wasn't even present when the drink was created and that the Brown Derby made up the story. She also resented the idea of her name being associated with a children's cocktail.
The Shirley T Lawsuit
In 1988, Bradley Weidman created a bottled version of the Shirley Temple called "Shirley T." Shirley Temple sued him, arguing that he was exploiting and diluting her name's value and invading her privacy. Weidman's lawyers argued that the name "Shirley Temple" had become a generic term for the drink and was part of the public domain. The lawsuit went in Shirley Temple's favor, but the drink's legacy continued. The Shirley Temple drink remains popular and widely available, surpassing the actress's film legacy in modern recognition.
