Linda Susan Agar: The Untold Story of Shirley Temple’s First Child

Linda Susan Agar was born on January 30, 1948, when her mother, Shirley Temple, was 19 and her father, John Agar, was beginning his acting career.

Her arrival connected two Hollywood performers whose marriage ended before their daughter’s third birthday. Later, she became known publicly as Susan Black.

Her story includes famous parents, a blended family, a documented daughter, and photographs preserving several generations of Shirley Temple’s family.

Her Quick Information

Who Is Linda Susan Agar?

Linda Susan Agar was Shirley Temple’s first child and the only daughter born during Temple’s marriage to actor John Agar.

Her mother achieved international recognition through films including Bright Eyes, The Little Colonel, Curly Top, and Heidi.

Her father appeared in Westerns and science-fiction productions, including Fort Apache, Sands of Iwo Jima, and Tarantula.

Although born Linda Susan Agar, she later appeared in published coverage under the name Susan Black.

The Los Angeles Times identified Susan among Shirley Temple’s surviving children in its February 2014 obituary.

How Old Is Linda Susan?

Linda Susan Agar was born on January 30, 1948, in Santa Monica, California, the same city where Shirley Temple was born.

Her mother entered the world on April 23, 1928, making Temple 19 when her first daughter arrived.

John Agar was born January 31, 1921, meaning his daughter’s birthday fell one day before his 27th birthday.

Getty Images identifies Linda Susan as approximately three months old in family photographs taken around April 1948.

The 78th anniversary of her birth fell on January 30, 2026, providing a clear reference point for her generation.

Her Early Life and Family

Linda Susan’s earliest years unfolded while Shirley Temple was shifting from teenage screen roles into marriage and motherhood.

In 1948, Temple and Agar appeared together in Fort Apache, directed by John Ford and starring John Wayne and Henry Fonda.

The production placed both parents inside a major Hollywood Western during the year their daughter was born.

Contemporary photographs show Temple and Agar holding their infant daughter during the first months of 1948.

Those surviving images preserve a brief period when the three were publicly photographed as one household.

Her Parents’ Hollywood Marriage

Shirley Temple married John Agar in 1945, when she was 17 and he was approximately 24.

Agar’s sister attended school with Temple, providing the family connection through which the future couple became acquainted.

Before becoming an actor, Agar served in the Army Air Corps during the World War II era.

Temple filed for divorce in 1949, roughly one year after Linda Susan’s birth.

The marriage ended before Temple married Charles Alden Black on December 16, 1950.

Who Was Her Father?

John George Agar Jr. was born in Chicago, Illinois, on January 31, 1921.

His film career began with Fort Apache, where he played Lieutenant Michael Shannon opposite Shirley Temple’s Philadelphia Thursday.

In Sands of Iwo Jima, released in 1949, Agar appeared alongside John Wayne in a World War II drama.

He later became associated with genre films including Revenge of the Creature and Tarantula, both released in 1955.

Agar died on April 7, 2002, in Burbank, California, at age 81.

Her Mother’s Famous Films

By the time Linda Susan was born, Shirley Temple had already completed the busiest chapter of her childhood film career.

Bright Eyes, released in 1934, featured Temple performing the song “On the Good Ship Lollipop.”

Her 1935 films included The Little Colonel, which paired her with dancer Bill “Bojangles” Robinson.

Another 1935 release, Curly Top, introduced audiences to Temple’s performance of “Animal Crackers in My Soup.”

The Academy recognized her childhood work with a special juvenile award presented in 1935.

Their New Family Begins

Shirley Temple met Charles Alden Black in Hawaii after her first marriage ended.

Black had served as a naval officer and later worked in business and maritime-related ventures.

The couple married on December 16, 1950, when Temple was 22 and Linda Susan was nearly three.

That marriage lasted until Charles Alden Black died on August 4, 2005.

Their relationship established the Black family household in which Temple raised three children across her two marriages.

Why Was She Susan Black?

Published coverage frequently refers to Linda Susan Agar as Susan Black rather than by her complete birth name.

The name connects her to the family formed after Shirley Temple married Charles Alden Black in 1950.

A 1988 family photograph identified Temple’s eldest daughter simply as Susan while showing three generations together.

The Los Angeles Times likewise named Susan alongside siblings Charlie Jr. and Lori in its 2014 obituary.

These references explain why historical photographs and later newspaper accounts use different versions of her name.

Meet Her Famous Siblings

Linda Susan’s maternal half-brother, Charles Alden Black Jr., was born on April 28, 1952.

Her maternal half-sister, Lori Black, was born on April 9, 1954, in Santa Monica.

Lori later performed under the nickname Lorax and became a bassist for the rock band Melvins.

She appeared on Ozma, released in 1989, and Bullhead, released in 1991.

Through John Agar’s subsequent marriage, Linda Susan also had two paternal half-brothers, Martin Agar and John G. Agar III.

Her Family’s California Years

After Shirley Temple married Charles Black, the family spent time near Washington, D.C., during his military service.

The Los Angeles Times reported that the family moved to the San Francisco Bay Area in 1954.

Smithsonian reporting described Temple raising her three children in the hills west of Palo Alto.

Temple eventually became closely associated with Woodside, California, where she remained a prominent local figure.

That Northern California setting marked a significant change from the Hollywood-centered environment surrounding Linda Susan’s infancy.

Her Mother’s Diplomatic Career

Shirley Temple entered national politics with an unsuccessful congressional campaign in California in 1967.

President Richard Nixon appointed her to the United States delegation to the United Nations General Assembly in 1969.

She presented her credentials as U.S. ambassador to Ghana on December 6, 1974.

In July 1976, Temple became the first woman to serve as chief of protocol of the United States.

Her later ambassadorship to Czechoslovakia began in August 1989 and continued until July 1992.

Linda Susan Agar in Photographs

Getty Images preserves photographs identifying Shirley Temple, John Agar, and their infant daughter during spring 1948.

Those images place Linda Susan inside the same publicity-driven Hollywood environment that had followed Temple since childhood.

The San Mateo County Historical Association catalogs a photograph identifying Shirley Temple Black and Linda Susan Agar dated September 23, 1975.

Another published family photograph, dated October 12, 1988, shows Temple with daughter Susan and granddaughter Teresa.

Together, the 1948, 1975, and 1988 images document Linda Susan across four decades.

Who Is Her Daughter?

Linda Susan Agar’s daughter is identified as Teresa in published coverage of Shirley Temple’s family.

A photograph reproduced by The Almanac shows Shirley Temple, Susan, and Teresa together on October 12, 1988.

The image establishes a direct three-generation connection between the former actress, her eldest daughter, and her granddaughter.

When Temple died in 2014, major newspaper obituaries reported that she was survived by one granddaughter.

Those same reports also identified two great-granddaughters within Temple’s surviving family.

Her Family After 2014

Shirley Temple died on February 10, 2014, at her home in Woodside, California.

The Los Angeles Times named her surviving children as Charlie Jr., Lori, and Susan.

That contemporary reporting places Linda Susan among her mother’s surviving relatives in 2014.

The family’s public statement remembered Temple as a mother, grandmother, great-grandmother, actress, and diplomat.

Temple’s relatives later supported the preservation of her diplomatic legacy through a family gift announced in 2019.

Linda Susan Agar’s Place Today

The strongest record of Linda Susan Agar comes from dated photographs, major newspaper obituaries, and documented family relationships.

Her place in Shirley Temple’s story stretches from Hollywood publicity photographs in 1948 to family coverage published after Temple’s death.

For readers interested in Shirley Temple beyond her childhood films, Linda Susan Agar represents the beginning of the actress’s life as a mother.

Frequently Asked Questions

1. Who Was Linda Susan Agar?

Linda Susan Agar was Shirley Temple’s first child and the daughter of actor John Agar. She was born on January 30, 1948, in Santa Monica, California.

2. Who Were Her Parents?

Her parents were Shirley Jane Temple and John George Agar Jr. They married in 1945 and welcomed their daughter in 1948.

3. Why Was She Susan Black?

Later newspaper reports identified Linda Susan Agar as Susan Black. The surname reflects her connection to the family formed after Shirley Temple married Charles Alden Black in 1950.

4. Did Linda Susan Have Siblings?

She had two maternal half-siblings, Charles Alden Black Jr. and Lori Black. Through her father, she also had two paternal half-brothers, Martin Agar and John G. Agar III.

5. Did She Have a Daughter?

Linda Susan had a daughter named Teresa. A published photograph dated October 12, 1988, shows Teresa with her mother Susan and grandmother Shirley Temple.

6. What Did Her Father Do?

John Agar worked as a film and television actor. His screen credits included Fort Apache in 1948, Sands of Iwo Jima in 1949, and Tarantula in 1955.

7. Was She Alive in 2014?

Yes. The Los Angeles Times identified Susan as one of Shirley Temple’s surviving children after Temple died on February 10, 2014.

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