|
June Allyson (October 7, 1917 – July 8, 2006) was a Golden Globe-winning American film and television actress, popular in the 1940s and 1950s.
Allyson was born Ella Geisman in the Bronx, New York City to Clara Provost and Robert Geisman on October 7, 1917. Her paternal grandparents, Harry Geisman and Anna Hafner, were immigrants from Germany, although Allyson has claimed that her last name was originally "Van Geisman", and was of Dutch origin. June was six months old when her alcoholic father who'd worked as a janitor abandoned the family. Her mother worked as a telephone operator and restaurant cashier. Allyson was brought up in near poverty. At eight, a dead tree branch fell on her while she was bicycling. Several bones were broken, and doctors said she would never walk again. She underwent months of swimming exercises and regained her health.
After graduating from a wheelchair to crutches to braces, she was inspired to dance by obsessively watching Ginger Rogers and Fred Astaire movies. In 1938, fully recovered, she tried out for a chorus job in the Broadway show "Sing out the News." The choreographer gave her a job and a new name: Allyson, a family name, and June, for the month.
Like other musical performers in New York, the 5'1" Allyson found work in movie short subjects that were filmed there. Her first opportunity came from Educational Pictures at its Astoria, Long Island studio. Educational cast her as an ingenue opposite singer Lee Sullivan, comic dancers Herman Timberg, Jr. and Pat Rooney, Jr., and future comedy star Danny Kaye. When Educational ceased operations, Allyson moved over to Vitaphone in Brooklyn, and starred or co-starred (with dancer Hal LeRoy) in musical shorts until that studio discontinued New York production in 1940.
Allyson returned to the New York stage. After her appearance in Best Foot Forward in 1941, she was selected for the 1943 film version, and followed it up with several other musicals, including Two Sisters from Boston (1946) and Good News (1947). She also played straight roles such as Constance in The Three Musketeers (1948), the tomboy Jo March in Little Women (1949), and Glenn Miller's wife in The Glenn Miller Story (1953). June was very adept at opening the waterworks on cue, and many of her films incorporated a crying scene. Fellow MGM player Margaret O'Brien recalled that she and Allyson were known as "the town criers."
In 1950, June Allyson had been signed to appear opposite Fred Astaire in Royal Wedding, but had to leave the production due to pregnancy. (She was replaced initially by Judy Garland, and later Jane Powell.)
Allyson was a very popular motion picture star in the 1940s and 1950s. She won a Golden Globe Award for her performance in the comedy Too Young To Kiss in 1951. In 1955, she was named the ninth most popular movie star in the annual Quigley Exhibitor's Poll, and the second most popular female star (behind Grace Kelly). In 1956, she starred with a young then-rising star named Jack Lemmon in the musical comedy, You Can't Run Away from It.
After her film career ended in the late 1950s, Allyson starred on television as hostess and occasional star of The DuPont Show with June Allyson. The anthology series lasted two seasons. In later years the actress appeared on television shows such as The Love Boat and Murder, She Wrote.
For her contribution to the motion picture industry, June Allyson received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame at 1537 Vine Street.
Allyson had been in failing health since undergoing a hip-replacement surgery, and died at her home in Ojai, California on July 8, 2006. She was 88 years old. Her death was a result of pulmonary respiratory failure and acute bronchitis. Her husband of nearly 30 years, David Ashrow, was at her side.
|
