June Allyson

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June Allyson in Good News copyright MGM, 1947
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June Allyson in Good News copyright MGM, 1947

June Allyson (October 7, 1917 in the The Bronx, New York– July 8, 2006 in Ojai, California) was an American film and television actress, popular in the 1940s and 1950s.

Contents

[edit] Biography

[edit] Early life

Allyson was born Ella Geisman[1] 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,[1] although Allyson has claimed that her last name was originally "Van Geisman", and was of Dutch origin.[2] Her father worked as a janitor, June was 6 when her alcoholic father left. Her mother worked as a telephone operator and restaurant cashier. Allyson was brought up in near poverty. At 8, 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. [1]

[edit] Career

After graduating from a wheelchair to crutches to braces, she was inspired to dance by obsessively watching Ginger Rogers and Fred Astaire movies. 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.[2]

She made her Broadway chorus-line debut in 1938 in the musical Sing Out the News. 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).

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). 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 Love Boat and Murder, She Wrote.

For the past 20 years, Allyson represented Kimberly-Clark Corp in commercials for Depend adult diapers, and championed the importance of research in urological and gynecological diseases in seniors.

For her contribution to the motion picture industry, June Allyson received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame at 1537 Vine Street.

[edit] Personal life

On August 19, 1945, Allyson caused Hollywood studio chiefs some consternation by marrying Dick Powell, who was 13 years her senior and had been previously married to Mildred Maund and Joan Blondell. They had two children, Pamela Allyson Powell (adopted) and Richard Powell, Jr. The couple briefly separated in 1961, but reconciled and remained married until his death on January 2, 1963, which led to Allyson's effective retirement from the screen.

Following Powell's death, she went though a bitter court battle with her mother over custody of her children, Ricky and Pamela. Reports at the time revealed that writer/director Dirk Summers, with whom Allyson was romantically involved from 1963 to 1975, was named legal guardian for Ricky and Pamela as a result of a court petition. Members of the nascent jet-set, Allyson and Summers were frequently seen in Cap d'Antibes, Madrid, Rome and London. However, the relationship did not last. Allyson twice married and divorced Powell's barber, Alfred Glenn Maxwell, whom she claimed physically abused her. During this time, Allyson struggled with alcoholism, which she overcame in the mid-seventies. She was married to David Ashrow, a dentist turned actor, from 1976 until her death.

Allyson returned to the Broadway stage in 1970 in the play Forty Carats and later toured in a production of No, No Nanette.

Dick Powell had been a major television player with his own production company, Four Star, owning several network shows. When he died, Allyson was left very well off and didn't need to work. She occasionally made appearances on talk and variety shows, but gained newfound celebrity in the 1990s as spokeswoman for Depend adult diapers. Her name made the headlines again when actor-turned-agent Marty Ingels publicly charged Allyson with not paying his large commission on the Depend deal. Allyson counter-charged that Ingels was harassing her with dozens of phone calls daily and nightly.

Allyson had been in failing health since undergoing a hip-replacement surgery and died at her home in Ojai, California on July 8, 2006. Her husband of nearly 30 years, David Ashrow, was at her side. She died of pulmonary respiratory failure and acute bronchitis.

[edit] Filmography

[edit] References

  1. ^ a b According to the 1920 U.S. census. At Ancestry.com
  2. ^ Cnn.com. CNN LARRY KING LIVE: June Allyson Discusses Her Career. Retrieved on July 10, 2006.

[edit] External links

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