June Haver
The Pocket Grable
by Frances Ingram
With her soft Irish looks and bouncy personality, June Haver projected a most pleasing screen image. Some thought she was prettier than Betty Grable, with whom she would eventually make The Dolly Sisters (1945). At 5' 2" she would be called "The Pocket Grable."
But, unlike Grable, June wanted much more than a Hollywood career. Urged early on by her mother into show business, she nevertheless felt there was something more to life. Unlike many popular stars, she did something about it.
Beverly Jean Stovenour was born June 10, 1926, in Rock Island, Illinois. Her parents divorced when she was quite young, and June would be adopted by her stepfather, Bert Haver. The family moved to Cincinnati, Ohio.
"Hollywood's Sweetest Star", as she would be labeled later, was obviously a child prodigy. At the age of six she made her debut at the Cincinnati Suburban Theatre in Midnight in a Toyshop. The following year she won first prize in the Cincinnati Conservatory of Music's Poet Music contest, and also made an appearance with the Cincinnati Concert Orchestra, conducted by Eugene Goossensa, doing a piano solo. Supposedly, at eight, she was offered a screen test, which her mother declined, explaining that she wanted her daughter to have a "normal" childhood. Considering that her childhood activities were less than normal, this seems dubious. June studied drama at the Little Theatre at Mariemont and the Schuster-Martin School, and at nine won the annual oratory contest at Hamilton Carnegie Public School.
In 1936, her family moved back to Rock Island, where June sang at a school opening and won a spot on a local radio program. She is said to have taken lessons at a downtown dance studio on Brady St. in nearby Davenport, Iowa. By eleven, she had her own radio show, where she sang, played piano, all for $2 a week.
By 13, June was singing with Dick Jurgens' orchestra, then went with Freddy Martin's band. She (and her mother) toured with Ted Fio Rito, which took her to Hollywood. While there she made four shorts for Universal: Skyline Serenade and Swing's the Thing (1942) with Fio Rito, then, with Jan Garber and his orchestra, she appeared in Tune Time (1942), and also Trumpet Serenade (1942) with Tommy Dorsey.
The rest of the family joined them in California, and June enrolled at Beverly Hills High School. In high school a talent scout from Twentieth Century-Fox spotted her in the school production of Ever Since Eve and signed her to a contract, but it stipulated that she be allowed to finish the school term. Later, her option was not picked up because it was thought she looked too young. But in 1943, less than a year later, she was signed again by the studio.
June made her feature film debut (along with another newcomer, Jeanne Crain) in the Alice Faye musical, The Gang's All Here (1943). She is seen briefly at the beginning of the film as a hat check girl. Next, she was cast in Home in Indiana (1944), as Jeanne Crain's flirty sister.
June was given her first lead in Irish Eyes Are Smiling (1944), the story of composer Ernest R. Ball's (Dick Haymes) rise to fame. She was a feisty, two-fisted chorus girl who makes good. Her next role, Where Do We Go from Here? (1945), was a fantasy set in three different periods in American history, with Fred MacMurray starring as the hero of the fantasies.
June's roles brought her to the attention of studio producer George Jessel, who cast her in the movie that was to bring her stardom, The Dolly Sisters (1945). She and Betty Grable played real-life Hungarian siblings, Jenny and Rosie Dolly, whose musical act brings them stardom at the turn of the century. A colorful production, it offered many of the era's snappiest tunes - and a new hit, "I Can't Begin to Tell You." The Dolly Sisters really furthered her career. There was, reportedly, friction on the set. Grable was not happy with this new, talented blonde upstart, and tempers flared. Grable saw Haver, a younger version of herself, as a threat. Fox was obviously grooming June as Betty's successor in their musicals, and Grable knew it.
Three Little Girls in Blue (1946) co-starred her with Vivian Blaine and Vera-Ellen, as three musical sisters hunting for rich husbands in 1902 Atlantic City. It was a remake of Three Blind Mice (1938) and Moon Over Miami (1941, with Grable); they were all based on the play, Three Blind Mice, by Stephen Powys.
Wake Up and Dream (1946) was a popular film that gave her the role of a young woman seeking her missing boyfriend (John Payne).
After a Las Vegas elopement on March 9, 1947, June Haver remarried trumpet player Jimmy Zito at St. Timothy's Church a week later. Only her immediate family and her studio hairdresser attended the second wedding, but Ted Fio Rito, in whose band June and Jimmy met seven years before, came up from San Diego to be best man. Her sister, Evelyn, was the maid of honor.
The fictional biography of composer Joe E. Howard (played by Mark Stevens), was one of her best musicals. In this, I Wonder Who's Kissing Her Now (1947), she and Stevens made an extraordinarily handsome pair. June performed the songs "Honeymoon," the title song and "Goodbye My Lady Love," the rest of the score was sung by Stevens (dubbed by crooner Buddy Clark) and scene-stealer Martha Stewart.
Another composer screen biography was Oh! You Beautiful Doll (1949). This was a 1890s-set story about Fred Fisher (S. Z. "Cuddles" Sakall), the author of such songs as "Peg O' My Heart," "Chicago," "Dardenella," and "Come, Josephine, in My Flying Machine." Mark Stevens, singing courtesy of Bill Shirley, played a song plugger in love with June, Sakall's daughter, a singer. It was another treat for June's and Mark's fans.
Most critics thought that her finest performance came in her portrayal of Broadway legend Marilyn Miller in Look for the Silver Lining (1949), made on loan to Warners. The film, set in the vaudeville era, allowed June to show all her screen talents - dramatic, comedic, dancing (ballet, tap, soft shoe), singing and piano playing. Haver used her own personal experiences of determination, success and loss in her portrayal.
On March 25, 1948, her marriage to Jimmy Zito ended in divorce. Afterwards, she resumed dating an old flame, Dr. John Duzik, a dentist to the stars. Dr. Duzik was tall, handsome, successful, and not in show business. Tragically, on October 30, 1949, Dr. Duzik died suddenly as a result of a hemophilia attack after undergoing surgery for ulcers.
A devastated June, in the process of rebuilding her life, showed her unselfish devotion to others while visiting Birmingham General Hospital. In the summer of 1950 June went on a pilgrimage to Rome and Jerusalem to find peace of mind and was able to have an audience with the Pope.
Meanwhile, in another loanout, Warner Bros. next starred June as The Daughter of Rosie O'Grady (1950), a follow-up, of sorts, to Betty Grable's Sweet Rosie O'Grady (Fox, 1943). Another turn-of-the-century musical, it also starred Gordon MacRae and Gene Nelson. Back at Fox, I'll Get By (1950) was an updated version of Alice Faye's Tin Pan Alley (1940). William Lundigan played a songwriter in love with Haver. Gloria DeHaven played June's sister, the part played in the original by Betty Grable. One of the film's highlights was a dance performed by Dan Dailey, assisted by June and Gloria.
Love Nest (1951) paired June with William Lundigan again, as a married couple who purchase an apartment building and must deal with zany tenants. This film allowed June to stretch her comedy talent, and some think it was one of her best.
The delightful The Girl Next Door (1953) is also remembered fondly by June's fans. It finally afforded her a true song-and-dance-man as a leading man, Dan Dailey, to showcase her musical talents.
Behind the scenes, however, wasn't so pleasant. While shooting a dance routine, involving whirling tables, June fell, missing the leap into Dan Dailey's arms. She suffered a concussion. The production could not be completed until the next year because of scheduling difficulties.
In February 1952, June surprised Hollywood by announcing her intentions of becoming a nun. She gave up her $3,500-a-week contract at Fox and entered St. Mary's Academy in Leavenworth, Kansas. She became a novice in the Order of the Sisters of Charity. For health reasons, she left the convent after seven-and-a-half months. She returned to Hollywood and went into seclusion.
She made a brief return to show business with a production of Trouble Along the Way on Lux Radio Theatre on February 15, 1954, starring with Jack Carson and Sherry Jackson. (June had the part played by Donna Reed in the 1953 film and Carson was subbing for John Wayne. The book, "Lux Presents Hollywood", said that "The leading lady role [was] built up for the top-billed Haver by allowing her character to tell the story in the first person . . . .")
Interior decorating was more than just a hobby to her. She was called upon to do homes of business friends, and decorated the whole Newman Club Building on the U.C.L.A. campus. Another honor she received was the title of Honorary Captain of the Loyola University football team. They gifted her with a sweater and cap, which she wore to all the games. She dated Joe Campbell and Kirk Douglas, but said marriage was for the future.
Fred MacMurray had been lonely following the death of his dearly beloved wife of seventeen years, Lillian, in 1953; together they had adopted a daughter, Susan (1942), and a son, Robert (1945).
Ten years before, he and June had made a picture together, Where Do We Go From Here?, but nothing of a romantic nature had happened between them. Their friendship began at a costume party for John Wayne given at Charlie Foy's nightclub in the Valley. Fred was wearing a funny-looking Gay '90s derby hat, and was sitting up on the bandstand playing his saxophone, when June first saw him that night. June called to the overly serious Fred, "'Smile, Fred - go on, smile!' He got mad. But he smiled! Nice way to antagonize a fellow, isn't it? No, tease is the word, I guess," June later said. Then, an agent named Harold Rose came over to her table and asked if she had come alone. "Yes," she admitted. "Well, there's someone over at my table who's alone, too, and I think you two should get together." Next thing June knew, Harold had brought Fred over to her table. June recalled, "We started to talk, and the first thing I knew, the shortest evening of my life had sped by and Fred was taking me home!"
On June 29, 1954, June Haver and Fred were married in a civil ceremony at Ojai Valley Ranch; he was seventeen years her senior. The couple would adopt twin girls, Katie Marie and Laurie Anne, on December 4, 1956.
June and Fred had a house in Brentwood and a ranch in Healdsburg, California. Because of his vast real estate holdings, MacMurray was one of the wealthiest men in the film community. Everything Fred touched seemed to automatically turn to profit. He owned homes, apartment buildings, ranches and business properties. Just before he finished playing opposite Claudette Colbert in The Egg and I, he bought an orange grove. Besides oranges, oil was found on the property. In addition to being one of Hollywood's top stars, Fred MacMurray, along with his friend, John Wayne, owned an exclusive Acapulco hotel. Whenever Fred had time off from moviemaking, he and June did their fishing in Mexico.
June Haver's last acting before the cameras was guesting on The Lucy-Desi Comedy Hour, along with Fred, in 1958, and an appearance on Disneyland '59, in early 1959. June has turned down many offers since, including a part on her husband's TV show, My Three Sons, and the role of Danny Thomas' wife on Make Room for Daddy. She said at the time, "With Fred so active, I still feel a part of the business." June had always planned to retire early, "while I was still under, rather than over the hill."
June and Fred were happily married 37 years until he passed away on November 5, 1991.
Still active in charity work, June has stayed optimistic. "When I look at what's happening in the world these days, I can only feel that I have been very blessed."
THE FILMS OF JUNE HAVER:
Skyline Serenade (Universal, 1941, short)
Swing's the Thing (Universal, 1941, short)
Tune Time (Universal, 1942, short)
Trumpet Serenade (Universal, 1942, short)
The Gang's All Here (20th Century-Fox, 1943)
Home in Indiana (20th Century-Fox, 1944)
Irish Eyes Are Smiling (20th Century-Fox, 1944)
All-Star Bond Rally (20th Century-Fox, 1945, short)
Where Do We Go From Here? (20th Century-Fox, 1945)
The Dolly Sisters (20th Century-Fox, 1945)
Three Little Girls in Blue (20th Century-Fox, 1946)
Wake Up and Dream (20th Century-Fox, 1946)
I Wonder Who's Kissing Her Now? (20th Century-Fox, 1947)
Scudda-Hoo! Scudda-Hay! (20th Century-Fox, 1948)
Oh, You Beautiful Doll! (20th Century-Fox, 1949)
Look for the Silver Lining (WB, 1949)
The Daughter of Rosie O'Grady (WB, 1950)
I'll Get By (20th Century-Fox, 1950)
Love Nest (20th Century-Fox, 1951)
The Girl Next Door (20th Century-Fox, 1953)
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