June Allyson was an American stage, film, and television actress.
Background
In April 1918 (when Allyson was six months old) her alcoholic father, who had worked as a janitor, abandoned the family. Allyson was brought up in near poverty, living with her maternal grandparents. To make ends meet her mother worked as a telephone operator and restaurant cashier. When she had enough funds, she would occasionally reunite with her daughter, but more often Allyson was "farmed" out to her grandparents or other relatives.
Education
With the death of her stepfather and a bleak future ahead, she left high school after completing two and half years, to seek jobs as a dancer.
Career
Her first $60-a-week job was as a tap dancer at the Lido Club in Montreal. Returning to New York, June found work as an actress in movie short subjects filmed by Educational Pictures at its Astoria, Long Island studioInterspersing jobs in the chorus line at the Copacabana Club with acting roles at Vitaphone Allyson landed a chorus job in the Broadway show Sing out the News in 1938. Her dancing and musical talent led to a stint as an understudy for the lead, Betty Hutton, and when Hutton contracted measles, Allyson appeared in five performances of Panama Hattie.After her appearance in the Broadway musical, Allyson was selected for the 1943 film version of Best Foot Forward. Allyson's breakthrough was in Two Girls and a Sailor (1944).
Filmography:
Best Foot Forward (1943)
Thousands Cheer (1943)
Girl Crazy (1943)
Meet the People (1944)
Two Girls and a Sailor (1944)
Music for Millions (1944)
Her Highness and the Bellboy (1945)
The Sailor Takes a Wife (1945)
Two Sisters from Boston (1946)
Till the Clouds Roll By (1946)
The Secret Heart (1946)
High Barbaree (1947)
Good News (1947)
The Bride Goes Wild (1948)
The Three Musketeers (1948)
Words and Music (1948)
Little Women (1949)
The Stratton Story (1949)
The Reformer and the Redhead (1950)
Right Cross (1950)
Too Young to Kiss (1951)
The Girl in White (1952)
Battle Circus (1953)
Remains to Be Seen (1953)
The Glenn Miller Story (1953)
Executive Suite (1954)
Woman's World (1954)
Strategic Air Command (1955)
The Shrike (1955)
The McConnell Story (1955)
The Opposite Sex (1956)
You Can't Run Away from It (1956)
Interlude (1957)
My Man Godfrey (1957)
A Stranger in My Arms (1959)
They Only Kill Their Masters (1972)
Blackout (1978)
That's Entertainment! III (1994)
A Girl, Three Guys, and a Gun (2001)
Short subjects:
Ups and Downs (1937)
Pixilated (1937)
Swing for Sale (1937)
Dime a Dance (1937)
Dates and Nuts (1937)
Not Now (1938)
Sing for Sweetie (1938)
The Prisoner of Swing (1938)
The Knight Is Young (1938)
All Girl Revue (1940)
Screen Snapshots: Hollywood, City of Stars (1956)
Connections
Her paternal grandparents, Harry Geisman and Anna Hafner, were immigrants from Germany, although Allyson claimed her last name was originally "Van Geisman", and was of Dutch origin.
In 1952 Allyson won the Golden Globe for Best Motion Picture Actress—Musical/Comedy.
In 1952 Allyson won the Golden Globe for Best Motion Picture Actress—Musical/Comedy.
Special Jury Prize,
USA
In 1954 she was awarded the Special Jury Prize for Ensemble Acting at the Venice Festival, for Executive Suite.
In 1954 she was awarded the Special Jury Prize for Ensemble Acting at the Venice Festival, for Executive Suite.
Most Popular Female Star
In 1954 she was voted Most Popular Female Star by Photoplay magazine. In 1955, Allyson was named the ninth most popular movie star in the annual Quigley Exhibitors Poll and the second most popular female star (behind Grace Kelly).
In 1954 she was voted Most Popular Female Star by Photoplay magazine. In 1955, Allyson was named the ninth most popular movie star in the annual Quigley Exhibitors Poll and the second most popular female star (behind Grace Kelly).
he Cannes Festival Distinguished Service Award
In 1985 she received the Cannes Festival Distinguished Service Award.
In 1985 she received the Cannes Festival Distinguished Service Award.