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June Haver
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June Haver (born Beverly June Stovenour; June 10, 1926 – July 4, 2005) was an American film actress, singer and dancer. Once groomed by 20th Century Fox to be "the next Betty Grable," Haver appeared in a string of musicals, but she never achieved Grable's popularity.[1] Haver's second husband was the actor Fred MacMurray, whom she married after she retired from showbusiness.
Key Information
Early life
[edit]Beverly June Stovenour was born in Rock Island, Illinois, and later took the surname of her stepfather, Bert Haver. Her mother Maria Haver (née Carter) was an actress and her father Fred Christian Stovenour was a musician.[2] After the family moved to Ohio, seven-year-old Haver entered and won a contest of the Cincinnati Conservatory of Music.[3] At age eight, she won a film test by imitating famous actresses including Greta Garbo, Katharine Hepburn and Helen Hayes, but her mother prohibited her from becoming a child actress because she felt that Haver was too young to work in the film industry.[2]
When Haver was 10, the family returned to Rock Island, where she began performing for Rudy Vallée and became a well-known child star on the radio.[2][3] She worked regularly as a band singer by the time that she was in her teens, performing with the Ted Fio Rito Orchestra for $75 a week.[3] She also worked with bandleaders Dick Jurgens and Freddy Martin.
Career
[edit]In the summer of 1942,[2] Haver moved to Hollywood, where she finished high school. She acted in plays in her spare time, and during a performance as a southern belle, she was discovered by a scout from 20th Century Fox. In 1943, Haver signed a $3,500-per-week contract with the studio and made her film debut playing an uncredited role as a hat-check girl in The Gang's All Here.[3] She was dropped shortly after because the studio executives felt that she looked too young, but she was later signed again after her costume and hairstyle were changed.[4]
20th Century Fox had plans to mold Haver as a glamour girl stand-in for the studio's two greatest stars, Alice Faye and Betty Grable. She debuted on screen in a supporting role as Cri-Cri in Home in Indiana (1944) and had just turned 17 years old when her scenes were filmed.[2] Even before Home in Indiana was released, she was assigned to replace Faye in the Technicolor musical Irish Eyes Are Smiling.[5] Later that year, she costarred with her future husband Fred MacMurray in Where Do We Go From Here?, which was the only time that the pair appeared together in a film.
During her career at Fox, Haver was originally groomed to be the next Betty Grable (standing a diminutive 5'2", she was known as "Pocket Grable"). She costarred with Grable in the 1945 film The Dolly Sisters, for which she had to gain weight.[6] While filming, rumors about a possible clash between the two actresses arose, mostly because of their frequent comparison, but Haver said: "Betty is a big star and I'm just starting. I try to be nice to her, and she reciprocated by being just as nice to me. It's silly to think two girls can't work together without quarreling. You see, I've two sisters. I'm the ham between the bread and butter — the middle sister — and I understand girls pretty well. Betty likes to talk about her baby, so we talk about her baby."[6]
In 1946, Haver starred and received top billing in Wake Up and Dream and Three Little Girls in Blue, both of which were well-received and brought moderate success. The following year, the role of Katie was written into the film I Wonder Who's Kissing Her Now just for Haver.
Haver's comedy star turn in 1948's Scudda Hoo! Scudda Hay! was a major success.[7] The same year, she starred as Marilyn Miller in the musical Look for the Silver Lining (1949).[2]
The following year, she starred in The Daughter of Rosie O'Grady and I'll Get By. In 1951, Haver was teamed with Fox's newest asset, Marilyn Monroe, and previous costar William Lundigan (her co-star from I'll Get By) in the low-budget comedy Love Nest. Though Haver was the lead and received top billing, most of the film's publicity centered on Monroe, who had a minor role and garnered under-the-title billing. Love Nest was Haver's only full-length film in black and white. Her other 15 films between 1943 and 1953 were shot in three-strip Technicolor.
Following her marriage to MacMurray in 1954, Haver mostly retired from acting (her last appearances were as herself on The Lucy-Desi Comedy Hour in 1958 and in Disneyland '59). Her final film appearance was in 1953's The Girl Next Door. Haver and MacMurray adopted two daughters and remained together until MacMurray's death in 1991.
At the urging of friends Ann Miller and Ann Rutherford, Haver finally joined the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences at the age of 75. For her contribution to the motion picture industry, Haver has a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame at 1777 Vine Street.[8][9]
Personal life
[edit]
Haver (center) with her sisters shortly after moving to Hollywood, 1946
Haver insisted that she had always been very close with her family. Her sisters followed her to Hollywood and served as her stand-ins, and her mother was Haver's personal secretary.[2]
On March 9, 1947, Haver married trumpet player James Zito. She had met him at age 15 while touring with Ted Fio Rito's orchestra. They initially lost contact after Haver moved from Illinois to Beverly Hills but started dating when Haver made a short visit to her home town when she was already a film actress. Haver filed for divorce less than a year after eloping with Zito, winning interlocutory decree on March 25, 1948. She admitted to the press that the marriage was a failure from the beginning, saying: "I want to forget as soon as possible. We hadn't been married hours before I realized I had never really known Jimmy. He was a stranger. He was either down in the dumps or up high. I never knew from one moment to the next how he would be."[10]
After her divorce from Zito, Haver started dating Dr. John L. Duzik, whom she had dated before her marriage to Zito. They planned to marry, but Duzik died on October 31, 1949, following surgery complications. While taking care of him in his final days, she started attending church more often. According to friends, she was inspired to become a nun during this period. Following Duzik's death, Haver reportedly became tired of Hollywood and did not fall in love with the men whom she dated afterward.[10] In February 1953, Haver became a postulant nun with the Sisters of Charity of Leavenworth, an organization based in Leavenworth, Kansas, and she stayed until October, saying she left because of "poor health."[3]
Around this time, Haver met Fred MacMurray, one of the wealthiest and most conservative actors in Hollywood, and a romantic relationship developed. On June 28, 1954, they were married. She told the press: "When I married Fred, he was terribly set in his ways. He was a fuss-budget. He hadn't quite progressed to being a lint picker, but he was already an ash-tray emptier, and that's just about as set in his ways as a man can get."[11] Haver insisted on adopting a girl, but MacMurray, 18 years her senior, initially refused, explaining that he already had been a father.[11] Shortly after, he agreed to adopt a child and, with the help of a doctor, they were able to adopt twin daughters.[11] MacMurray died in 1991.
Haver died from respiratory failure on July 4, 2005, in Brentwood, California, at the age of 79.[9] She was buried with MacMurray at Holy Cross Cemetery in Culver City, California.[citation needed]
Haver was a Republican and supported Dwight Eisenhower during the 1952 presidential election.[12]
Archive
[edit]The Academy Film Archive houses the Fred MacMurray-June Haver Collection. The film material is complemented by material in the Fred MacMurray and June Haver papers at the academy's Margaret Herrick Library.[13]
Filmography
[edit]_1.jpg)
| Year | Title | Role |
|---|---|---|
| 1943 | The Gang's All Here | Chorus Girl / Hat-Check Girl (uncredited) |
| 1944 | Home in Indiana | "Cri-Cri" Boole |
| 1944 | Irish Eyes Are Smiling | Mary "Irish" O'Neill |
| 1944 | Something for the Boys | Chorine (uncredited) |
| 1945 | Where Do We Go from Here? | Lucilla Powell / Gretchen / Indian |
| 1945 | The Dolly Sisters | Roszika "Rosie" Dolly |
| 1946 | Three Little Girls in Blue | Pam Charters |
| 1946 | Wake Up and Dream | Jenny |
| 1947 | I Wonder Who's Kissing Her Now | Katie McCullem |
| 1948 | Scudda Hoo! Scudda Hay! | Rad McGill |
| 1949 | Look for the Silver Lining | Marilyn Miller |
| 1949 | Oh, You Beautiful Doll | Doris Fisher |
| 1950 | The Daughter of Rosie O'Grady | Patricia O'Grady |
| 1950 | I'll Get By | Liza Martin |
| 1951 | Love Nest | Connie Scott |
| 1953 | The Girl Next Door | Jeannie Laird |
References
[edit]- ^ Nelson, Valerie J. (July 6, 2005). "June Haver, 79; Movie Star Later Married Actor Fred MacMurray". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved January 8, 2019.
- ^ a b c d e f g (in Dutch) Film en Theater, Dutch magazine. Third volume, #13. July 1948.
- ^ a b c d e "Stardom...Sadness..Convent". Davenport Morning Democrat. October 15, 1955. p. 32.
- ^ "High-Ranking Movie Talent in Marion-Made Race Picture". The Marion Star. September 16, 1943. p. 13.
- ^ Coons, Robbin (February 24, 1944). "Nameless Making News In Filmland". Big Spring Daily Herald. p. 8.
- ^ a b "June Haver paid Paid $2.00 Plus Ice Cream on First Job". Waterloo Daily Courier. April 15, 1945. p. 24.
- ^ "Scudda Hoo! Scudda Hay! Tops Current Calhoun Bill". Anniston Star. May 23, 1948. p. 20.
- ^ "June Haver". Hollywood Walk of Fame. Retrieved January 8, 2019.
- ^ a b Nelson, Valerie J. (June 6, 2005). "June Haver". Los Angeles Times Hollywood Star Walk.
- ^ a b Hope, Rebel (October 6, 1946). "Theater Offers Musical Drama". Abilene Reporter-News. p. 36.
- ^ a b c Oppenheimer, Peter J. (November 13, 1960). "Life Begins Again for Fred MacMurray". The Progress-Index. pp. 36–37.
- ^ Motion Picture and Television Magazine, November 1952, page 34, Ideal Publishers
- ^ "Fred MacMurry-June Haver Collection". Academy Film Archive.
External links
[edit]- June Haver at IMDb
June Haver
View on Grokipediafrom Grokipedia
Early life
Family background
June Haver was born Beverly June Stovenour on June 10, 1926, in Rock Island, Illinois, to parents Fred Christian Stovenour and Marie Stovenour, a former actress.[4][5] Her parents divorced shortly after her birth, leaving Marie to raise the children amid modest circumstances.[6][7] Marie soon remarried Bert Haver, a salesman, and the family adopted his surname; at this time, Beverly was renamed June, becoming part of a blended household that included her older sister Dorothy (born 1921) and younger sister Evelyn (born 1927).[5][8][9] The Haver family maintained a close-knit dynamic, with Marie providing strong support for her daughters' interests in the performing arts, influenced by her own background in theater.[4][10] The family led a simple life, relocating from Rock Island to Cincinnati, Ohio, where young June first encountered local entertainment opportunities, before returning to Rock Island around age 10.[3][2] These moves exposed her to Midwestern cultural events, such as community productions and music contests, fostering an early affinity for singing and dance within the supportive yet unassuming environment of her childhood home.[9][7]Early performances and education
June Haver, born Beverly June Stovenour on June 10, 1926, in Rock Island, Illinois, began developing her talents in singing and dancing during her childhood, supported by her mother's encouragement after her parents' early divorce. She received training as a dancer and started performing locally at a young age, making her stage debut at six in a production titled Midnight in a Toyshop. By age seven, following her family's relocation to Ohio, she won a prestigious contest at the Cincinnati Conservatory of Music, where she performed as a pianist with the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra, marking one of her first formal musical achievements.[5][3][4] Haver's early education took place primarily in Rock Island public schools, where she attended Rock Island High School before the family moved again. At eight years old, she demonstrated her mimicry skills by winning a local film test contest, imitating Hollywood stars such as Greta Garbo, which hinted at her budding interest in acting. Her first public singing appearances came around age ten, including a performance for bandleader Rudy Vallée during a visit to Rock Island and spots as a soloist on local radio stations in the Rock Island area. By age eleven, she had advanced to writing, emceeing, and starring in her own radio program sponsored by a local ice cream company, earning $2 per week as a child performer. These experiences built her confidence in vocal performance and helped establish her as a recognized young talent in the Midwest.[11][3][4] As a teenager, Haver continued honing her skills through vaudeville acts and nightclub appearances, transitioning into semi-professional work while still in high school. That same year, around the time of her high school graduation in 1943 or shortly thereafter, her family relocated to California in pursuit of entertainment opportunities; Haver finished her secondary education in Hollywood that summer of 1942. This move led to early auditions and screen tests, including one secured through her radio and stage exposure, paving the way for her entry into the film industry.[11][3] In the summer of 1942, at age 16, her family relocated to California in pursuit of entertainment opportunities, where Haver finished her secondary education while participating in high school plays and auditions.Career
Radio and stage beginnings
June Haver began her professional entertainment career in radio during her early teenage years. By 1937, at the age of 11, she hosted her own radio show in Cincinnati, Ohio, where she performed as a singer and quickly gained local recognition for her vocal talents.[12] This early exposure helped establish her as a promising young performer, leading to appearances on national broadcasts as a teenage singer throughout the late 1930s.[3] Transitioning to live performances, Haver signed her first paid contracts as a vocalist with major orchestras starting in 1939. She toured extensively with bandleaders such as Dick Jurgens and Freddy Martin, performing in stage shows across the Midwest and beyond. At age 15, she joined Ted Fio Rito's orchestra for $75 a week, traveling as the featured soloist under her mother's chaperonage; during this period, she met trumpeter Jimmy Zito, a fellow band member.[3][13] These tours honed her skills in front of live audiences, blending singing with the dynamic energy of big band stage presentations. Following her family's relocation to California in the summer of 1942, Haver continued building her stage experience through vaudeville circuits and local theater productions in the Los Angeles area. She took on small roles in musical revues and high school plays, which showcased her versatility as a singer and dancer while she completed her education.[1] This phase solidified her reputation as a "child star" vocalist, drawing the attention of talent scouts by 1942–1943 and paving the way for her entry into the film industry.[3]Film debut and musical roles
June Haver signed a contract with 20th Century Fox in 1943 after a successful screen test, marking her entry into Hollywood as a teenager groomed to succeed Betty Grable as the studio's leading blonde musical star.[4] She made her uncredited film debut that same year, appearing as a hat-check girl in the Busby Berkeley-directed musical The Gang's All Here.[2] Her prior experience singing on radio aided her transition to on-screen musical performances, where her clear voice and vivacious presence quickly shone.[4] Haver achieved her breakthrough with her first leading role in the Technicolor musical Irish Eyes Are Smiling (1944), portraying singer Mary O'Neill in a biographical story set in early 20th-century New York.[2] This role established her as a rising talent in Fox's roster of musicals, blending song, dance, and light romance. She followed with a key collaboration in Where Do We Go from Here? (1945), a fantasy musical co-starring Fred MacMurray, where she played multiple historical characters in a time-travel narrative.[14] Haver's star rose further in The Dolly Sisters (1945), a lavish Technicolor biopic in which she portrayed Rosie Dolly opposite Betty Grable's Jenny Dolly, recreating the vaudeville sisters' rise to fame.[4] The film highlighted her resemblance to Grable, earning her the affectionate nickname "Pocket Grable" or "Mini-Grable" for her petite, wholesome appeal in pinup-style roles. It became one of Fox's top-grossing musicals of the era, capitalizing on wartime audiences' demand for escapist entertainment. Haver continued her musical momentum in Three Little Girls in Blue (1946), leading as Pam Charters in a comedy about three sisters seeking romance at an Atlantic City hotel, featuring hit songs like "You Make Me Feel So Young."[15] She followed with additional musicals including I Wonder Who's Kissing Her Now (1947) and Oh, You Beautiful Doll (1949). These Technicolor productions solidified her fan base and box office draw through the late 1940s, emphasizing her singing and dancing in feel-good narratives.[4]Later films and retirement
In the late 1940s, June Haver took on a major musical role in Look for the Silver Lining (1949), a Warner Bros. biographical film where she portrayed Broadway star Marilyn Miller opposite Ray Bolger as Jack Donahue.[2] This Technicolor production highlighted her singing and dancing talents in period numbers, as she continued with musicals such as The Daughter of Rosie O'Grady (1950) and I'll Get By (1950).[4] By the early 1950s, Haver attempted a transition to non-musical roles amid 20th Century Fox's evolving demands, which increasingly emphasized more mature and explicit content that clashed with her established wholesome image.[10] Her first such effort was Love Nest (1951), a comedy-drama directed by Joseph M. Newman, in which she starred as Connie Scott, a young wife managing a rundown New York apartment building alongside William Lundigan, with a supporting appearance by Marilyn Monroe as a sultry tenant.[2] This film represented Fox's push to reposition her away from musicals, reflecting the studio's favoritism toward Monroe's rising star power.[2] Haver's final film was The Girl Next Door (1953), a musical comedy directed by Richard Sale, where she played Jeannie Laird, a nightclub performer who buys a suburban home and navigates romance with a widowed cartoonist (Dan Dailey).[4] Despite its musical elements, the role underscored her brief foray into lighter dramatic territory, but production challenges, including a fall on set, reinforced her growing disillusionment.[16] In 1953, Haver announced her retirement from acting, breaking her $3,500-a-week contract with Fox to enter the Sisters of Charity convent in Xavier, Kansas, as a postulant nun, seeking spiritual solace after personal losses like the 1949 death of her fiancé John Duzik from surgical complications and a desire for greater privacy away from Hollywood's scrutiny.[2][4] She spent eight months in the convent beginning in February 1953, undergoing novice training, but left in October due to health issues that left her lacking the physical strength for the rigors of religious life.[4][10] Haver returned to secular life without resuming her film career, prioritizing personal fulfillment over further acting pursuits.[2]Personal life
Early relationships and marriages
June Haver's first notable romance began in her mid-teens when she met trumpeter Jimmy Zito while touring as a singer with Ted Fio Rito's orchestra.[10] At around age 15 in 1940 or 1941, the two developed a connection during the band's travels, though they initially lost touch as her career progressed.[6] They reconnected in 1946, leading to an elopement in Las Vegas on March 9, 1947, followed by a Catholic ceremony at St. Timothy's Church in Hollywood on March 26, 1947. The union proved short-lived; the couple separated after three months and obtained an annulment in June 1948. Haver later reflected on the marriage as "the biggest mistake of my life," noting its emotional toll amid her recent conversion to Catholicism.[10] Following the annulment, Haver reunited with John Duzik, a studio dentist she had dated prior to her marriage to Zito.[2] The pair became engaged in 1949 and planned a wedding, but tragedy struck when Duzik, who suffered from hemophilia, died suddenly on October 30, 1949, from internal bleeding during routine surgery.[10] Haver kept a six-week vigil at his bedside, and his death in her arms left her deeply devastated, exacerbating her sense of personal loss.[4] In the intervening years, Haver navigated several brief Hollywood romances amid her rising film career, including dates with composer David Rose in 1946–1947 and actor Bob Hutton in 1946.[17] Rumors also linked her to co-stars like Victor Mature, though these connections remained fleeting and unconfirmed.[18] This era of romantic instability and heartbreak contributed to her growing disillusionment with the superficiality of Hollywood life, influencing her career choices toward seeking more profound emotional and spiritual commitments after 1948.[10]Marriage to Fred MacMurray
June Haver first met actor Fred MacMurray on the set of the 1945 film Where Do We Go from Here?, where she was 19 and he was 37; though no romance developed at the time, their paths crossed again nearly a decade later.[19] Following her brief stay as a postulant in a Roman Catholic convent in Kansas in 1953—undertaken after the death of her fiancé John Duzik in 1949—Haver emerged from seclusion and rekindled a connection with MacMurray in late 1953.[19] Their courtship blossomed quickly, leading to an engagement by early 1954, marked by MacMurray's gift of a 2¾-carat diamond ring valued at around $10,000.[20] The couple married on June 28, 1954, in a simple civil ceremony at the Ojai Valley Inn in Ojai, California, attended only by close family and friends; Haver, 28, wore a pale pink silk gown, while MacMurray, 45 and a widower, opted for a quiet affair to respect her need for a papal dispensation from her previous marriage.[20][21] Immediately after, they honeymooned briefly before settling into a low-key life away from Hollywood's spotlight, with Haver fully retiring from acting to focus on their union.[19] MacMurray, whose established career included films, radio, and later television, provided a supportive partnership as they shared a 1,500-acre ranch in Healdsburg, California, which he had purchased in 1941 as a retreat from the industry.[19] The couple embraced ranching life, bonding over activities like fly fishing, horseback riding, and entertaining a select circle of film industry friends at the property, which became a haven for their private, family-oriented existence.[22] This enduring marriage, lasting 37 years until MacMurray's death in 1991, offered Haver emotional stability following her earlier personal tragedies, allowing her to prioritize domestic harmony over professional pursuits.[19]Family and religious conversion
In 1956, June Haver and her husband Fred MacMurray adopted twin daughters, Kate and Laurie, who had been born on May 7 of that year.[23][19] The couple, along with MacMurray's two children from his previous marriage, formed a blended family that Haver prioritized above her acting career, leading her to retire from film shortly thereafter.[10] The family resided on the MacMurray Ranch in Healdsburg, California, a 1,500-acre property where Haver and MacMurray raised their daughters in a rural setting far removed from the Hollywood spotlight.[24] Haver focused on providing a stable, private upbringing, emphasizing outdoor activities and family bonding over public exposure; the twins grew up tending to the ranch's black Angus cattle and vineyards, experiences that Kate later described as grounding and idyllic.[23] The daughters maintained low profiles in adulthood, with Kate becoming involved in preserving the family ranch as a winery estate and Laurie residing in the Los Angeles area, both avoiding the entertainment industry.[4][24] Raised Protestant, Haver converted to Catholicism around 1947, shortly before her brief first marriage, seeking spiritual stability amid her parents' divorce and her own early career uncertainties.[10] Her faith deepened following personal tragedies, including the 1948 end of that marriage and the 1949 death of her fiancé, dentist John Duzik, from hemophilia complications, prompting her to enter the Sisters of Charity of Leavenworth convent in Kansas as a postulant in February 1953.[10][25] She remained there for seven months as a novice but departed in October due to inadequate physical stamina for the rigors of religious life, though she continued to practice her faith devoutly.[2][12] Haver integrated her Catholic beliefs into family life through regular church attendance and a commitment to moral, family-oriented values, which aligned with her decision to step away from Hollywood's glamour.[12] She engaged in charitable endeavors, making generous donations and participating in community service, often through Catholic organizations, while supporting her husband's career without seeking personal publicity.[7] Following MacMurray's death in 1991, Haver remained a widow for the rest of her life, adhering to her faith's emphasis on marital fidelity and declining opportunities for remarriage.[10]Later years and death
Post-retirement life
After retiring from acting upon her marriage to Fred MacMurray in 1954, June Haver devoted herself to family life on the couple's 1,500-acre ranch in Healdsburg, California, which MacMurray had purchased in 1941. The pair split their time between the ranch and a home in Brentwood, Los Angeles, where Haver focused on homemaking and raising their adopted twin daughters, Laurie and Katherine, born in 1956. Haver and MacMurray enjoyed collaborative activities such as cooking, which strengthened their close-knit family environment.[19] Haver expressed her commitment to domestic priorities early in her retirement, stating, "I'm a mother now. I'm needed at home," which underscored her decision to forgo further professional pursuits. The family maintained a grounded lifestyle on the ranch, away from Hollywood's spotlight, though Haver remained connected to old friends like Ann Miller and Ann Rutherford. Occasional social interactions with such contemporaries provided limited ties to her past career, but her primary focus remained on private family matters.[19][10] Following MacMurray's death from pneumonia in 1991, Haver became a widow after 37 years of marriage and continued residing in their Brentwood home, selling the Healdsburg ranch to the Gallo family in 1996. She preserved a highly private existence in her later years, avoiding public appearances and media attention while tending to personal affairs. Haver's emphasis on seclusion reflected her long-standing preference for a quiet life centered on family over celebrity.[19]Illness and death
In her final years, June Haver's health declined due to respiratory issues. She died of respiratory failure on July 4, 2005, at the age of 79 in her longtime home in Brentwood, California.[4][26] A private funeral service was held, attended only by family members and close friends. Haver was buried alongside her husband, Fred MacMurray, in the Holy Cross Cemetery in Culver City, California.[4][5][27] Her family confirmed the details of her passing and emphasized her enduring legacy as a devoted wife and mother, in keeping with her preference for privacy throughout her later life; no public memorial services were conducted.[26][4]Legacy
Honors and recognition
In 1949, June Haver received the Golden Apple Award for Most Cooperative Actress from the Hollywood Women's Press Club, recognizing her congenial professionalism on set during her peak years at 20th Century Fox.[28] This honor highlighted her reputation as a reliable and affable performer in the competitive studio system of the late 1940s.[29] For her contributions to the motion picture industry, Haver was awarded a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in the Motion Pictures category on February 8, 1960, located at 1777 Vine Street in Hollywood.[3] The star cemented her legacy as a beloved figure in Fox's musical lineup, often celebrated for her vibrant screen presence.[4] Later in her life, Haver joined the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences in 2001 at the age of 75, at the encouragement of friends Ann Miller and Ann Rutherford, marking a late-career acknowledgment of her enduring impact on film.[26] She is frequently recognized in histories of 20th Century Fox as one of the studio's signature "Fox blondes," embodying the wholesome glamour of wartime musicals alongside stars like Betty Grable. Following her death in 2005, Haver's work received posthumous tributes in major obituaries that praised her as a symbol of 1940s escapist cinema, with features in publications highlighting her roles in frothy musicals that provided uplift during World War II.[2] Her films, such as The Dolly Sisters, continue to be showcased in discussions of classic Hollywood musicals, underscoring her place in the era's cultural fabric.[10]Archival materials
The Fred MacMurray-June Haver Collection, donated in 2006 by the Fred and June MacMurray Trust to the Academy Film Archive, preserves approximately 90 items documenting their careers and family life, including 16mm prints of Haver's films, assorted shorts and commercials featuring her, and 16mm and Super-8 home movies of the MacMurray family.[30] These materials emphasize Haver's work in 20th Century Fox musicals from the 1940s and 1950s, as well as personal family documents from her post-retirement era.[30] Researchers can access the collection by submitting a Viewing Request Form through the Academy's website, with viewings available at the archive in Hollywood.[30] Complementing the film holdings, the Margaret Herrick Library of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences maintains the Fred MacMurray and June Haver papers, spanning 1907–2006 (bulk 1930s–1980s) across 16 linear feet, which include correspondence (primarily fan mail), contracts, photographs in two albums, and clippings related to about a dozen of Haver's films from her active period in the 1940s and 1950s.[31] These documents provide insight into her professional engagements at Fox, particularly musicals like The Dolly Sisters (1945) and Three Little Girls in Blue (1946), alongside personal photos capturing her family life.[31] Access requires contacting the library at 333 S. La Cienega Blvd., Beverly Hills, CA, via phone at (310) 247-3036 ext. 2226, with materials available for on-site research by appointment.[31] Additional holdings exist at the University of Southern California's Cinematic Arts Library, where the Fred MacMurray and June Haver papers (bulk 1930s–1970s) comprise 13.167 linear feet in 10 boxes, containing scripts, photographs, sketches, drawings, vinyl records, and posters tied to Haver's decade-long film career, including her Fox musicals and early meetings with MacMurray on set.[32] Due to Haver's preference for a private life after retirement, no major standalone personal archive has been established, though these institutional collections offer the primary preserved resources for studying her work and memorabilia.[32] Researchers must provide advance notice to access the USC materials, contacting the library at (213) 740-8383 or [email protected] for permissions.[32]Filmography
Feature films
June Haver appeared in 16 feature films between 1943 and 1953, almost exclusively under contract to 20th Century-Fox, where she specialized in musicals that highlighted her soprano voice and vivacious screen presence.[33] Her early uncredited bit parts evolved into leading roles in Technicolor extravaganzas, often co-starring with established Fox talents like Betty Grable and Dan Dailey, before she retired from cinema upon her marriage to Fred MacMurray. The following table lists her credited and uncredited appearances chronologically, including key production details.| Year | Title | Director | Role | Key Co-Stars | Role Description | Production Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1943 | The Gang's All Here | Busby Berkeley | Uncredited (specialty dancer) | Alice Faye, Carmen Miranda | Minor dancer in musical numbers | Fox musical, Technicolor |
| 1944 | Home in Indiana | Henry Hathaway | Charlotte 'Cri-Cri' Boole | Jeanne Crain, Lon McCallister | Supporting singer in horse-racing drama | Fox production, Technicolor |
| 1944 | Irish Eyes Are Smiling | Gregory Ratoff | Mary 'Irish' O'Neill | Dick Haymes, Monty Woolley | Lead singer in biopic of composer Ernest R. Ball | Fox musical, Technicolor |
| 1944 | Something for the Boys | Lewis Seiler | Uncredited | Carmen Miranda, Vivian Blaine | Minor performer in wartime musical revue | Fox musical, Technicolor |
| 1945 | The Dolly Sisters | Irving Cummings | Rosie Dolly | Betty Grable, John Payne | Co-lead as one of the famous singing-dancing twins | Fox biopic musical, Technicolor |
| 1945 | Where Do We Go from Here? | Gregory Ratoff | Lucilla Powell | Fred MacMurray, Joan Bennett | Supporting singer in time-travel fantasy musical | Fox production, Technicolor |
| 1946 | Three Little Girls in Blue | H. Bruce Humberstone | Pam Charters | George Montgomery, Vivian Blaine | Lead in Atlantic City musical romance | Fox musical, Technicolor |
| 1946 | Wake Up and Dream | Lloyd Bacon | Jenny | John Payne, Charlotte Greenwood | Lead orphan in horse-racing musical drama | Fox production, Technicolor |
| 1947 | I Wonder Who's Kissing Her Now | Lloyd Bacon | Katie McCoy | Mark Stevens, Reginald Gardiner | Lead in biopic of songwriter Joseph E. Howard | Fox musical, Technicolor |
| 1948 | Scudda Hoo! Scudda Hay! | F. Hugh Herbert | Rad McGill | Lon McCallister, Walter Brennan | Co-lead farm girl in rural comedy with songs | Fox musical-drama, Technicolor |
| 1949 | Look for the Silver Lining | David Butler | Marilyn Miller | Ray Bolger, Gordon MacRae | Lead in biopic of Broadway star Marilyn Miller | Fox musical, Technicolor |
| 1949 | Oh, You Beautiful Doll | John M. Stahl | Doris Fisher | Mark Stevens, S.Z. Sakall | Lead songwriter's daughter in Tin Pan Alley musical | Fox biopic musical, Technicolor |
| 1950 | The Daughter of Rosie O'Grady | David Butler | Patricia O'Grady | Gordon MacRae, Debbie Reynolds | Lead vaudeville performer's daughter in musical | Fox production, Technicolor |
| 1950 | I'll Get By | Richard Sale | Liza Martin | Gloria DeHaven, Dennis Day | Co-lead singer in Hollywood musical revue | Fox musical, Technicolor |
| 1951 | Love Nest | Joseph M. Newman | Connie Scott | William Lundigan, Marilyn Monroe | Supporting wife in comedy | Fox production, black-and-white |
| 1953 | The Girl Next Door | Richard Sale | Jeannie Laird | Dan Dailey, Dennis Day | Lead in musical comedy about show business | Fox musical, Technicolor |