Posted on 07/06/2005 8:00:46 AM PDT by Borges
Former actress June Haver is dead at 79.
Haver turned her back on Hollywood at the height of her career to become a nun, then just as abruptly left the convent, married actor Fred MacMurray and retired.
Haver died of respiratory failure Monday at her home in the Brentwood area of Los Angeles.
Haver grew up in Illinois and Ohio, appearing in local stage productions and singing on radio as a child. She was just 16 and performing with dance bands when she signed a contract with Twentieth Century Fox and made her film debut as a hat check girl in "The Gang's All Here."
A larger role in 1944's "Home in Indiana" brought her to the attention of studio boss Darryl Zanuck, who envisioned the wholesome, vivacious actress following in Betty Grable's footsteps as Hollywood's next blonde pinup girl.
In 1953, Haver stunned Hollywood by announcing she was spurning her 35-hundred-dollar-a-week studio contract for the role of novice nun at the Sisters of Charity convent in Kansas.
Just eight months later, Haver left the convent to return to Hollywood.
Soon after leaving, she bumped into MacMurray at a New Year's Eve party. His wife of 17 years had recently died, and he and Haver, who had costarred in 1945's "Where Do We Go From Here," were wed six months later.
Is she the one who was a sister to Gypsy Rose Lee, or was that another June?
Interesting. MacMurray, an underrated actor, has long been dead for awhile. He made a fortune investing in CA real estate, and was a strong conservative, God bless him...
No that was another June. June someone.
That would be June Hovac.
June Havoc, I think.
I always get those two confused.
Thnaks for the info.
FRed and June ,, A good guy with a good gal,, United again.
Who says they don't write haPPy endings anymore. ;-)
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June Haver, right, and Betty Grable perform in 'The Dolly Sisters' in this undated file handout photo provided by TCF. Haver, the sunny blond star of 1940s musicals who was promoted as the next Betty Grable but gave up her career to enter a convent, has died. She was 79. (AP Photo/TCF, HO)
Actresses June Haver, left, Ann Jeffries and Connie Stevens, right, pose as they leave the funeral service for dancer-actress Ann Miller at St. Mel Catholic Church in Los Angeles' Woodland Hills area in this Wednesday, Jan. 28, 2004 file photo. Haver, the sunny blond star of 1940s musicals who was promoted as the next Betty Grable but gave up her career to enter a convent, has died. She was 79. (AP Photo/Reed Saxon, FIle)
has long been dead for awhile.>>>>>>>>>
An interesting way of putting it ; 0 )
Haver was 78 in that photo. Amazing! Can you find out the name of her plastic surgeon?
HA! I knew as soon as I hit the post button, that it was wrong...
Gee, they look pretty happy to be at the funeral. I wonder what they had against poor Ann.
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