Media History Digital Library (1944)

Qiuuz JjoxMiaAf WHEN pretty June Lockhart launched a screen career, no one was surprised. Holly¬ wood would have been astonished had she done anything else. Filmland always knew the blonde¬ haired daughter of veteran actor Gene Lockhart would follow in his footsteps. And when it was announced she had signed a long-term pact with Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, everyone in the screen capital nodded ap¬ proval and wished her success. June is the only child of Gene and Kathleen Lockhart. She was born in New York City, June 22. Gene at the time was appearing on Broadway and Kathleen had "retired" from the stage to bring June into the world. A pretty, blue-eyed youngster, June literally grew up on the stage. As a toddler, she often watched her parents at work from the wings, and she learned her ABC's out of a play script. June planned to be an actress at the age of seven and began preparing for her career. Her parents enrolled her in a ballet school conducted at the Metropolitan Opera House. On her eighth birthday she received a notice that she had been chosen for a part in the Metropolitan production Peter Ibbetson. The cast starred Edward Johnson and Lucrezia Bori. June had been chosen to play prima donna Bori's role as a child. After her debut, she danced in several other operas. ’ While June was making her stage bow, her father was scoring his greatest triumph in Ah, Wilderness, studio executives spotted him and signed him to play in the screen version of that stage hit. His family accompanied him to Hollywood where they have been living ever since. Arriving in the film capital, June shelved her stage ambitions to concentrate on an educa¬ tion. In 1938 her father and mother were ap¬ pearing in a picture titled Christmas Carol. June went with them one day to the stage where the picture was being filmed and the director noticed her. He had been searching for a juvenile to play Gene's child in the picture, and if anyone looked like the actor's offspring, it was June. After Christmas Carol June returned to her studies. At various intervals she appeared on several radio programs, including the Lux Theater, Chase and Sanborn and Rudy Vallee programs. She could have portrayed more screen roles had she wanted, but her father wanted her to concentrate on school work and let her career take care of itself after she had acquired a good education. In 1939, however, a producer persuaded Gene to let June play a role in All This and Heaven, Too. And in 1940 she played with Ingrid Bergman in Adam Had Four Sons. The following year she appeared as Gary Coop¬ er's little sister in Sergeant York. The roles were all spaced so that they wouldn't inter¬ fere with her school work. As the last two years of high school are the most difficult, June "retired" from the screen again. She attended Westlake School for Girls in Hollywood, participating in women athletics and winning several swimming and dancing trophies. Following graduation, she resumed her ca¬ reer in earnest. Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer cast her as Betty in The White Cliffs of Dover. During the filming of that picture she became close friends with Irene Dunne, who helped June considerably with her characterization. Follow¬ ing White Cliffs of Dover June was cast as Lucille Pintard in Meet Me In St Louis, Judy Garland starrer. She's now being set for many important roles in forthcoming Metro-GoldwynMayer productions. June is blue-eyed and blonde. She weighs 115 pounds and is 5 feet, 4’/2 inches tall. She lives in Beverly Hills with her parents. Her favorite actor is her father; her favorite ac¬ tress, her mother. She attends motion pictures once a week and believes that simplicity and sincerity are the paramount essentials of act¬ ing. Her most treasured possession is a horse shoe ring which he wore in White Cliffs of Dover. She isn't superstitious and does not fol¬ low hunches. She likes to swim and play tennis. Her only pet is a wire hair puppy named Manium. LIFELINES Born June Lockhart, June 25, New York City, the daughter of Gene and Kathleen Lockhart. Educated in New York and Bev¬ erly Hills, California, graduating from the Westlake School for Girls. Not married. Eyes, blue. Hair, blonde. Height, 5 feet, 4 */2 inches. Weight, 115 pounds. Occupation, actress. Pictures; Christmas Carol, 1938; All This and Heaven Too, 1939; Adam Had Four Sons, 1940; Sergeant York, 1941; Madame Curie, 1943; The White Cliffs of Dover, Meet Me In St. Louis, 1944. [88]