June Haver

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. Haver's second husband was the actor Fred MacMurray, whom she married after she retired from showbusiness.

Early life 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. After the family moved to Ohio, seven-year-old Haver entered and won a contest of the Cincinnati Conservatory of Music. 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.

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. 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. 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." The same year, she starred as Marilyn Miller in the musical Look for the Silver Lining (1949).

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.

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." Haver insisted on adopting a girl, but MacMurray, 18 years her senior, initially refused, explaining that he already had been a father. She was buried with MacMurray at Holy Cross Cemetery in Culver City, California.

Haver was a Republican and supported Ronald Reagan's campaign for governor of California in 1966.

Archive 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.

Filmography

Year Title Role 1943 Chorus Girl / Hat-Check Girl Home in Indiana Irish Eyes Are Smiling Something for the Boys Chorine Where Do We Go from Here? Three Little Girls in Blue Wake Up and Dream Jenny 1947 I Wonder Who's Kissing Her Now 1948 Scudda Hoo! Scudda Hay! Look for the Silver Lining Oh, You Beautiful Doll I'll Get By 1951 Love Nest 1953