Description:
Mary June Storey (April 20, 1918 – December 18, 1991) was a Canadian-born American film actress who appeared in 45 films during the 1930s and 1940s. She is best remembered as the leading lady of cowboy singer Gene Autry in ten of his films.
Mary June Storey was born April 20, 1918 in Toronto, Canada. Her family moved to the United States when she was five years old, settling first in Connecticut, then later in California, where she attended Laguna Beach High School. Pretty in her youth, she caught the attention of Fox Film Corporation when she auditioned with them to star in films. After being hired as a contract player by
Mary June Storey (April 20, 1918 – December 18, 1991) was a Canadian-born American film actress who appeared in 45 films during the 1930s and 1940s. She is best remembered as the leading lady of cowboy singer Gene Autry in ten of his films.
Mary June Storey was born April 20, 1918 in Toronto, Canada. Her family moved to the United States when she was five years old, settling first in Connecticut, then later in California, where she attended Laguna Beach High School. Pretty in her youth, she caught the attention of Fox Film Corporation when she auditioned with them to star in films. After being hired as a contract player by Fox, Storey studied acting with Florence Enright and took dancing lessons from Rita Hayworth's father, Eduardo Cansino. In 1934, Storey made her first film appearance in Student Tour. Her first credited role was in the 1936 film Girls' Dormitory. In the next two years, she appeared in eight films, including In Old Chicago (1937), Island in the Sky (1938), Down in Arkansas (1938), and Orphans of the Street (1938).
On April 21, 1939, Storey became a contract player with Republic Pictures. In 1939 and 1940, she co-starred in ten Gene Autry films as his leading lady: Home on the Prairie, Blue Montana Skies, Mountain Rhythm, Colorado Sunset, In Old Monterey, South of the Border, Rancho Grande, Gaucho Serenade, Carolina Moon, and Ride Tenderfoot Ride. Storey was the "perfect leading lady for Autry: very agreeable to look upon, competent as a performer by then, and willing to work long, hard hours on location." The actress Mary Lee often starred alongside her, playing the role of her younger sister. Her career slowed considerably when Autry left acting for a time to serve during World War II. After five additional films with Republic, her contract was terminated by mutual agreement. She played several minor roles in films during the 1940s, and retired after marrying. Her last credited role was in the 1949 film Miss Mink of 1949.
Storey married businessman Fred Bohling; they moved to Oregon and had one son, Eric. In 1950, June was involved in a serious auto accident, but survived. After she and Fred divorced, she married her second husband, Nick Ostreyko. This marriage produced a daughter, Marina, but the marriage also ended in divorce. As a single mother, June went back to school and became a nurse. Years later, she met and married Lincoln Clark, and spent many happy years with him until her death. She became a United States citizen, and devoted much of the remainder of her life to contributions to charity. During the 1980s she attended several western film festivals. She died of cancer on December 18, 1991, in Vista, California at the age of 73. She was buried in Pacific View Memorial Park in Corona del Mar, survived by her husband, Lincoln Clark, a sister, a son, a daughter, and three grandchildren.
... (more)
(less)
My tags:
Add tags
Login
Canada
4 comments
