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June Travis (born June Dorothea Grabiner; August 7, 1914 – April 14, 2008) was an American film actress.


Background

Born June Dorothea Grabiner, she was the daughter of Harry Grabiner, vice-president of the
Chicago White Sox The Chicago White Sox are an American professional baseball team based in Chicago. The White Sox compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) American League Central, Central Division. The club plays its ...
in the 1930s. She had dark brown hair and green eyes. She stood 5'4" tall. She attended Parkside Grammar School in Chicago and the Starrett School for Girls. She later studied at
UCLA The University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) is a public land-grant research university in Los Angeles, California, United States. Its academic roots were established in 1881 as a normal school then known as the southern branch of the C ...
. When she returned to
Illinois Illinois ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the Midwestern United States, Midwestern United States. It borders on Lake Michigan to its northeast, the Mississippi River to its west, and the Wabash River, Wabash and Ohio River, Ohio rivers to its ...
, she matriculated at the
University of Chicago The University of Chicago (UChicago, Chicago, or UChi) is a Private university, private research university in Chicago, Illinois, United States. Its main campus is in the Hyde Park, Chicago, Hyde Park neighborhood on Chicago's South Side, Chic ...
.


Marriage

On January 3, 1940, Travis married Fred Friedlob. They had two daughters, Cathy and June. Friedlob died in May 1979 in
Chicago Chicago is the List of municipalities in Illinois, most populous city in the U.S. state of Illinois and in the Midwestern United States. With a population of 2,746,388, as of the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, it is the List of Unite ...
.


Screen actress

A
Paramount Pictures Paramount Pictures Corporation, commonly known as Paramount Pictures or simply Paramount, is an American film production company, production and Distribution (marketing), distribution company and the flagship namesake subsidiary of Paramount ...
vice-president noticed her in
Miami, Florida Miami is a East Coast of the United States, coastal city in the U.S. state of Florida and the county seat of Miami-Dade County, Florida, Miami-Dade County in South Florida. It is the core of the Miami metropolitan area, which, with a populat ...
, at a White Sox exhibition game. He offered Travis a screen test when she came to
Pasadena, California Pasadena ( ) is a city in Los Angeles County, California, United States, northeast of downtown Los Angeles. It is the most populous city and the primary cultural center of the San Gabriel Valley. Old Pasadena is the city's original commerci ...
, where the major league baseball team trained. The first time she was presented with a screen contract, she suffered from screen fright and turned it down. She returned to Chicago and school and the next winter, accepted a film studio offer in
Palm Springs, California Palm Springs (Cahuilla language, Cahuilla: ''Séc-he'') is a desert resort city in Riverside County, California, United States, within the Colorado Desert's Coachella Valley. The city covers approximately , making it the largest city in Rivers ...
. Travis made her screen debut in '' Stranded'' (1935), a film which starred Kay Francis and George Brent. She played the role of Mary Rand. She followed this with a part in ''Not On Your Life'' (1935), with Warren William and Claire Dodd.
Howard Hawks Howard Winchester Hawks (May 30, 1896December 26, 1977) was an American film director, Film producer, producer, and screenwriter of the Classical Hollywood cinema, classic Hollywood era. Critic Leonard Maltin called him "the greatest American ...
directed her in '' Ceiling Zero'' (1936), a Warner Bros. feature. In preparation for her role, Travis learned flying, navigation, and parachute jumping from
Amelia Earhart Amelia Mary Earhart ( ; July 24, 1897 – January 5, 1939) was an American aviation pioneer. On July 2, 1937, she disappeared over the Pacific Ocean while attempting to become the first female pilot to circumnavigate the world. During her li ...
. The aviator gave her instructions in September 1935, including the film stars James Cagney and Pat O'Brien. Also in
1936 Events January–February * January 20 – The Prince of Wales succeeds to the throne of the United Kingdom as King Edward VIII, following the death of his father, George V, at Sandringham House. * January 28 – Death and state funer ...
, she portrayed secretary Della Street to Perry Mason as played by Ricardo Cortez in '' The Case of the Black Cat''. She was
Ronald Reagan Ronald Wilson Reagan (February 6, 1911 – June 5, 2004) was an American politician and actor who served as the 40th president of the United States from 1981 to 1989. He was a member of the Republican Party (United States), Republican Party a ...
's leading lady in his first movie, ''
Love Is on the Air ''Love is on the Air'' is a 1937 American mystery film directed by Nick Grinde and starring Ronald Reagan (in his film debut), June Travis, Eddie Acuff, Robert Barrat, Raymond Hatton and Willard Parker. It was the first of three remakes of the 1 ...
'', in 1937. Her most notable film role was likely in '' The Star'' (1952) starring
Bette Davis Ruth Elizabeth "Bette" Davis (; April 5, 1908 – October 6, 1989) was an American actress of film, television, and theater. Regarded as one of the greatest actresses in Hollywood history, she was noted for her willingness to play unsympatheti ...
. Travis became known as the Queen of the B-movies on the Warner Bros. lot. Later, she said that if she had remained in Hollywood two more years, she would have been a star. However, following three years, she came home to Chicago for Christmas with her parents. She did not return to making motion pictures. Travis stopped regularly appearing in films after 1938, though she made minor appearances in '' The Star'' and '' Monster a Go-Go''.


Radio

Travis played Stormy Wilson Curtis in the radio soap opera '' Girl Alone'' and Bernice in '' Arnold Grimm's Daughter'', another soap opera.


Death

On April 14, 2008, Travis, age 93, died in a hospital of complications from a
stroke Stroke is a medical condition in which poor cerebral circulation, blood flow to a part of the brain causes cell death. There are two main types of stroke: brain ischemia, ischemic, due to lack of blood flow, and intracranial hemorrhage, hemor ...
she suffered weeks earlier. She is buried in Chicago's Oak Woods Cemetery.


Filmography

* '' Stranded'' (1935) (with Kay Francis and George Brent) – Mary Rand * '' Don't Bet on Blondes'' (1935) (with Warren William and Guy Kibbee) – Telephone Operator (uncredited) * '' Bright Lights'' (1935) (with Joe E. Brown) – Party Guest (uncredited) * '' Broadway Gondolier'' (1935) (with Dick Powell and Joan Blondell) – Hatcheck Girl (uncredited) * '' The Case of the Lucky Legs'' (1935) (with Warren William and
Genevieve Tobin Genevieve Tobin (November 29, 1899 – July 31, 1995) was an American actress. Early years Tobin was born in New York City. Career Tobin's stage debut came in 1912 in ''Disraeli''. She appeared in a few films as a child and formed a doub ...
) – George's Lady Friend (uncredited) * '' Shipmates Forever'' (1935) (with Dick Powell and Ruby Keeler) – Cigarette Girl (uncredited) * '' Dr. Socrates'' (1935) (with Paul Muni) – Dublin * '' Broadway Hostess'' (1935) – Mrs. Bannister (uncredited) * '' Ceiling Zero'' (1936) (with James Cagney) – Tommy Thomas * '' Times Square Playboy'' (1936) (with Warren William) – Beth Calhoun,aka Fay Melody * '' Earthworm Tractors'' (1936) (with Joe E. Brown) – Mabel Johnson * ''
Bengal Tiger The Bengal tiger is a population of the ''Panthera tigris tigris'' subspecies and the nominate tiger subspecies. It ranks among the largest wild cats alive today. It is estimated to have been present in the Indian subcontinent since the Late ...
'' (1936) (with Barton MacLane) – Laura Homan Ballenger * '' Jailbreak'' (1936) (with Barton Maclane and Craig Reynolds) – Jane Rogers * '' The Big Game'' (1936) (with Philip Huston and James Gleason) – Margaret Anthony * '' The Case of the Black Cat'' (1936) (with Ricardo Cortez) – Della Street * '' Join the Marines'' (1937) (with Paul Kelly) – Paula Denbrough * '' Circus Girl'' (1937) (with Robert Livingston and Donald Cook) – Kay Rogers * '' Men in Exile'' (1937) (with Dick Purcell) – Sally Haines * ''
Love Is on the Air ''Love is on the Air'' is a 1937 American mystery film directed by Nick Grinde and starring Ronald Reagan (in his film debut), June Travis, Eddie Acuff, Robert Barrat, Raymond Hatton and Willard Parker. It was the first of three remakes of the 1 ...
'' (1937) (with
Ronald Reagan Ronald Wilson Reagan (February 6, 1911 – June 5, 2004) was an American politician and actor who served as the 40th president of the United States from 1981 to 1989. He was a member of the Republican Party (United States), Republican Party a ...
) – Jo Hopkins * '' Over the Goal'' (1937) (with William Hopper and Johnnie Davis) – Lucille Martin * '' Exiled to Shanghai'' (1937) (with Wallace Ford and Dean Jagger) – Nancy Jones * '' The Kid Comes Back'' (1938) (with
Wayne Morris Wayne Morris (born Bert DeWayne Morris Jr. February 17, 1914 – September 14, 1959) was an American film and television actor, as well as a decorated World War II fighter ace. He appeared in many films, including '' Paths of Glory'' (1957), ' ...
) – Mary Malone * '' Over the Wall'' (1938) (with Dick Foran) – Kay Norton * '' Go Chase Yourself'' (1938) (with Joe Penner and
Lucille Ball Lucille Désirée Ball (August 6, 1911 – April 26, 1989) was an American actress, comedian, producer, and studio executive. She was recognized by ''Time (magazine), Time'' in 2020 as one of the most influential women of the 20th century for h ...
) – Judy Daniels * '' The Marines Are Here'' (1938) (with Gordon Oliver) – Terry Foster * '' The Gladiator'' (1938) (with Joe E. Brown) – Iris Bennett * '' Mr. Doodle Kicks Off'' (1938) (with Joe Penner) – Janice Martin * '' The Night Hawk'' (1938) (with Robert Livingston) – Della Parrish * ''
Little Orphan Annie ''Little Orphan Annie'' was a daily American comic strip created by Harold Gray and print syndication#Comic strip syndication, syndicated by the Tribune Media Services. The strip took its name from the 1885 poem "Little Orphant Annie" by James ...
'' (1938) (with Ann Gillis) – Mary Ellen * '' Federal Man-Hunt'' (1938) (with Robert Livingston) – Anne Lawrence * '' The Star'' (1952) (with
Bette Davis Ruth Elizabeth "Bette" Davis (; April 5, 1908 – October 6, 1989) was an American actress of film, television, and theater. Regarded as one of the greatest actresses in Hollywood history, she was noted for her willingness to play unsympatheti ...
) – Phyllis Stone * '' Monster A Go-Go'' (1965) (with Paul Morton) – Ruth (final film role)


References

* '' Long Beach Press-Telegram'', "Actress looks back at what might have been", April 23, 1977, p. 16 * ''
Los Angeles Times The ''Los Angeles Times'' is an American Newspaper#Daily, daily newspaper that began publishing in Los Angeles, California, in 1881. Based in the Greater Los Angeles city of El Segundo, California, El Segundo since 2018, it is the List of new ...
'', "Wrong Sex For Baseball, Girl Turns Actress", April 15, 1935, p. 19 * ''Los Angeles Times'', "Another Society Bud Lured To Movies", April 20, 1935, p. 13 * ''Los Angeles Times'', "The Pageant of the Film World", April 27, 1935, p. A9 * ''Los Angeles Times'', "Kirkland's Troth Seen", August 20, 1935, p. A1 * ''
The New York Times ''The New York Times'' (''NYT'') is an American daily newspaper based in New York City. ''The New York Times'' covers domestic, national, and international news, and publishes opinion pieces, investigative reports, and reviews. As one of ...
'', "Screen Notes", September 21, 1935, p. 18 * ''New York Times'', "Miss Earhart Teaches Aviation", September 26, 1935, p. 25 * ''
Chicago Tribune The ''Chicago Tribune'' is an American daily newspaper based in Chicago, Illinois, United States. Founded in 1847, it was formerly self-styled as the "World's Greatest Newspaper", a slogan from which its once integrated WGN (AM), WGN radio and ...
'', "June Travis Friedlob 1914 ~ 2008", April 16, 2008


External links

* *
June Travis
at Virtual History {{DEFAULTSORT:Travis, June 1914 births 2008 deaths American film actresses American stage actresses Actresses from Chicago University of California, Los Angeles alumni University of Chicago alumni 20th-century American actresses 21st-century American women