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June Lang

June Lang (1917-2005) was an American film actress prominent in Hollywood during the 1930s and 1940s, known for leading roles and a personal life that drew public attention.

1. Overview

June Lang (born Winifred June VlasekEnglish, May 5, 1917 - May 16, 2005) was an American film actress who rose to prominence in Hollywood during the 1930s and 1940s. Known for her roles in numerous films, she navigated the studio system, achieving leading parts in notable productions before her career transitioned to semi-retirement. Her personal life, including marriages to figures like Johnny Roselli, also drew public attention.

2. Early life

June Lang's early life was marked by a move from her birthplace in Minneapolis, Minnesota, to Los Angeles, where she began her training in dance and education.

2.1. Childhood and Education

Born Winifred June Vlasek on May 5, 1917, in Minneapolis, Minnesota, June Lang was the daughter of Edith and Clarence Vlasek. Her family later relocated to Los Angeles, California. In Los Angeles, Lang pursued her interest in performing arts, training at a school of dance and regularly appearing in various revues held in local theaters. She completed her secondary education at Beverly Hills High School, graduating in the summer class of 1933.

3. Career

June Lang's professional journey began in dance before she was recruited into the Hollywood film industry. Her career saw her transition from minor roles to leading lady status, marked by her association with Fox Film and later 20th Century Fox, before she eventually scaled back her acting work.

3.1. Early Career and Name Change

At the age of 16, June Lang was performing as a dancer in a vaudeville theater in Los Angeles. She left this position to pursue opportunities at Fox Film studio. Upon her recruitment, the studio took steps to refine her appearance, including having her teeth straightened, and officially changed her name from Winifred June Vlasek to June Lang. She made her film debut in 1931, initially appearing in minor, often uncredited, roles within musical and dramatic films. Her debut feature film role was in Young Sinners. During her early years at Fox Film, Lang was primarily known for her blonde hair. She averaged about "one good role a year" and spent a significant amount of time posing for publicity photographs, frequently depicted in a bathing suit. She gradually secured second lead roles, predominantly in B movies for 20th Century Fox.

3.2. Career Development and Major Roles

June Lang in a promotional portrait from the 1930s
June Lang in a promotional portrait from the 1930s

Lang's contract with Fox was not renewed after her appearance in Bonnie Scotland (1935), a film for which Fox had loaned her to Hal Roach Studios. Following this, she experienced a period of "brief retirement" during which she changed her hair color to chestnut. Her career received a significant boost after an encounter with producer Darryl F. Zanuck at the Trocadero night club. This meeting led to her being cast as the romantic lead in Captain January (1936) for the newly formed 20th Century Fox. This marked a turning point, as she quickly secured five significant film roles within a span of just 12 weeks.

She soon advanced to leading roles, showcasing her talent in several prominent films. These included Bonnie Scotland (1935), where she starred alongside Laurel and Hardy. She also appeared in The Road to Glory (1936), featuring Fredric March, Warner Baxter, and Lionel Barrymore, with a screenplay partly written by William Faulkner. Another notable role was as Joyce Williams in Wee Willie Winkie (1937), directed by John Ford and co-starring Shirley Temple, Cesar Romero, and Victor McLaglen.

With Warner Baxter and Fredric March in The Road to Glory (1936)
With Warner Baxter and Fredric March in The Road to Glory (1936)

3.3. Later Career and Semi-retirement

June Lang's contract with Fox Studios was terminated in 1938, a year before her marriage to Johnny Roselli. This decision stemmed from her departure from the United Kingdom against Fox studio orders. She had been cast in So This Is London, which was being filmed at Pinewood Studios in London, Fox's U.K. studio. Lang and her mother left London due to fears of an impending war in Europe. After her divorce from Roselli three years later, she found it increasingly difficult to secure consistent film work as a freelancer. Consequently, Lang semi-retired from acting in 1947, although she occasionally appeared in minor roles on television.

4. Personal life

Beyond her acting career, June Lang's personal life was marked by several marriages and the birth of her only child.

4.1. Marriages and Relationships

June Lang's first marriage was to her Hollywood agent, Victor Orsatti. They married on May 29, 1937, but their union was brief, ending in divorce on August 5, 1937.

Her reputation as a wholesome leading lady faced challenges when she married Johnny Roselli on April 1, 1939. Roselli was identified as a mobster with connections to Chicago organized crime, known for his involvement in controlling Hollywood movie unions. Lang later stated that she was unaware of Roselli's criminal affiliations at the time of their marriage. Lang and Roselli divorced in March 1943. Her association with Roselli and the subsequent divorce contributed to her struggles in re-establishing a consistent film career.

4.2. Family

In 1946, Lang married John Morgan. This marriage also ended in divorce in 1952. During their marriage, Lang and Morgan had a daughter.

5. Death

June Lang died on May 16, 2005, at the age of 88.

6. Filmography

  • Young Sinners (1931) - Minor Role (uncredited)
  • The Miracle Woman (1931) - Church Choir Singer (uncredited)
  • She Wanted a Millionaire (1932) - Beauty Contest Contestant (uncredited)
  • Chandu the Magician (1932) - Betty Lou Regent
  • I Loved You Wednesday (1933) - Ballet Dancer
  • The Man Who Dared (1933) - Barbara Novak
  • Now I'll Tell (1934) - Girl at Beach (uncredited)
  • She Learned About Sailors (1934) - Girl at Dance Hall (uncredited)
  • Love Time (1934) - Minor Role (uncredited)
  • Music in the Air (1934) - Sieglinde Lessing
  • George White's 1935 Scandals (1935) - Chorine (uncredited)
  • Bonnie Scotland (1935) - Lorna MacLaurel
  • The Country Doctor (1936) - Mary MacKenzie
  • Every Saturday Night (1936) - Bonnie Evers
  • Captain January (1936) - Mary Marshall
  • The Road to Glory (1936) - Monique La Coste
  • White Hunter (1936) - Toni Varek
  • Nancy Steele Is Missing! (1937) - Sheila O'Neill - aka Nancy Steele
  • Wee Willie Winkie (1937) - Joyce Williams
  • Ali Baba Goes to Town (1937) - Princess Miriam / June Lang
  • International Settlement (1938) - Joyce Parker
  • One Wild Night (1938) - Gale Gibson aka Jennifer Jewel
  • Meet the Girls (1938) - Judy Davis
  • Zenobia (1939) - Virginia
  • Forged Passport (1939) - Rosa
  • For Love or Money (1939) - Susan Bannister
  • Captain Fury (1939) - Jeanette Dupre
  • Inside Information (1939) - Kathleen Burke
  • Convicted Woman (1940) - Georgia Mason aka The Duchess
  • Isle of Destiny (1940) - Virginia Allerton
  • Redhead (1941) - Dale Carter
  • The Deadly Game (1941) - Christine Reisner
  • Too Many Women (1942) - Gwenny Miller
  • Footlight Serenade (1942) - June
  • The City of Silent Men (1942) - Helen Hendricks
  • Stage Door Canteen (1943) - Herself (Cameo)
  • Flesh and Fantasy (1943) - Angela (uncredited)
  • Up in Arms (1944) - Goldwyn Girl (uncredited)
  • Three of a Kind (1944) - Delores O'Toole
  • Lighthouse (1947) - Connie Armitage