The original Baby June and sister to Gypsy Rose Lee, June Havoc has died at the age of 93 or 96 depending on the source. Mama Rose used different birthdates and birth certificates to keep June in her kiddie Vaudeville act and get around child labor laws. She was either born in Seattle or Vancover, BC in 1913 or 1916.
At 13 (or so), Havoc rebelled against her mother and ran off and married a teen boy from the Vaudeville troup, Bobby Reed. She struggled for years to make it in theater until she scored a triumph on Broadway in Pal Joey in 1940. That led to a Hollywood contract. She made over two dozen films including Gentleman's Agreement. In 1970, she became artistic director of the New Orleans Repertory Theater, persuading actors like Richard Mulligan and Julie Harris to perform there. In 1982, she returned to Broadway as Mrs. Hannigan in Annie. When asked by a reporter if she minded being the sixth actress to play the role, she said “To hell with vanity, give me the work.”
(For some reason I can't get pictures to load right now. Hopefully it will work itself out).
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