June Preston (December 29, 1928 – May 11, 2022) was an American child actress in the 1930s and early 1940s, who began her film career at RKO Pictures, with a minor role as Mrs. Blewett's daughter in the 1934 film Anne of Green Gables.
As a child star, she was promoted with heavy marketing and merchandising, including a clothing line, to position her as a child star rival to Shirley Temple.[2]
Preston performed as a soprano singer in the United States and in recitals in Latin America and Europe.
Biography
Early life and film career
Preston was born in Glendale, California and trained at the Meglin Dance Studio in Beverly Hills and Santa Monica.[1] After moving to Temple, Texas, at the age of four,[3] her film career began during a trip to Hollywood, where her photograph was shown to the casting office of RKO in 1934 and she was cast in a small role in Anne of Green Gables.[2][4][5] Preston then signed a contract with the studio[6][7] and appeared in a variety of child star-focused films.[8]
She also appeared in the 1934 MGM film Have a Heart.[9] By 1936, she was promoted as an RKO "featured child player" and clothing model.[10] She also had a small role in the film Our Gang Follies of 1938.[11] For several years, a clothing line was produced under her name, including dresses named June Preston Frocks.[12][13] After leaving film to study opera, she moved to West Seattle and attended James Madison Junior High and then West Seattle High School, graduating in 1947.[14] Her high school would later, in 1989, induct her into their Hall of Fame.[15]
In the summer of 1952 she toured with a company led by Argentine opera impresario Gregorio Ravic, which included Nicola Moscona, Jean Madeira, and Graciela Rivera, for four weeks of performances in cities in Colombia.[19][n 1] Preston sang the role of Mimi in La bohème opposite the tenor Walter Fredericks as Rodolfo.[21] She was a member of the chorus of the San Francisco Opera for the 1952–1953 season and 1953–1954 season.[22] Beginning a tour through the Caribbean in early 1954, she conducted a series of performances in February of that year starting in Port-au-Prince, Haiti.[23] Later in the month, she traveled to Roatán, Honduras and performed with pianist Manuel Rueda from the Dominican Republic.[24]
Preston married Belgian concert violinist Saul Höuben in 1963.[1] She died in Montclair, New Jersey, on May 11, 2022, from complications of dementia, aged 93.[1]
Explanatory notes
^Ravic's company was known as the "Compañía de Ópera Estrellas del Metropolitan" (Stars of the Metropolitan) as several of the ensemble's leads were principal artists of the Metropolitan Opera (the "Met") who performed with this touring group while on summer break from the Met. However, it was not affiliated with the Met and also employed singers from other American opera companies.[19][20] A 1952 Variety article reported that Preston was married to Ravic at this time.[19]
^Y Puga, Roberto Beltran (July 16, 1950). "Grandes Cualidades Demonstro June Preston en su Concierto del Viernes" [Great Qualities Demonstrated by June Preston at her Friday Concert]. Crónicas de Arte (in Spanish).
^Daniel Blum, ed. (1955). Daniel Blum's Opera World. G.P. Putnam's Sons. p. 41.
^"Grace a la courtoisie de S. E. le President Paul E. Magloire, le celebre Soprano lyrique June Preston, se fera entendre Dimanche soir au Kiosque Occide Jeanty" [Thanks to the courtesy of S. E. President Paul E. Magloire, the famous Lyric Soprano June Preston, will be heard on Sunday evening at the Kiosque Occide Jeanty]. Le Matin (in French).
^"Soprano Preston Iniciara Temporada de Soc. Pro Arte" [Soprano Preston Starts Season of Soc. Pro Arte]. El Caribe (in Spanish). February 16, 1954. p. 12.
^"La Expresiva Soprano Norteamericana June Preston, Presentada Por La Asociacion De Cultura Musical" [Expressive American Soprano June Preston, Presented By The Music Culture Association]. El Noticiero Universal (in Spanish). December 1, 1962.
^L. G. M. (December 3, 1962). "La Boheme En El Liceo, Con Dos Repartos Diferentes" [La Boheme At The Liceo, With Two Different Cast]. Hoja del Lunes (in Spanish). p. 36.
^"La celebre soprano June Preston en el Instituto Musical" [Celebrated soprano June Preston at the Musical Institute]. Diari de Tarragona (in Spanish). December 5, 1962.
