Mary June Storey

 Mary June Storey (April 20, 1918 – December 18, 1991)

She was a Canadian-born American film actress who appeared in 45 films during the 1930s and 1940s. She was leading lady to cowboy singer Gene Autry in 10 films. Pretty in her youth, Storey 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. Storey, like Hayworth and other young actors, participated in a "training school" operated by Fox. The school used one-act plays to develop the actors' talents. In 1934, Storey made her first film appearance in Student Tour. In June 1935, Storey signed a seven-year contract with 20th Century Fox. 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). In 1938, she was approached by Sol Siegel from Republic Pictures and offered an audition for a leading lady role opposite cowboy star Gene Autry. 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. 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. From 1946 to 1949, Story appeared in minor roles in ten films, including The Strange Woman (1946) with Hedy Lamarr, Killer McCoy (1947) with Mickey Rooney, and The Snake Pit (1948) with Olivia de Havilland. Her last credited role was in the 1949 film Miss Mink of 1949. She was married 3 times, and had two children, one from each of her first two marriages. Storey later became a United States Citizen and devoted much of the remainder of her life to works of charity. She died of cancer on December 18, 1991, in Vista, California, at the age of 73. Storey is buried at Pacific View Memorial Park in Corona Del Mar, California.