A couple of days ago, I went on eBay and bought an envelope of theatrical photographs. Those haven't arrived yet, but it did remind me that I already had a few theatricals sitting on my desk that hadn't yet been added to the blog.
Written on the back of the top image, and the only one with any information, "June Roselle, daughter of composer L. Crist Carson." In my search for information, I started with Carson and found absolutely nothing. I tired the usual sources, IMDB, the internet move data base, IBDB, the internet Broadway data base, and of course, the plain old general Google search. Then I decided to try the same approach with his daughter. After all, show business has a lot of multi generational artists. There wasn't much there, either, but something.
June Roselle understudied Florence Henderson, on Broadway, in the title role of Fanny. Fanny ran from 1954 to 1956, book by Joshua Logan and S.N. Behrman music and lyrics by Harold Rome. She was listed as having been a replacement for a handful of performances, so she did act on Broadway. And then, that's it. Nothing, nada. No other Broadway credits, nothing on IMDB, so no movie or television career. It's as if she just disappeared.
So, did she decide that show business wasn't for her? Did she get married and go the family route? Perhaps she died.
Rosina J. Roselle, 'June' to everyone is 92 and living in La Cresenta. She had the most incredible voice I have ever heard and sang Opera professionally. She was a professional piano teacher and voice coach in her later years. She was my mother's best friend since they were little girls. Louis B. Mayer offered her a 3-picture contract just before he died, that she had not yet signed. The contract was withdrawn after Mayer's death.
ReplyDeleteI found an old photograph at an antique mall of a young boy at the piano. It is labeled "Donald III, grandson of Lucile Cristcarson, composer. nephew of June Roselle." I have since discovered that Lucile's maiden name was Burke. She lived 1891-1978 and her Los Angeles obit states she is "survived by Miss June Roselle, Mrs Betty Lou Dugan, Mrs Marjorie Zittau and Donald Burke." I am trying to find a relative to whom I can send the photo, but it seems you can use the info I have acquired so far.
ReplyDeleteCorrection - Burke was a former married name of Lucile, and not a maiden name.
ReplyDeleteJune Roselle passed away last week (8 Jan. 2021). One of her students has written a beautiful statement about her which I'd like to post on my blog, Womensongforum.org. Would you grant us permission to use one or two of these photos? Probably best to send your answer to my email. Many thanks.
ReplyDeleteFeel free.
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