June Smaney

Biography

June Smaney, her mother and her grandmother headed out for California when she was just a little girl. June's father passed away and it caused them to go to California and seek a new life. June's mother was able to develop various connections through her regular job as an apartment manager and this quickly yielded various opportunities for June to venture into the movie business as a child actress in the 1930s. This also enabled her mother a chance to supplement their income by obtaining bit parts and extra roles in films. June was a heavier set girl but she was a natural entertainer. It wasn't uncommon to see her and her mother appear at the Hollywood Canteen entertaining troops by singing songs and by helping out. Her bright personality was loved by anybody who ever met her. During this time, June occasionally was asked to utilize her talent as a singer in various films. Like many extras, June developed a character and also some unique skills to try to obtain more specialized work. She started appearing in more roles that demanded larger women and she also started appearing in scenes where there was a square dance. She frequently used her ability to square dance throughout the rest of her career. During the 1950s and 1960s, she was given several credited roles in movies and television. She never earned enough money to stop her work as an extra. During this time, June was at home because she was frequently cast with her mother. It wasn't uncommon to see the both of them on screen beside each other in episodes of Gunsmoke, and The Wild Wild West. Thing continued to go well for June until her mother retired in 1972. After her mother's retirement, June found steady work on The Odd Couple Actor Tony Randall liked June and insisted that she always appear in scenes that featured his opera club. Eventually she started finding it difficult to find jobs that would fit her appearance. By the late 1970s, she caught a break by being cast as Rosie on the hit television show Baretta. She continued to try to find work as an extra while using occasionally earning a credited role. June Smaney passed away in 1993 leaving behind a legacy of a fun loving girl who donated her time to entertain soldiers, and who along with her mother, helped fill a niche in the entertainment industry that many people are too proud to fill.