Silent Wierdness: Born Today September 6: June Marlowe

1903-1984

Actress June Marlowe was born Gisela Valeria Goetten to German immigrant parents in St. Cloud Minnesota. She was best known for her role of Mrs. Crabtree in the Our Gang series in the early 1930's, where she donned a blond wig to match the hair of child star Jackie Cooper; but she actually made the majority of her film appearances in the 1920's. Her first film Fighting Blood, dating from 1923, saw her in such a minor role that it went uncredited. Her first credited role came in 1924 in the role of Kitty Reid in When A Man's A Man. She was in several films in both 1924 and 1925, including opposite both Rin Tin Tin (yes, Rin Tin Tin!) and later John Barrymore. One of the Rin Tin Tin films that she appeared in was Clash Of The Wolves (1925), which was nearly lost to history but survives today thanks in no small part to the National Film Preservation Society. She was one of the WAMPAS Baby stars of 1925 (one can assume that being in this situation, she was "presented" with a "proper" screen name by one of the male studio big-wigs that ran these virtual harem of young girls in the mid-1920's on). Marlowe did not possess what the studios thought was an acting voice pleasing in the dawning sound era, and this must have greatly effected her confidence. Probably as a result, in late 1929, when more and more of the largest studios--like Universal--were experimenting with full sound films, Marlowe made two films for a German production company under the studio umbrella of Universal--both were silent pictures. Her first sound film--The Lone Defender (1930)--was another Rin Tin Tin film in which she played the Hispanic Dolores Valdez. She then fell into making shorts with the like of Charly Chase, which landed her the role that she is known for today in 1930 in Teacher's Pet. Hal Roach also paired her up with the budding film sensation that was Laurel and Hardy. By this time, her interest in continuing an acting career waned; her last appearance in front of the camera came in 1932 as Mrs. Crabtree one last time in Readin' and Writin'. She then quit to become a housewife, having married a Hollywood businessman in 1933. She remained content with this life; though later in life, she became a writer of children's stories. She died from complications due to Parkinson's in Burbank on the 10th of March in 1984 at the age of 80. She was originally buried at the San Fernando Mission Cemetery, but was later moved to the new Cathedral of Our Lady of the Angels, which has a mausoleum in it's basement.