June Kirby
American actress and costume designer (1928–2022)
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
June Shirley Kirby (January 5, 1928 – March 6, 2022) was an American actress[1][2] and model,[3] who spent most of her career as a wardrobe mistress in Hollywood productions' costume departments.[4] She was a showgirl at The Diamond Horseshoe[5] in the late forties and was spotted by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer which offered her a couple of film parts as a Goldwyn Girl[6][7][8] such as in Vincente Minnelli's Kismet (1955) and Joseph L. Mankiewicz's Guys and Dolls (1955)[9] featured opposite Marlon Brando,[10] Larri Thomas and Pat Sheehan.[11][12] Kirby also performed on Broadway in As the Girls Go (1948–1950),[13] and Gentlemen Prefer Blondes.[14]
Early years
Born in Bay Ridge, Brooklyn, Kirby was raised in Jersey City, New Jersey[15] and earned a diploma at James J. Ferris High School in Jersey City.[16] She later attended Kingston University where she studied fashion.[17]
Career
Kirby worked as a model. In 1946, she was named "posture queen of America" by the National Chiropractic Association.[18] She was in Famous Models Magazine dated June 1950.[19]
In 1955, Kirby worked as the wardrobe mistress for the British science fiction film Timeslip, also known as The Atomic Man. Her role involved overseeing the costume department and ensuring the visual consistency of the characters' attire.[20]
In 1971, she served as the wardrobe mistress for the British comedy film On the Buses, contributing to the costume design and maintenance for the cast.[21]
Personal life
Kirby dated men such as Mickey Rooney.[22] She married Roy B. Whitlock on August 20, 1960, and they had a daughter named Shawn. Whitlock died on December 23, 1984. She later married Bob Przybysz.[23] Kirby died on March 6, 2022, aged 94, in Aiken, South Carolina.[24]
Filmography
Actress
| Year | Title | Director | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1955 | Kismet | Vincente Minnelli | Harem lady - Goldwyn Girl | |
| 1955 | Guys and Dolls | Joseph L. Mankiewicz | The Hot Box Girls number | The number included Kirby, Pat Sheehan and Larri Thomas. |
| 1955 | The Eddie Cantor Comedy Theatre | Eddie Davis | – | Season 1, Episode 26: What Do You Want in a Show. |
| 1957 | Highway Patrol | Eddie Davis | Barbara Franklin | Season 2, Episode 18: Statute of Limitations. |
| 1957 | The Garment Jungle | Vincent Sherman & Robert Aldrich. | The model | |
| 1957 | Silk Stockings | Rouben Mamoulian | Model | |
| 1958 | The Last Hurrah | John Ford | Model | |
| 1960 | Bells Are Ringing | Vincente Minnelli | Party Guest |
Costume designer
| Year | Title | Director | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1954 | The Diamond | Dennis O'Keefe & Montgomery Tully | |
| 1955 - 1956 | Fabian of the Yard | Charles Saunders | 5 episodes: - The Masterpiece - Cocktail Girl - The Ribbon Trap - The Sixth Dagger - The Lover's Knot |
| 1962 | Lunch Hour | James Hill | |
| 1972 | Along the Way (1972) | T.S. Lyndon-Haynes & John Reeve |
Wardrobe department
| Year | Title | Director | Head of Costume | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1956 | The Adventures of the Big Man | Don Chaffey | 10 episodes: - The Smugglers - The Frightened Angels - The Door of Gold - The Thief - Lady Killer - The Gun Runners - Secret Enemy - The Magenta Box - The Amazon Bandit - The Bomb | |
| 1971 | On the Buses | Harry Booth | Rosemary Burrows | |
| 1983 | The Keep | Michael Mann | Anthony Mendleson | |
| 1984 | Supergirl | Jeannot Szwarc | Emma Porteous |
Special effects
| Year | Title | Director | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1982 | The Dark Crystal | Jim Henson & Frank Oz | Creatures fabricator for the Mystic Unit |
