June Duprez, a stunning actress, was born on May 14, 1918, in Teddington, England, during an air raid. Her father, Fred Duprez, was an American vaudevillian who had found success in the stage and film industries in England.
As a child, June developed a passion for performing and eventually joined the Coventry Repertory Company to hone her craft. Her early years in the industry were marked by small roles, but she eventually caught the attention of audiences with her sultry and exotic performances in British films like U-Boat 29 (1939),The Four Feathers (1939),and The Thief of Bagdad (1940).
Her breakthrough came when she was cast in Alexander Korda's The Thief of Bagdad, which catapulted her to stardom. She was soon whisked away to Hollywood, where she was expected to capitalize on her newfound fame. However, her agent and Korda set her price too high, at $50,000 per picture, making it difficult for her to secure roles.
Despite this setback, June continued to work in Hollywood, albeit sporadically. Her most notable film during this period was None But the Lonely Heart (1944),opposite Cary Grant. In 1946, she left Hollywood and shifted her focus to the Broadway stage, taking on a few roles before retiring from acting altogether.
June's personal life was marked by two marriages. Her first marriage, to a Harley Street doctor, ended due to her growing fame and his increasing jealousy. Her second marriage, to a well-to-do sportsman, resulted in two daughters, but the couple divorced in 1965.
June spent her later years living in Rome and London before passing away in 1984 at the age of 66 following an extended illness.
