EULOGY TO JUNE ALLYSON
By a myspace buddy named Michael Loris:
Did you hear? June Allyson has left this world to be in that big diaper TV commercial in the sky. . .we'll miss her husky plum voice and her emphatic smile, standing in some kitchen, telling us all so joyously to "Get back into Life - with Depends" whilst full-well knowing that she herself needed a good changing from out of those soft but crinkly puff pants she was sporting . . . shooting commercial after commercial after commercial for several years, just wishing for once someone (preferably that young hot Hungarian cameraman who shot her in take after take whom she'd been eyeballing the mighty bulging package of for oh-so long) would lay her back on one of those solid oak kitchen islands she stood in front of when she said her famous line to incontinent America and undo her heavy load . . .she never got her wishes fulfilled. She was deprived of having her dreams come true . . . just think what a grand and glorious moment it would have been for June Allyson to have been seen on TV by millions of viewers, lain proudly, legs in air, all our eyes transfixed on her octagenarian buttocks as some stud wiped her gently, then tenderly, and only to have her spill forth those famous words which encouraged so many and filled so many senior citizens with hope. Sigh. Poor ol' Soggy Bottom will be sorely missed . . . sadly she'll never be able to get back into Life with Depends because she's . . . well, the poor dear is dead! And that's that.
THE AUTHOR'S MYSPACE PAGE: MYSPACE
Did you hear? June Allyson has left this world to be in that big diaper TV commercial in the sky. . .we'll miss her husky plum voice and her emphatic smile, standing in some kitchen, telling us all so joyously to "Get back into Life - with Depends" whilst full-well knowing that she herself needed a good changing from out of those soft but crinkly puff pants she was sporting . . . shooting commercial after commercial after commercial for several years, just wishing for once someone (preferably that young hot Hungarian cameraman who shot her in take after take whom she'd been eyeballing the mighty bulging package of for oh-so long) would lay her back on one of those solid oak kitchen islands she stood in front of when she said her famous line to incontinent America and undo her heavy load . . .she never got her wishes fulfilled. She was deprived of having her dreams come true . . . just think what a grand and glorious moment it would have been for June Allyson to have been seen on TV by millions of viewers, lain proudly, legs in air, all our eyes transfixed on her octagenarian buttocks as some stud wiped her gently, then tenderly, and only to have her spill forth those famous words which encouraged so many and filled so many senior citizens with hope. Sigh. Poor ol' Soggy Bottom will be sorely missed . . . sadly she'll never be able to get back into Life with Depends because she's . . . well, the poor dear is dead! And that's that.
THE AUTHOR'S MYSPACE PAGE: MYSPACE
posted by Lady Bunny at Friday, July 14, 2006
10 Comments:
what the fuck are you bangin on about
Uh, Miss Allyson was known for more than just Depends sweetie. She had some great roles, IMDB her. Focusing on a diaper is exactly what minor league trash on My Space do all day, dahling. PS Murdoch owns it now, how novel is that?
June Allyson and Memories: Gone, but Not Forgotten...
http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/opinion/chi-0607160253jul16,1,3734229.story?ctrack=1&cset=true
My Tribute to June Allyson (1917 to 2006)...
http://www.reeljewels.com/allyson/fanarticle1.htm
Jack Heinzman's Tribute to June Allyson (1917 to 2006)...
http://www.venturacountystar.com/vcs/opinion/article/0,1375,VCS_125_4839860,00.html
Charles Michel's Tribute to June Allyson (1917 to 2006)...
http://www.reeljewels.com/allyson/rememberingjunie.htm
Jim Bishop's Tribute to June Allyson (1917 to 2006)...
http://news.pajamasmedia.com/entertainment/2006/07/14/9626631_Victoria_Advocat.shtml
"Like the memory of her smile and her tears and her raspy little voice, some things will stay with us forever." -- from Jim Bishop's Tribute to June Allyson
Down on Your Heels, and Up On Your Toes!
by Len Bourret (Copyright 2006)
She was the girl GIs gravitated towards, the kind of woman every man wanted to marry, and the special friend everyone wanted to know. She loved people, and they loved her back. She exuded positive energy and a sunshiny smile that was uplifting--and, somehow, just being around her was uplifting and made people feel better. She was, and shall always be, "Good News" itself. Harry James' trumpet (from "Two Girls and
a Sailor") is blowing in the heavens, and one can hear and see June Allyson exuberantly singing, "He's the young man with a horn!"
To know "Junie" (as she was personified by her closed friends), one only had to become familiar with Ella
Van Geisman, the little girl from the Bronx. She was a hard worker, and a powerhouse. She danced her
way out of poverty and, on a dare from her schoolchums, learned to dance like and eventually befriended
her #1 heroine, Ginger Rogers. And, out of a Third Avenue el, she learned to follow in the footsteps of her
#1 hero, Fred Astaire. She had a distinctive voice, and a winsome personality. And, it was not an accident
or coincidental that she became destined to become the actress and human being that everyone wanted to
emulate and have as their nextdoor neighbor. Hers was a rags-to-riches story, a kind of Shirley Temple
real-life doll (more than merely on paper), a Jo March tomboy with feminine grace. She was a princess,
who married a prince, Richard Ewing Powell. And Richard, or Dick Powell as he is known to the world,
was a kind man who loved kids. But, he was--and taught June Allyson to be, strong as a redwood--
and this served to be her strength, after Richard's passing. And, indeed, June Allyson went through an
extremely difficult period from 1963 (after Richard passed from this earth) to 1976 (when she married
an equally-kind man, David Ashrow). But, during this time of magnificent independence, the little girl became quite a woman. And, she was a loyal friend and partner (she was married to Dick Powell for
almost 20 years, and was married to David Ashrow for almost 30 years).
When I was a little boy, Dick Powell used to call me from Four Star Television (where he became a
still-respected Louis B. Mayer kind of television mogul), and he gave me a 16m.m. print of "Sister
Mary Slugger" (a segment I loved from early-television's June Allyson Show). I deeply cherished
and faithfully preserved the print, for years, and presented it to June Allyson on videocassette. And,
at the Judy Garland Festival in 2002, I had the rare opportunity to read my poetry to June Allyson.
Some people are fortunate to meet their heroine once in a lifetime. I was privileged and proud to
meet June Allyson on four special occasions: once when she was appearing in "Goodbye Ghost"
(in Coconut Grove, Florida), twice when she was appearing in "Forty Carats" (on Broadway), thrice
when she was appearing in "No No Nanette" (in Hollywood), and at the Judy Garland Festival (an
annual event held to honor June Allyson's friend in Judy Garland's hometown of Grand Rapids,
Minnesota). But, this shall not be yours and my final meeting. We shall see June, Judy, and Richard
at the rainbow--and June Allyson will be dancing and singing The Varsity Drag (from MGM's
"Good News")!
========================================================================
=================================
L e o n a r d J . B o u r r e t
4 0 - B P a s c a l L a n e
M a n c h e s t e r , C T 0 6 0 4 0 - 4 6 2 6
P h o n e : ( 8 6 0 ) 6 4 7 - 9 6 0 6
e - M a i l : Len9876@juno.com
=================================
July 12, 2006
Dr. David Ashrow
1651 Foothill Road
Ojai, CA 93023-1748
Dear Dr. David:
Junie was, and shall always be, "Good News" itself. Harry James' trumpet (from "Two Girls
and a Sailor") is blowing in the heavens, and one can hear and see June Allyson exuberantly
singing, "He's the young man with a horn!"
This shall not be a final meeting of yours and mine. We shall see June, Judy, and Richard at
the rainbow--and Junie will be dancing and singing The Varsity Drag! Down on your heels,
and up on your toes!
To you, Pam and Rick, I send my best wishes.
Warmest Regards,
Len Bourret
Poet and Writer
========================================================================
===============================
L e o n a r d J . B o u r r e t
4 0 - B P a s c a l L a n e
M a n c h e s t e r , CT 0 6 0 4 0 - 4 6 2 6
P h o n e : ( 8 6 0 ) 6 4 7 - 9 6 0 6
e - M a i l : Len9876@juno.com
===============================
September 30, 2006
To: karen@karencadleinternational.com
Karen Cadle
Karen Cadle International
To: RutaLeeWebbLowe@aol.com
Ruta Lee
the Thalians
Links: Hollywood Salutes June Allyson
http://www.broadwayworld.com/viewcolumn.cfm?colid=12352, and
http://www.elportaltheatre.com/events/
Dear Karen and Ruta:
Re: Tribute to June Allyson - As a long-standing June Allyson fan for more than fifty years, I
was befriended by Dick Powell when I was a little boy. I have had the honor and privilege
of meeting June, on four special occasions, which included reading my poetry to her (which
she thoroughly enjoyed) at the Judy Garland Festival 2002.
I am moved by the gala event, Hollywood Salutes June Allyson, scheduled on Thursday,
November 2nd, at the El Portal Theatre in North Hollywood, California. I am gratified
that it will be a star-studded tribute to June Allyson-Powell-Ashrow, a fitting tribute so
close to the former Four Star Productions (the company which Dick Powell served as
president and studio head), and that there will be testimonials by many stars (including
Esther Williams, Cyd Charisse, Margaret O'Brien, Gloria DeHaven, Debbie Reynolds,
and Kathryn Grayson). Will Van Johnson be able to attend? Can I share this information
with June Allyson's fans (some who have loved her for over sixty years)? Please advise,
and thank you.
As a disabled person (thankful for the work of the Thalians), I have one request: Will
there be memorabilia available for this event? June Allyson is still very much loved by
multitudes of fans, young and old, with a new generation of fans becoming exposed
to, and enjoying, her movies--including "The Glenn Miller Story", "Good News", "Little
Women", and "The Stratton Story". June Allyson, more than average or fair-to-middling,
continues to be an exceptionally-bright star, to dream about and reach for.
I have been in phone contact with Dr. David, and he is most gratified by your showering
of affection for Junie. I hope that the Thalians will pay tribute to Junie, Ann Miller, Glenn
Ford, Jan Murray, Janet Leigh, Red Buttons, and others from Hollywood's golden era
(so many have passed from this earth). May God bless you, and yours!
Warmest Regards,
Len Bourret
Poet and Writer
Great article! Thanks.
Thanks for interesting article.
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