As a devoted admirer of the illustrious June Walker Rogers, I find myself utterly captivated by her remarkable journey through the world of entertainment. From her humble beginnings in Steubenville, Ohio, to gracing the stages of Broadway and television alongside some of the biggest names in show business, she truly embodies the spirit of resilience and determination that defines a true artist.
June Rogers, a versatile artist known for her singing, dancing, and comedy skills, who graced the stages of Broadway and television, and authored numerous musicals as well as a guide on surviving in show business, passed away at the age of 97.
She died July 8 at her home in Westport, Connecticut, her family announced.
June L. Walker, born in Steubenville, Ohio, and later brought up in Queens, began her dance career at just 5 years old. She quickly established a nightclub act that often shared stages with renowned artists such as Frank Sinatra, Nat King Cole, Louis Prima, Don Rickles, Rodney Dangerfield, and the singer “Calypso Gene,” Louis Farrakhan.
Following enrollment in an advanced training program for exceptionally talented students within the New York educational system, she completed high school at age 15. She was awarded a scholarship to Columbia University but decided to abandon her academic pursuits to debut on Broadway in 1944 as part of the comedy revue “Laffing Room Only“, alongside Ole Olsen & Chic Johnson.
In 1959, the woman with platinum-blonde hair came back to Broadway where she collaborated with Bert Lahr and Dick Van Dyke on the production titled “The Girls Against the Boys“.
Walker Rogers graced the stage in productions like “Guys & Dolls” alongside Tony Bennett, “Little Me” with Orson Bean, as well as “Bells Are Ringing”, “Mame”, and “Oklahoma”. Throughout her career, she performed with Hal Linden and Rance Howard in various musicals too.
On TV, she made appearances on shows hosted by Steve Allen, Jack Paar, Jackie Gleason, and Ed Sullivan. These hosts invited her to showcase her talent at the White House for Presidents Truman and Eisenhower.
Following the establishment of a family, she shifted her focus towards writing and made significant contributions to various musicals. These include collaborations with Charles Strouse and Lee Adams on “All American”, Alan Menken and her late husband, David Rogers, on “The Dream on Royal Street”, and a production based on George M. Cohan’s work titled “45 Minutes From Broadway”.
In the Ambassador Auditorium of Pasadena, her play titled “Heidi” was staged with the aim of enriching California schools with cultural arts. Meanwhile, her book published in 1986, titled “How to Make It in Showbiz: A Survival Kit,” gained popularity among university theater departments nationwide.
In her later life, she reappeared on stage, acting alongside George Grizzard in “The Perfect Party” at the Westport Country Playhouse, and performing with her relatives in “The Perfect Wedding”.
For several years, she had lived in Westport and was one of its original members who established the Theater Artists Workshop. Additionally, she was affiliated with the National League of American Pen Women.
The surviving family members are her daughters, Dulcy (alongside her spouse, actor Diedrich Bader) and Amanda (ex-wife of Frank Ferrante, the well-known Groucho Marx impersonator), as well as their grandchildren, Lucy, Sebastian, Dashiell, and Ondine.
For half a century, she was married to David Rogers, an accomplished composer, actor, and lyricist who earned a Tony nomination. This union lasted until his passing in the year 2013.
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2024-08-04 02:54