Warner Brothers
 A rare photograph of June and her sister Alona at a Southern California beach |
Writer Harry Carr entered the picture again, this time, recommending
June to Jack Warner of Warner Brothers. Warner was favorably impressed with June,
and signed her to a contract. Her first film for Warners was FIND YOUR MAN
(1924), with Rin-Tin-Tin, "The Wonder Dog." It was an outdoor film, the kind she most enjoyed making.
Rin-Tin-Tin was a German Shepherd who, in the '20's and early '30's, was
Hollywood's most famous animal star. He received many thousands of fan
letters! "Rinty" (and his doubles) starred as an intelligent, courageous
canine--mainly at Warners--in many pictures. He had allegedly been a German
attack dog, found in a dugout during World War I. He was beloved by
moviegoers but hated by his colleagues: he could be ill-tempered and
vicious, and would attack people without warning. But he was friendly with
June, who had a way with animals. Perhaps for that reason, more "Rinty"
films would follow for her.
June quickly gained confidence before the silent camera. Once on her way, she was not troubled by doubts. In fact, in a 1925 issue of "Photoplay" she was quoted as saying of herself: "I'm going to be a star." Warners promoted June as "The Most Beautiful Girl on the Screen," and "the girl with the soulful eyes." She did indeed project a kind of pure and soulful beauty with her large, dark eyes and natural warmth. June's studios would almost always cast her in ingenue roles. Great acting ability was not required; beauty and charm were. She met these requirements very well indeed. |
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More films followed for June: she had the title role in the drama THE TENTH WOMAN (1924), and an important part in A LOST LADY (1925), based on Willa Cather's famous novel. Then she was in THE MAN WITHOUT A CONSCIENCE (1925), THE WIFE WHO WASN'T WANTED (1925) and THE PLEASURE BUYERS (1925). TRACKED IN THE SNOW COUNTRY (1925) was another Rin-Tin-Tin picture and was shot near Truckee, California during winter. That same year she became a Wampas Baby Star. Each year, the Wampas, an advertising and publicity organization, chose thirteen young hopefuls whose talent and beauty had attracted their attention. Wampas Stars in the past included Joan Crawford and Clara Bow. June won the role of "Trusia" in DON JUAN (1926) with John Barrymore. She was happy to have this important film to her credit. It was a silent picture but Warner Brothers hired the New York Philharmonic to record a score for it using the Vitaphone system. The film attracted a great deal of attention, and proved to be a precursor of talking films. A family member recalled that June enjoyed working with the famous Barrymore, but added: "She really would enjoy working with most anyone, because she was that kind of a gal." She was the heroine in the Rin-Tin-Tin pictures BELOW THE LINE (1925) and CLASH OF THE WOLVES (1925). In the latter, rising star Charles Farrell played his first lead. He and June became friends off screen. |
June and John Barrymore
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 Louis and June
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June's brother Louis had also entered the picture business, as "Louis
Marlowe." He later recalled: "When I started at Warners in 1925, I gave my
name as Louis Goetten. After the first week the head of the prop department
handed me a check made out to Louis Marlowe. He explained: 'We can't
remember Gooten, Goyten, etc., etc., so here you are Louis Marlowe. We know
you're June's brother.' So that was that." In the Rin-Tin-Tin picture THE NIGHT CRY (1926), Louis got to work with his sister as property man. They enjoyed working together. Also, according to the film's press book, June set out to give her young brother a little publicity: Louis Marlowe, brother of June Marlowe...worked with his sister's company for the first time in this picture.... Some comments about the prop department's work, attributed to June, appeared in the press book. Apparently she never gave the subject much thought until "Louis became a prop man and I became more interested in such things." Louis later said of June: "She gave me great help in my work at Warner Brothers. Although she was a Warner star, she took pride in my promotions from property man [to] assistant director, unit manager and director. I can't imagine a sweeter, more wonderful person in the world." He also said: "It was always my hope to direct June in a film--but that was not to be. Although I directed films from 1935 to 1969, it never became my joy to direct her." Like the other "Rinty" pictures, THE NIGHT CRY was filmed mostly on location: in this case, at a sheep ranch in Northern California. A letter, supposedly written there by June, was quoted in the book THE RIN-TIN-TIN STORY, by James W. English. Whether the letter was written by June or a studio publicist, it accurately reflects her love of the outdoors. An excerpt: |
"To those of us who have been raised in the city, this location in the northern sheep country is a great treat. The first day I was here, I hiked over the low, rolling hills, stopping to rest under the giant oaks, when I reached the top of the range and looked over into the next valley--what a view!...Hundreds and hundreds of white sheep, interspersed with the occasional black ones. I missed lunch daydreaming."
Shortly after the completion of THE NIGHT CRY, June left Warner Bros. A disagreement over salary was said to be the cause of her departure. June stated that she would take a short vacation, after which she would resume working as a freelance player. When DON JUAN was released on August 6th, her name did not appear in its credits.
"Clash Of The Wolves" lobby card from the collection of Don Spears