June Havoc, the Hollywood actress whose childhood partly inspired the musical Gypsy, has died in Connecticut at the age of 97, it has been announced.
Havoc, younger sister of famed stripper Gypsy Rose Lee, died of natural causes on Sunday at her home in Stamford, her publicist said on Monday.
Born June Hovick in 1912, Havoc had leading roles in more than 20 films, among them Gentleman’s Agreement.
Yet she mostly worked on the stage, appearing in numerous Broadway shows.
These included Pal Joey, in which she appeared with Gene Kelly and Van Johnson, and Cole Porter show Mexican Hayride.
Her last Broadway appearance came in the early 1980s when she took on the role of Miss Hannigan in Annie.
However, it is for Gypsy – filmed in 1962 with Rosalind Russell and Natalie Wood – for which she is perhaps best known.
Havoc inspired the role of Baby June in the musical, the archetypal stage daughter pushed to stardom by her overbearing mother.
The play was based on a memoir of her older sibling Louise, who grew up to be the burlesque star Gypsy Rose Lee.
“I loved my sister but I loathed her life,” said Havoc in 1998, saying there was nothing wrong with her mother Rose’s “drive and ambition”.
Havoc also wrote four plays, one of which – 1963’s Marathon ’33 – won her a Tony nomination as best director.
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