June Ritchie Plays Comedienne

Press, Volume CII, Issue 30094, 30 March 1963, Page 2

June Ritchie Plays Comedienne

The visiting British film star, June Ritchie, breezed into The Farmers’ tearoom yesterday afternoon with a group of admiring businessmen, summed up her audience of Friday-weary housewives and turned on the comedy for them.

Miss Ritchie, making a personal appearance in association with the store’s autumn fashion parade, was interviewed on stage by Mrs Margaret Barrer on her career and personal life and provided lively entertainment.

Apparently playing the role of a young celebrity being quizzed on television and giving the appropriate expressions of horror, delight and sheer impishness, Miss Ritchie, nevertheless, answered the well-considered questions thoughtfully and frankly.

June Ritchie spent part of yesterday in Christchurch on her way tn Dunedin tn attend t.a premiere of her film. "Live Now—Pay Later.” as she did in Auckland and Wellington.

She described the film as a riotous comedy about a slick salesman and a departmental store. Two New Zealanders were in the cast, Nyree Dawn Porter and Bridget Armstrong (former members of the New Zealand Players). "Bridget Armstrong and I became firm friends. She is not acting at present. She is in production on her own account—she’s going to have another baby,” she said.

Asked her advice to young New Zealanders who wanted to go into British films, June Ritchie said: “It is a very hard, competitive and precarious business. London is the major dramatic centre of the world.

“I have been lucky, but I always remember what someone said to me—‘lt is better to be at the top as an amateur than a failure as a professional.’ “If I had not been successful I would have gone back to secretarial work and would probably have been just as happy as an amateur actress." Miss Ritchie said she likes

playing comedy and tragedy. Eventually She hopes to cdknbine both on stage and screen. “My next engagement, subject to seeing the script, I hope will be a London West End musical—ray first," she said. Petite, vivacious June Ritchie has made five films. The first was "A Kind of Loving,” which won the Golden Bear Award at the 1962 Berlin Film Festival. This film was shown in Christchurch recently. She began her stage career at the age of seven as an angel in a Nativity play. Since then her one ambition was to act. Her parents did not try to dissuade her They said:

“Try it, but take a secretarial training first so that you’U always have a job.” At 18, June Ritchie went to the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art, won the Talbot Memorial Award and the Emile Littler Award, then got a job stage managing and under studying in a West End theatre. While there she auditioned successfully for her role in “A Kind of Loving." Married and 21 Miss Ritchie is married to Marcus Turnbull, a company director in London. She is 21. Wearing a simple frock of blue and cyclamen floral nylon, with a matching stole which she sometimes wore nonchalantly over her straight, ash blonde hair, June Ritchie watched yesterday’s parade of exclusive high fashion with obvious interest. The parade, compered by Mrs Barret, featured autumn suits, frocks and after-five wear.