June Gray

Published Tuesday 6 May 2008 at 13:20 by Karen Ascough

June Gray (nee Uttley), the widow of Danny Gray and sister-in-law of ‘Monsewer’ Eddie Gray of the Crazy Gang, was a well loved figure in London theatreland.

Born in 1926 in east London, she was the daughter of theatrical parents. Her father Harold was a musician and her mother, Joy, a singer and dancer.

Educated at Adelaide College, Woolacombe, she began her career as a dancer in several West End shows. She was a Tiller girl at the London Palladium and also appeared with Mae West in the London production of Diamond Lil (Prince of Wales Theatre). In 1948 he toured America in a circus for two years, visiting more than 50 states, where she learnt trapeze and working with lions.

On her return to London, she met and married Danny Gray, a talented juggler, and for many years they toured together in variety shows all over the country. June’s love of theatre never left her and when they retired, both June and Danny worked as stage doorkeepers in the West End. June worked at both the St Martin’s Theatre and the Ambassadors where she met many new and old showbusiness friends, all of whom were drawn to her cheerful nature and warmth. Sadly Danny became ill and so June gave up her job to look after him until he died.

In the past few years she became less active and her main enjoyment was visits from her friends and watching television where he loved to spot old friends and colleagues in films and dramas.

She died on April 8.