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June Marie DiMaggio lived a rather magical life. Being a member of the DiMaggio family, June was no stranger to the numerous stars that passed through the doors ofDiMaggio’s Restaurant on Fisherman’s Wharf in San Francisco where she was born and raised. June’s mother and father, Louise and Tom, were the proprietors of this San Francisco landmark until their passing in the 1980’s. Tom was Joe (baseball icon) DiMaggio’s brother. Although their lives were busy as restaurateurs, they still found time to have fun with June on the banks of the Russian River.

So June was no stranger to stars having the sports celebrity of Joe DiMaggio for an uncle, and the celebs that frequented her parent’s restaurant. Perhaps that’s why June became such good friends with not only Marilyn Monroe, but many more Hollywood types as her own career blossomed. She was never star struck since she grew up with celebrities.

The DiMaggio family was huge, and they loved to get together for wonderful parties. Joe always came to those parties with big hugs that would take June’s breath away as he’d lift her right off her feet. To show how much trust Joe had in his niece, it was June he called to ask if she would prepare the wild ducks he and his brother Tom had hunted for his new girlfriend. Of course, it was no secret that June was an exceptional cook. June was in Hollywood for quite a few years by this time, and when she opened the door, there stood her uncle Joe with Marilyn Monroe. The story takes a funny twist, but suffice to say that because June saved Marilyn from having to down that duck, a friendship was forged between Marilyn and June that lasted until the day she died.

And indeed, June did have her own career for over twenty-five years in Hollywood working with the likes of Carol Channing, Hugh O’Brian, Chico Marx, and Dean Martin in movies, television, and stage. But June also possessed a pride in her own ability as a singer/actress, and didn’t want to be recognized for only being a DiMaggio. So, at the beginning of her career from the 30’s into the early 50’s, she used the name June Alpino. But that never stopped the Hollywood reporters from referring to her as “the niece of Joe DiMaggio” in their articles. However, at the behest of her father Tom, who also had a lot of pride in the DiMaggio name, June felt secure enough in her ability as a performer to take back the DiMaggio name.

While in Hollywood, June also made friends because of her vocal coach, mentor, and soul mate Barbara Klein who coached the likes of Jeanette MacDonald, Ann Sothern, and even Marilyn Monroe.Marilyn, on the other hand, sought family because of her lack of one, and found it in spades in the DiMaggios. It was especially so in June’s mother, Louise, who became like a surrogate mother to Marilyn. She even helped Marilyn choose the suit she wore when she and Joe were married in 1954…carefully sewing on the collar and buttons from her own suit so Marilyn would look special. It’s what any proud mother would do. So, it was no surprise that June’s mother, Louise, was Marilyn’s Matron of honor. And Louise remained Marilyn’s confidant to the shocking end when she was on the phone with Marilyn the night she died.

June continued performing into her fifties, and then retired. She did not want to live the life of other Hollywood entertainers who had come to a sad end.  She preferred to help coach Barbara’s students with acting tips and live a reserved life away from the glitz and sadness of tinsel town. And she did just that until the passing of her dear friend.

At the encouragement of Barbara Klein before she died and co-author, Mary Jane Popp, June began to share her stories of old Hollywood with Mary Jane. They are the stories of the real people behind the studio-hype in “Marilyn, Joe and Me.”

Read about Mary Jane Popp here.