Talk:June Newton

Additional source material

I don't have time at the moment to flesh this out, but thought it terrible that there wasn't a page for June yet. Here are some links for the next editor who comes along:

• http://www.helmutnewton.com/alice_springs/
• http://arts.guardian.co.uk/features/story/0,,1797744,00.html
• http://www.taschen.com/pages/en/catalogue/photography/all/01354/facts.mrs_newton.htm
• http://www.grimaldiforum.com/eng/culturel/expo_info.aspx?ID=18&r=41

—Preceding unsigned comment added by RichardTallent (talk • contribs) 21:47, 5 April 2008 (UTC)

Sadly, the first of those is their own web site and the 3rd is a book she wrote (ISBN 978-3-8228-3057-4), so while they are useful background they wouldn't meet WP:RS for any commentary. However, the Guardian one is certainly worth including immediately (I shall do so in a moment) and the Grimaldi one will need checking. ClickRick (talk) 13:21, 29 July 2009 (UTC)

The various names used by the article's subject and the page move

I've expanded this article and have decided to move it from June Browne to June Newton. The wording in this article—particularly in the lead paragraph and first few sentences of the body of the article—is encumbered by the subject's change of name due to marriage, plus the two separate aliases she has used for her work as an actress and photographer. My rationale for structuring the article as I did is found below; certainly if some editors think there is a better way to organise the information, feel free to weigh-in and make any changes you see fit. I found handling her various names to be challenging:

I was unable to find any sources explicitly stating that June changed her surname from Browne to Newton after marrying Helmut. I find some sources continued to refer to her as June Browne, while others referred to her as June Newton. I was also unable to find solid reliable sources explaining exactly when she adopted the surname Brunell, nor whether she adopted that surname legally or just professionally.

However, I do find that most contemporary sources refer to her as June Newton, and she was credited as June Newton for the book Alice Springs: Photographs published in 2010. I did not find evidence that she ever went by the name June Browne Newton (as it was originally written in the opening paragraph of the wiki article, prior to my edits.)

With regards to the surname Brunell, the only source I could find explaining why or when she took on that name was the following sentence from the liner notes of Alice Springs: Photographs (available here): "She changed her maiden name to June Brunell for there was another Melbourne actress called June Brown." It would seem, that since the sentence specifies that she changed her "maiden name" to Brunell, this must mean that she had made this change prior to marrying Helmut Newton and that she did take on Helmut's surname when they married.

I decided not to add "June Browne" in bold text to the opening paragraph, and simply referred to "Browne" as being her maiden name, since it would appear that the only aspect of her acting career that is notable (at least, as per Wikipedia's guidelines) would be her Erik Kuttner Award, and she received that award as "June Brunell".

I'm unable to find anything in the Wikipedia guidelines which explicitly addresses what name one is to use to describe an article subject who has changed names several times. The best I could find was this blurb from the Manual of Style about changed names, where it states that "they should be referred to by the name they were using at the time of the mention" — however that blurb pertains specifically to when the person named is not the main subject of the article. Does this mean that when the person is the main subject that we should be referring to this article's subject as "Newton" throughout? This is difficult, especially when speaking about both her and her husband in the same sentence or when speaking of her prior to their relationship.

I also perused MOS:LEADALT which spoke about having a separate section if there are at least 3 alternate names for a subject, but seemingly this is only referring to geographical names. I can't really find anything in the guidelines about a maximum number of bold names in an opening paragraphs of biographies of living persons.

I have also decided to move this article from June Browne to June Newton since she seemingly she only briefly worked professionally under her maiden name and did not gain wider notability until after she became Mrs. Newton, either as an actress or as a photographer. I could be argued that she might even be more widely known under the name Alice Springs, however anyone who knew about her vis-a-vis her husband (who is obviously the more well known of the two) would have known her as June Newton. In addition, she only seems to use the name "Alice Springs" professionally—unlike some celebrities who will use their pseudonyms in interviews and such. While I did find that some sources did still refer to her as "June Browne", I noted that these were usually articles about both her and her husband. I suspect this was done to differentiate the two, i.e. it was simpler to refer to her as "Browne", and Helmut as "Newton" when speaking of both in the same sentence. --Marchije•^speak/_peek 20:27, 15 December 2013 (UTC)

Brunel or Brunell ?

Judging by Trove hits, the spelling of her stage name should be "Brunell", but all references by named critics and all advertisements have "Brunel", which leads me to conclude the latter is more accurate. Trove of course ceases to be useful after 1955, and it is quite possible Browne accepted the majority spelling at some later date. Doug butler (talk) 04:57, 12 January 2023 (UTC)

Given that the currently cited references only support the spelling "Brunell", and given Wikipedia's policy about verifiability, additional citations would be required. Were you able to find different spellings in articles about the same play, to be sure that they were speaking of the same actor? Marchije•^speak/_peek 00:15, 13 January 2023 (UTC)

Understood, and I sympathise. I only came to this conclusion after reading 20 or 30 references to do with Arrow Theatre. I have no doubt it's the same actor — she was so respected that anyone sporting a similar name would be castigated. Here are some notable spellings as "Brunel"

Advertisements (blocks almost certainly supplied or at least vetted by Mitchell): Argus 1950 The Argus 1951 Cobram Courier 1952

Critics:F.K.M. Argus 1948 Frank Doherty Argus 1951 H. A. Standish Herald 1954 Doherty Argus 1954 Doherty, Argus 1955

Doesn't prove anything of course, but the contention must be taken seriously.

Also a slight mention in article on Irene Mitchell and St Martin's Theatre. Doug butler (talk) 06:21, 14 January 2023 (UTC)

After reviewing the no original research policy, I'm also realising that tying these two names to the same person, as I suggested above, might not even cut it. I'm thinking that we would need reporting by a reliable third-party stating that she actually worked under both names, as opposed to this being a case of misspellings by some journalists in her early days.

And thanks for introducing me to Trove, BTW. It might come in handy. :) Marchije•^speak/_peek 15:27, 15 January 2023 (UTC)

Make the most of it. I have grave misgivings. Doug butler (talk) 20:59, 15 January 2023 (UTC)

Here is a reference to the actress in a notable role on a specific and historic occasion: Wilde's Salome at the opening of Thring's "Arrow" theatre 23 November 1951. It has the benefit of a captioned photograph. "June Brunel"

Here is a review of the production by another critic also at The Age, a reputable Melbourne newspaper. RS you might say. "June Brunell"

Here is a preview by Frank Doherty of The Argus of the same production. "June Brunel"

Here is a review by "H.A.S." of The Herald, again, the same production. "June Brunell". But he later turned to "June Brunel".

So two spellings for the same person. One must be her spelling, the other not. Cheers, Doug butler (talk) 05:00, 16 January 2023 (UTC)

P.S. Here's a quote from Vanity Fair:

Newton was born June Brown in Melbourne, Australia, in 1923, and studied acting. In 1947 she met Helmut Newton, a Jewish refugee who fled Germany at 18, who had a photography studio in Melbourne. The pair married in the following year. She took the stage name June Brunelle and had success in Australian theater. The couple moved to London in the mid-1950s, and June appeared in a number of television productions. The Newtons would return to Melbourne, and June starred in an Australian television production of Hedda Gabler. In 1958 she won the Erik Kuttner Award, a regional acting prize.

No, I'm not advocating a third option, but it illustrates how the spelling of a word can develop when transmitted orally. Brunel → Brunell → Brunelle. Doug butler (talk) 06:05, 16 January 2023 (UTC)

References