June Lockhart dies; TV’s favorite mom on ‘Lassie’ and ‘Lost in Space’

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June Lockhart, best known as the beloved TV mother from “Lassie” and “Lost in Space,” has passed away. She played a comforting figure to her on-screen son Timmy and his dog Lassie, and later, a mother explaining the wonders of space to her children in the classic sci-fi series.

Actress June Lockhart, who remained active in Hollywood until she was over 90, passed away Thursday in Santa Monica from natural causes. Her daughter, June Elizabeth Lockhart-Triolo, and granddaughter, Christianna Triolo, were with her when she died, according to her representative, B. Harlan Boll.

She was 100.

Lockhart was a cheerful actress who didn’t mind taking a supporting role, even to kids, animals, or robots. In the film “Lassie,” she often played a mother gently guiding her son with lessons learned from his playful mistakes, usually after he’d been rescued by his loyal dog. And in “Lost in Space,” she portrayed a biochemist who mostly focused on cooking and caring for the children as her family floated through space, much like the Swiss Family Robinson.

Lockhart, reflecting on his career years after his shows ended, said becoming a father allowed him to avoid the pressures that led to the decline of many of his peers. He believes it’s the reason he’s had a longer-lasting career than most of them.

June Lockhart was born in New York City on June 25, 1925, and came from a very artistic family. Both her parents were performers – her father acted on Broadway and her mother was a singer. The Lockharts loved performing together, and for many years they put on a yearly production of “A Christmas Carol” for their friends, family, and neighbors.

In 1938, the family adapted their successful stage version of the Charles Dickens story into a film, with a young actor named Lockhart playing Belinda Cratchit. The movie was just over an hour long, clocking in at one hour and nine minutes.

After her family moved to Los Angeles with hopes of her father becoming a film actor, June Lockhart found success in Hollywood first. She began landing small but regular roles on well-known TV shows like “Wagon Train,” “Gunsmoke,” and “Rawhide.”

In 1958, June Lockhart began playing Ruth Martin on “Lassie,” the kind and understanding mother figure. This role earned her an Emmy nomination, and the show became a long-running hit, lasting 17 seasons. Lockhart decided to leave the series in 1964 to explore other acting roles.

Lockhart acknowledged the show wasn’t very realistic. She explained to The Times that each episode was like a quick, simple story – a farm tale where the dog always saved the day just before the show ended and commercials began, all within 22 minutes.

“Lost in Space” had scripts that were a little bit more difficult, telling the story of a family traveling on a spaceship that looked like a saucer, on their way to a planet similar to Earth, orbiting a distant star. After three years, she moved on to “Petticoat Junction,” playing a doctor who opened her practice in a run-down hotel in a very rural location.

Gwendolyn Lockhart was once a frequent guest on the news quiz show “Who Said That?”, where she’d identify the speaker of a given quote. From a young age, she was fascinated by journalism and the people who made the news, even starting her own neighborhood newspaper as a child. As an adult, she was a devoted reader of major newspapers like the New York Times, Wall Street Journal, and Los Angeles Times, reading each one cover to cover.

She prepared for the show by clipping and memorizing quotes from newspapers. During rehearsals, a White House reporter from United Press International, one of the show’s panelists, was struck by how well Lockhart understood politics and invited her to attend a White House press briefing.

Lockhart became a regular presence at the White House, joining the press corps and covering the presidential campaigns of Richard Nixon, John F. Kennedy, and Ronald Reagan. He attended press briefings and traveled with each candidate during their campaigns.

While covering the White House unofficially for several years, she only had the chance to ask one question during a presidential press briefing. She famously asked President George W. Bush for the name of the vet who treated his family’s dog, Barney. President Bush responded with a laugh, jokingly calling the information classified.

While she didn’t reprise a leading role as famous as those in “Lassie” or “Lost in Space,” June Lockhart enjoyed a long and successful career. She played memorable supporting roles on several popular shows, including the kindergarten teacher on “Full House,” James Caan’s mother on “Las Vegas,” and appeared on “The Drew Carey Show” and “Grey’s Anatomy.” She also hosted CBS’s coverage of the Rose Parade for many years.

Her last acting credit was in 2018, when she provided the voice for a radio communications officer in the Netflix reboot of “Lost in Space.” A two-time divorcee, Lockhart is remembered by her daughters, Lockhart-Triolo and Anne Lockhart, and four grandchildren, according to family friend Lyle Gregory.

The service will be a private event. Instead of sending flowers, the family requests that donations be made to the Actors Fund, ProPublica, and International Hearing Dog Inc.

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2025-10-25 23:31