June Lockhart, beloved star of Lassie and Lost in Space, passed away on October 23 in Santa Monica at age 100. Her death was due to natural causes, and she spent her final days happily immersed in daily news from the national newspapers.
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Born into a family of actors
Lockhart was one of the most recognizable faces on American television during the 1950s and ’60s. Born in New York City in 1925 to actors Gene and Kathleen Lockhart, she was practically raised backstage and made her screen debut alongside her parents in MGM’s A Christmas Carol (1938). Though she appeared in several films, it was television that made her a household name.
From 1958 to 1964, Lockhart portrayed Ruth Martin, the warm-hearted mother on Lassie, a role that endeared her to millions of viewers. She then stepped into the future as Dr. Maureen Robinson in Lost in Space, beginning in 1965, where she played the matriarch of a spacefaring family navigating the unknown. Her gentle voice and steady presence became synonymous with TV motherhood during the golden age of network television
A public image that had nothing to do with reality
But Lockhart’s real-life persona was far more adventurous than her on-screen image. In a 1990s interview, she revealed her love for rock ’n’ roll, attending concerts, driving military tanks, ballooning, and even piloting gliders. “I do a lot of things that don’t fit my image,” she said, challenging the perception of her as simply the nurturing mom.
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Throughout her career, Lockhart earned two Emmy nominations and was honored with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 1960. Her legacy spans eight decades of entertainment, from stage to screen, and she remained intellectually engaged until the end—reading the news daily and staying informed on current events.
Her longtime friend and family spokesperson Lyle Gregory shared, “She was very happy up until the very end, reading the New York Times and LA Times every day. It was very important to her to stay focused on the news of the day”.
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