88888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888
June Lockhart | |
|---|---|
 Lockhart in 1947 | |
| Born | June Kathleen Lockhart June 25, 1925 New York City, U.S. |
| Died | October 23, 2025 (aged 100) Santa Monica, California, U.S. |
| Education | Westlake School for Girls |
| Occupation | Actress |
| Years active | 1933–2021 |
| Known for | |
| Spouses |
|
| Children | 2, including Anne |
| Parents |
|
| Awards | Special Tony Award |
8888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888
June Kathleen Lockhart (June 25, 1925 – October 23, 2025) was an American actress, beginning a film career in the 1930s and 1940s in films such as A Christmas Carol and Meet Me in St. Louis. She appeared primarily in 1950s and 1960s television and with performances on stage and in film. She became most widely known for her work on two television series, Lassie and Lost in Space, in which she played mother roles. Lockhart also portrayed Dr. Janet Craig on the CBS television sitcom Petticoat Junction (1968–70). She was a two-time Emmy Award nominee and a Tony Award winner. With a career spanning nearly 90 years, Lockhart was one of the last surviving actors from the Golden Age of Hollywood.
Early life
June Kathleen Lockhart was born on June 25, 1925, in New York City.[1] She was the daughter of Canadian-American actor Gene Lockhart, who came to prominence on Broadway in 1933 in Ah, Wilderness! and English-born actress Kathleen Lockhart (née Arthur).[2] Her grandfather was John Coates Lockhart, "a concert-singer".[3]
Lockhart attended the Westlake School for Girls in Beverly Hills, California.[4]
Film
Lockhart made her film debut with her parents in a film version of A Christmas Carol in 1938.[5][1] She also played supporting parts in All This, and Heaven Too (1940),[1] Sergeant York (1941, as Alvin York's sister),[1] Meet Me in St. Louis (1944),[1] and The Yearling (1946).[1] She played a key role in Son of Lassie (1945), a concept that she revisited at length during the television series Lassie more than a dozen years later.[1] She was the top-billed star of She-Wolf of London (1946).[1]
In 1986, Lockhart appeared in the fantasy film Troll.[1] The younger version of her character in that film was played by her daughter, Anne Lockhart.[6] They had previously played the same woman at two different ages in the "Lest We Forget" episode of the television series Magnum, P.I. (1981).[7]
Stage
Lockhart debuted on stage at the age of 8, playing Mimsey in Peter Ibbetson, presented by the Metropolitan Opera.[8] In 1947, her acting in For Love or Money brought her out of her parents' shadow and gained her notice as "a promising movie actress in her own right." One newspaper article began, "June Lockhart has burst on Broadway with the suddenness of an unpredicted comet."[4]
In 1951, Lockhart starred in Lawrence Riley's biographical play Kin Hubbard opposite Tom Ewell.[9]
Television
In 1955, Lockhart appeared in an episode of CBS' Appointment with Adventure. About this time, she also made several appearances on NBC's legal drama Justice, based on case files of the Legal Aid Society of New York. In the late 1950s, Lockhart guest-starred in several popular television Westerns, including Wagon Train (in the episode "The Ricky and Laura Bell Story")[10] and Cimarron City (in the episode "Medicine Man" with Gary Merrill) on NBC,[11] Gunsmoke,[12] Have Gun – Will Travel,[13] and Rawhide on CBS.[13]
In 1958, Lockhart was the narrator for Playhouse 90's telecast of the George Balanchine version of Tchaikovsky's The Nutcracker, featuring Balanchine himself as Drosselmeyer, along with the New York City Ballet.[14]
Lockhart is also famous for her roles as TV mothers, first as Ruth Martin, the wife of Paul Martin (portrayed by Hugh Reilly) and the mother of Timmy Martin (played by Jon Provost) in the 1950s CBS series Lassie (a role that she played from 1958 to 1964). She replaced actress Cloris Leachman, who in turn had replaced Jan Clayton – who had played a similar character earlier in the series. Following her five-year run on Lassie, Lockhart made a guest appearance on Perry Mason as defendant Mona Stanton Harvey in "The Case of the Scandalous Sculptor". Lockhart then starred as Dr. Maureen Robinson in Lost in Space, which ran from 1965 to 1968 on CBS, opposite veteran actors Guy Williams and Jonathan Harris.
In 1965, Lockhart played librarian Ina Coolbrith, first poet laureate of California, in the episode "Magic Locket" of the syndicated Western series Death Valley Days.[15] She then appeared as Dr. Janet Craig on the final two seasons of the CBS sitcom Petticoat Junction (1968–1970); her character was brought in to fill the void created after Bea Benaderet died during the run of the show. Lockhart was a regular in the ABC soap opera General Hospital during the 1980s and 1990s, and was also a voice actress, providing the voice of Martha Day, the lead character in the Hanna-Barbera animated series These Are the Days on ABC during the 1970s.
Lockhart appeared as a hostess for CBS broadcasts of the Miss USA Pageant for six years, the Miss Universe Pageant for six years, the Tournament of Roses Parade for eight years, and the Thanksgiving Parade for five years.[16]
In 1991, Lockhart appeared as Miss Wiltrout, Michelle Tanner's kindergarten teacher on the TV sitcom Full House. She also had a cameo in the 1998 film Lost in Space, based on the television series in which she had starred 30 years earlier. In 2002, she appeared in two episodes of The Drew Carey Show as Lewis' mother, Misty Kiniski, alongside fellow TV mom Marion Ross, who played Drew's mother.
In 2004, Lockhart voiced the role of Grandma Emma Fowler in Focus on the Family's The Last Chance Detectives audio cases. Lockhart starred as James Caan's mother in an episode of Las Vegas and subsequently guest-starred in episodes of Cold Case and Grey's Anatomy, in the 2007 ABC Family television film Holiday in Handcuffs, and in the 2007 feature film Wesley as Susanna Wesley, mother of the founder of Methodism, John Wesley.
In May 2014, Lockhart began filming for Tesla Effect, a video game that combines live-action footage with three-dimensional graphics.
Personal life and death
In 1951, Lockhart married John F. Maloney. They had two daughters, Anne Kathleen and June Elizabeth. The couple divorced in 1959.[17] She married architect John Lindsay that same year, but they divorced in October 1970 and she never remarried. A Roman Catholic, Lockhart and her daughter Anne and actress Kay Lenz met Pope John Paul II in 1985.[18][19][20]
Lockhart had a lifelong fascination with American presidential candidates and the media's coverage of them. Her friend reporter Merriman Smith arranged for her to travel with both major-party candidates Dwight D. Eisenhower and Adlai Stevenson during the 1956 presidential election and again with both campaigns in the 1960 election. Between 1957 and 2004, Lockhart attended many presidential briefings.[21]
Although a child of the Greatest Generation, Lockhart embraced rock music and listened to emerging rock bands. In an interview, her Lost in Space co-star Bill Mumy stated that she took Angela Cartwright and him to the Whisky a Go Go nightclub in Hollywood "to hang out with The Allman Brothers Band".[22] Appearing on The Virginia Graham Show in 1970 with Art Metrano and LGBT cleric Troy Perry, Lockhart confronted Graham about her moralizing tone toward gay people.[23]
She turned 100 on June 25, 2025.[24] Lockhart died of natural causes at her home in Santa Monica, California, on October 23, 2025.[25]
Recognition
.jpg)
In 1948, Lockhart received a Special Tony Award for Outstanding Performance by a Newcomer (a category that no longer exists) for her role on Broadway in For Love or Money.[26] Lockhart donated her Tony Award to the Smithsonian Institution in 2008 for display in the permanent entertainment archives of the National Museum of American History.[27][5]
Lockhart was nominated for two Emmy awards. In 1953, she was nominated for Best Actress.[28] In 1959, she was nominated for Best Actress in a Leading Role (Continuing Character) in a Dramatic Series for her role in Lassie.[29]
Lockhart has two stars on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, one for motion pictures (6323 Hollywood Boulevard) and one for television (6362 Hollywood Boulevard). Both were dedicated on February 8, 1960.[30] In 2013, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) awarded her the Exceptional Public Achievement Medal for inspiring the public about space exploration.[31]
Filmography
Films
| Year | Film | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1938 | A Christmas Carol | Belinda Cratchit[32] | |
| 1940 | All This, and Heaven Too | Isabelle[16] | |
| 1941 | Adam Had Four Sons | Vance[16] | |
| Sergeant York | Rosie York[16] | ||
| 1942 | Miss Annie Rooney | Stella Bainbridge[16] | |
| 1943 | Forever and a Day | Girl in air raid shelter[16] | Alternate title: The Changing World |
| 1944 | Meet Me in St. Louis | Lucille Ballard[16] | |
| The White Cliffs of Dover | Betsy Kenney at age 18[16] | Uncredited | |
| 1945 | Keep Your Powder Dry | Sarah Swanson[16] | |
| Son of Lassie | Priscilla[16] | ||
| 1946 | She-Wolf of London | Phyllis Allenby[33] | |
| 1947 | Bury Me Dead | Barbara Carlin[16] | |
| It's a Joke, Son! | Mary Lou Claghorn[16] | ||
| T-Men | Mary Genaro[16] | ||
| 1957 | Time Limit | Mrs. Cargill[33] | |
| 1981 | Peter-No-Tail | Mother | Voice, English version[34] |
| 1982 | Butterfly | Mrs. Gillespie[16] | |
| Deadly Games | Marge[32] | ||
| Aladdin and the Magic Lamp | Aladdin's Mother | Voice, English version | |
| 1983 | Strange Invaders | Mrs. Bigelow[32] | |
| 1986 | Troll | Eunice St. Clair[32] | |
| 1988 | Rented Lips | Archie's mother[34] | |
| 1989 | C.H.U.D. II: Bud the C.H.U.D. | Gracie[32] | |
| The Big Picture[1] | Janet Kingsley | ||
| 1991 | Dead Women in Lingerie | Ma[32] | |
| 1994 | Sleep with Me | Caroline[16] | |
| Tis the Season | Mrs. Livingston | ||
| 1998 | Lost in Space[1] | Principal Cartwright[34] | |
| 1999 | Deterrence[1] | Secretary of State Clift | |
| 2000 | The Thundering 8th[1] | Margaret Howard | |
| 2001 | One Night at McCool's | Bingo Player | Uncredited |
| 2009 | Wesley | Susanna Wesley[34] | |
| Super Capers | Mother[34] | ||
| 2012 | Zombie Hamlet | Hester Beauchamps[34] | |
| 2016 | The Remake | Irene O'Connor[34] | |
| 2019 | Bongee Bear and the Kingdom of Rhythm | Mindy the Owl[34] | Voice |
Television
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1949 | The Ford Theatre Hour | Amy March | 1 episode |
| 1952 | Hallmark Hall of Fame | Dolly Madison[35] | Episode: Mistress of the White House |
| 1956 | Science Fiction Theatre | Eve Patrick[36] | Episode: "Death at My Fingertips"[32] |
| 1957 | The Joseph Cotten Show | Julie Baggs | 1 episode |
| The Kaiser Aluminum Hour | Verna | 1 episode | |
| Have Gun – Will Travel | Dr. Phyllis Thackeray[37] | 2 episodes[37] | |
| 1958 | Shirley Temple's Storybook | Beauty's Sister[32] | Episode: "Beauty and the Beast"[32] |
| Wagon Train | Sarah Drummond[38] | Episode: "The Sarah Drummond Story"[39] | |
| Matinee Theater | Connie | 1 episode | |
| Gunsmoke | Beula[38] | Episode: "Dirt"[38] | |
| Playhouse 90[13] | Narrator | 1 episode | |
| 1958–1964 | Lassie | Ruth Martin | 200 episodes |
| 1959 | Rawhide | Rainy Dawson[40] | Episode: "Incident at Barker Springs"[38] |
| General Electric Theater | Vera | 1 episode | |
| 1960 | Wagon Train | Laura Bell[38] | Episode: "The Ricky and Laura Bell Story"[10] |
| 1964 | Perry Mason | Mona Stanton Harvey[34] | 1 episode |
| Bewitched | Mrs. Burns[32] | Episode: "Little Pitchers Have Big Ears"[32] | |
| Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea | Dr. Ellen Bryce[32] | Episode: "The Ghost of Moby Dick"[32] | |
| The Man from U.N.C.L.E. | Sarah Taub[32] | Episode: "The Dove Affair"[32] | |
| 1965 | Branded[41] | Mrs. Sue Pritchett[38] | Episode: "The Vindicator"[38] |
| Death Valley Days | Miss Ina Coolbrith[15] | Episode: "The Magic Locket"[15] | |
| The Alfred Hitchcock Hour | Martha[32] | Episode: "The Second Wife"[32] | |
| Mr. Novak[13] | Mrs. Nelby | Episode: "Once a Clown" | |
| 1965–1968 | Lost in Space | Maureen Robinson | 84 episodes |
| 1968–1970 | Petticoat Junction | Dr. Janet Craig[16] | 45 episodes |
| 1968 | Family Affair[34] | Miss Evans | 3 episodes |
| 1971 | The Man and the City | Ellen Lewis | 1 episode |
| 1974 | Marcus Welby, M.D. | Lila[34] | 1 episode |
| Adam-12[34] | Mrs. Whitney | Episodes: "Camp" Part 1 & 2 | |
| 1975 | Ellery Queen | Claudia Wentworth | 1 episode |
| New Zoo Revue | Penelope Potter | 1 episode | |
| 1976 | Happy Days | Judge MacBride[34] | 1 episode |
| Quincy, M.E. | Clara Rhoades | 1 episode | |
| 1978 | The Hardy Boys/Nancy Drew Mysteries | Mrs. Migley[32] | Episode: "The Pirates"[32] |
| 1981 | Vega$ | Dr. Michaels | 1 episode |
| Magnum, P.I. | Diane Westmore Pauley[34] | 1 episode | |
| Darkroom | Margo Haskell[32] | Episode: "Uncle George"[32] | |
| 1982 | Falcon Crest | Mara Wingate | 1 episode |
| Knots Landing | Hilda Grant | 1 episode | |
| 1981 | The Greatest American Hero | Mrs. Davidson[32] | 2 episodes[32] |
| 1984 | Whiz Kids | Mrs. Butterfield | 1 episode |
| The Night They Saved Christmas | Mrs. Claus[32] | TV movie | |
| 1985 | Murder, She Wrote | Beryl Hayward[34] | 1 episode |
| 1985; 1992; 1993 | General Hospital | Mariah Ramirez[42] | 14 episodes |
| 1986 | The Colbys | Dr. Sylvia Heywood | 2 episodes |
| Hotel | Betty Archer | 1 episode | |
| Amazing Stories | Mildred[32] | Episode: "The Pumpkin Connection"[32] | |
| 1987 | Pound Puppies[16] | Aunt Millie | 1 episode |
| 1989 | The New Lassie[16] | Mrs. Chadwick | 1 episode |
| 1991 | Full House | Miss Wiltrout[34] | 2 episodes |
| 1992 | Danger Island | Kate[32] | TV movie |
| 1993 | The John Larroquette Show | John's mother | 1 episode |
| 1994 | The Mommies | Bev – Barb's Mom | 1 episode |
| Babylon 5 | Dr. Laura Rosen[32] | Episode: "The Quality of Mercy"[32] | |
| 'Tis The Season: A Hawaiian Christmas Story | Mrs. Livingston | Television film | |
| The Ren & Stimpy Show | Dr. Brainchild's Mother | 1 episode | |
| 1995 | The Critic[16] | Herself | 1 episode |
| The Colony | Mrs. Billingsley[32] | Television film | |
| Duckman | Oppressed Wife | 1 episode | |
| Roseanne[16] | Leon's mother | 1 episode | |
| Out There | Donna[32] | Television film | |
| 1996 | Step by Step[16] | Helen Lambert | 3 episodes |
| 1997 | 7th Heaven[34] | Veterinarian | 1 episode |
| Beverly Hills, 90210[34] | Celia Martin | 4 episodes | |
| 2001 | Au Pair II | Grandma Nell Grayson[34] | Television film |
| 2002 | The Drew Carey Show[34] | Misty Kiniski | 2 episodes |
| 2003 | Andy Richter Controls the Universe[34] | Grandma Evelyn | 1 episode |
| 2004 | Complete Savages[34] | Grammy Na-Na | 2 episodes |
| 2004 | Las Vegas | Bette Deline[34] | 1 episode |
| 2006 | Grey's Anatomy | Agnes[34] | 1 episode |
| 2006 | Cold Case[34] | Muriel Bartleby | 1 episode |
| 2007 | Holiday in Handcuffs | Grandma[34] | Television film |
| 2021 | Lost in Space | June, aka the Voice of Alpha Control | 1 episode; Netflix series |
See also
References
- Monush, Barry (2003). The Encyclopedia of Hollywood Film Actors: From the Silent Era to 1965. Hal Leonard Corporation. pp. 432–433. ISBN 1-55783-551-9.
- "A Star Is Born". Life. November 24, 1947. p. 59. ISSN 0024-3019.
- Maays, Stan (February 15, 1970). "June Lockhart Jr. To Make TV Debut". Abilene Reporter-News. p. 5E. Retrieved March 13, 2020 – via Newspapers.com.
- Meegan, Jean (November 23, 1947). "Winsome June Lockhart Draws Broadway 'Raves'". Corpus Christi Caller-Times. p. 3B. Retrieved September 26, 2015 – via Newspapers.com.
- "Photo Flash: Legendary Leading Ladies Donate to National Museum of American History". BroadwayWorld. February 1, 2008. Retrieved March 13, 2020.
- Weaver, Tom (1995). They Fought in the Creature Features. McFarland. p. 197. ISBN 978-1-4766-1686-5.
- Tate, Marsha Ann; Houser, Earl (2022). What America Watched: Television Favorites from the Cornfields to the Cosmos, 1960s-1990s. McFarland. p. 236. ISBN 978-1-4766-4465-3.
- Boyle, Hal (March 13, 1959). "Gene Lockhart Versatile Man". Florence Times. p. 5. Retrieved November 30, 2015.
- Calta, Louis (August 17, 1951). "Westport to Give 5 Plays to Rialto; Lawrence Langner Predicts Broadway Runs for Summer Tryouts". The New York Times. Retrieved October 26, 2025.
- Lentz 1997, p. 444.
- Lentz 1997, p. 88.
- Lentz 1997, p. 168.
- Inman, David (1991). The TV Encyclopedia. Perigee Books. pp. 531–532. ISBN 978-0-399-51704-4.
- Kodat, Catherine Gunther (2000). "Dancing Through the Cold War: The Case of "The Nutcracker"". Mosaic: An Interdisciplinary Critical Journal. 33 (3): 6, 17. ISSN 0027-1276.
- Romanko, Karen A. (2025). "Coolbrith, Ina (1841–1928)". Historical Women on Television: Portrayals of 120 Notable Figures in Scripted Programs. McFarland. ISBN 978-1-4766-5597-0.
- "June Lockhart". TCMDB. Turner Classic Movies. Retrieved October 27, 2025.
- Gingrich, Arnold (1959). "Lockhart and Her Lassie". Coronet. 45: 14.
- Stagnaro, Angelo (February 26, 2017). "Where the Stars Go to Pray: The Churches of Hollywood". National Catholic Register.
- Belmond, Sylvie (April 7, 2005). "Locals reflect on the life of Pope John Paul II". Moorpark Acorn. Retrieved September 12, 2021.
- Lockhart, June (October 30, 2014). "Guideposts Classics: June Lockhart on Where She Prays".
- Sanderson, Bill (August 7, 2016). "June Lockhart was America's greatest presidential groupie". New York Post. Retrieved October 26, 2025.
- "June Lockhart kept one picture in her wallet and you'll never guess who it was". MeTV. May 10, 2019. Archived from the original on May 14, 2019. Retrieved October 25, 2025.
- "Clips: 1970, June Lockhart gently challenges homophobia on THE VIRGINIA GRAHAM SHOW w/Rev Troy Perry". YouTube. June 25, 2023.
- Berman, Marc (June 25, 2025). "June Lockhart Turns 100: A Celebration Of The Beloved Actress". Forbes. Retrieved June 25, 2025.
- Edel, Victoria; Rice, Nicholas (October 25, 2025). "'Lassie' and 'Lost in Space' Star June Lockhart Dead at 100". People. Retrieved October 26, 2025.
- "Search Results: June Lockhart". Tony Awards. Archived from the original on July 25, 2017. Retrieved September 27, 2015.
- "Nine Legendary Leading Ladies From Stage and Screen Donate Career Memorabilia to the Smithsonian's National Museum of American History" (Press release). Smithsonian Institution. January 29, 2008. Retrieved October 26, 2025.
- "Best Actress Nominees / Winners 1953". Television Academy. Retrieved March 6, 2023.
- "Outstanding Lead Actress In A Drama Series Nominees / Winners 1959". Television Academy. Retrieved March 6, 2023.
- "June Lockhart". Hollywood Walk of Fame. Retrieved September 27, 2015.
- Archuleta, Daniel (November 6, 2013). "NASA recognizes local actress as one of its brightest stars". Santa Monica Daily Press. Retrieved October 26, 2025.
- Lentz 2001.
- Dye, David (1988). Child and Youth Actors: Filmographies of Their Entire Careers, 1914-1985. McFarland. p. 132. ISBN 978-0-89950-247-2.
- "June Lockhart - Actress". TV Insider. NTVB Media. October 26, 2025. Retrieved October 27, 2025.
- ""Hallmark Hall of Fame" Season 1 (1951-52)". Classic TV Archive. Retrieved March 7, 2023.
- Lentz, Harris M. (2001). Science Fiction, Horror & Fantasy Film and Television Credits. McFarland. p. 362. ISBN 978-0-7864-0942-6.
- Tate & Houser 2022, p. 64.
- Lentz 1996.
- Lentz 1997, p. 440.
- Lentz, Harris M. (1996). Western and Frontier Film and Television Credits 1903-1995. McFarland. p. 482. ISBN 978-0-7864-0217-5.
- Lentz, Harris (1997). Television Westerns Episode Guide. McFarland & Co. p. 61. ISBN 0786403772.
- Amber, Ashley (October 25, 2025). "General Hospital Star June Lockhart Dies at 100". Yahoo Entertainment. SoapHub. Retrieved October 27, 2025.
Further reading
- Thomas, Nick (2011). Raised by the Stars: Interviews with 29 Children of Hollywood Actors. Jefferson, North Carolina: McFarland & Co. ISBN 978-0-7864-6403-6. OCLC 720831284. Includes an interview with June Lockhart.
8888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888
June Lockhart, Beloved Television Mother, Dies at 100
She exuded earnest maternal wisdom and wistful contentment as a farm wife on “Lassie” and, later, as an interplanetary castaway on “Lost in Space.”
June Lockhart, the soft-spoken actress who exuded earnest maternal wisdom and wistful contentment in two very different mid-20th-century television roles, on the heartwarming children’s series “Lassie” and the futuristic “Lost in Space,” died on Thursday at her home in Santa Monica, Calif. She was 100.
Her death was announced by a spokesman, Harlan Boll.
Ms. Lockhart replaced Cloris Leachman in the role of Ruth Martin, a farm wife and the foster mother of Jon Provost’s character and his courageous collie, Lassie, in 1958, at the beginning of the show’s fifth season. After six years of dispensing homespun wisdom, Ms. Lockhart was herself replaced, along with her human co-stars, in favor of a forest-ranger character (Robert Bray) who would guide the show’s canine heroine through her further adventures.
In 1965, Ms. Lockhart returned to series television, playing a wife, mother and interplanetary explorer turned castaway on “Lost in Space.” Her television family included a robot who seemed to announce “Danger, Will Robinson,” alerting the show’s boy hero (Bill Mumy) to extraterrestrial menace, as often as Lassie’s sensitive ears and nose alerted her to earthly emergencies. The series, which combined an over-the-top villain (Jonathan Harris as Dr. Smith) with low-budget production values, became something of a camp classic, acquiring a devoted following years after its original run.
Ms. Lockhart had known the luster of stardom much earlier in her career. When she was 22, she made her Broadway debut in “For Love or Money,” a middling comedy about an actor and a pretty vagrant, and won a Tony Award for best performance by a newcomer (a category that no longer exists).
Advertisement
Her performance, which also won the Theater World Award, prompted Brooks Atkinson, The New York Times’s lead theater critic, to describe her as “the only fresh idea in the evening” and to recommend that she “be kept under surveillance on Broadway to prevent her from returning to Hollywood” — where she had first worked almost a decade earlier.
She made her film debut at the age of 13, appearing uncredited in the 1938 version of “A Christmas Carol.” Her parents, the Canadian-born actor Gene Lockhart and the British-born actress Kathleen (Arthur) Lockhart, played the poor but happy Mr. and Mrs. Bob Cratchit; she played their daughter Belinda. She had first appeared onstage at 8 in a Metropolitan Opera production of “Peter Ibbetson.”
June Kathleen Lockhart was born on June 25, 1925, in Manhattan, an only child.
At first her parents chose her acting projects for her, reportedly allowing her to participate only in particularly prestigious films. They chose well, with young June taking supporting roles in “Sergeant York” (1941), with Gary Cooper; “All This, and Heaven Too” (1940), with Bette Davis; and “Meet Me in St. Louis” (1944), with Judy Garland. In a prescient bit of casting, she also appeared in “Son of Lassie” (1945), with Peter Lawford.
Advertisement
But she seemed to be making her own choices by 1946, when she starred in “She-Wolf of London,” a horror drama in which she and Don Porter were the biggest names. Her television career began in 1949, when she played Amy March in a “Ford Theater Hour” production of “Little Women.” During the 1950s she was seen on at least three dozen television series, including anthologies like “Studio One in Hollywood,” “The United States Steel Hour” and “Playhouse 90.”
After “Lost in Space” went off the air in 1968, Ms. Lockhart immediately signed on to join the cast of the rural sitcom “Petticoat Junction,” whose star, Bea Benaderet, had died. Playing a new doctor in town, she remained until the series ended its run two years later.
Beginning in 1984, she had a recurring role on the daytime soap opera “General Hospital.” She continued to make guest appearances on television series and was also occasionally seen in feature films, including “Strange Invaders” (1983), “The Big Picture” (1989) and “Sleep With Me” (1994).
Her last screen roles were in “Zombie Hamlet” (2012), in which she played a Southern matron who finances a strange film; “The Remake” (2018), a romantic comedy about actors; and the animated “Bongee Bear and the Kingdom of Rhythm” (2019), as the voice of Mindy the Owl. She also provided the voice of Alpha Control in a 2021 episode of the Netflix reboot of “Lost in Space.”
Ms. Lockhart married Dr. John F. Maloney, a former Navy physician, in 1951, and had two daughters with him. After their divorce in 1959, she was briefly married to John Lindsay, an architect. She is survived by two daughters, June Elizabeth Lockhart-Triolo and the actress Anne Lockhart, and four grandchildren.
Advertisement
A political liberal, Ms. Lockhart had no illusions about the good old days. In a 2004 interview with The New York Times, she recalled a connection “Lassie” script writers had with McCarthy-era blacklisting.
“When people come up to me and say, ‘Well, sure wish we had wonderful American shows like that the way we used to in the ’50s,’ I say: ‘Let me tell you who wrote those scripts.’ Yes, they were good Americans, and they were in jail.”
In a lighter frame of mind, she told an NPR interviewer in 2004 that some astronauts had told her they were inspired to pursue their careers because of “Lost in Space.” (In 2013, NASA honored her for her contributions to space exploration by giving her the Exceptional Public Achievement Medal.) In contrast, she said, “I did ‘Lassie’ for six years and I never had anybody come up to me and say, ‘It made me want to be a farmer.’”
