June Lockhart, famed actress of ‘Lassie’ and ‘Lost in Space,’ passes away at the age of 100. Beautiful memories.
The End of an Era
A light of Hollywood has gone out. Veteran actress June Lockhart, who graced iconic shows like ‘Lassie’ and ‘Lost in Space,’ is no longer with us.
She departed on the night of October 23rd in Santa Monica, California, marking her 100th year. Her daughter and granddaughter were by her side.
Her funeral will be private, and instead of flowers, people can donate to organizations like The Actors Fund.
Starting with Parents
June Lockhart was born in 1925 in an artistic family in NYC. Both her parents were actors.
Her first film was 1938’s ‘A Christmas Carol,’ where she played her real-life father’s on-screen daughter!
She often laughed at her first film line, “I know, I know—sausages,” which remains a family joke to this day.
From ‘Lassie’ to ‘Lost in Space’
After theater, her journey reached TV. In 1958, she landed the role of Ruth Martin in “Lassie,” making her a household name.
Her co-star, child actor Jon Provost, once remarked that June never forgot her birthday; even her mother would forget it!
But her most famous role came in 1965 with “Lost in Space,” where she played the mother of a space family. Many people told her that this show inspired them to become scientists.
June used to joke, “I watched “Lassie” for six years, but no one told me I had to be a farmer!”
She was far beyond the screen
On TV, she mostly played mothers, but in real life, she was quite adventurous.
She loved driving army tanks, flying in hot-air balloons, and gliding. She even did voiceovers for cartoon shows like “Ren and Stimpy” because she was a big fan!
NASA also honored her with a special medal in 2014. She had a deep interest in U.S. presidents – after meeting President Truman, she even received a lifetime press pass.
June Lockhart’s long and varied journey will always be remembered. She was truly a unique and outspoken personality in Hollywood.