Hollywood has lost one of its last remaining stars from the Golden Age. June Lockhart, the beloved actress who became America's quintessential TV mom through her iconic roles in Lassie and Lost in Space, passed away peacefully on October 23, 2025, at her Santa Monica home. She was 100 years old.
Family spokesman Lyle Gregory, a friend of 40 years, confirmed that Lockhart died of natural causes with her daughter June Elizabeth and granddaughter Christianna by her side. "She was very happy up until the very end, reading the New York Times and LA Times every day," Gregory shared. "It was very important to her to stay focused on the news of the day".
From Broadway Stardom to Television Immortality
Born June 25, 1925, in New York City, Lockhart was practically destined for stardom. The daughter of acclaimed character actor Gene Lockhart and actress Kathleen Lockhart, June made her stage debut at just eight years old in a Metropolitan Opera production of Peter Ibbetson in 1933.
Her film career began at 13 when she appeared alongside her parents in MGM's 1938 adaptation of A Christmas Carol, playing one of the Cratchit children. This family collaboration launched a remarkable career that would span nearly nine decades.
Before becoming a household name on television, Lockhart made history on Broadway. In 1947, she starred in For Love or Money, earning her a Tony Award for "Best Newcomer"—making her the first-ever recipient of this prestigious honor. Her gold medallion, the very first Tony ever presented, was donated to the Smithsonian Institution in 2008, where it remains in the museum's permanent entertainment archives.
During the 1940s, Lockhart built an impressive film resume with supporting roles in classics including Meet Me in St. Louis (1944) alongside Judy Garland, Sergeant York (1941) with Gary Cooper, and All This and Heaven Too (1940) with Bette Davis. Her role in Son of Lassie (1945) would prove prophetic, foreshadowing her future television stardom.
Ruth Martin: The Mother Who Captured America's Heart
In 1958, Lockhart's career took a pivotal turn when she joined the cast of Lassie, replacing Cloris Leachman as Ruth Martin. As the adoptive mother of orphaned Timmy Martin, played by Jon Provost, Lockhart became the warm, nurturing presence that defined the beloved CBS series for six years.
Lockhart and Provost developed a profoundly close bond that extended far beyond the screen. "My TV mom, June Lockhart, has passed. June and I worked together on Lassie from 1958 to 1964. She truly was my second mother," Provost wrote in an emotional Facebook tribute. In a 1994 interview with PEOPLE, Provost revealed: "My own mother might forget my birthday, but June never does".
The role earned Lockhart her first Emmy nomination for Best Actress in a Leading Role in a Drama Series in 1959. Over 200 episodes, she portrayed the quintessential small-town mother, offering gentle wisdom and unwavering support to Timmy and his faithful collie companion.
Lost in Space: From Farm to the Final Frontier
Following her success on Lassie, Lockhart embarked on an entirely different adventure. In 1965, she joined the cast of CBS's science fiction series Lost in Space, playing Dr. Maureen Robinson, a brilliant biochemist and devoted mother of three who becomes stranded in space with her family.
The campy sci-fi adventure ran from 1965 to 1968, spanning three seasons and 84 episodes. Lockhart later confessed that this role was her personal favorite. "It was so campy. And I truly enjoyed my relationship with my space family," she told Closer magazine in 2024.
Her Lost in Space co-star Bill Mumy, who played her on-screen son Will Robinson, shared a heartfelt tribute on Instagram: "Goodbye to the brilliant June Lockhart. A one-of-a-kind, talented, nurturing, adventurous, and noncompromising Lady. She did it her way. June will always be one of my very favorite moms. 100 years here. Wow! R.I.P."
Angela Cartwright, who portrayed daughter Penny Robinson, also remembered her TV mom with deep affection, joining fellow castmates in honoring Lockhart's memory.
Beyond Motherhood: A Versatile Career
Lockhart's television career extended far beyond her two most famous roles. From 1968 to 1970, she portrayed Dr. Janet Craig on the rural sitcom Petticoat Junction, stepping into the series after the death of star Bea Benaderet.
Her career longevity was extraordinary. Throughout the decades, Lockhart made guest appearances on numerous shows including Gunsmoke, Wagon Train, Rawhide, General Hospital, Beverly Hills 90210, Full House, and even Grey's Anatomy. She worked consistently well into her 90s, accumulating close to 200 screen credits.
Fittingly, Lockhart's final role came full circle in 2021 when, at age 96, she lent her voice to the character of Alpha Control in an episode of Netflix's Lost in Space reboot. It was a poignant bookend to a career that had launched into the stratosphere five decades earlier.
A Passion for Space Exploration and Science
While acting was her profession, Lockhart's true passions lay elsewhere. "Mommy always considered acting as her craft, her vocation, but her true passions were journalism, politics, science, and NASA," her daughter June Elizabeth revealed.
Lockhart became an ardent NASA advocate and volunteer spokesperson beginning in the 1970s. She attended countless shuttle launches, befriended numerous astronauts, and discovered that Lost in Space, despite its rubber monsters and campy plotlines, had inspired an entire generation of space explorers.
"I have so many friends among the astronaut group saying that watching Lost in Space when they were little boys made them know what they wanted to do," Lockhart once shared. In 2009, she appeared alongside Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin when NASA Television received a Primetime Emmy Award celebrating the 40th anniversary of the moon landing broadcast.
For her decades of advocacy, NASA honored Lockhart with the Exceptional Public Achievement Medal at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, making her the first actress to receive this prestigious recognition.
"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,'" Lockhart joked with NPR in 2004. "But the astronauts all tell me Lost in Space inspired their careers".
Personal Life and Family Legacy
Lockhart married twice during her lifetime. In 1951, she wed Dr. John F. Maloney, with whom she had two daughters: Anne Kathleen (born 1953) and June Elizabeth (born 1955). The couple divorced in 1959. That same year, she married architect John Lindsay; they divorced in 1970. Lockhart remained single for the remainder of her life.
Both daughters followed their mother into the entertainment industry. Anne Lockhart became a successful actress, voice artist, director, and producer, known for her work in Battlestar Galactica, Chicago Fire, and numerous animated films including The Little Mermaid and Bolt. June Elizabeth chose a more private life but remained close to her mother until the end.
Lockhart was also a proud grandmother to Christianna Triolo, who was at her bedside when she passed.
The acting legacy ran deep in the Lockhart family. June's father, Gene Lockhart, earned an Oscar nomination for Algiers (1938) and appeared in timeless classics including His Girl Friday and Miracle on 34th Street. Anne Lockhart represents the fourth generation of performers to carry the Lockhart name.
June Lockhart's Net Worth and Financial Legacy
After an illustrious career spanning nearly 90 years, June Lockhart's net worth was estimated between $5 million and $8 million at the time of her death.
According to Celebrity Net Worth, her estate was valued at $5 million, while other sources reported figures as high as $8 million and even $10 million. Her wealth accumulated from decades of acting work, television royalties, real estate investments, and selective voice work in her later years.
While not astronomical by modern Hollywood standards, Lockhart's net worth reflects a different era of entertainment when performers from the Golden Age of Hollywood weren't compensated at today's levels. Nevertheless, she earned a respectable fortune and made an immeasurable contribution to television history.
Awards and Honors
Throughout her distinguished career, Lockhart received numerous accolades:
Tony Award for Outstanding Performance by a Newcomer (1948) for For Love or Money
Two Emmy nominations for her work on Lassie and Lost in Space
Two stars on the Hollywood Walk of Fame—one for motion pictures and one for television
NASA Exceptional Public Achievement Medal for her advocacy of space exploration
Final Years and Lasting Impact
In her final years, Lockhart lived quietly in her Santa Monica home, assisted by two caregivers. According to Bill Mumy, she remained mentally sharp and engaged with current events, though she no longer took phone calls.
"She was very happy up until the very end, reading the New York Times and LA Times every day," family spokesman Lyle Gregory emphasized. Her commitment to staying informed about journalism, politics, and science remained steadfast until her final moments.
Lockhart's death on October 23, 2025, came just four months after she celebrated her milestone 100th birthday in June. Her passing marks the end of an era, as she was one of the last surviving stars from Hollywood's Golden Age.
A private memorial service was held for family and close friends. In lieu of flowers, the family requested donations to The Actors Fund, ProPublica, and International Hearing Dog, Inc.
A Legacy of Warmth and Inspiration
June Lockhart's impact on television and popular culture cannot be overstated. For two generations of viewers, she embodied the ideal of maternal warmth, wisdom, and unconditional love. Whether comforting Timmy and Lassie on the farm or navigating the perils of deep space with the Robinson family, Lockhart brought authenticity, grace, and quiet strength to every role.
"She was a really great rousing cheerleader for the agency and space exploration in general," NASA multimedia liaison Bert Ulrich said. Her ability to inspire future astronauts through a campy science fiction show demonstrates the profound and unexpected ways entertainment can shape young minds.
Beyond her iconic roles, Lockhart was a woman of depth and curiosity. "I have a passion for rock 'n' roll and enjoy attending concerts. I have driven Army tanks and soared in hot air balloons," she once revealed. "I also engage in plane gliding, the types without engines. I partake in a variety of activities that might not align with my public persona".
This spirit of adventure, combined with her intellectual curiosity about journalism, politics, and science, made June Lockhart far more than just a beloved TV mom. She was a Renaissance woman who happened to play maternal figures on screen while living a rich, multifaceted life off-camera.
As the entertainment world mourns her passing, June Lockhart's legacy endures through the countless lives she touched—from the baby boomers who grew up watching her shows to the astronauts who credit her with inspiring their careers. In an industry often characterized by fleeting fame, Lockhart's nearly 90-year career stands as a testament to talent, professionalism, and the enduring power of kindness.
Rest in peace, June Lockhart. You truly were one of television's very favorite moms.
