Actress June Lockhart, the epitome of American motherhood on television, has died of natural causes, at her home in Santa Monica, California on October 23, 2025. She was 100 years old.
Space Mom
June Lockhart was best known for playing wise, loving mothers. She played Ruth Martin, Timmy’s mother in Lassie, but most famously Dr. Maureen Robinson in Irwin Allen’s Lost in Space. She played a number of other mothership roles, and there are some surprises in the list.
She played Archie’s mother in Rented Lips(1988), Aladdin’s mother in the second English version of Aladdin and the Magic Lamp (1982). She continued her career of playing mothers in the biopic Wesley: A Heart Transformed Can Change the World (2009), as Susanna Wesley, the mother of the Rev. John Wesley, the founder of the United Methodist Church, of the Rev. Charles Wesley, who wrote “Hark the Herald Angels Sing” and of seventeen other children, nine of whom died as infants.
June Lockhart was a regular on Petticoat Junction as Dr. Janet Craig. She appeared in forty-six episodes of General Hospital as Mariah Ramirez.
Her other roles included an appearance on a 1994 episode of Babylon 5 as Laura Rosen, and she appeared as the voice of Martha Day the Saturday morning cartoon These Are the Days.
June Lockhart was born June 25, 1925 in New York City, New York. She was born into an acting family. Her parents, Gene and Kathleen Lockhart, played Bob and Emily Crachit in the Reginald Owen version of A Christmas Carol (1938). She herself made her screen debut as Belinda Crachit in the movie. June’s daughters have continued the theatrical tradition. Both her daughters, Anne K. Lockhart and June Elizabeth Lockhart are actresses.
Anne Lockhart played Lt. Sheba in Battlestar Galactica. In the 60s and 70s, June Elizabeth Lockhart performed as June Lockhart, Jr. She now goes by Elizabeth Lockhart. It is too soon to tell if granddaughter Christianna will follow in the family tradition.
Actor and musician Billy Mumy posted a eulogy for his costar and friend on Instagram. It read,
Goodbye to the brilliant June Lockhart. A one of a kind, talented, nurturing, adventurous, and non compromising Lady. She did it her way. June will always be one of my very favorite moms. 100 years here. Wow! R.I.P.
Awards and Honors
June Lockhart has two stars on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, one for motion pictures and one for television. In 2013,NASA, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration awarded her the Exceptional Public Achievement Medal for inspiring the public about space exploration. Query: if not for Maureen Robinson, would we have had Lt. Uhura, Nurse Chapel, or Yeoman Colt?
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. She was twice nominated for an Emmy for Best Actress, in 1953 and 1959.
A century is a long, full live, and we hope a happy one. Our deepest condolences to her family and friends.
Susan Macdonald is the author of the children's book "R is for Renaissance Faire", as well as 26 short stories, mostly fantasy in "Alternative Truths", "Swords and Sorceress #30", Swords &Sorceries Vols. 1, 2, & 5, "Cat Tails" "Under Western Stars", and "Knee-High Drummond and the Durango Kid". Her articles have appeared on SCIFI.radio's web site, in The Inquisitr, and in The Millington Star. She enjoys Renaissance Faires (see book above), science fiction conventions, Highland Games, and Native American pow-wows. Her nonfiction book THEY ENDURED will be published by B Cubed Press in 2025 or 2026.
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