June Lockhart, Star of Lassie and Lost in Space, Dies at 100
June Lockhart, one of the last surviving icons of Hollywood’s Golden Age and a familiar face to generations of television audiences, has died at age 100.
Lockhart passed away on October 23, 2025, at 9:20 p.m. in Santa Monica, California, from natural causes, her family confirmed. Her daughter June Elizabeth and granddaughter Christianna were by her side.
A star whose career bridged Hollywood’s studio era and the dawn of modern television, Lockhart was best known for her roles in Lassie and Lost in Space. She also appeared in classics like A Christmas Carol, Meet Me in St. Louis, and She-Wolf of London.
In a statement shared with PEOPLE, her family said funeral services will be private, and in lieu of flowers, donations may be made to The Actors Fund, ProPublica, and International Hearing Dog, Inc.
Born Into the Business
Born in New York City in 1925, June Lockhart came from a show-business family. Her father, Gene Lockhart, and mother, Kathleen Lockhart, were both actors. By age 8, she was already on stage, appearing in a Metropolitan Opera production of Peter Ibbetson.
Her screen debut came in 1938 with A Christmas Carol, where she played one of Bob Cratchit’s daughters alongside her real-life parents, who played Mr. and Mrs. Cratchit. “It was just great fun to see how a film was made,” Lockhart told the Ames Tribune in 2014.
Her first line in that movie — “I know, I know — sausages!” — became a long-running family joke. “We all shriek with laughter when we watch it now,” she said.
In the early 1940s, Lockhart appeared in several notable films, including All This, and Heaven Too (1940), Sergeant York (1941), and Adam Had Four Sons (1941). In 1944, she returned to MGM for Meet Me in St. Louis, solidifying her place among young Hollywood’s rising stars.
From Broadway to Television Fame
After World War II, Lockhart pursued theater, winning a Tony Award in 1948 for her Broadway debut in For Love or Money, an honor she later described as one of her proudest achievements.
By the 1950s, she had moved into television, appearing on Hallmark Hall of Fame, Gunsmoke, and Wagon Train. Her graceful screen presence and natural warmth made her a perfect fit for family dramas, and in 1958, she was cast as Ruth Martin, the mother on the hit CBS series Lassie.
Taking over the role from Cloris Leachman, Lockhart became a steady maternal presence on American television for six years. “My own mother might forget my birthday, but June never does,” her Lassie co-star Jon Provost told PEOPLE in 1994.
Lockhart earned two Emmy nominations for her work on Lassie, and she and Provost remained close friends for decades. After her death, Provost remembered her as “truly my second mother,” adding, “June was a true professional, with a kind heart and an open mind.”
From the Farm to the Final Frontier
In 1965, Lockhart traded the rolling fields of Lassie for the stars, joining the cast of Lost in Space. As Maureen Robinson, the matriarch of a stranded space-faring family, she became an unlikely sci-fi icon. The show ran for three seasons and has remained a cult favorite for generations.
Fans frequently told her the series inspired them to pursue careers in science, Lockhart told NPR in 2004. “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,’” she joked.
She reprised her role with a cameo voice appearance in Netflix’s Lost in Space remake in 2021, continuing her association with the franchise well into her 90s.
An Actress of Many Eras
After Lost in Space, Lockhart appeared on Petticoat Junction, Marcus Welby, M.D., Knots Landing, Murder, She Wrote, Full House, General Hospital, and Grey’s Anatomy. In all, she amassed over 150 film and television credits.
Despite often being typecast as TV mothers, she lived a vibrant and adventurous life offscreen. “I love rock ‘n’ roll and going to concerts,” she told the Chicago Tribune in 1994. “I’ve driven army tanks, flown in hot-air balloons, and gone plane gliding — the kind with no motors. I do lots of things that don’t go hand-in-hand with my image.”
Her career also earned her two stars on the Hollywood Walk of Fame — one for television and one for film — both dedicated in 1960.
A Passion for Space and History
Lockhart’s fascination with space exploration went beyond Lost in Space. Beginning in the 1970s, she worked with NASA, giving motivational talks and promoting the agency’s programs. In 2014, NASA honored her with its Exceptional Public Achievement Medal, making her the only actress ever to receive the award.
“I’ve been to two space shuttle launches and worked with NASA for decades,” she told The Denver Gazette. “So I’m absolutely thrilled by this recognition.”
She was also a lifelong follower of U.S. politics, having met President Harry Truman in 1948. His quip that the Oval Office was “just like being in jail” became one of her favorite anecdotes. Given a lifetime press pass by President Eisenhower’s press secretary, she attended press briefings for nearly 50 years.
Personal Life and Legacy
Lockhart married Dr. John F. Maloney in 1951, and the couple had two daughters, Anne and June Elizabeth, before divorcing in 1959. Her daughter Anne Lockhart followed in her footsteps, appearing in Battlestar Galactica and numerous television roles.
In her later years, Lockhart remained active on social media and continued to appear at fan conventions. She often spoke about gratitude and the enduring power of storytelling.
Her Lost in Space co-star Bill Mumy, who played Will Robinson, remembered her as “brilliant, nurturing, and uncompromising. June will always be one of my favorite moms. One hundred years here. Wow. R.I.P.”
June Lockhart’s life and career spanned nearly every era of modern entertainment, from black-and-white classics to streaming television. To audiences, she was the quintessential TV mother; to her colleagues, a professional and a friend; and to her fans, a symbol of timeless Hollywood grace.