June Lockhart facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
June Lockhart
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Lockhart in 1947
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June Kathleen Lockhart
June 25, 1925 New York City, U.S.
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| Died | October 23, 2025 (aged 100) Santa Monica, California, U.S.
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| Education | Westlake School for Girls |
| Occupation | Actress |
| Years active | 1933–2021 |
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| Children | 2, including Anne |
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| Awards | Special Tony Award |
June Kathleen Lockhart (born June 25, 1925 – died October 23, 2025) was a famous American actress. She started her acting career in movies during the 1930s and 1940s. Some of her early films included A Christmas Carol and Meet Me in St. Louis. Later, she became very well-known for her roles on television in the 1950s and 1960s. She often played kind and caring mothers in popular TV shows like Lassie and Lost in Space. June Lockhart was recognized for her talent with two Emmy Award nominations and a Tony Award. Her career lasted for almost 90 years, making her one of the last actors from the early days of Hollywood.
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About June Lockhart
Her Early Life
June Lockhart was born in New York City on June 25, 1925. Her parents were also actors. Her father, Gene Lockhart, was a Canadian-American actor famous on Broadway. Her mother, Kathleen Lockhart, was an English actress. June grew up in a family that loved performing. She went to the Westlake School for Girls in Beverly Hills, California.
Starting in Movies
June Lockhart first appeared in a movie with her parents in 1938. It was a film version of A Christmas Carol. She also had important roles in other movies like Meet Me in St. Louis (1944) and The Yearling (1946). A special role for her was in Son of Lassie (1945). This movie was about a brave dog, and she would later star in the TV series Lassie. In 1946, she was the main star in the movie She-Wolf of London.
Many years later, in 1986, June Lockhart acted in a fantasy movie called Troll. Interestingly, her daughter, Anne Lockhart, played a younger version of her character in that film. They had also played the same character at different ages in an episode of the TV series Magnum, P.I. in 1981.
On Stage
June Lockhart started acting on stage when she was only 8 years old. Her first role was Mimsey in a play called Peter Ibbetson. In 1947, her performance in the play For Love or Money made her very famous. People started to see her as a talented actress in her own right. A newspaper even said she "burst on Broadway with the suddenness of an unpredicted comet."
Famous TV Roles
June Lockhart became a household name through her many television roles. In the late 1950s, she appeared in several popular TV Westerns. These included shows like Wagon Train, Gunsmoke, and Rawhide.
Playing Moms on TV
She is especially remembered for playing loving mothers on TV. From 1958 to 1964, she played Ruth Martin in the CBS series Lassie. Ruth was the wife of Paul Martin and the mother of Timmy Martin. After her time on Lassie, June Lockhart starred as Dr. Maureen Robinson in the science fiction series Lost in Space. This show was very popular and ran from 1965 to 1968. She acted alongside Guy Williams and Jonathan Harris in this exciting space adventure.
Later, from 1968 to 1970, she played Dr. Janet Craig on the CBS sitcom Petticoat Junction. She also had a regular role in the soap opera General Hospital during the 1980s and 1990s. June Lockhart also lent her voice to cartoons, like Martha Day in the animated series These Are the Days in the 1970s.
Other TV Appearances
June Lockhart was also a hostess for many big events on CBS. She hosted the Miss USA Pageant and the Miss Universe Pageant for six years each. She also hosted the Tournament of Roses Parade for eight years and the Thanksgiving Parade for five years.
In 1991, she appeared as Miss Wiltrout, Michelle Tanner's kindergarten teacher, in the TV show Full House. She even had a small role in the 1998 movie Lost in Space, which was based on her famous TV series. In 2002, she played Lewis' mother, Misty Kiniski, in The Drew Carey Show.
Her later TV appearances included roles in Las Vegas, Cold Case, and Grey's Anatomy. In 2007, she was in the TV film Holiday in Handcuffs. She also played Susanna Wesley in the 2007 film Wesley. In 2014, June Lockhart worked on a video game called Tesla Effect, which combined live-action acting with computer graphics. In 2021, she had a voice role in the Netflix series Lost in Space, a new version of her classic show.
Her Life Outside Acting
In 1951, June Lockhart married John F. Maloney. They had two daughters, Anne Kathleen and June Elizabeth. Their marriage ended in 1959. She married architect John Lindsay later that same year, but their marriage also ended in 1970. She did not marry again after that. June Lockhart was a Roman Catholic. In 1985, she and her daughter Anne met Pope John Paul II.
June Lockhart was very interested in American presidential elections. She even traveled with presidential candidates Dwight D. Eisenhower and Adlai Stevenson during the 1956 and 1960 elections. She attended many special briefings about presidents from 1957 to 2004. She also enjoyed rock music. Her Lost in Space co-star, Bill Mumy, shared that she took him and Angela Cartwright to a famous nightclub to see bands. June Lockhart passed away peacefully at her home in Santa Monica, California, on October 23, 2025, at the age of 100.
Awards and Honors
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In 1948, June Lockhart received a special Tony Award. This award was for her amazing performance as a newcomer on Broadway in For Love or Money. She later donated this Tony Award to the Smithsonian Institution in 2008. It is now displayed in the National Museum of American History.
June Lockhart was also nominated for two Emmy Awards. She was nominated for Best Actress in 1953. In 1959, she was nominated again for her leading role in Lassie.
She has two stars on the famous Hollywood Walk of Fame. One star is for her work in movies, and the other is for her television career. Both were given to her on February 8, 1960. In 2013, the NASA gave her the Exceptional Public Achievement Medal. This award recognized her for inspiring people about space exploration.
See also
In Spanish: June Lockhart para niños
