June Lockhart passed away on October 23, 2025 at the age of 100. 100 — boy! what a run!
June was most identified as the all-American wholesome model Mom, playing the definitive role in — not one but two — popular TV series, Lassie and Lost in Space. Well, I never watched Lassie and I’ve seen only a handful of episodes of Lost in Space. I remember June Lockhart from several other of her 179 screen credits over a career that spanned an impressive and productive nine decades.
I have always loved Charles Dickens’ holiday novella A Christmas Carol. I loved to check the sole copy out of the library at my elementary school and read and re-read about the transformation of miserly Ebenezer Scrooge into a benevolent and humbled servant of the winter holiday season. As a fan of horror movies, I loved the juxtaposition of a ghost story for Christmas, years before Tim Burton claimed the idea for himself. I watched (and enjoyed) every single incarnation and reimagination of the classic tale. From the creepy 1935 version starring Seymour Hicks to the musical interpretation of Scrooge starring Albert Finney to Mr. Magoo’s animated antics, the first animated special produced for television to the more recent productions with George C. Scott and the Disney CGI take with Jim Carrey. My favorite, however, is the 1938 version featuring Reginald Owen in the main role. Countering Mr. Owen’s “Scrooge,” is formidable character actor Gene Lockhart as the beleaguered but jovial clerk “Bob Cratchit.” Gene’s real-life wife, actress Katherine Lockhart portrays “Mrs. Cratchit” and their 13-year old daughter June, making her uncredited screen debut, plays “Belinda Cratchit,” sister of the perennial optimist “Tiny Tim.” Up until June’s death, she and actor Terry Kilburn (whom played “Tiny Tim”) were to only cast members still alive from the 1938 production.
Despite its sappy sentiment, I have always been a fan of the TV series Family Affair. Gruff Brian Keith played gruff “Uncle Bill Davis” to his brother’s orphaned children. At first reluctant to care for the kids, he grew to love them, as they did him. They series presented gentle lessons in growing up alongside light comedy, mostly at the expenses of exasperated “Gentleman’s Gentleman” “Mr. Giles French,” memorably portrayed by the late Sebastian Cabot. June Lockhart popped up a Season 3 episode of Family Affair as a substitute teacher that young Jody Davis becomes infatuated with. In class, Jody can’t concentrate, as he stares dreamily at June Lockhart as “Miss Evans.” In an effort to get to the bottom of thing, Uncle Bill invites the substitute to dinner at his sprawling New York apartment, and for a post-meal discussion. When she arrives, older sister Cissy nearly shits herself when she gets an eyeful of June Lockhart. It seems June is the spitting images of Jody’s late mother and Jody is getting “motherly vibes” from his sub, even though he was very young at the time of his mother’s death (off-screen death, of course). With the conflict solved, everyone smiles, Jody thanks Uncle Bill, hugs June Lockhart, and she is never seen in Family Affair land again.
When I used to collect autographed photos and frequently attended collector shows top expand my collection, I was told an interesting story about June Lockhart by one of her Lost in Space co-stars. (I can’t remember if it was Marta Kristen of Mark Goddard, but it was one of them.) While inscribing a group shot of the cast of the 60s sci-fi adventure, either Marta or Mark told me that June Lockhart (at the time) was signing photos with her signature as well as that of Guy Williams, the ruggedly handsome actor who played her husband on the show and has passed away in 1989 at the age of 65. According to the story, June claimed that she was duly authorized by the family and estate of Guy Williams to sign photos with his name. I was warned to be extra wary of any Guy Williams autographed I may come across because it could be one from the forged pen of June Lockhart.
Here’s to you, Mrs. Robinson.