June Lockhart was born on June 25, 1925, in New York City. Her parents were legends themselves, Canadian-American actor Gene Lockhart and his English-American wife Kathleen Lockhart. She was only 8 years old when she appeared in a pantomime scene in Peter Ibbetson at the Metropolitan Opera House. She also studied ballet there.
It was in 1934 that the family moved to California and Gene Lockhart signed with MGM. He was an early supporter of the Screen Actors Guild. June Lockhart attended the Westlake School for Girls in Beverly Hills. She stayed at the school during the week and spent the weekends with her parents. June Lockhart made her film debut in 1938 in MGM's version of A Christmas Carol, playing Belinda Cratchit, the daughter of Bob and Mrs. Cratchit (who were played by her parents, Gene and Kathleen Lockhart). In 1940, she appeared in a small role in All This and Heaven Too.
June Lockhart had significant roles in films in the 1940s. She played Lucille Ballard, the girl from the East initially resented by Esther and Rose Smith (Judy Garland and Lucille Bremer) in Meet Me in St. Louis (1944). In Sergeant York (1941), she played Alvin York's sister Rosie. She played the title role in She-Wolf of London (1946). June Lockhart also appeared in the movies Adam Had Four Sons (1941), Miss Annie Rooney (1942), Forever and a Day (1943), The White Cliffs of Dover (1944), Keep Your Powder Dry (1945), Son of Lassie (1945), Easy to Wed (1946), The Yearling (1946), It's a Joke, Son! (1947), Bury Me Dead (1947), and T-Men (1947). She made her film debut on The Ford Theatre Hour in 1949. She appeared on Broadway in For Love or Money in 1947.
It was in 1958 that June Lockhart began playing the role of Ruth Martin on Lassie. She would remain in the role until the format of the show was changed in 1964. She guest starred on the TV shows The Prudential Family Playhouse, Pulitzer Prize Playhouse, Betty Crocker Star Matinee, Schlitz Playhouse of Stars, Studio One, Hallmark Hall of Fame, Lights Out, Omnibus, Armstrong Circle Theatre, Love Story, The Stranger, Justice, The Elgin Hour, Kraft Television Theatre, The Philco Television Playhouse, The Goodyear Television Playhouse, Appointment with Adventure, Star Tonight, Science Fiction Theatre, The Christophers, Studio 57, The Alcoa Hour, Playhouse 90, Ford Television Theatre, On Trial, Robert Montgomery Presents, The Kaiser Aluminum Hour, Lux Video Theatre, Climax!, Shirley Temple's Storybook, Gunsmoke, Matinee Theatre, Zane Grey Theatre, Have Gun--Will Travel, Decision, Cimarron City, Rawhide, The United States Steel Hour, General Electric Theatre, and The Best of the Post. She appeared in the movie Time Limit (1957). She appeared on Broadway in The Grand Prize.
In the Sixties, she continued to star on Lassie. In 1965, she began playing the role of Maureen Robinson on Lost in Space. Following the end of Lost in Space, June Lockhart began playing Dr. Janet Craig on Petticoat Junction. She guest-starred on the shows Perry Mason, Bewitched, Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea, The Man From U.N.C.L.E., Branded, Death Valley Days, The Alfred Hitchcock Hour, Mr. Novak, The Red Skelton Hour, Family Affair, and The Beverly Hillbillies.
In the Seventies, June Lockhart was the voice of Martha Day on the Saturday morning cartoon These Are the Days. She guest starred on the shows The Man and the City; Honeymoon Suite; Love, American Style; The ABC Afternoon Playbreak; Marcus Welby, M.D.; Adam-12; Police Story; Mobile One; Joe Forrester; Ellery Queen; Happy Days; Sword of Justice; The Hardy Boys/Nancy Drew Mysteries; Greatest Heroes of the Bible; and ABC Afternoon Specials. She appeared in the movie Just Tell Me You Love Me (1978).
In the Eighties, June Lockhart appeared in the movies Butterfly (1981), Deadly Games (1982), Strange Invaders (1983), Troll (1986) Rented Lips (1987), The Big Picture (1989), and C.H.U.D. II: Bud the Chud (1989). She had a recurring role on the soap opera General Hospital. guest starred on the shows Vega$; Magnum, P.I.; Darkroom; Falcon Crest; Insight; Knots Landing; The Greatest American Hero; Quincy, M.E.; Whiz Kids; Murder, She Wrote; The Colbys; Hotel; Amazing Stories; Wildfire; It's Gary Shandling Show; CBS Schoolbreak Special; The New Lassie; and Room For Romance. She was a guest voice on the animated show Pound Puppies.
In the Nineties, June Lockhart guest-starred on the shows Full House; Nurses; The John Larroquette Show; The Mommies; Babylon 5; Roseanne; Step by Step; 7th Heaven; Fired Up; and Beverly Hills, 90120. She was a guest voice on the animated shows The Critic, Duckman, Private Dick/Family Man, The Ren & Stimpy Show, Johnny Bravo, and Casper. She continued to appear in her recurring role on General Hospital. She appeared in the movies Dead Woman in Lingerie (1991), Sleep with Me (1994), Tis the Season (1994), Lost in Space (1998), Deterrence (1999), and The Thundering 8th (2000).
In the Naughts, June Lockhart guest-starred on the TV shows The Drew Carey Show; Andy Richter Controls the Universe; Las Vegas; Rock Me, Baby; Complete Savages; Grey's Anatomy; and Cold Case. She appeared in the movies One Night at McCool's (2001), Super Capers: The Origins of Ed and the Missing Balloon (2008), and Wesley (2009). In the Teens, she appeared in the movies Zombie Hamlet (2012) and The Remake (2016). She was a voice in the animated feature film Bongee Bear and the Kingdom of Rhythm (2019). Her last role was in 2021 as the voice of Alpha Control in the reboot of Lost in Space.
June Lockhart was an incredible talent. Indeed, she achieved something few actors do, appearing in three different hit television shows. She was farm wife Ruth Martin on Lassie, biochemist and matriarch of the Robinsons on Lost in Space, and Dr. Janet Craig on Petticoat Junction. All three women were remarkable for their eras in terms of their strength and intelligence. Indeed, it is notable that two of them (Maureen and Dr. Craig) held doctorates. Of course, she played other roles beyond these. On the TV show Have Gun--Will Travel she played what I believe to be the one true love of Paladin (Richard Boone), Dr. Phyllis Thackeray. She was the perfect match for Paladin, intelligent, strong-willed, and caring, and not afraid to stand up for what she believed. As noted earlier, in Meet Me in St. Louis, she played Lucille Bremer, who was not only sweet, but also endowed with a good deal of common sense. In the Bewitched episode "Little Pitchers Have Big Fears," she played an overprotective mother, a sharp contrast to her usual maternal roles. In the Alfred Hitchcock Hour episode "The Second Wife," she played a mail-order bride who comes to believe her new husband killed his first wife.
Beyond her acting, June Lockhart was known for her intelligence, her grace, her charm, and her kindness. She was certainly a progressive woman for her time. She was well-known for her love of rock 'n' roll and was a fan of artists from The Beatles to David Bowie. According to her Lost in Space co-star Bill Mumy, she took him and Angelea Cartwright to the Whisky a Go Go. She was an advocate for NASA and space exploration in general, and was proud that her role on Lost in Space had inspired many women to go into space exploration. She was an ally of the LGBTQ community, to the point that in a 1970 appearance on The Virginia Graham Show, she confronted host Virginia Graham about her homophobia. June Lockhart said that she had driven Army tanks, flown in hot air balloons, and she went plane gliding. June Lockhart was a remarkable woman and a talented artist. It is no wonder so many people love her.
No comments:
Post a Comment