June Lockhart, the beloved mother figure in Lassie and Lost In Space, has died at the age of 100.

June Lockhart, who became a mother figure to a generation of television viewers both at home and at home "Lassie" Or in the stratosphere "lost in space," He died. It was 100.

Family spokesman Lyle Gregory, a friend of 40 years, said Saturday that Lockhart died Thursday of natural causes at her home in Santa Monica.

"She was very happy to the end, reading the New York Times and the Los Angeles Times every day," He said. "It was very important for her to focus on the news of the day."

The daughter of prolific character actor Gene Lockhart, Lockhart was frequently cast in breakout roles as a young film actor. Television made her a star.

From 1958 to 1964, she played Ruth Martin, who raised orphan Timmy (Jean Provost), on the popular CBS series. "Lassie." From 1965 to 1968, she traveled aboard the spaceship Jupiter 2 as the matriarch of the Robinson family in the CBS campy adventure. "Lost in space."

Her portrayal of warm, compassionate mothers endeared her to younger viewers, and decades later baby boomers flocked to nostalgia conventions to meet Lockhart and buy her autographed photographs.

Off screen, Lockhart insisted that she was nothing like the women she portrayed.

"I have to quote Dan Rather," she said in a 1994 interview. "I can control my reputation, but not my image, because my image is how you see me.

"I love rock and roll and going to concerts. I’ve driven army tanks and flown in hot air balloons. And I fly a glider – the one that doesn’t have engines. I do a lot of things that don’t fit my image."

Early in her career, Lockhart appeared in several films. among them: "All this and the sky too" "Adam had four sons," "sergeant york," "Miss Annie Rooney," "Forever and every day" and "Meet me in St. Louis."

She too was made "Ibn Lacy," The 1945 sequel to "Lacey, come home," Play the adult version of the role created by Elizabeth Taylor.

New life on TV

When her film career faltered as an adult, Lockhart moved to television, appearing on live New York dramas, game shows, and talk shows. She was the third actress to play the female lead "Lassie" On television, after Jean Clayton and Cloris Leachman. (Dean replaced the show’s original child star, Tommy Rettig, in 1957.)

Lockhart spoke candidly about her canine co-star. In the first place, she said in 1989, Lacey was young, because male collie "Bigger, bigger lever, more cool in appearance."

She added: "I worked with four girls. There was only one main Lassie at a time. Then there was a dog that ran, a dog that fought, and a dog that was a backup, because only humans can work 14 hours a day without needing a nap.

"Lassie wasn’t particularly friendly with anyone. Lassie was entirely focused on the coaches."

After six years in rural areas "Lacey," Lockhart moved into outer space, playing Maureen Robinson, the wise and unsuspecting matriarch of a family departing on a five-year journey to a distant planet. "Lost in space."

After their mission is sabotaged by fellow passenger, Dr. Zachary Smith (Jonathan Harris), the team travels from planet to planet, encountering strange creatures and near-disasters that require viewers to tune in next week to figure out what to escape. Throughout the three-year period, Mrs. Robinson offered solace and a piece of herself "Space pie."

As is the case with "Lacey," Lockhart enjoyed working on it "Lost in space": "It was like going to work at Disneyland every day."

In 1968, Lockhart joined the cast "Petticoat intersection" In the last two seasons of the rural comedy, she played Dr. Janet Craig. The original star, Pia Benaderet, was diagnosed with cancer and died in 1968 as well.

A little bit of everything

Lockhart remained active for a long time after that "lost in space," She often appears in episodic television shows as well as in recurring roles on daytime television soap operas "General Hospital" And night soap "Landing knot" and "Colby." Her film credits included "remake" And animation "Pongee Bear and the Kingdom of Rhythm," Which provided her voice as Mindy the Owl.

She also used her media pass to attend presidential press conferences, narrate beauty pageants and holiday parades, appear in second-rate pictures, and tour in plays. "steel magnolia," "Bedroom farce" and "Again with feeling."

"Her real passion was journalism," Gregory said. "She loved going to the White House briefing rooms."

Lockhart loved to tell the story of how her parents met, saying they were hired separately in a touring production sponsored by inventor Thomas Edison and decided to get married during a stop in Lake Louise, Alberta.

Their daughter was born on June 25, 1925 in New York City. The family moved to Hollywood 10 years later, and Gene Lockhart worked steadily as a character actor, usually in friendly roles, and occasionally as a villain. His wife, Kathleen, often appeared with him.

Young Joon made her stage debut at the age of eight, dancing in a children’s ballet at the Metropolitan Opera House. Her first film appearance was in a small role in 1938 "christmas carol," She plays the daughter of Bob Cratchit and his wife, played by her parents.

She was married and divorced twice: to John Maloney, a physician, father of her daughters Anne Kathleen and John Elizabeth; and architect John C. Lindsay.

Throughout her subsequent career, Lockhart was associated in the public mind with "Lassie."

Although she sometimes mocked the show, she admitted: "How great it is to have one role in your career that you’re known for. Many actors work their whole lives and never have a single role of their own."

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