June Lockhart Collection

If America wanted to find its Mom in the movies, the figure they would be looking for would be June Lockhart. Ms. Lockhart has a unique background to be a mommy in the movie because Showbiz was the Lockhart Family Business.

Papa Gene Lockhart was born in London, Ontario, Canada, and began performing at the age of six with the Kilties Band of Canada, and later moved to New York to attend and teach at Julliard and act on Broadway. He married Kathleen Arthur, who immigrated from England, in June 1925, and June was born a year later. Gene and Kathleen starred in a Blue Network serial in 1930 called Abroad with the Lockharts. The family moved to Los Angeles where Gene built a reputation as a reliable character actor. June joined her parents when they were interviewed by Ed Martin "standing on the corner of Hollywood and Vine" for the Tonight in Hollywood program on KMTR Los Angeles, April 4, 1936. In 1938, Gene and Kathleen were cast as Bob and Mrs. Cratchit in A Christmas Carol and June appeared as one of the Cratchit children. While her parents were expanding their careers, June attended Westlake School for Girls in Beverly Hills.

When her own career began to take off, June worked her way through supporting roles in All This and Heaven Too (1940), Sergeant York (1941), Meet Me in St. Louis and The White Cliffs of Dover (both 1944) and others. She had bit parts in Son of Lassie (1945), but it would be far from the last time she would work with a famous Collie.

Around this time, June began making the rounds of Radio Programs to support her career, including a War-time appearance on Cavalcade of America. She appeared against type on Suspense as a murderous aging movie queen. In the late Seventies, Ms. Lockhart was an established enough Star to be welcomed on Sears Radio Theatre and appeared with her folks in The Theatre Guild of the Air production of "State Fair".

Television was where June shone the brightest. She appeared as a guest on many popular dramas and Westerns. In 1958, she replaced Cloris Leachman as Timmy's Mom in CBS's Lassie. From 1965 to 1968, she played space-age mom Maureen Robinson on Lost In Space, a science fiction series based on "Swiss Family Robinson".

Lockhart was friends with President Eisenhower's press secretary and was granted White House Press credentials which are still in effect. She has sat in on press briefings during several administrations. In her nineties, June provided voice talent for videos games. 

Two Stars on the Hollywood Walk of Fame are dedicated honoring June Lockhart, at 6323 Hollywood Blvd for contributions to Motion Pictures, and the other at 6362 Hollywood Blvd for Television.  June Lockhart passed away at the age of 100 in her Santa Monica home in October 2025.