The 'mother' beloved by American television audiences has just passed away.

Actress June Lockhart, a familiar face to audiences through two classic TV series "Lassie" and "Lost in Space", passed away at the age of 100 at her home in Santa Monica, California (USA).

Actress June Lockhart - Photo: Getty Images

According to Reuters, June Lockhart breathed her last on October 23, 2025, due to old age, surrounded by her daughter Anne Lockhart and granddaughter.

Her passing brings to a close a nearly eight-decade career in theatre, film and television from the golden age of Hollywood to the modern television era.

From stage girl to TV star

Born on June 25, 1925 in New York, June Lockhart grew up in a family with an artistic tradition. Her parents, Gene and Kathleen Lockhart, were both famous actors.

She made her stage debut at the age of eight and appeared in the film A Christmas Carol (1938), launching an acting career that lasted more than 70 years.

In 1948, June Lockhart won a Tony Award for her role in For Love or Money on Broadway. However, it was television that made her name familiar to millions of American viewers.

June Lockhart in the movie A Christmas Carol - Photo: IMDb

Actress June Lockhart as Ruth Martin, reading the book Lassie for the television series of the same name, 1960 - Photo: Getty Images

From 1958 to 1964, she played Ruth Martin - the gentle mother in the famous series Lassie . Lockhart's image of a warm, patient and tolerant woman is associated with the memories of many generations of audiences.

She then continued to make her mark as Maureen Robinson in Lost in Space (1965-1968), the resilient mother who leads her family on a space voyage.

This role helped June Lockhart be affectionately called "the mother of space" by the audience in the hearts of science fiction movie lovers.

June Lockhart poses for a photo in the newsroom of NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, California - Photo: REUTERS

Off-screen, June Lockhart is also a woman passionate about science and space. She has attended NASA events and is considered an inspiration for future astronauts.

She once shared: "Science is part of imagination, and imagination can take people further than the stars."

During her career, she appeared in more than 50 films and hundreds of television episodes.

Although she rarely played leading roles, June Lockhart is still remembered by audiences for her calm demeanor, warm voice and gentle smile.

She once said: "If the audience feels they can trust me, that is the greatest success for an actor."

After the news of her death was announced, many colleagues and fans expressed their condolences. The AP called June Lockhart "an icon of American television", and People wrote: "She provided the gentle mother image that audiences always sought on screen".

MAI NGUYET

Source: https://tuoitre.vn/hinh-tuong-nguoi-me-duoc-khan-gia-truyen-hinh-my-yeu-men-vua-qua-doi-20251026173125276.htm