This Actress Focused on Family Roles, and She’s ‘Proud’ of It
By Movieguide® Contributor
LOST IN SPACE star June Lockhart was very particular about the roles she decided to take on.
“Lockhart said it’s ‘great’ that many still recognize her as their favorite TV mom. Despite having a secret rebellious side on set, she’s always been proud of her squeaky-clean image,” Fox News reported. “She’s never been tempted to take on a sultry role in Hollywood, nor has she ever felt pressured over the years to look a certain way.”
“I was not offered those parts,” she expressed. “[And] I always eat carefully…in that silver spacesuit, you had better be in shape.”
The roles that piqued her interest the most were “matriarch Maureen in LOST IN SPACE and Timmy’s mom Ruth in the original LASSIE.”
“The premise of the series [intrigued me],” the now 99-year-old star admitted of LOST IN SPACE.
“It was a view of family dynamics of a marooned group of scientists and two children, and how they survived,” she added. “It was ‘Space Family Robinson,’ a play on ‘Swiss Family Robinson.’’…Each of my costars was a wonderful professional. It was a very happy set with lots of laughs and genuine affection between us.”
Her time on the show eventually resulted in her supporting NASA. In 2013, she received the Exceptional Public Achievement Medal for her work with the agency.
“I’ve been to two space shuttle launches and worked with NASA since the 1970s, addressing their employees and traveling on NASA’s behalf to promote the agency. So I’m absolutely thrilled by this recognition. No other actress has received this honor,” she said at the time.
While doing her best to portray a parental figure, laughter sometimes got the better of the actress.
“Some of the episodes were so silly that it was a challenge to keep from getting a case of the giggles,” Lockhart said of LOST IN SPACE. “[And] the only thing I ever cooked on LASSIE was a pot of water, but my stirring technique was very convincing!”
As time has gone on, Lockhart has kept in touch with her TV children.
“I am in touch with Bill Mumy, Angela Cartwright, Marta Kristen and, of course, Jon Provost [from LASSIE],” Lockhart said. “They are such wonderfully accomplished people, and I have such affection for them.”
She’s now enjoying life, saying, “I don’t spend any time dwelling on things I can’t change,” per Closer Weekly. “Everything is in flux. Wait a moment and things will work out.”
