Beloved and iconic actress June Lockhart, who played Mariah Ramirez on General Hospital from 1984-2000, passed away of natural causes at her home in Santa Monica, California, surrounded by her daughter, June Elizabeth and granddaughter, Christianna.
Born in New York City on June 25, 1925, June made her stage debut at just eight years old in the 1933 Metropolitan Opera House production of Peter Ibbetson.
At 13, she appeared in MGM’s 1938 adaptation of A Christmas Carol alongside her parents, Gene and Kathleen Lockhart, who starred in the film. Her next role was in All This and Heaven Too, appearing opposite Bette Davis and Charles Boyer. In 1941, she was cast as Rosie, Gary Cooper’s sister, in the Oscar-nominated Sergeant York, directed by Howard Hawks.
At 19, as an MGM contract player, she portrayed the sharp and spirited Lucille Ballard in Meet Me in St. Louis, directed by Vincente Minnelli.
About June Lockhart
In 1947, June made her Broadway debut in For Love or Money, earning the Tony Award (then known as the Antoinette Perry Award) for “Best Newcomer.” She was the first performer ever to receive the honor. At that time, male recipients were given lighters, and female recipients received gold charm-sized medallions.
June’s historic award was donated to the Smithsonian Institution in 2008, where it remains in the museum’s permanent entertainment archives.
Television audiences of the 1950s, ’60s, and ’70s came to love June as the gentle, soft-spoken mother in Lassie, a series notable for employing several blacklisted writers. She later became known to a new generation as Maureen Robinson, the devoted “space mom” on Lost in Space, and as Dr. Janet Craig on Petticoat Junction.
In addition to her numerous television and film roles, she also lent her voice to one of her favorite animated series, Nickelodeon’s The Ren & Stimpy Show.
June’s Honors
With two stars on the Hollywood Walk of Fame—and a total of five for the Lockhart family—June Lockhart was an enduring inspiration to generations, particularly within the aerospace community.
A longtime NASA advocate and honorary spokesperson, she attended many launches and landings over the decades, including standing alongside Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin at NASA’s 40th Anniversary of the Moon Landing celebration in Washington, D.C., in 2009.
In the early 2000s, astronauts aboard the International Space Station often called June while orbiting Earth, playing The World Is Waiting for the Sunrise—a 1921 song written by her father, Gene Lockhart, and recorded by Thomas Edison on his first phonograph.
Her daughter, June Elizabeth, shared:
“Mommy always considered acting her craft and vocation, but her true passions were journalism, politics, science, and NASA. She cherished her role in Lost in Space and was thrilled to learn she had inspired so many future astronauts. That meant even more to her than the hundreds of television and film roles she played.”
In 2013, NASA honored June Lockhart with its Exceptional Public Achievement Medal for her lifelong advocacy of space exploration. The award recognizes individuals outside the government who have made significant contributions to NASA’s mission, and June regarded it as the most meaningful honor of her career.
A passionate advocate for animal welfare, June supported numerous causes, including the Santa Monica Mounted Police Horses, and served as National Spokesperson for International Hearing Dog, Inc. She also adored her beloved grand-pug, Massimo, who was always by her side and a constant source of joy.
Family spokesperson and longtime friend Lyle Gregory shared:
“In the early 1920s, Thomas Edison hired two young actors—Gene Lockhart and Kathleen Arthur—to perform sketches promoting his new invention, the phonograph. The two fell in love, married, and had one child: June.”
Gene Lockhart, a prolific and Oscar-nominated actor with more than 300 film credits, was a founding member of the Screen Actors Guild in the 1930s. Watching her father’s commitment to improving working conditions on set inspired June’s own dedication to union activism. She joined AFRA (later AFTRA) in 1938 and the Screen Actors Guild in 1940. In 2018, she received the Guild’s prestigious Founders Award—an honor from her peers that she deeply cherished.
Rememberance
Her lifelong friend, the late architect and environmentalist Harry Gesner, often encouraged her to “be adventurous, take the trip, listen to your spirit, and enjoy the ride.”
June embraced that philosophy throughout her life—whether joining Willie Nelson onstage to sing or attending White House press briefings dating back to the Eisenhower administration. Her humor, energy, and curiosity were boundless.
Now, the woman who loved to fly has embarked on her final adventure. With hearts full of love and pride, her family and friends celebrate her extraordinary life—a remarkable actress, mother, grandmother, and pioneer whose light will forever endure.
Private services will be held.
In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations be made to the following organizations:
The Actors Fund https://entertainmentcommunity.org
ProPublica https://www.propublica.org
International Hearing Dog, Inc. https://www.hearingdog.org
Photo Provided by June’s PR.
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