It Happens Every June

On the cover of TV Guide.

Happy birthday to actress June Lockhart, who has not one, not two, but three fondly remembered series roles in classic TV. Born June 25, 1925, the daughter of actors Gene and Kathleen Lockhart, June worked successfully in films, theater, and early TV, coming to prominence in 1958 as mom Ruth Martin on Lassie. After six years in that role, she was signed to co-star in CBS' Lost in Space. Still a cult favorite, LIS (as fans call it) didn't always use June to the fullest extent, as other characters, notably Dr. Smith, Will Robinson, and the Robot came to the fore from Season 2 onward. Nonetheless, the show kept her employed for three years. In 1968, she joined the cast of Petticoat Junction, with her character, Dr. Janet Craig, filling some of the void left by the untimely death of series star Bea Benaderet. Along the way, she racked up guest appearances in many other classic TV favorites -- Bewitched, Adam-12, Perry Mason, and Family Affair, just to name a few. 

Interviewed by author Tom Weaver in the 1990s, Lockhart said of her long career, "I never had a desire to be famous, I never had that driving force -- gotta act! gotta get out there! It has just unfolded so naturally in my life." Classic TV fans wouldn't have it any other way.