Los Angeles: June Lockhart, who became a mother figure for a generation of television viewers whether at home in Lassie or up in the stratosphere in Lost in Space has died. She was 100.

Lockhart died on Friday AEDT of natural causes at her home in Santa Monica, family spokesman Lyle Gregory, a friend of 40 years, said on Saturday.

Best known for her role in Lassie, Lockhart spoke frankly about her canine co-star: “I worked with four Lassies. There was only one main Lassie at a time. Then there was a dog that did the running, a dog that did the fighting, and a dog that was a stand-in, because only humans can work 14 hours a day without needing a nap.

“Lassie was not especially friendly with anybody. Lassie was wholly concentrated on the trainers.”

The daughter of prolific character

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