June Lockhart Is 100: ‘Lassie’ Star Jon Provost Shares Memories and Photos of TV Mom on Her Birthday (Exclusive)
Jon Provost played Timmy Martin on Lassie for seven seasons (1957-64), where he starred opposite June Lockhart as his mother. In an exclusive tribute to honor his onscreen mom’s 100th birthday on June 25, 2025, he shared the following memories and photos with ReMIND Magazine.
“I had been on Lassie for a year when June Lockhart joined the cast. She was living in New York, working on both coasts, flying all the time. She loved the idea of staying in one place with her family. She had two daughters to support. And she felt the part had a lot of dignity. The crew adored her, but me … I wasn’t so sure.
TV Guide/Everett Collection
“I decided to put my new mom to the test. We were sitting at the kitchen table rehearsing a scene. I began kicking her leg under the table. Thinking it was an accident, she moved her leg. I kicked harder and found it again. Again, she swiveled her legs away. I had to scoot way down in my chair to kick her again — clearly not an accident. June didn’t want to make waves, but she knew she had to handle the situation. She wagged her finger right in my face and loudly warned me, ‘Stop that right now.’ I froze, my eyes as big as saucers. Everyone turned to look at us and you could’ve heard a pin drop. I sat straight up and you can bet I never did anything like that again.
“She worried about me”
“June and I worked side by side very happily for the next six years and developed a close bond. She worried about me, especially my size. She thought I wasn’t getting enough to eat, so she often ordered up a big breakfast to be delivered to her dressing room. Then she’d call me in on the pretense of running lines so she could fill me up with food.
“I had no trouble responding to June in an affectionate way both onscreen and off. She was very caring but never treated me like a little kid. She always regarded me as a colleague, a working actor. She respected my work and treated me like a professional.
“June’s wonderful sense of humor made her very popular on the set. Once, just before Christmas, Lassie got some sort of rash and lost a part of his coat that hid the fact he was really a male. They had to call Max Factor to make a merkin for him. Years later, June confessed to me that she’d entertained the crew with a little holiday song: ‘Deck the halls with boughs of holly, hide the balls on that old collie.’ … She was so much fun.
“My own mother would forget my birthday, but June, never”
“The show wrapped in 1967, but that was not the end of our relationship. We both continued working, pulling us in different directions, but Hollywood was still a relatively small town. We ran into each other in various places: parades, restaurants and publicity opportunities. And every birthday and Christmas, we spoke. My own mother would forget my birthday, but June, never.
June and Jon arrive at the “CBS At 75” in 2003 in New York City. Credit: Matthew Peyton/Getty Images
“In June of 1982, we were invited along with Tommy Rettig and Jan Clayton from the original cast of Lassie to be presenters at the Emmys. By then, I had moved to Northern California and had not seen my castmates for some time. What a wonderful reunion that was. We were the first presenters of the evening, and the warm welcome was memorable. We had an absolute blast.
“In 1989 and ’90, I was part of the cast of The New Lassie. The producer thought it would be fun to bring in actors who had worked with Lassie through the years: Margaret O’Brien, Roddy McDowall, Tommy. And, of course, June. A lot of press surrounded our reunion, and nothing felt more natural to me than working again with June. Every free moment, we shared family photos, caught up on news of old friends and crew members. And we couldn’t stop laughing.
June, Jon and Laurie
“June will always be my mom”
“When I married my wife, Laurie Jacobson, in 1999, June was the first person to RSVP. She was thrilled and delighted for us. Laurie called June her other mother-in-law and without missing a beat, June said, ‘And that’s forever, darling.’ She meant it. She has always been there for us.
Laurie Jacobson
“June and I met many times since then, signing together at comic cons and autograph shows. At one of them, she put her leg up on the table, touched her head to her knee in a yoga-type stretch and sent the waiter for a glass of chardonnay after which she regaled us with tales of her storied career. Strong, confident, so smart — and beautiful, don’t let me leave out beautiful. I once asked her how she stayed so young-looking. She said, ‘I’ve had great work done and some young boyfriends.’ Whatever her formula, it worked. June has always been her own person. … And now she is 100 years young. She is truly amazing in every way. To paraphrase a great song, she did it her way. And I, for one, am grateful that she did. June will always be my mom, and I share her with millions who feel the same way about her.”
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