June Lockhart, the star of classic TV shows like Lost in Space and Lassie, turned 100 on Wednesday, but a lesser-known aspect of her career is her time spent at White House press conferences.
For decades, Lockhart made a point of attending the briefings whenever she was in Washington, D.C., and even holds a lifetime press pass to the complex, given to her by Dwight D. Eisenhower’s press secretary, James Hagerty.
Her publicist, Harlan Boll, told Deadline that she believes that the pass is still good, but hasn’t had to use it in some time, and doesn’t intend on using it now.
The daughter of actors Gene and Kathleen Lockhart, June Lockhart had already appeared in numerous stage, film and TV by the 1950s when she appeared as a panelist on the game show, Who Said That? On that show, a host read a quote from current events and the panel of celebrities and journalists had to guess who said it. Among those she met were White House correspondents, and she was fascinated by their world of politics, news and journalism.
Per the New York Post, UPI’s Merriman Smith helped set her up with both presidential campaigns in 1956, and she traveled with the press corps. The next year, when she and Hugh Downs filled in for Tex McCrary and Jinx Falkenburg on their TV show, she interviewed Hagerty, and she also witnessed, in person, her first presidential news conference.
Speaking to columnist Mel Heimer that year, she called herself a “journalistic buff,” while expressing interest in hosting an interview show. “I have outlandish respect and admiration for journalists and nothing would make me happier than to throw my lot with them.” At the time, though, TV executives had mixed feelings about having a woman in that role, Heimer wrote. “They’re about half for it and half against it,” she told the columnist.
Lockhart went on to star in Lassie and Lost in Space, two television classics, but through the years continued to visit the White House. “No matter what the administration or who the press secretary is, I’ve had this lovely cachet of being able to go to the briefings,” Lockhart told NPR’s Bob Edwards in 2004. That was also the year she attended a briefing for the last time, per the Post.
“The work makes all the rest of it possible,” Lockhart told NPR. “It’s a means to an end to be able to pursue my interests.”
The post How 100-Year-Old ‘Lost In Space’ And ‘Lassie’ Star June Lockhart Got A Lifetime White House Press Pass appeared first on Deadline.
