Lassie cast: Looking back at the lives and legacies of the show’s stars as June Lockhart dies at 100

June Lockhart, the actress known for playing Ruth Martin in Lassie, recently passed away on October 23, 2025, at the age of 100. The actress played Ruth Martin in the show from Season 5 to Season 10 (1958-1964). She and the other cast members of the show are widely popular for bringing a heartfelt show to audiences from 1954 to 1978.

Lassie followed a young female Rough Collie dog called Lassie, who initially lived with the Miller family. In Season 4, the Millers adopted a young boy, Timmy, and soon the Millers left Timmy and Lassie at their farm with Timmy's new foster parents, Paul and Ruth Martin. While most of the show's cast have passed away, June Lockhart left us the most recently. Here's looking back at the lives and legacies of the show's stars.

Legacy of the Lassie cast members

Lassie was a popular show back in the day because it was about a dog and her adventures with the humans and other animals she was surrounded by. Besides, the cast and crew managed to tell a beautiful story for almost two decades, even through several changes. Among the main cast members of Lassie, the only cast member who is still alive is Jon Provost, who played Timmy Martin.

Other cast members, such as Jan Clayton, who played Ellen Miller, Tommy Rettig, who played Jeff Miller, Joey D. Vieira, who played Porky, Jon Shepodd and Hugh Reilly, who played Paul Martin, and Cloris Leachman and June Lockhart, who played Ruth Martin, have unfortunately all passed away. While most of the show's cast members are unfortunately no longer alive, their legacies will forever be.

June Lockhart, who was born in 1925, began her career with the film A Christmas Carol (1938). Other than her role in Lassie, Lockhart is also known for starring in She-Wolf of London (1946), Troll (1986), Lost in Space (1965-1968), and Magnum, P.I. (1981).

Cloris Leachman also played Ruth Martin from 1957 to 1958. Leachman was a successful actress who won eight Primetime Emmy Awards in her career of almost eighty years. Other than her work in Lassie, she is also known for starring in Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid (1969), Daisy Miller (1974), Not to Forget (2021), Outlaws (1960), and The Mary Tyler Moore Show (1970-1977), among many other projects. Leachman passed away in 2021.

Jan Clayton, who played Ellen Miller, was born in 1917, and one of her earliest roles was as Dorrie Marsh in Sunset Trail (1938). Other than Lassie, Clayton is also known for her roles in Flight Angels (1940), The Wolf Hunters (1949), The Snake Pit (1948), and The Tall Man (1962). Tommy Rettig, who played Jeff Miller, began acting at the young age of six, and his first performance was in Annie Get Your Gun, the musical. Rettig is also known for his roles in Weekend With Father (1951), The Raid (1954), The Last Wagon (1956), and Never Too Young (1965-1966). Tommy Rettig passed away in 1996.

Joey D. Vieira, who played Sylvester Brockway, aka Porky, as a child actor, is also known for starring in The Pride of the Family, Hank, Moonlighting, Remington Steele, Married...With Children, and The Patriot. Viera passed away in April 2025. Jon Shepodd played Paul Martin from 1957 to 1958, after which Hugh Reilly took over the role. Shepodd is also known for starring in Attack (1956), The Alfred Hitchcock Hour (1963), and I'll Give My Life (1960). Shepodd passed away in 2017.

Hugh Reilly played Paul Martin from 1958 to 1964 opposite June Lockhart. Reilly is also known for his roles in Bright Victory (1951), Chuka (1967), and Voyager from the Unknown (1982). Reilly passed away in 1998. John Provost, who played Timmy Martin, is also known for playing Tommy Malone in Back from Eternity (1956) and Robbie Eunson in All Mine to Give (1957). He has also starred in This Property Is Condemned (1966), The Computer Wore Tennis Shoes (1969), and Susie's Hope (2013). The entire Lassie series is no longer available for streaming online. Some seasons are available on Prime Video.

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