Actor Jane Wyatt, 96, dies; She played mothers in 'Father Knows Best,' 'Star Trek'

LOS ANGELES -- Jane Wyatt, the lovely, serene actress who for sixyears on "Father Knows Best" was one of TV's favorite moms, hasdied, her son Christopher Ward said Sunday. She was 96.

Wyatt died Friday in her sleep of natural causes at her Bel-Airhome, according to publicist Meg McDonald. She experienced healthproblems since suffering a stroke at 85, but her mind was sharpuntil her death, her son said.

Wyatt had a successful film career in the 1930s and '40s, notablyas Ronald Colman's lover in 1937's "Lost Horizon."

But it was her years as Robert Young's TV wife, MargaretAnderson, on "Father Knows Best" that brought the actress herlasting fame.

She appeared in 207 half-hour episodes from 1954 to 1960 and wonthree Emmys as best actress in a dramatic series in the years 1958to 1960. The show began as a radio sitcom in 1949; it moved totelevision in 1954.

The role wasn't the only time in her 60 years in films and TVthat Wyatt was cast as the warm, compassionate wife and mother. Sheeven played Mr. Spock's mom in the original "Star Trek" series andthe feature "Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home."

She got her start in films in the mid-'30s, appearing in "OneMore River," "Great Expectations," "We're Only Human" and "TheLuckiest Girl in the World." When Frank Capra chose her for theShangri-la beauty in "Lost Horizon," her reputation was made.Moviegoers were entranced by the scene -- chaste by today'sstandards -- in which Colman sees her swimming nude in a mountainlake.

Never a star, Wyatt enjoyed career longevity with her reliableportrayals of genteel, understanding women. Among the notable films:

"Buckskin Frontier" (with Richard Dix), "None But the LonelyHeart" (Cary Grant), "Boomerang" (Dana Andrews), "Gentleman'sAgreement" (Gregory Peck), "Pitfall" (Dick Powell), "No Minor Vices"(Dana Andrews), "Canadian Pacific" (Randolph Scott), "My BlueHeaven" (Betty Grable, Dan Dailey) and "Criminal Lawyer" (PatO'Brien).

Actor Jane Wyatt, 96, dies; She played mothers in 'Father Knows Best,' 'Star Trek'

LOS ANGELES -- Jane Wyatt, the lovely, serene actress who for sixyears on "Father Knows Best" was one of TV's favorite moms, hasdied, her son Christopher Ward said Sunday. She was 96.

Wyatt died Friday in her sleep of natural causes at her Bel-Airhome, according to publicist Meg McDonald. She experienced healthproblems since suffering a stroke at 85, but her mind was sharpuntil her death, her son said.

Wyatt had a successful film career in the 1930s and '40s, notablyas Ronald Colman's lover in 1937's "Lost Horizon."

But it was her years as Robert Young's TV wife, MargaretAnderson, on "Father Knows Best" that brought the actress herlasting fame.

She appeared in 207 half-hour episodes from 1954 to 1960 and wonthree Emmys as best actress in a dramatic series in the years 1958to 1960. The show began as a radio sitcom in 1949; it moved totelevision in 1954.

The role wasn't the only time in her 60 years in films and TVthat Wyatt was cast as the warm, compassionate wife and mother. Sheeven played Mr. Spock's mom in the original "Star Trek" series andthe feature "Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home."

She got her start in films in the mid-'30s, appearing in "OneMore River," "Great Expectations," "We're Only Human" and "TheLuckiest Girl in the World." When Frank Capra chose her for theShangri-la beauty in "Lost Horizon," her reputation was made.Moviegoers were entranced by the scene -- chaste by today'sstandards -- in which Colman sees her swimming nude in a mountainlake.

Never a star, Wyatt enjoyed career longevity with her reliableportrayals of genteel, understanding women. Among the notable films:

"Buckskin Frontier" (with Richard Dix), "None But the LonelyHeart" (Cary Grant), "Boomerang" (Dana Andrews), "Gentleman'sAgreement" (Gregory Peck), "Pitfall" (Dick Powell), "No Minor Vices"(Dana Andrews), "Canadian Pacific" (Randolph Scott), "My BlueHeaven" (Betty Grable, Dan Dailey) and "Criminal Lawyer" (PatO'Brien).

Actor Jane Wyatt, 96, dies; She played mothers in 'Father Knows Best,' 'Star Trek'

LOS ANGELES -- Jane Wyatt, the lovely, serene actress who for sixyears on "Father Knows Best" was one of TV's favorite moms, hasdied, her son Christopher Ward said Sunday. She was 96.

Wyatt died Friday in her sleep of natural causes at her Bel-Airhome, according to publicist Meg McDonald. She experienced healthproblems since suffering a stroke at 85, but her mind was sharpuntil her death, her son said.

Wyatt had a successful film career in the 1930s and '40s, notablyas Ronald Colman's lover in 1937's "Lost Horizon."

But it was her years as Robert Young's TV wife, MargaretAnderson, on "Father Knows Best" that brought the actress herlasting fame.

She appeared in 207 half-hour episodes from 1954 to 1960 and wonthree Emmys as best actress in a dramatic series in the years 1958to 1960. The show began as a radio sitcom in 1949; it moved totelevision in 1954.

The role wasn't the only time in her 60 years in films and TVthat Wyatt was cast as the warm, compassionate wife and mother. Sheeven played Mr. Spock's mom in the original "Star Trek" series andthe feature "Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home."

She got her start in films in the mid-'30s, appearing in "OneMore River," "Great Expectations," "We're Only Human" and "TheLuckiest Girl in the World." When Frank Capra chose her for theShangri-la beauty in "Lost Horizon," her reputation was made.Moviegoers were entranced by the scene -- chaste by today'sstandards -- in which Colman sees her swimming nude in a mountainlake.

Never a star, Wyatt enjoyed career longevity with her reliableportrayals of genteel, understanding women. Among the notable films:

"Buckskin Frontier" (with Richard Dix), "None But the LonelyHeart" (Cary Grant), "Boomerang" (Dana Andrews), "Gentleman'sAgreement" (Gregory Peck), "Pitfall" (Dick Powell), "No Minor Vices"(Dana Andrews), "Canadian Pacific" (Randolph Scott), "My BlueHeaven" (Betty Grable, Dan Dailey) and "Criminal Lawyer" (PatO'Brien).

Actor Jane Wyatt, 96, dies; She played mothers in 'Father Knows Best,' 'Star Trek'

LOS ANGELES -- Jane Wyatt, the lovely, serene actress who for sixyears on "Father Knows Best" was one of TV's favorite moms, hasdied, her son Christopher Ward said Sunday. She was 96.

Wyatt died Friday in her sleep of natural causes at her Bel-Airhome, according to publicist Meg McDonald. She experienced healthproblems since suffering a stroke at 85, but her mind was sharpuntil her death, her son said.

Wyatt had a successful film career in the 1930s and '40s, notablyas Ronald Colman's lover in 1937's "Lost Horizon."

But it was her years as Robert Young's TV wife, MargaretAnderson, on "Father Knows Best" that brought the actress herlasting fame.

She appeared in 207 half-hour episodes from 1954 to 1960 and wonthree Emmys as best actress in a dramatic series in the years 1958to 1960. The show began as a radio sitcom in 1949; it moved totelevision in 1954.

The role wasn't the only time in her 60 years in films and TVthat Wyatt was cast as the warm, compassionate wife and mother. Sheeven played Mr. Spock's mom in the original "Star Trek" series andthe feature "Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home."

She got her start in films in the mid-'30s, appearing in "OneMore River," "Great Expectations," "We're Only Human" and "TheLuckiest Girl in the World." When Frank Capra chose her for theShangri-la beauty in "Lost Horizon," her reputation was made.Moviegoers were entranced by the scene -- chaste by today'sstandards -- in which Colman sees her swimming nude in a mountainlake.

Never a star, Wyatt enjoyed career longevity with her reliableportrayals of genteel, understanding women. Among the notable films:

"Buckskin Frontier" (with Richard Dix), "None But the LonelyHeart" (Cary Grant), "Boomerang" (Dana Andrews), "Gentleman'sAgreement" (Gregory Peck), "Pitfall" (Dick Powell), "No Minor Vices"(Dana Andrews), "Canadian Pacific" (Randolph Scott), "My BlueHeaven" (Betty Grable, Dan Dailey) and "Criminal Lawyer" (PatO'Brien).