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A tribute to some outstanding TV moms.

June Lockhart passed away the other day at age 100. She played many TV moms in her long career: Lassie, Lost In Space and also is remembered as the motherly adviser Dr. Craig, on Petticoat Junction in the final two seasons of the show. Actor Billy Mumy recalled how she took him and co-star Angela Cartwright to the Whiskey-A-Go-Go to see the Allman Brothers perform. Now, that’s a cool mom!

Jean Stapleton will forever be Edith Bunker from All in the Family. Edith stood her ground when needed, she was also kind and supportive, and felt differently from Archie on my issues. Edith evolved. She wasn’t worldly and couldn’t advise Gloria on many things, but her love and support were unquestionably strong. Gloria didn’t always feel that her mother stood up for herself and told her so. Edith would firmly correct her.

Phylicia Rashad as Clair Huxtable on The Cosby Show. Clair was a successful attorney and an equal partner to her doctor husband. She had a cool demeanor but was quick to sniff out trouble her kids were brewing.

Barbara Billingsley played June Cleaver for six seasons on Leave It To Beaver. She didn’t start out wearing pearls to vacuum the house, but by the end of the series she appeared more glamorous. June was an outspoken 1950s wife, but mostly when it came to her boys. Barbara also possessed a unique and valuable skill: talking jive. That came in handy in Airplane!

Bea Benaderet played many TV roles in the 1950s and 1960s, but her fame finally arrived as Kate Bradley on Petticoat Junction. Kate ran the hotel with help from Uncle Joe and the three girls, and was a loving strength to them. Kate was respected by others and could be counted on for sage advice. Kate wasn’t without her flaws, it just made her more human. When Benaderet’s health failed her, she fought hard but it ultimately overtook her. The show missed her character and moved on, but it wasn’t the same.

Marion Ross got her big break after years of journeyman acting roles when Garry Marshall hired her to be Marion Cunningham on Happy Days. Ross was born to play Mrs. C. Although her character was written broadly and that of a 1950s housewife, Mrs. C. was much more than that. Marion just celebrated her 97th birthday!

Esther Rolle as Florida Evans on Good Times. Florida began on the series Maude and was spun-off to her own series. The Evans lived in the projects and represented many urban, working poor families in the 1970s. Florida was the foundation of that family, and she set expectations for her three kids. The story featured conflicts and modern problems, but also humor. There was pride and love in the family, and encouragement for the kids to build happy, successful lives. She campaigned for less Jimmy Walker dyn-o-mite and more realism. Esther held out for more substantial scripts, and left the show when her contract ended.

Karen Grassle as Caroline Ingalls, the strong and nurturing mother on Little House on the Prairie. The life of a pioneer woman involves raising a family, working on the farm and being active in building a community. Caroline Ingalls was strong, yet also human, and she pushed for Caroline to be more vulnerable and struggle with life on the prairie.

Bonnie Franklin as Ann Romano, the divorced mother of two daughters, trying to get by on her own and smash stereotypes on One Day at a Time. She was a trailblazer as a divorcee, who had to be a little bit smarter, a little bit braver and a harder worker than her male counterparts. She far from a perfect mother, but was fierce where her daughters were concerned. There were raised voices and slammed doors in their apartment, but they were figuring it out.

Michael Learned as Olivia Walton on The Waltons. A Depression-era family with three generations under the same roof. With a lot of kids of her own, Olivia was a busy woman. The challenges seemed to make her stronger, and the family bond was tight. Olivia and her husband had to set the example for their kids. Olivia was powered by her faith and sense of hard work and community.

Florence Henderson as Carol Brady in a blended family of six kids. The Brady Bunch was typical in some ways but idealistic in many other ways. The strength of Carol Brady was her acceptance of Mike’s boys as her own, and creating one, unified family.

Barbara Bel Geddes as Ellie Ewing Farlow in Dallas. Miss Ellie was the anchor of the Ewing family, especially after her husband Jock passed away. She believed in her sons, but understood their failings. She supported them even she didn’t fully trust her son J.R., who worked against his two brothers. Miss Ellie wanted to believe I the good of her family, even with their faults. She defended her family, even J.R., when she believed they were wrong. She was less the opportunist than the men in the family were.

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So what about moms like Harriett Nelson, Donna Reed, Julie Bowen, Patricia Richardson, Joanna Kerns, Meredith Baxter, Judith Light, Alley Mills, Reba McEntire, Lucille Ball, Katey Sagal, etc.? There are a lot of TV moms in the history of the medium. Most of those shows I didn’t watch or couldn’t talk about the role.

Mothers are the anchors, and not just the traditional stay-at-home models, especially when they have careers and must navigate a very busy world. Casting the mom might be the most critical character in the show’s cast. TV moms do cast a long shadow over the entire production because they mirror the complex roles that women play in real life. Getting it crucial.