Jane Wyatt

Jane Wyatt (August 12, 1910 – October 20, 2006)

She starred in a number of Hollywood films, but likely is best known for her role as the housewife and mother on the comedy series, Father Knows Best, and as Amanda Grayson, the human mother of Spock on the series Star Trek. She made her film debut in 1934 in One More River. In arguably her most famous role, she co-starred as Ronald Colman's character's love interest in Frank Capra's Columbia Pictures film Lost Horizon (1937). Of her experience in Lost Horizon, she noted in an article in the St. Anthony Messenger newsletter, "During the war, they cut out all the pacifist parts of the film—the High Lama talking about peace in the world. All that was cut because they were trying to inspire those G.I.'s to get out there and go 'bang! bang! bang!' which sort of ruined the film." Other film appearances included Gentleman's Agreement with Gregory Peck, None but the Lonely Heart with Cary Grant, Boomerang with Dana Andrews, and Our Very Own with Farley Granger. Wyatt co-starred in the crime dramas Pitfall and House by the River, and also with Randolph Scott in a western, Canadian Pacific.

In addition, she played the wife of Gary Cooper in the war story Task Force. Wyatt is probably best remembered as Margaret Anderson on Father Knows Best, which aired from 1954 to 1960. She played opposite Robert Young as the devoted wife and mother of the Anderson family in the Midwestern town of Springfield. This role won Wyatt three Emmy Awards in 1958-1960 for best actress in a comedy series. After Father Knows Best, Wyatt guest starred in several other series, including Star Trek as Spock's mother. Jane Wyatt died on October 20, 2006, at her home in Bel-Air, California, she was 96. She is buried at San Fernando Mission Cemetery in Mission Hills, CA.