Gene Lockhart was born on July 18, 1891, in London, Ontario, Canada, to John Coates Lockhart and Ellen Mary (Delany) Lockhart. His father, a Scottish tenor, studied singing, and young Gene displayed an early interest in drama and music. Gene's father joined the 48th Highlanders' Regimental Band, and the family accompanied them to England. Gene studied at the Brompton Oratory School in London while his father toured.
When they returned to Canada, Gene began singing in concerts, often sharing the program with Beatrice Lillie. His mother encouraged his career, urging him to try for a part on Broadway. At 25, Gene got a part in a New York play, "The Riviera Girl," in September 1917. Between acting engagements, he wrote for the stage, producing his first show, "The Pierrot Players," which toured Canada in 1919.
The show introduced the popular ballad "The World Is Waiting for the Sunrise," written by Lockhart and Ernest Seitz. His next production was "Heigh-Ho," a musical fantasy with score by Deems Taylor and book and lyrics by Lockhart. The show had a short run, but Lockhart's first real break as a dramatic actor came in 1939 with the supporting role of Bud in Lula Vollmer's "Sun Up."
Lockhart married Kathleen Lockhart (aka Kathleen Arthur),an English actress and musician, in 1924. Their daughter, June Lockhart, was born in 1925 and would later appear in the TV series "Lassie" and "Lost in Space." Lockhart continued to work in theater, radio, and film, appearing in over 125 films.
He is perhaps best remembered for his villainous roles, often ending up cowering in a corner whimpering pitifully before getting his just desserts. Lockhart suffered a heart attack on March 30, 1957, and died the next day at St. John's Hospital in West Los Angeles. He is buried in Holy Cross Cemetery.
