Veteran Hollywood stuntman and ‘Little House on the Prairie’ actor Jack Lilley dead aged 91
After a career spanning roles in some of cinema’s most iconic TV shows and movies, Jack Lilley – the veteran Hollywood stuntman and actor best known for his work on ‘Little House on the Prairie’ – has died aged 91.
Veteran Hollywood stuntman and actor Jack Lilley – best known for his work on ‘Little House on the Prairie’ – has died aged 91.
Melissa Gilbert, 60, who played Laura Ingalls Wilder on the beloved television series, shared the news of his passing on Instagram.
She said: “The Little House family has lost one of our own. Jack Lilley has passed away,”
The actress also hailed Jack as “one of my favourite people on the planet”.
Melissa went on to pay tribute to Lilley’s impact on her life, recalling he taught her how to ride a horse when she was young.
She said: “He was so patient with me. He never said no when I would bound up to him squealing, ‘Can we go ride? Please, please, please?’”
Jack, who had a career spanning more than seven decades, was a skilled horseman and worked as a stagecoach driver on ‘Little House on the Prairie’.
He also doubled for actor Victor French and played various background roles, including wagon drivers and town residents.
Beyond the series, he appeared in classic westerns such as Gunsmoke, Lawman, Dallas and Fantasy Island.
Born in 1932, Jack’s career began in 1956 with a role as a cowhand in Gun for a Coward.
Over the years, he made numerous television appearances, including in ‘The Big Valley, Bonanza’ – on which he played various roles in 13 episodes between 1961 and 1972 – as well as ‘The High Chaparral’, which saw him portray a ranch hand in 15 episodes.
He also had an uncredited role in Mel Brooks’ 1974 comedy ‘Blazing Saddles’.
Jack continued to work in television and film well into the 1990s and 2000s, appearing in ‘The Magnificent Seven’, ‘Hard Promises’, and ‘Washington Square’.
He reunited with his former co-star Melissa in 2002 for the ABC pilot ‘Then Came Jones’, a western starring Sean Patrick Flanery.
She recalled about arriving on set to see Jack again: “Before I could even focus, I heard a familiar voice holler, ‘Hey Halfpint, you old rat-a**!’”
“In that instant, I knew I was home,” she said.
Michael Landon, who starred as Charles Ingalls on ‘Little House on the Prairie’, was also fond of Jack and cast him in his 1985 series ‘Highway to Heaven’.
Jack’s final screen role came in 2022’s ‘No Name and Dynamite Davenport’.
