Little House on The Prairie star Jack Lilley has died at the age of 91 and his co-star Melissa Gilbert has paid tribute to the late actor on social media
Jack Lilley, known for his role in Little House On The Prairie, has passed away at the age of 91. His co-star Melissa Gilbert, who portrayed Laura Ingalls Wilder on the show, confirmed the sad news.
The 60-year-old actress took to Instagram to share her heartfelt tribute: “The little house family has lost one of our own. Jack Lilley has passed away. He was 91 years old. He also happened to be one of my favourite people on the planet,” she penned.
“He taught me how to ride a horse when I was just a wee little thing. 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?’
This follows another sad week in Hollywood, after the Gene Hackman case shocked fans across the globe, which was not the first shock acting loss of the month.
Aside from being Victor French’s photo double, he was featured prominently in many different roles on Little House. You can also see his absolute brilliance in the film Blazing Saddles,” she added.
Gilbert’s lengthy homage, accompanied by photos of the late actor, went on to reminisce about another occasion they worked together on an early 2000s western pilot.
“In 2002 (ish) I had the great pleasure of acting in a western pilot for ABC, produced by Chris Brancato and Bert Salke, starring my pal, Sean Patrick Flanery, called Then Came Jones. (Mary Elizabeth Winstead, in her very first role, played my daughter). It was a joy to shoot and I was so bummed when it didn’t get picked up.”, reports the Express.
“It was all very synchronistic. Our first read though was at Paramount Studios, where we had shot Little House the first four years. It was also on Halloween, which is Michael Landon’s birthday. That day, I also found out we would be shooting at Big Sky Ranch, where we had shot little house.”
My first day on set felt like a trip down memory lane – getting my hair and makeup done, slipping into my corset, boots and all. It was an uncanny sense of deja vu.
Then, as I approached the set, before I could even take it all in, I heard a voice from the past call out, ‘Hey Halfpint, you old rat-a**!!!’ It was Jack. He was our wrangler for that pilot, and right there with him was Denny Allen, who’d been our wrangler on Little House. In that moment, I was certain – I was home.
“Jack always felt like home to me. He lived quite a life. I am so lucky that he was my friend. All my love and prayers go out to his family.”
Jack, a stuntman turned actor, got his first acting gig in 1956 with a role as a cowhand in ‘Gun For A Coward’, and went on to snag small, often uncredited parts in flicks like ‘Drango’, ‘Fury At Showdown’, ‘The Hard Man’, ‘Wagon Train’, ‘Ride A Crooked Trail’, ‘Cimarron City’, and ‘Lawman’. He featured in three episodes of the iconic western series ‘The Big Valley’ and made appearances on ‘Family Affair’ and ‘The Wild Wild West’.
Back in 1967, while working as a ranch hand on The High Chaparral, he found himself acting in 15 episodes. This gig led to more western roles in iconic shows like Bonanza and Gunsmoke.
But Jack wasn’t just a one-trick pony; he also landed parts in modern classics such as Dallas and Fantasy Island. His talent caught the eye of Little House on The Prairie’s Michael Landon, who was so taken with Jack that he cast him in his next smash, Highway To Heaven, in 1985.
His daughter Dawn also shared a heartfelt tribute: “Jack went to be with his bride, Irene, tonight. He just couldn’t bear another second without her. You left one heck of a mark on this world, Papa. Your laugh and spark in your eyes when you saw the ones you loved will stay with us forever.”
The cause of death hasn’t been disclosed yet, and details of the memorial service are expected to be announced soon.
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Source: Celebrities - dailystar.co.uk
