‘Little House on the Prairie’ Actor Jack Lilley Dead at 91

Little House on the Prairie actor Jack Lilley has died at age 91.

Former child star Melissa Gilbert, who starred as Laura Ingalls Wilder on the beloved show, announced the news of Lilley’s death on Friday, March 21.

“The Little House family has lost one of our own,” Gilbert wrote on Instagram, calling Lilley “one of my favorite people on the planet.” She recalled, “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?’”

Lilley played a number of different roles on Little House on the Prairie and was also Victor French’s photo double, Gilbert noted, and showcased his “absolute brilliance” in Blazing Saddles.

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Gilbert then remembered reuniting with Lilley more than 20 years ago on a western pilot for ABC called Then Came Jones. While she was “so bummed when it didn’t get picked up,” Gilbert said it was a “joy to shoot” and brought her back together with Lilley.

“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,” she recalled. “My first day on set was surreal, getting my hair and makeup done, getting dressed, laced into my corset, boots etc. Such a strange deja vu.”

She continued, “Then I walked to the set itself and before I could even focus I heard a familiar voice holler, ‘Hey Halfpint, you old rat-ass!!!’ It was Jack. He was our wrangler for that pilot and by his side was Denny Allen, who had been our wrangler on Little House.
In that instant, I knew I was home. Jack always felt like home to me.”

Lilley “lived quite a life” and Gilbert said she counts herself as “so lucky” to have him as a friend. “All my love and prayers go out to his family and especially Clint (Burkey) Lilley,” she wrote, concluding, “Oh Jack….sweet prince…may flights of angels sing thee to thy rest. Love always, Your Halfpint.”