Jack Lilley in Little House on the Prairie - Photo: Peacock
Jack Lilley died on March 20 at Motion Picture & Television Country House Nursing Home in Woodland Hills from complications of Alzheimer's disease, according to his family.
Born on August 15, 1933 in Hughes Springs, Texas (USA), Lilley grew up in a family with a tradition of being involved in the film industry. His father rented horses to film studios, and from a young age he was introduced to the world of Hollywood cowboys.
At age 14, Lilley got his first job in a Durango Kid film. After serving in the Navy, he joined the Screen Actors Guild (SAG) in 1955 and quickly established a career as a stuntman.
Jack Lilley's life with horses
Lilley was known for his horsemanship and appeared in many classic Western films. He appeared in Gunsmoke, Bonanza, Wagon Train, Maverick, The Virginian and The Wild Wild West .
On the big screen, he starred in The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance (1962), Cat Ballou (1965), Young Guns (1988), Army of Darkness (1992) and Planet of the Apes (2001).
Jack Lilley in 2022, still living with his wife on their farm before moving into a nursing home due to old age - Photo: The Signal
He also collaborated with Clint Eastwood on both the small and big screens, from the Rawhide series to the films Sudden Impact (1983) and Pink Cadillac (1989).
In Blazing Saddles (1974), he had a memorable scene where he and his horse slid into a mud puddle - an accidental accident that director Mel Brooks kept in the film.
In addition to his stunt career, Lilley was also an action coordinator and animal trainer. His company, Movin' On Livestock, provided horses for many films, including City Slickers (1991), where he instructed Billy Crystal on horseback riding.
On Instagram, Little House on the Prairie star Melissa Gilbert emotionally wrote: "Our little family has lost a loved one.
When I was a little girl, he taught me to ride a horse with great patience. He never refused when I ran up to him and asked, 'Can we go riding? Please, please, please!'"
Melissa Gilbert shares that Jack Lilley was part of her family for many years on the set of Little House on the Prairie - Photo: Peacock/Everett Collection
She also shared a special memory of when the two reunited in Then Came Jones , an experimental Western.
"We read the script at Paramount Studios, where Little House on the Prairie was filmed for the first four years. When I got to the Big Sky Ranch set, I just walked in and heard that familiar voice: 'Hey Halfpint, you little devil!'. At that moment, I knew I was home," she said emotionally.
Gilbert closed his farewell to Lilley with a quote from Shakespeare: "Oh Jack… gentle prince… may the angels sing you to your peaceful rest. Love forever, your Halfpint."
In more than 50 years of practice, Lilley suffered only one serious injury - a broken nose. He married his wife, Irene, in 1957, and she died last May at the age of 95. He is survived by three sons - Clay, Clint and Ben - five grandchildren and six great-grandchildren.
His death left great sorrow for his colleagues, especially the Little House on the Prairie crew when they only reunited last year to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the film's release, in March 2024.
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