The actor and stuntman Jack Lilley, who spent more than seven decades in the entertainment industry and worked on films like ‘Blazing Saddles’ and TV shows like ‘Little House on the Prairie,’ has died at the age of 91.
Melissa Gilbert, his co-star, posted on Instagram, saying Lilley was ‘one of my favorite people on the planet.
In her post, she said, “The little house family has lost one of our own. 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?”
Following his passing, his granddaughter, Savanah Dawn Lilley, shared the news on Instagram with a tender message, quoting:
“The man who started it all. Figuratively and literally. The card shark, the horse trader, the wrangler, the man with a story for everything, he always knew someone who could help if he couldn’t, known to many as friend, storyteller, joker, and a heck of a horseman, and his favorite, PAPA.”
Jack Lilley’s story starts in Santa Clarita, California. He was born on August 15, 1933. He grew up around horses. His dad was a horse wrangler in the movie business. So, it was natural for Jack to follow in those footsteps.
He began working in the late 1940s. That’s a long time ago! He did stunts and worked with animals. He also acted in many Western TV shows. You might have seen him in “Wagon Train” or “Zorro.” He was in lots of those classic shows.
He even worked on big movies. He was part of films directed by John Ford. That’s a very famous director! He worked on “How the West Was Won” and “The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance.” Those are classic Westerns with big stars like John Wayne and James Stewart.
Then, there was “Little House on the Prairie.” He was in many episodes of that popular show. He did acting, stunts, and even helped behind the scenes. He also worked with Michael Landon again on “Highway to Heaven”. He was a very versatile person in the film industry.
One of his most memorable moments was in “Blazing Saddles.” That Mel Brooks movie is a comedy classic. He did a funny stunt where he and his horse fell into a waterhole. He also recalled working on other memorable scenes from that movie. He had many amazing stories from his long career.