Melissa Gilbert Remembers ‘Little House on the Prairie’ Co-Star Jack Lilley After His Death: ‘One of My Favorite People on the Planet’

Actress Melissa Gilbert, known for her role in “Little House on the Prairie,” expressed a heartfelt farewell to her on-screen partner Jack Lilley, who passed away at 91 years old, on Wednesday, at the Motion Picture & Television Fund retirement home.

Lily portrayed a stagecoach driver, among other characters, throughout multiple seasons in “Little House on the Prairie.” Gilbert paid tribute to their departed friend and co-star via Instagram.

Gilbert penned down that the small family living in the house experienced a sad loss. This individual, who once guided me on horseback when I was merely a tiny child, demonstrated remarkable patience with me. He always agreed, no matter how often I’d leap towards him, excitedly begging, ‘Can we go for a ride? Pretty please!'”

Or more informally:

“Gilbert shared that the family in our little house had suffered a loss. This guy taught me to ride a horse when I was still tiny and always so patient with me. He’d never refuse my pleas, ‘Can we go for a ride? Please, please, please!’

As a cinephile reminiscing about the “Little House” days, I can’t help but delve into the rich tapestry of Gilbert’s chronicled accounts of Lilley’s extensive film and television journey. This includes their reunion on a Western pilot titled “Then Came Jones,” which featured a relatively unknown Mary Elizabeth Winstead in its stellar cast.

Gilbert expressed his delight in shooting the project, feeling disappointed when it didn’t get selected. He found the whole experience strangely coincidental. Interestingly, our initial reading took place at Paramount Studios, where we had filmed Little House for four years initially. To add to the serendipity, we learned that we would be filming at Big Sky Ranch, where we shot Little House as well. As I approached the set itself, before I could fully focus, I heard a voice shout, ‘Hey Halfpint, you old scoundrel!!!’. In that moment, I knew I was back home.

Gilbert concluded her goodbye with a quote from Shakespeare and a reference to Lilley’s affectionate term for her. “Farewell, dear Jack…gentle prince…let angelic choirs guide you to peace. Yours forever, Your Mini-Me.

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2025-03-22 20:28