“The Little House of Prairie” actor Jack Lily passed away at the age of 91.
Fellow castmate Melissa Gilbert announced Lily’s death on Instagram on Friday, calling her late friend “one of my favourite people on earth.”
“The family in the small house lost one of our own,” she said. “He taught me how to ride a horse when it was a little bit of a problem. He’s become so patient with me. Gilbert wrote on social media.
She commemorated Lily, remembering some of her most precious memories with him. Gilbert said Lily played a variety of roles in the iconic series originally aired on NBC from 1974 to 1983.
“In addition to the double photo of Victor French, he was featured prominently in many different roles in Little House, and you can also see his absolute glow in the film’s burning saddle,” she wrote in a statement.
SANTA CLARITA, CA – February 12: Actor Jack Lily will be taking part in a special outdoor screening of spaghetti western “No Name & Dynamite” at Sable Ranch in Santa CLARITA, CA on February 12, 2022. (Photo by Robin L. Marshall/Getty Images)
Gilbert revealed he reconnected with Lily on the ABC pilot over 20 years ago. She said “I’m very angry when it wasn’t picked up,” but the reunion “hadowed memorable memories of the little house.”
“Jack always felt like my home,” she said.
“He had a pretty good life. I’m very fortunate because he was my friend.”
Gilbert sent her love and prayers to Lily’s family in handling this devastating loss.
SANTA CLARITA, CA – February 12: (LR) George Sack, Errol Sack, Jack Lily and Clin Lily will be taking part in a special outdoor screening of “No Name & Dynamite” in western Spaghetti at Sable Ranch in Santa CLARITA, CA on February 12, 2022. (Photo by Robin L. Marshall/Getty Images)
“Yeah, Jack… Like a prince… the flight of an angel will sing you,” she wrote.(Related: Soapstar Wingshauser dies at 78)
The circumstances leading up to Lily’s death have not been revealed.
