Jack Lilley, renowned Hollywood stuntman and long-time Santa Clarita Valley resident, died Wednesday, March 19. He was 91.
Lilley was enshrined on the Newhall Walk of Western Stars in 2008.
His death was reported on Instagram by his son Clint Lilley:
“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 went to be with his bride, Irene, tonight. He just couldn’t bear another second without her. You left one heck of a mark on this world, Papa. Your laugh and spark in your eyes when you saw the ones you loved will stay with us forever.
“Thank you to all of our family and friends for reaching out. We will let you know about a service to celebrate the life of Jack Lilley.”
Rancher, stuntman, and second-generation movie critter wrangler Jack Lilley is pictured in this undated photo. Photo courtesy Lilley Family.
Lilley’s career included work as a stuntman in more than 300 movies and television shows, specializing in stunts involving horses.
He was born Aug. 15, 1933, in Santa Clarita. His father raised and trained horses, renting the animals to movie studios.
Lilley’s father began to work on set as a stuntman in movies, inspiring his son to follow in his father’s footsteps. According to Lilley, in a 2017 interview, with his children and grandchildren also in the entertainment business, four generations of Lilleys have been a part of Hollywood.
Some of Lilley’s well-known features include “Planet of the Apes” (2001), “Sudden Impact” (1983), and “The Legend of Zorro” (2005), as well as additional work via his movie ranch on films like “Cowboys and Aliens” (2011).
Lilley will also be remembered for doing the horse fall in the Mel Brooks classic “Blazing Saddles” (1974) where Mongo, played by Alex Karras, punched a horse.
Lilley’s work on television included “Gunsmoke,” “Bonanza,” “High Chaparral,” and other westerns.
Melissa Gilbert, star of “Little House on the Prairie,” wrote on her Instagram about her relationship with Lilley:
“The little house family has lost one of our own. Jack Lilley has passed away. He was 91 years old.
“He also happened to be one of my favorite people on the planet.
“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?’
“Aside from being Victor French’s photo double, Lilley was featured prominently in many different roles on ‘Little House.’ You can also see his absolute brilliance in the film ‘Blazing Saddles.’
“In 2002 (ish) I had the great pleasure of acting in a western pilot for ABC, produced by Chris Brancato and Bert Salke, starring my pal, Sean Patrick Flanery, called ‘Then Came Jones. (Mary Elizabeth Winstead, in her very first role, played my daughter.)
“It was a joy to shoot and I was so bummed when it didn’t get picked up.
“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.’
“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.
“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.
“He lived quite a life. I am so lucky that he was my friend.
“All my love and prayers go out to his family and especially Clint (Burkey) Lilley. @stuntbagdrag
“Oh Jack….sweet prince…may flights of angels sing thee to thy rest.
“Love always.”
Lilley was preceded in death by his wife Irene, who died at home on the Lilley Ranch in Canyon Country on May 24, 2024.
Lilley was interviewed by Leon Worden of the Santa Clarita Valley Historical Society and former Santa Clarita Mayor Bob Kellar as part of the SCVTV Legacy series in 2017.
Longtime Canyon Country resident Irene Lilley, wife of renowned movie-TV stuntman and 2008 Walk of Western Stars honoree Jack Lilley, turned 90 on April 4 and celebrated Sunday with her family and friends at the home her grandparents built and that she's lived in all her life.
[KHTS] - Two dogs allegedly attacked a pair of horses while their owners rode them through a wash near Soledad Canyon Road in Canyon Country on Friday. Natalie Lilley, of Saugus, was horseback riding with her 12-year-old daughter at 8:30 a.m. Friday when an unidentified woman “lost control” of her…
[KHTS] - County animal control officials have been unable to identify the two dogs in last week’s attack using their database of licenses, a representative said Tuesday. Natalie Lilley, of Saugus, was horseback riding with her 12-year-old daughter at 8:30 a.m. Friday when an unidentified woman “lost control” of her two…
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