Remembering ‘Little Home of the Prairie Actors’ Who Have Died

Shannen Doherty

Shannen Doherty died on July 13, 2024 after years of residing with most cancers.

“It’s with a heavy coronary heart that I verify the passing of actress Shannen Doherty. On Saturday, July 13, she misplaced her battle with most cancers after a few years of combating the illness,” Doherty’s longtime publicist Leslie Sloane confirmed in an unique assertion to PEOPLE on Sunday, July 14.

“The devoted daughter, sister, aunt and good friend was surrounded by her family members in addition to her canine, Bowie. The household asks for his or her privateness presently to allow them to grieve in peace,” Sloane continued of the actress who was first recognized with breast most cancers in 2015.

One among Doherty’s very first roles as an actress — earlier than she went on to star on reveals like Beverly Hills, 90210 and Charmed — was Jenny Wilder on the ultimate season of Little Home.

Michael Landon

Beloved actor Michael Landon, who performed Charles Ingalls, died on July 1, 1991. The daddy of 9 had gone public along with his pancreatic most cancers prognosis only a few months earlier.

A long time later Gilbert opened up about one of many classes she discovered from Landon that caught along with her all these years later.

“There’s a lot that I discovered, notably from Michael Landon. One of many issues that he actually instilled in us is that no one in all us was any extra particular than anybody else who labored on the present, interval, full cease,” she instructed PEOPLE of the late-actor.

“No one had trailers that have been large and have been competing with each other. All of us had one room on a honey wagon. He did too. Little rooms, one after one other after one other,” she continued. “Nobody obtained something higher than anybody else.”

On the thirty first anniversary of his dying, Gilbert shared that she was “aching for” the actor who she known as “my mentor, my performing companion, my favourite director, father determine, good friend, and boss.”

Patty Maloney

Patty Maloney, who performed Alice Bates on Little Home, died on March 31, 2025 after experiencing “a number of” strokes over time, her brother Dave Myrabo, instructed The Hollywood Reporter. She was 89.

“For a little bit individual rising up in an enormous world, she did every little thing she needed to do,” her brother instructed the outlet.

Billy Barty

Maloney’s onscreen husband Billy Barty died in December 2000 from coronary heart failure, ABC Information reported on the time. Along with his résumé as an actor, Barty was an advocate for others with dwarfism and based the Little Folks of America group and the Billy Barty Basis.

Dabbs Greer

Dabbs Greer, who performed Reverand Robert Alden on Little Home, died in Might 2007 at 90 years previous. His dying got here as he’d been residing with each kidney and coronary heart illness, quite a few shops confirmed on the time.

As was defined on the Little Home on the Prairie Instagram web page in celebration of the late-actor’s birthday, Greer’s character wasn’t part of Laura Ingalls Wilder’s books, however served extra as a composite illustration of Wilder’s spiritual influences.

“Though Reverend Alden wasn’t a personality in Laura Ingalls Wilder’s books, he fantastically captured the spirit of the various kind-hearted reverends who helped information Laura and her household via pioneer life,” the submit shared.

Victor French

Victor French not solely appeared in additional than 50 episodes and all three motion pictures as Isaiah Edwards, he additionally directed 18 episodes in addition to the movies Little Home: Look Again to Yesterday and Little Home: Bless All of the Pricey Kids.

Earlier than his dying in June 1989, at 54 from lung most cancers, his last position was Mark Gordon on 5 seasons of Freeway to Heaven, on which he reunited with Landon.

Ernest Borgnine

Ernest Borgnine made a quick look on Little Home amid his long-spanning profession that dated again to the Fifties with roles in movies like From Right here to Eternity and Marty. Above, he is seen only a few months earlier than his dying in July 2012 at 95 of renal failure, per The Hollywood Reporter.

Hersha Parady

Hersha Parady, who stepped into the position of Alice Garvey throughout the fourth season of Little Home, died in August 2023 at her son Jonathan Peverall’s residence. The actress had been residing with a mind tumor earlier than her dying at 78.

Katherine MacGregor

Katherine “Scottie” MacGregor, who appeared within the majority of episodes of Little Home because the villainous Harriet Oleson, died in 2018 at her residence. She was 93.

Initially, MacGregor’s character was speculated to make solely occasional appearances, however she was promoted to collection common after her efficiency was so well-received.

Following her dying, Melissa Gilbert, who led the present as Laura Ingalls, reminisced about her time with MacGregor and shared: “The factor individuals exterior of our prairie household didn’t know, was how loving and nurturing she was with the youthful solid.”

Richard Bull

Richard Bull, who performed MacGregor’s onscreen husband Nels Oleson, died in 2014 at 89.

A couple of years after the present ended, Bull was in a position to reunite with Landon when he appeared on Freeway to Heaven.

Kevin Hagen

Kevin Hagen performed city physician and veterinarian Dr. Hiram “Doc” Baker on Little Home starting in 1974. After the present ended, he went on to land a number of roles together with a one-man present titled Playful Dose of Prairie Knowledge, primarily based on his Little Home character.

Following his prognosis of esophageal most cancers in 2004, Hagen died in July 2005.

Merlin Olsen

When Merlin Olsen stepped into the position of Jonathan Garvey on Little Home in 1977 he had already been a MVP-winning NFL participant. He died in 2010 at 69 after being recognized with mesothelioma the earlier yr.

Jack Lilley

On March 21, 2025, Gilbert shared that “one in all my favourite individuals on the planet”, former castmate Jack Lilley, had died at 91.

“He taught me experience a horse after I was only a wee little factor. He was so affected person with me. He by no means mentioned no after I would sure as much as him squealing, ‘Can we go experience? Please, please, please?’,” Gilbert wrote of the actor who performed quite a few roles on the collection and likewise appeared in Blazing Saddles.

“He lived fairly a life,” she added. “I’m so fortunate that he was my good friend.”