Patty Maloney, ‘Little House on the Prairie’ Actress, Dies at 89

Actress Patty Maloney, beloved for her role in Little House on the Prairie and a variety of TV and film appearances, has passed away at the age of 89. Her brother, Dave Myrabo, confirmed to The Hollywood Reporter that she died on March 31 while in hospice care in Winter Park, Florida, following a series of strokes in recent years.

Born Patricia Anne Maloney on March 17, 1936, in Perkinsville, New York, she began performing on Broadway at just three years old. Standing 3 feet 11 inches tall, Maloney found a unique place in Hollywood and built a decades-long career in entertainment.

After her father passed away when she was seven, her family relocated to Winter Park, where she was raised by her mother and stepfather. As a young performer, she appeared in traveling shows, summer carnivals, and even spent a year with the Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus.

She later attended the University of Florida and worked briefly as a keypunch operator before taking a job with National Airlines in New York. Following the death of her husband, Maloney returned to show business, joining the Krofft brothers’ puppet show Fol-de-Rol.

She gained fame as Honk on the children’s show Far Out Space Nuts and captured hearts as Lumpy, Chewbacca’s son, in the 1978 Star Wars Holiday Special. Maloney also voiced Darla Hood in the animated Little Rascals series.

Her long list of TV credits includes appearances on Donny & Marie, Charlie’s Angels, The Love Boat, and Buck Rogers in the 25th Century, where she played Tina, a robot waitress.

Maloney’s unique charm and dedication to her craft left a lasting impact on audiences and the industry alike.