Tonight, it is with a heavy heart that we adjourn our meeting in honor of Jack Lilley.
Jack is a dear friend, who I’ve known my entire life.
Born on August 15, 1931, right here in Santa Clarita, he started his career in the late 1940s, following his horse-wrangler father into the entertainment industry.
Jack was a trained horseman and began landing stunt, animal-coordinating, and background actor work in early-TV Westerns, such as:
- Wagon Train,
- Death Valley Days
- Nearly three dozen episodes of Zorro!
He also worked on a number of big-screen Westerns of the era.
In the Western comedy classic Blazing Saddles, Jack pulled off the wild and renowned horse fall.
When the rowdy “pack of murderers and thieves” first descends on the poor residents of Rock Ridge, Jack is riding a horse that appears to slip on a wooden boardwalk and falls into a waterhole.
He sat down with former Mayor Bob Kellar on SCVTV to talk about that famous stunt – let’s listen in on part of that interview.
Beyond his professional achievements, Jack was a storyteller, a joker, and a true horseman.
In fact, I got many of my beloved horses from him.
Jack’s family meant the world to him.
He is survived by his three sons, five grandchildren, and six great-grandchildren.
His memory and infectious personality will live on through his family, his film legacy, and his place on the Walk of Western Stars in Old Town Newhall.
Our thoughts are with his family and friends during this tough time.