Patty Maloney, best known for her role on Little House on the Prairie, has died at 89. Her brother confirmed she passed away March 31 in Winter Park, Florida, after years of health issues and hospice care following multiple strokes.
Born Patricia Anne Maloney in 1936 in New York, she began performing on Broadway at age three and later toured with carnivals and even Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus. After her husband’s death in 1968, she returned to acting and built a diverse career in television and film.
She was known for playing Honk on Far Out Space Nuts, Lumpy in the Star Wars Holiday Special, and Tina the robot on Buck Rogers in the 25th Century. She also appeared on shows like Charlie’s Angels and The Love Boat, and in films including Ernest Saves Christmas.
In 2010, she was diagnosed with age-related macular degeneration, which affected her vision.