Winter Park, Florida. Standing at just 3 feet 11 inches tall, Patty Maloney proved that no dream is too big when passion and courage prevail over any obstacle. The actress, best known for her role on Little House on the Prairie, passed away on Monday, March 31, at the age of 89, after spending her final days in hospice care in Winter Park, central Florida.
Born in 1936 as Patricia Anne Maloney in Perkinsville, New York, her life was marked by constant perseverance from a young age. Raised by her mother and stepfather in Winter Park, she became familiar with the stage early on, performing in carnivals and circuses, which paved the way for a life devoted to entertainment.
In 1961, she married Joseph Vitek and during that time worked as a keypunch operator at Clipper Carloading in Chicago. But the passing of her husband from melanoma in 1968 changed the course of her life. Encouraged by close friends, she returned to performing as a way to cope with her grief, which reignited her career and established her as a beloved figure in television and film throughout the following decades.
Among her most iconic roles, she played Lumpy, the son of Chewbacca in the Star Wars Holiday Special, and portrayed Honk in the Sid & Marty Krofft series Far Out Space Nuts. She also appeared in popular shows like Charlie’s Angels, The Love Boat, Trapper John, M.D., Star Trek: Voyager, and the film Under the Rainbow, inspired by The Wizard of Oz, released in 1981.
She was also known for voicing Darla Hood in the animated TV version of The Little Rascals. In 2005, she showcased her stage talent with her one-woman show I’m Right Tonight, proving her enduring charm and artistic strength even in later years.
Since 2010, her health began to decline following a diagnosis of age-related macular degeneration (AMD), an eye condition that affects central vision and is common among older adults. Over the following years, she also endured several strokes, which ultimately led to her being under specialized medical care during her final chapter.
«For a little person growing up in a big world, she did everything she wanted to do,» said her close friend Myrabo, emphasizing the legacy of a woman whose artistic journey, beyond physical size, stood as a constant fight to break barriers and conquer stages.