Patty Maloney, an actress known for her diverse roles in “Little House on the Prairie” and as Chewbacca’s son Lumpy in the “Star Wars Holiday Special,” has died at 89.
Her brother, Dave Myrabo, confirmed her passing on Monday, March 31, at a hospice in Winter Park, Florida, following multiple strokes over the years.
“For a little person growing up in a big world, she did everything she wanted to do,” Myrabo told The Hollywood Reporter.
Standing 3 feet 11 inches tall, Maloney crafted a significant four-decade career in television, film, and voice acting. Her determination and skills enabled her to navigate an industry with limited opportunities for little people.
Before her Hollywood success, Maloney worked with carnivals and the Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus until marrying Joseph Vitek in 1961. This early stage experience formed a basis for her later achievements in front of the camera.
After Vitek’s death in 1968, Maloney returned to entertainment, initially working as a puppeteer on “Fol-de-Pol,” a 1972 filmed version of a Sid and Marty Krofft live puppet show. This marked the start of her extensive entertainment career.
Her career gained traction in the 1970s with her role as Honk on Sid & Marty Krofft’s “Far Out Space Nuts.” Her performance was notable for expressing emotions without spoken dialogue.
“Her extensive dancing and mime skills enabled her to convey a full range of emotions for Honk without ever speaking a word of dialogue — and with her facial features utterly obscured,” noted Hal Erickson in his 2007 book on Saturday morning children’s television.
Science fiction fans remember her for playing Lumpy, Chewbacca’s son, in the 1978 “Star Wars Holiday Special,” which has achieved cult status. Despite being critically panned, it aired once and survives through bootleg recordings, preserving Maloney’s role for Star Wars fans.
Maloney’s varied career included appearances on popular TV shows like “Charlie’s Angels,” “The Love Boat,” “Married… with Children,” and “My Name Is Earl.” She also appeared on the “Brady Bunch Variety Hour” and “Donny & Marie” variety series in the 1970s.
Her television work also encompassed TV movies such as “Don’t Be Afraid of the Dark” and “Punch and Jody,” demonstrating her adaptability as a performer in various formats and genres.
Film audiences may recall Maloney from “Ernest Saves Christmas,” “The Ice Pirates,” and “Swing Shift.” She frequently collaborated with fellow little person actor Billy Barty, working on projects like “Under the Rainbow,” a film loosely based on “The Wizard of Oz.”
Her voice acting included characters in animated series such as “The Little Rascals,” where she voiced Darla Hood, and “Scooby-Doo and the Ghoul School.” This allowed her to demonstrate her range beyond physical acting, creating memorable characters for young audiences.
Maloney began facing significant health issues in 2010 with a diagnosis of age-related macular degeneration (AMD). According to the National Eye Institute, AMD is caused by aging-related damage to the macula, which affects sharp, straight-ahead vision, blurring central vision. This condition greatly impacted her ability to read scripts in later years.
Despite this, Maloney continued performing, presenting a one-woman show titled “I’m Right Tonight” in 2005, showcasing her dedication to her craft.
Born in Perkinsville, New York, in 1936, Maloney grew up in Winter Park, Florida. She started her entertainment journey as a dancer in Florida before joining National Airlines in New York, where she met her husband.
Their marriage was brief due to Vitek’s passing, and Maloney also lost her premature baby. Friends encouraged her return to acting as a way to handle her grief, leading to her successful entertainment career.
Maloney is survived by her brother Dave, nieces, and a brother-in-law. Her enduring impact on audiences spans multiple generations, from children’s programming to science fiction cult classics.
