Lance Kerwin, a former child artist who became well-known after appearing in several TV movies and shows, passed away at 62 on Tuesday, January 24, 2023. The actor played Danny Peters in the western historical drama series Little House on the Prairie. He has also appeared as the lead in made-for-TV projects such as The Loneliest Runner, Salem's Lot, and James at 15.
Kerwin's passing was confirmed by his daughter Savanah Kerwin, who shared the sad news in a Facebook post. Addressing her friends on Facebook, Savanah wrote:
"I am so sorry to those we have not been able to reach out to personally to notify, but Lance Kerwin passed away yesterday morning. We appreciate all the kind words, memories, and prayers that have been shared. As the coming weeks progress, I will share more information about after life ceremonies. He loved each and every one of you."
As of this writing, the cause of death is still unknown.
"One of the greatest child actors of any era": Netizens pay tribute to Lance Kerwin on Twitter
After netizens learned about Kerwin's passing through his daughter's Facebook post, they rushed to Twitter to pay tribute to the late actor. Many shared their memories of how they were familiar with Kerwin's work during their childhood. User @BillGanz even wrote how Lance Kerwin will be "one of the greatest child actors of any era."
Several actors and celebrities have also paid tribute to Kerwin. Renowned Canadian voice actor David Sobolov thanked Lance for helping him "navigate being a teenager" through performances:
"Lance Kerwin was a few years older than me but played characters who were almost exactly my age when I was in my teens. His performances helped me a lot to navigate being a teenager. Thanks for that, Lance."
Kerwin's co-star from Escape to Witch Mountain, Ike Eisenmann, also shared his heartfelt message on Twitter that the late-actor was his inspiration to be the best in life:
"I am beyond heartbroken to hear of the passing of one of my greatest friends and co-stars I have ever worked with, Lance Kerwin. He was the child actor that inspired me to be the best that I could be because he was the best I had ever seen. Rest in peace my friend."
Meanwhile, Grammy-winner Michael McKean, also famous for playing Chuck McGill on Better Call Saul, wrote that Lance Kerwin had a "terrific humanity" rarely seen in actors:
"I never met Lance Kerwin, but I did have a TV in the '70s, and saw a lot of kid actors. This one had a terrific humanity you didn't see just everywhere. RIP Lance Kerwin."
For those unaware, Savanah Kerwin also created a GoFundMe page with a $10,000 goal after her father's death to support her siblings Fox, Terah, Kailani, and Justus. Readers can find the link to the fundraiser on Savanah's Facebook timeline.
Kerwin is survived by his wife, Yvonne, and five children, including his daughter Savanah, from his first marriage.