The actor who brought Pinocchio to life in Walt Disney’s animated movie Pinocchio passed away in his home Monday night, according to the Los Angeles County coroner’s office.
Richard Percy Jones, better known as Dick Jones, was found by his daughter on the bathroom floor of his Northbridge, California home. The cause of death has yet to be determined.
In 2002 Disney Studios named Jones a “Disney Legend” in recognition of his work in Pinocchio. “At the time, Pinocchio was just a job,” spoke Jones at the time on induction. “Who knew it would turn out to be the classic that it is today? I count my lucky stars that I had a part in it.”
Along with Pinocchio, Jones is credited with roles in films such as Mr. Smith Goes to Washington, Destry Rides Again, Errol Flynn’s Rocky Mountain and several others before the start of his television career in 1949.
During his television career, Jones portrayed the sidekick in The Range Rider series before the start of his own western series, Buffalo Bill, Jr. in the 1950’s. Along with The Range Rider and Buffalo Bill Jr., Jones had more than 200 television appearances.
According to Disney, when Jones left acting in 1959 in order to begin a career in real estate, he had appeared in nearly 100 movies.
Jones was 87 when he passed.
