Tuesday, March 29, 2016

Patty Duke (1946-2016)

News came over the wires a short while ago of the passing of actress-activist-singer Patty Duke, three months removed from her 69th birthday.

In the course of her career, Patty earned three Emmy Awards, an Oscar, and two Golden Globes for her acting. She won her Oscar, as well as a Golden Globe, for the feature film adaptation of "The Miracle Worker". When "Worker" was adapted for television a few years later, Duke won the last of her three Emmy Awards.

"Miracle Worker" aside, Duke, who was married four times, perhaps most famously to fellow actor John Astin, is still remembered for her 1963-7 self-titled sitcom. Here's the opener:



It wasn't until the 80's when Patty was diagnosed with bi-polar disorder. Her earliest managers had plied her with drugs when she was a teenager, and exploited her talent to feather their own nests, going so far as to steal her earnings for themselves. I'd say she recovered pretty nicely from that ordeal, don't you think?

We're also saying good-bye to actor James Noble, best known as bumbling governor Gene Gatling on Benson, at 94, as this news came over just hours before Patty Duke's passing.

Rest in peace.

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