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Patty Duke

Acting 69 (deceased) years old Elmhurst, Queens, New York, United States ★ 1.1
Born: December 14, 1946
Died: March 29, 2016

Biography

Anna Marie Duke (December 14, 1946 - March 29, 2016), known professionally as Patty Duke, was an American actress. Beginning her acting career in commercials and playing bit parts in television and movies, her breakthrough role was as Helen Keller in the Broadway version of "The Miracle Worker" (1959 - 1961). For the 1962 film adaptation, Duke reprised her role, which won the Academy Award for best supporting actress - at age 16, she was the youngest person ever to win an Oscar (a record later broken by Tatum O'Neal in 1973). Other early films included Billie (1965), Valley of the Dolls (1967), and Me, Natalie (1969). On television, Duke starred in the popular teen sitcom The Patty Duke Show (1963 - 1966), playing a dual role and garnering the first of ten Emmy nominations. She won Emmys for her roles in television film My Sweet Charlie (1970), miniseries Captains and the Kings (1976), and the 1979 TV movie version of The Miracle Worker (1979), this time portraying Annie Sullivan. She served as president of the Screen Actors Guild from 1985 - 1988.

Off-screen, Duke's life was often tumultuous. Born in Elmhurst, New York, to Frances Margaret (McMahon), a cashier, and John Patrick Duke, a cab driver and handyman, her acting career began at age eight when she was turned over to her brother Ray Duke's managers, John and Ethel Ross, who changed her name and engaged in exploitative behavior. Duke was married four times: to director Harry Falk from 1965 - 1969; to writer Michael Tell in 1970 (with whom she became mother to actor Sean Astin); to actor John Astin from 1972 - 1985 (with who she became mother to actress Mackenzie Astin); and to drill sergeant Michael Pearce from 1986 until her death (with whom she had two stepdaughters and an adopted son Kevin). In 1982, she was diagnosed with bipolar disorder, which was the subject of her second book, "A Brilliant Madness: Living with Manic Depression Illness" (1992). Duke was also a political advocate for issues such as the ERA (Equal Rights Amendment), AIDS awareness, and nuclear disarmament. She died on March 29, 2016, in Coeur d'Alene, Idaho, of sepsis from a ruptured intestine.

Filmography

Acting Credits (151)

Power of the Air
Power of the Air Charlene Summers 2018
Liv and Maddie
Liv and Maddie Great Aunt Hilary 2013
Liv and Maddie
Liv and Maddie Grandma Janice 2013
Amazing Love
Amazing Love Helen 2012
Unanswered Prayers
Unanswered Prayers Irene 2010
Hawaii Five-0
Hawaii Five-0 Sylvia Spencer 2010
Drop Dead Diva
Drop Dead Diva 2009
Glee
Glee Jan 2009
Love Finds A Home
Love Finds A Home Mary 2009
Gotta Get Off This Merry-Go-Round: 'Valley of the Dolls'
Gotta Get Off This Merry-Go-Round: 'Valley of the Dolls' Neely O'Hara/Self 2006
The Divine Ms. Susann
The Divine Ms. Susann Self (archive footage) 2006
The Dish on Dolls
The Dish on Dolls Neely O'Hara (archive footage) 2006
Falling in Love with the Girl Next Door
Falling in Love with the Girl Next Door Bridget Connolly 2006
Bigger Than the Sky
Bigger Than the Sky Mrs. Keene / Earlene 2005
Murder Without Conviction
Murder Without Conviction Mother Joseph 2004
Sex at 24 Frames Per Second
Sex at 24 Frames Per Second Self 2003
Little John
Little John Sylvia 2002
Good Day Live
Good Day Live Self 2001
Miracle on the Mountain: The Kincaid Family Story
Miracle on the Mountain: The Kincaid Family Story Anne Kincaid 2001
First Years
First Years 2001
Love Lessons
Love Lessons Sunny Andrews 2000
Backstory
Backstory Herself - Interviewee 2000
A Season for Miracles
A Season for Miracles Angel 1999
Kimberly
Kimberly Dr. Feinstenberger 1999
Family Law
Family Law Judge Sylvia Formenti 1999
Judging Amy
Judging Amy Valerie Bing 1999
Hollywood Screen Tests: Take 1
Hollywood Screen Tests: Take 1 Self (archive footage) (uncredited) 1999
The Patty Duke Show: Still Rockin' in Brooklyn Heights
The Patty Duke Show: Still Rockin' in Brooklyn Heights Patty Lane / Cathy Lane MacAllister 1999
When He Didn't Come Home
When He Didn't Come Home Faye Dolan 1998
A Christmas Memory
A Christmas Memory Sook 1997
To Face Her Past
To Face Her Past Beth Bradfield 1996
Harvest of Fire
Harvest of Fire Annie Beiler 1996
Race Against Time: The Search for Sarah
Race Against Time: The Search for Sarah Natalie Porter 1996
When the Vows Break
When the Vows Break Barbara Parker 1995
Amazing Grace
Amazing Grace Hannah Miller 1995
Cries from the Heart
Cries from the Heart Terry 1994
Touched by an Angel
Touched by an Angel Nancy Williams 1994
Touched by an Angel
Touched by an Angel Jean 1994
One Woman's Courage
One Woman's Courage Grace McKenna 1994
Intimate Portrait
Intimate Portrait Self - Narrator (voice) 1993
Intimate Portrait
Intimate Portrait Self 1993
A Matter of Justice
A Matter of Justice 1993
No Child of Mine
No Child of Mine Lucille Jenkins 1993
Frasier
Frasier Alice (voice) 1993
Family of Strangers
Family of Strangers Beth Thompson 1993
A Killer Among Friends
A Killer Among Friends Jean Monroe 1992
Prelude to a Kiss
Prelude to a Kiss Mrs. Boyle 1992
Grave Secrets: The Legacy of Hilltop Drive
Grave Secrets: The Legacy of Hilltop Drive Jean Williams 1992
Last Wish
Last Wish Betty Rollin 1992
The Torkelsons
The Torkelsons Catharine Jeffers 1991
Absolute Strangers
Absolute Strangers Judge Ray 1991
Always Remember I Love You
Always Remember I Love You Ruth Monroe 1990
Call Me Anna
Call Me Anna Anna Marie Duke/ Patty Duke 1990
Everybody's Baby: The Rescue of Jessica McClure
Everybody's Baby: The Rescue of Jessica McClure Carolyn Henry 1989
Amityville: The Evil Escapes
Amityville: The Evil Escapes Nancy Evans 1989
Hitch-Hikers
Hitch-Hikers 1989
Fatal Judgement
Fatal Judgement Anne Capute 1988
Perry Mason: The Case of the Avenging Ace
Perry Mason: The Case of the Avenging Ace Althea Sloan 1988
J.J. Starbuck
J.J. Starbuck 1987
Karen's Song
Karen's Song Karen Matthews 1987
Fight for Life
Fight for Life Shirley Abrams 1987
Willy/Milly
Willy/Milly Doris Niceman 1986
George Washington II: The Forging of a Nation
George Washington II: The Forging of a Nation Martha Washington 1986
George Washington II: The Forging of a Nation
George Washington II: The Forging of a Nation Martha Washington 1986
A Time to Triumph
A Time to Triumph 1986
Hail to the Chief
Hail to the Chief President Julia Mansfield 1985
George Washington
George Washington Martha Washington 1984
Best Kept Secrets
Best Kept Secrets Laura Dietz 1984
September Gun
September Gun Sister Dulcina 1983
Please Don't Hit Me, Mom
Please Don't Hit Me, Mom Barbara Reynolds 1983
Something So Right
Something So Right Jeanne Bosnick 1982
It Takes Two
It Takes Two Molly Quinn 1982
Hotel
Hotel 1982
By Design
By Design Helen 1982
I Love Liberty
I Love Liberty Self 1982
Entertainment Tonight
Entertainment Tonight Self 1981
The Violation of Sarah McDavid
The Violation of Sarah McDavid Sarah McDavid 1981
The Girl on the Edge of Town
The Girl on the Edge of Town Martha Swenson 1981
The Babysitter
The Babysitter Liz Benedict 1980
Mom, the Wolfman and Me
Mom, the Wolfman and Me Deborah Bergman 1980
The Women's Room
The Women's Room Lily 1980
The Miracle Worker
The Miracle Worker Anne Sullivan 1979
Before and After
Before and After Carole Matthews 1979
Hanging by a Thread
Hanging by a Thread Sue Grainger 1979
Hanging by a Thread
Hanging by a Thread Sue Grainger 1979
Women in White
Women in White Cathy Payson 1979
The Swarm
The Swarm Rita 1978
A Family Upside Down
A Family Upside Down Wendy 1978
Having Babies III
Having Babies III Leslee Wexler 1978
Inside 'the Swarm'
Inside 'the Swarm' Self 1978
The Storyteller
The Storyteller Sue Davidoff 1977
Killer on Board
Killer on Board Norma Walsh 1977
The Love Boat
The Love Boat Shirlee Warner 1977
The Love Boat
The Love Boat Lilly Mackim 1977
The Love Boat
The Love Boat Jane Fletcher 1977
Curse of the Black Widow
Curse of the Black Widow Laura Lockwood 1977
Rosetti and Ryan: Men Who Love Women
Rosetti and Ryan: Men Who Love Women Sylvia Crawford 1977
Fire!
Fire! Dr. Peggy Wilson 1977
Look What's Happened to Rosemary's Baby
Look What's Happened to Rosemary's Baby Rosemary Woodhouse 1976
Captains and the Kings
Captains and the Kings Bernadette Hennessey Armagh 1976
Hard Day at Blue Nose
Hard Day at Blue Nose Adelaide 1974
Nightmare
Nightmare Jan Richards 1974
Police Story
Police Story 1973
You'll Like My Mother
You'll Like My Mother Francesca Kinsolving 1972
Deadly Harvest
Deadly Harvest Jenny 1972
The Streets of San Francisco
The Streets of San Francisco 1972
Ghost Story
Ghost Story Linda Colby 1972
She Waits
She Waits Laura Wilson 1972
The Sixth Sense
The Sixth Sense 1972
If Tomorrow Comes
If Tomorrow Comes Eileen Phillips 1971
Two on a Bench
Two on a Bench Macy Kramer 1971
Birdbath
Birdbath Velma Sparrow 1971
Night Gallery
Night Gallery 1970
My Sweet Charlie
My Sweet Charlie Marlene Chambers 1970
Me, Natalie
Me, Natalie Natalie Miller 1969
Journey to the Unknown
Journey to the Unknown Barbara King 1969
Journey to the Unknown
Journey to the Unknown Barbara King 1968
Hawaii Five-O
Hawaii Five-O Toni 1968
The Dick Cavett Show
The Dick Cavett Show Self - Guest 1968
Valley of the Dolls
Valley of the Dolls Neely O'Hara 1967
Valley of the Dolls: A World Premiere Voyage
Valley of the Dolls: A World Premiere Voyage Interviewee 1967
Jacqueline Susann and the Valley of the Dolls
Jacqueline Susann and the Valley of the Dolls 1967
The Daydreamer
The Daydreamer Thumbelina (voice) 1966
Billie
Billie Billie 1965
Shindig!
Shindig! Self - Singer 1964
The Patty Duke Show
The Patty Duke Show Patty Lane / Cathy Lane 1963
The Power and the Glory
The Power and the Glory Coral 1963
The Merv Griffin Show
The Merv Griffin Show Self 1962
The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson
The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson Self 1962
The Virginian
The Virginian Sue Ann McRae 1962
The Miracle Worker
The Miracle Worker Helen Keller 1962
The Mike Douglas Show
The Mike Douglas Show Self 1961
Ben Casey
Ben Casey 1961
4D Man
4D Man Marjorie Sutherland 1959
Meet Me in St. Louis
Meet Me in St. Louis Tootie Smith 1959
Happy Anniversary
Happy Anniversary Debbie Walters 1959
Swiss Family Robinson
Swiss Family Robinson Lydia 1958
The Goddess
The Goddess Emily Ann Faulkner (Child) 1958
Wuthering Heights
Wuthering Heights Young Cathy 1958
An American Girl
An American Girl Augusta Davis 1958
Country Music Holiday
Country Music Holiday "Sis" Brand 1958
DuPont Show of the Month
DuPont Show of the Month 1957
The Perry Como Show
The Perry Como Show 1956
Tony Awards
Tony Awards Self - Awards Custodian 1956
Tony Awards
Tony Awards Self - Presenter 1956
The Oscars
The Oscars Self 1953
Hallmark Hall of Fame
Hallmark Hall of Fame Angel 1951
Hallmark Hall of Fame
Hallmark Hall of Fame Sylvia 1951
The Ed Sullivan Show
The Ed Sullivan Show Self 1948
Kraft Television Theatre
Kraft Television Theatre 1947
Golden Globe Awards
Golden Globe Awards Self - Presenter 1944

Writing Credits (1)

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