Actress Patty Duke Is Dead at 69

[Onkel Neal]

Man, I had the biggest crush on her when I was in second grade

Only 69.

http://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/...ead-69-n547326

Oscar-winning actress Patty Duke, a beloved child star who became one of Hollywood's most acclaimed actresses, is dead. She was 69.

Duke died Tuesday in Idaho from an infection after suffering a ruptured intestine, her manager said.

The Queens-born daughter of a troubled cashier and an alcoholic car driver, Duke overcame a dark childhood to hit the trifecta of stardom on TV, in the movies, and on Broadway. She was also president of the Screen Actors Guild from 1985 to 1988.

Duke rocketed to fame in the 1960s as the star of "The Patty Duke Show," which ran for 104 episodes over three seasons, and in which she played her rambunctious self as well as her more demure "identical cousin."

Diagnosed with bipolar disorder in 1982, Duke devoted her later years to championing mental health programs and raising her three sons, two of whom — Sean and Mackenzie Astin — followed in their mother's footsteps and became actors as well.

"I love you Mom," Sean Astin, who played Samwise Gamgee in "The Lord of the Rings" trilogy, said in a statement confirming his mother's death.

[Rockstar]

You know, the Patty Duke Show was one of those shows I dont recall watching much of. She sure was a cutie though that sly dog Sailor Steve dated her didnt he?

[Wolferz]

I've been infatuated with her ever since her role as Sister Bertrille.

We'll miss you Patty. Now you're a real flying nun.

[Sailor Steve]

Originally Posted by Rockstar

She sure was a cutie though that sly dog Sailor Steve dated her didnt he?

Sorry, I don't date older women. Actually it was the restraining order...

Seriously, I remember seeing her in The Miracle Worker, but my fondest memory of her work was as Martha Washington in the 1984 George Washington mini-series.




@ Wolferz: umm....

[u crank]

Yea I had a crush on her. She was great in 'The Miracle Worker'.

R.I.P. Patty.

[Platapus]

Originally Posted by Wolferz

I've been infatuated with her ever since her role as Sister Bertrille.

While she was first offered the part, I don't think she ever filmed any episodes

[Aktungbby]

Originally Posted by Wolferz

I've been infatuated with her ever since her role as Sister Bertrille.

We'll miss you Patty. Now you're a real flying nun.

Fearless: Sally Fields (also 69) played Sister Bertrille, not Patty Duke! unless your referring to the hoax: http://en.mediamass.net/people/sally-field/deathhoax.html

[Sailor Steve]

I guess I was a little too subtle.

It's a curse.

[Reece]

I thought she'd have been older but there ya go!!
Sadly missed.
I was always a fan of John Astin, as Gomez (The Adams Family) and in such films as Evil Roy Slade!!

[Jimbuna]

So young

RIP Patty

[vienna]

Those outside of the US may not be aware Patty was the spokesperson for the Social Security Administration when they launched an effort to get new retirees to apply for benefits online rather than do all the paperwork in person. She did a series of commercials where she reprises her roles on The Patty Duke Show, one ad even getting together some of the former cast members in a familiar setting:





Although most people know of Patty Duke from her TV series, her acting abilities were very strong. In the series, if you notice carefully, Patty changes very subtly, the tension in her face from taut (for Patty) to soft (for Cathy); likewise, she changes the set of her eyes for each character. Most other actors would just let the costuming or the voice do the differentiation, but Patty went a step further and used the subtleties to give each character a bit of extra depth...

It is her role as Helen Keller, a real life person born deaf and blind, that stands as a testament to the true talent of Patty Duke. Just 16 years old, she took on a very challenging role for an actor: the character has virtually no lines, could not interact with other actors in a normal manner, and had to perform a very physically rigorous role. The character of young Helen Keller is essentially feral and almost completely closed off from the world around her. Patty Duke managed to capture the frustrations, fears, and anxieties of a person living in a world they really don't understand and with which they cannot communicate. In this clip, Helen's teacher Annie Sullivan (played by the equally incredible Anne Bancroft) finally breaks through Helen's isolation and begins to communicate with her:



Patty Duke was a truly great actor who, unfortunately, had to deal with a number of personal issues that prevent her for really fully realizing what her talent could have achieved, but just the on role of Helen Keller firmly established her as true actor and talent in every sense of the word...

RIP, Patty Duke...


<O>

[Mr Quatro]

Patty Duke died from a not so rare condition called sepsis:http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/...b0a06d5803ef31

Sepsis, a reaction to infection that leads to systemic organ failure, kills more than 258,000 Americans every year, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, making it the ninth-leading cause of disease-related deaths in the country. While most people can fully recover from sepsis, some survivors are left with permanent organ damage or missing limbs due to amputation.

You could save your own life, simply by knowing what sepsis is

The signs of sepsis can be broken down in a simple acronym, notes the CDC.

S - Shivering, fever, or feeling very cold
E - Extreme pain or general discomfort, as in “worst ever”
P - Pale or discolored skin
S - Sleepy, difficult to wake up or confused
I - “I feel like I might die”
S - Shortness of breath

[Wolferz]

Originally Posted by Platapus

While she was first offered the part, I don't think she ever filmed any episodes

DOH! You are correct sir. That was Sally Field.
Patty won an Oscar at the age of 16 for her role in The Miracle Worker.
Color me impressed after reading the book and then seeing the movie.
Probably how she landed her own TV series afterward.