Have you heard that Patty Duke is dead at 69?

Oh—I hadn’t heard. Sad, indeed. I still marvel at her performance in “The Miracle Worker.”

My sister watched her show. Not me.

Now I have. Wow, people dropping like flies in recent months and at relatively young ages too. RIP Patty.

After that show ended – what, around 1963? – did she ever do any other acting of significance?

I loved her show. She was also terrific in Valley of the Dolls, The Miracle Worker, Billie, and I think she did a television show as the President.
She used to say that every week people offered to buy her a hot dog, because, according to the tv theme song, a hot dog makes her lose control.

I lived in Harrison NY when it aired, we had just moved from California, and I so wanted to find Brooklyn Heights and visit her. To the 8 year old me, she was the prettiest girl on television, I was enthralled by her.

I loved “The Patty Duke Show,” and she was a role model of sorts for me. Her acting chops were never more apparent than in her role as Helen Keller in “The Miracle Worker.” And I applaud her work as an advocate for mental health issues. RIP.

That’s pretty much how I would want to go, too.

I hadn’t, and I’m sorry to learn this. I marveled at her performance—together with that of Anne Bancroft—in The Miracle Worker, which I saw when it was new. It’s still stunning. We were close to the same age, and she was the first really high-achieving person of my age that I knew of. An Oscar at 16! She was an inspiration to many.

I’m sure you also know that Sean Astin, of LOTR fame, is her son.

Yes. So nice.

I am heartbroken by this, I can still sing the theme from The Patty Duke Show.

Oh no! Sad to see them bow and exit one by one. RIP.

Yeah, I was a boy in the late 60’s-early 70’s, and yeah, I watched The Patty Duke Show. I loved Patty, but I thought Cathy was just something we had to get through to get more Patty. lol Of course, there was no show without the two of them.

And speaking of Sean Astin, I’d completely forgotten that Patty Duke was married to Gomez Addams! I remember wondering what in the world that household had to be like.

Patty Duke certainly left her mark. Her name will live on for for years to come.
Bye, Patty, and thanks.

My husband told me a few hours ago. He said she died from sepsis. I thought it was great when she came out about being bipolar, I feel it helped raise awareness. She was a great actress. I always felt there was something very natural about her. Like she was approachable. Even though I never met her in person. Very sad.