Actor Sean Astin And Mother Patty Duke Finally Learned Who His Biological Father Is With DNA Testing

With Patty Duke as his mom, actor Sean Astin grew up in the spotlight in Los Angeles. Although he had a successful career, and his famous mother took good care of him, there was still something missing from Sean's life. He didn't know who his biological father was. It wasn't until his mid-twenties that all three of his potential fathers took a DNA test. This is the unbelievable story of how the Lord of the Rings and Goonies star, along with his mother, finally learned the truth.

He Heard Rumors About His Father While Growing Up

sean-astin-patty-duke
Jim Spellman/WireImage/Pinterest
Jim Spellman/WireImage/Pinterest

Since he was a kid, Sean Astin was well-recognized. The first child of famous actress Patty Duke, Sean received plenty of attention but was also at the center of plenty of rumors. His mother had a few different romantic relationships around the time Sean was born, making it uncertain who exactly his father is.

Sean couldn't ignore the rumors -- he was curious himself. But throughout his entire childhood, his biological father was never confirmed.

ADVERTISEMENT

He's Been Famous His Entire Life

ADVERTISEMENT
Sean-Astin-Young-2-154150699
Ron Galella, Ltd./Ron Galella Collection via Getty Images
Ron Galella, Ltd./Ron Galella Collection via Getty Images
ADVERTISEMENT

When Sean Astin was born on February 25, 1971, he was given his mother's last name. But it wasn't because she was famous, it was because she didn't know for certain who the father of her son was.

ADVERTISEMENT

An Academy Award-winning actress, Patty Duke was between relationships when she learned that she was pregnant with Sean. This made it unclear who the father was, with Patty making her best guess as to what day she became pregnant.

ADVERTISEMENT

Patty's Parents Were Worried About Her Love Life

ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
patty-duke-desi-arnaz-jr
Pinterest
Pinterest
ADVERTISEMENT

As she was a teenage celebrity, Patty's parents worried about her well-being. They wanted to make sure that she was protected and didn't end up hanging out with the wrong crowd. She soon met Desi Arnaz Jr., son of Lucille Ball and Desi Arnaz of I Love Lucy.

ADVERTISEMENT

Reportedly, Patty's parents didn't approve of their relationship, as Patty was 23 years old and Desi Jr. was 17 at the time -- six years younger than Patty. She was also tying up loose ends, ending her first marriage to Henry Falk, who was 13 years older than her. It was around this time that she became pregnant with Sean.

ADVERTISEMENT

The Flame Went Out

ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
Patty-Duke-Desi-Arnaz-Jr-24740
Photoshot/Getty Images/Ron Galella/Ron Galella Collection via Getty Images
Photoshot/Getty Images/Ron Galella/Ron Galella Collection via Getty Images
ADVERTISEMENT

Just as quickly as Patty and Desi Jr. caught each other's interest, their fling fell apart. She was already famous and dating another celebrity proved to be too much attention and pressure for the young actress.

ADVERTISEMENT

Patty didn't want her love life to make the news and wondered how she could keep her private life out of the spotlight. Michael Tell, a rock music promoter and newspaper publisher, had been subleasing Patty's apartment. He had an interesting solution.

ADVERTISEMENT

Patty Marries Michael

ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
patty-duke-michael-tell
ADVERTISEMENT

Although they were nearly strangers, her tenant Michael Tell suggested that they pretend to be in a relationship in order to distract the press. He told Patty that if they acted like a couple, reporters would leave her alone, so she could date whoever she wanted.

ADVERTISEMENT

Not only did he suggest that they pretend to be in a relationship, but Michael also convinced Patty to marry him to make it appear to be the real deal. For better or worse, she went along with it. The two were married for just 13 days in 1970 before deciding to get an annulment.

ADVERTISEMENT

Patty Began Dating John Astin

ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
Patty and John
Ron Galella/Ron Galella Collection via Getty Images
Ron Galella/Ron Galella Collection via Getty Images
ADVERTISEMENT

Although her first relationship with a celebrity didn't work out, Patty Duke ended up dating another actor. After her short publicity stunt marriage with Michael Tell, Patty began dating John Astin, and actor known for his role on The Addams Family.

ADVERTISEMENT

At the time, John was still legally married to his first wife, Suzanne Hahn. This caused some problems when Patty found out she was pregnant. The couple welcomed baby Sean in February 1971, certain that John was the father. Two years later, Patty and John were married.

ADVERTISEMENT

Sean Called John "Daddy!" During the Ceremony

ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
astin-family
Pinterest
Pinterest
ADVERTISEMENT

Sean was 18-months-old at the time of Patty and John Astin's wedding. John already had three sons from his first marriage, and was happy to raise Sean as his fourth son. While the couple had never confirmed that Sean was his biological son, they believed it to be true.

ADVERTISEMENT

During Patty and John's wedding ceremony, Sean looked up at John and exclaimed, "Daddy!" After their wedding, John legally adopted Sean as his son, giving him his last name. Now Patty was officially married with a family. She could finally relax and be free of any drama the press would create... right?

ADVERTISEMENT

Patty Duke and John Astin Get a Divorce

ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
patty-duke-john-astin-106208278
Ron Galella/Ron Galella Collection via Getty Images
Ron Galella/Ron Galella Collection via Getty Images
ADVERTISEMENT

After 13 years, Patty Duke and John Astin's marriage began to fall apart, and in 1985, they decided to get a divorce. This meant that Patty had to figure out where she would live, as well as take child custody of her son Sean. Since their lives were already changing, Patty decided it would be a good time to confess something to her son.

ADVERTISEMENT

Sean was a teenager when his parents divorced, and Patty dropped a bombshell: she didn't know for certain who his father was.

ADVERTISEMENT

Sean Believed Desi Arnaz Jr. Was His Biological Father

ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
sean-astin-desi-arnaz-jr
Pinterest
Pinterest
ADVERTISEMENT

Upon hearing that a man named Desi Arnaz Jr. might be his father, Sean knew he wanted to meet him. Sean reached out to Desi and told him that Patty believed he might be Sean's dad. Desi agreed to meet up with him, and the two hit it off.

ADVERTISEMENT

"Desi Arnaz Jr. loves me, and I love him," Sean said in an interview. "We are so close." Sean went on to describe Desi as his "second dad" after John Astin, who raised him. It seemed that Sean had found the missing link in his life.

ADVERTISEMENT

Someone Claiming To Be Sean's Relative Reaches Out

ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
Sean_Astin_Finding_His_father
Pinterest/LOTR Cast
Pinterest/LOTR Cast
ADVERTISEMENT

By the time you're 26 years old, it's safe to assume that you probably know who your relatives are. It's rare to find out in your mid-twenties that you have family you never knew about, so when a man reached out to Sean claiming he was related, Sean was genuinely confused.

ADVERTISEMENT

This man told Sean that they're related, and that he believes Michael Tell, who Patty Duke married for 13 days before Sean was born, is, in fact, his father. At first, Sean didn't believe him, but the man was so adamant about his hunch that Sean decided to take a closer look.

ADVERTISEMENT

No One Really Knew... Right?

ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
Sean-Astin-Then-Now
Pinterest/Lawrence Lucier/FilmMagic
Pinterest/Lawrence Lucier/FilmMagic
ADVERTISEMENT

Sean was never certain who his biological father was, as his mother failed to provide him with any concrete information. It only made things worse for him as tabloids picked up the story and published his personal life for all to see.

ADVERTISEMENT

But after meeting this man who claimed he was a relative through Michael Tell, Sean decided it was time to find out the truth once and for all. If neither John Astin nor Desi Arnaz Jr. were his biological father, maybe Michael Tell was.

ADVERTISEMENT

His Life Was Great, Should He Really Risk Changing Things?

ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
Sean-Astin-Wife-Christine-2800461
Kurt Vinion/Getty Images
Kurt Vinion/Getty Images
ADVERTISEMENT

Sean Astin may have grown up not knowing who his biological father was, but that didn't put a damper on his life. His acting career continued to grow, he was happily married to his wife, Christine Harrell since 1992, and although he didn't know who was his birth dad, he had grown up with a father figure in both John Astin and Desi Arnaz Jr.

ADVERTISEMENT

Should he really keep pushing to figure out who his biological father was, or just leave it alone?

ADVERTISEMENT

Sean Decides To Take A Paternity Test

ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
sean-astin-michael-tell
Pinterest
Pinterest
ADVERTISEMENT

Sean Astin decided that was enough was enough. He wanted to take a paternity test and have his question answered by hard facts. Thankfully, all three of Sean's possible fathers agreed to submit a DNA test so he could figure out the truth.

ADVERTISEMENT

John Astin, Arnaz Jr., and Michael Tell all took the paternity test to find out which of them was Sean's biological son, 25 years later. Sean was ready to learn the truth.

ADVERTISEMENT

Michael Tell Is Sean Astin's Father

ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
Sean-Father-Michael-Tell
Pinterest LOTR Cast/Getty Images
Pinterest LOTR Cast/Getty Images
ADVERTISEMENT

After all of these years, a DNA test concluded that Michael Tell, a complete stranger to Sean, was his father. Everyone was stunned, including Sean's mom, Patty Duke. The couple had only married as a publicity stunt and didn't keep in contact, but Michael was in fact, Sean's father!

ADVERTISEMENT

Seeing Sean and Michael side-by-side, the resemblance between the two is clear. While it took 25 years to find out the truth, Sean was finally content knowing who his biological father was and looking forward to getting to know him.

ADVERTISEMENT

Finally, Patty Had The Answer, Too

ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
Patty-Duke-Sean-Astin-3175129
David S. Holloway/Getty Images
David S. Holloway/Getty Images
ADVERTISEMENT

Not only was it important for Sean Astin to know who his biological father is, but it was something that had been haunting Patty Duke for 26 years, too. It's hard to fathom carrying on with life without knowing the truth about such an important matter.

ADVERTISEMENT

The actress had a lot on her plate already. Since the late '80s, Patty had also been open about her bipolar diagnosis. She became an advocate for increased research and funding for mental health.

ADVERTISEMENT

Patty Doesn't Fully Believe In The DNA Test

ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
Patty-Duke-Sean-Astin-3175191
David S. Holloway/Getty Images
David S. Holloway/Getty Images
ADVERTISEMENT

Patty Duke stated that she has her own beliefs as to who the father of Sean is, no matter what the DNA test says. While she supported Sean looking for answers for his own needs, she never believed that a DNA test would give them the closure they were looking for.

ADVERTISEMENT

Patty said, "I don't buy that test. I can support his truth as long as my truth, if not supported, is respected. I have told him I know what I know to be true."

ADVERTISEMENT

Sean Was Okay With Having Multiple Dads

ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
sean-astin-dodgers-brother-dad-2
Jim Smeal/Ron Galella Collection via Getty Images
Jim Smeal/Ron Galella Collection via Getty Images
ADVERTISEMENT

While it was a confusing time for Sean growing up, not knowing who his biological father was and having different men step up to take on the role, but he took it in stride. Sean always kept a positive attitude and made an effort to have a respectful relationship with each of the men who could have possibly been his birth dad.

ADVERTISEMENT

Sean describes Arnaz Jr. as his godfather with whom he has a "powerful love bond." After finding out that Michael Tell was his biological father, Sean says that he's happy with the news and says that although he didn't know him growing up, Tell "turned out to be a great guy."

ADVERTISEMENT

Sean Created His Own Family

ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
GettyImages-51183686
Vince Bucci/Getty Images
Vince Bucci/Getty Images
ADVERTISEMENT

Some people might wait their entire life to have the answers about their family revealed to them, things that relatives aren't ready to divulge. But Sean recognized the importance of identifying his biological father, and never stopped digging for the answer.

ADVERTISEMENT

Throughout the process, his maturity and respectful manner are what gained him not one, but three father figures to look up to and bond with over his lifetime. He brought people together and created a pretty incredible extended family.

ADVERTISEMENT

Sean's Daughter Had A Brief Cameo In Return Of The King

ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
Sean's Daughter Had A Brief Cameo In Return Of The King
New Line Cinema
New Line Cinema
ADVERTISEMENT

Since Sean Astin started acting at a very young age, it looks like he wanted to keep the tradition going with his own kid. In the epic trilogy Lord of the Rings, Astin plays one of the main characters of the ensemble cast, Sam.

ADVERTISEMENT

At the end of Return of the King, the cute little girl, Elanor Gardner, who runs into Sam's arms when he returns home after dropping Frodo off at the ship, is actually not a stranger to Astin. That little girl happens to be his real-life daughter Alexandra!

ADVERTISEMENT

Sean's First Job Was Opposite His Mom

ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
Sean's First Job Was Opposite His Mom
ABC
ABC
ADVERTISEMENT

Sean Astin grew up in the spotlight, having his first acting job at the age of nine. His first job was also opposite his very famous mom, Patty Duke. The 1981 tv-movie Don't Hit Me, Mom was about a babysitter who realizes the little boy she watches is being physically abused.

ADVERTISEMENT

Ironically, the mother and son duo in question happens to be Astin and Duke who have a very loving familial relationship. It's not exactly Astin's finest work, but as the future tells us, his acting gets much better!

ADVERTISEMENT

Sean's Acting Career Keeps Growing

ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
the-goonies_1cd9d1b3
MovieStillsDB/The Goonies
MovieStillsDB/The Goonies
ADVERTISEMENT

Through his parents' divorce, and finding out that his biological dad might actually be Desi Arnaz, Jr., Sean's acting career kept going. That same year, in 1985, he earned his breakthrough role as Mikey Walsh in The Goonies.

ADVERTISEMENT

It was Sean's film debut at 13 years old and he was a natural in the part. He won a Young Artist Award for Best Starring Performance by a Young Actor - Motion Picture.

ADVERTISEMENT

Sean Was Cast As Rudy

ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
Sean-Astin-Rudy-79424761
Jim Smeal/Ron Galella Collection via Getty Images
Jim Smeal/Ron Galella Collection via Getty Images
ADVERTISEMENT

In 1993, Sean Astin secured one of his most memorable roles, playing the lead role of Daniel "Rudy" Ruettiger in the film Rudy. The film followed a young man who aspires to become a famous football player and follows his dreams to play football for Notre Dame.

ADVERTISEMENT

Sean was a shoo-in for the role, as his personality perfectly fit that of the real-life Rudy, whom he worked with to make the film authentic.

ADVERTISEMENT

He's The Typical "Good Guy"

ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
the-lord-of-the-rings-the-return-of-the-king_91cf3c44
MovieStillsDB/New Line Cinema
MovieStillsDB/New Line Cinema
ADVERTISEMENT

Sean's kind personality made him a natural for several roles. In 2001 he was cast in the role of Samwise Gamgee in The Lord of the Rings franchise. Sean played the loyal friend who set out on a dangerous journey through Middle Earth. Sean and the rest of the cast won numerous awards for the hit films.

ADVERTISEMENT

Seemingly typecast as the "good guy" Sean also played the part of Bob Newby for 10 episodes in Stranger Things.

ADVERTISEMENT

Sean Astin Graduated Cum Laude

ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
Sean Astin Graduated Cum Laude
SGranitz/WireImage
SGranitz/WireImage
ADVERTISEMENT

Even though he grew up in the spotlight, Sean Astin made sure he got an education in between auditions and filming. The actor attended Crossroads High School for the Arts in Los Angeles, California while taking master classes at the Stella Adler Conservatory.

ADVERTISEMENT

Once he graduated, Astin was off to the University of California Los Angeles where he studied both English and History. Graduating from a great school as a double major and cum laude is no small task, especially while keeping an acting career!

ADVERTISEMENT

Astin Shares A Tattoo With Seven Of His Castmates

ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
Astin Shares A Tattoo With Seven Of His Castmates
New Line Cinema
New Line Cinema
ADVERTISEMENT

Lord of the Rings is arguably one of the largest films in Sea Astin's resume. The last film, Return of the King, grossed $1.142 billion in the box office and is considered to be one of the most influential movies ever made.

ADVERTISEMENT

Well, at the end of that very powerful epic, Astin, along with seven out of the main eight of his castmates, decided to get matching tattoos! The tattoo is of the number nine, the number of the original fellowship, written in Tengwar script, the intricate script created by J.R.R. Tolkein. Astin's ink is located on his ankle.

ADVERTISEMENT

Astin's Guest-Starred In Many TV Shows

ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
Astin's Guest-Starred In Many TV Shows
FX
FX
ADVERTISEMENT

After international stardom with Lord of the Rings, Sean Astin switched gears, focusing more on television shows than film. That's not to say he wasn't in any movies, he was, but his TV resume gets quite full post-LOTR.

ADVERTISEMENT

Since his time as Sam, Astin appeared as a season regular in the fifth season of 24 and the second season of Jerimiah. Then he went on to appear in the critically acclaimed series My Name is Earl, Monk, The Strain, and Las Vegas.

ADVERTISEMENT

Voice-Over Roles Were Being Added To Astin's Resume

ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
Voice-Over Roles Were Being Added To Astin's Resume
Universal Cartoon Studios
Universal Cartoon Studios
ADVERTISEMENT

Sean Astin had already made a name for himself in the world of real-life film and television, so there was one more avenue he had to explore: voice-overs. His first voice-over role came in the form of an Animal Planet series called Meerkat Manor, where he narrates the episode.

ADVERTISEMENT

After this initial break, the voice-over work started rolling in. On a Disney Channel series, Astin voices the title character in Special Agent Oso, the teenage husky Kodi in Balto III: The Wings of Change, and Raphael, one of the main Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles in the Nickelodeon animated series.

ADVERTISEMENT

Astin's Short Film Was Nominated For An Oscar

ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
Astin's Short Film Was Nominated For An Oscar
Lava Entertainment
Lava Entertainment
ADVERTISEMENT

After a childhood and teenage years behind the camera, in 1994, Sean Astin took his turn behind the camera as the director and co-producer of a short film called Kangaroo Court. He made the film with his wife, Christine, and revolves around the story of an African-American attorney defending a white cop who was being held hostage by a gang.

ADVERTISEMENT

The kicker is that the gang is only trying to avenge the wrongful murder of a young boy. The 29-minute long film was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Live-Action Short Film.

ADVERTISEMENT

He Was The "Other Guy" In Click

ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
He Was The
Sony Pictures Releasing
Sony Pictures Releasing
ADVERTISEMENT

Sean Astin knows something about having two dads, so we wonder if it was easy for him to play Bill in the Adam Sandler-led comedy-drama Click. In the film, Astin plays Bill, the second husband to Donna, after Sandler's character Michael becomes obese and obsessed with work.

ADVERTISEMENT

Of course, many people now can't unsee Astin wearing a bright-red Speedo, but at least he was there for the kids when their biological father wasn't. That sounds a bit like his real life, doesn't it?

ADVERTISEMENT

50 First Dates Showed Off Astin's Comedic Side

ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
50 First Dates Showed Off Astin's Comedic Side
Columbia Pictures
Columbia Pictures
ADVERTISEMENT

Up until 2004, people were accustomed to seeing Sean Astin in dramas, epics, and fantasy films. There wasn't really a comedy in his resume until the release of 50 First Dates, an Adam Sandler-led movie. In the film, Astin plays Doug, Drew Barrymore's character Lucy's brother.

ADVERTISEMENT

Of course, this isn't any ordinary brother; Doug is a mesh crop top-wearing, performance-enhancer popping, and lisping brother. And while that all sounds bad, he's actually a very good brother who wants nothing more than to make sure his amnesia-ridden sister has a comfortable life.

ADVERTISEMENT

Sean Astin And Winona Ryder Had Worked Together Before

ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
Sean Astin And Winona Ryder Had Worked Together Before
Netflix
Netflix
ADVERTISEMENT

It's clear to a lot of people that the role of Bob Newby in Stranger Things was pretty much tailor-made for the good guy persona of Sean Astin. But the chemistry on-screen between Astin and Winona Ryder was ground in the fact that the two grew up in the industry together.

ADVERTISEMENT

During an interview, Astin said, "Winona and I knew each other, sort of grew up alongside each other in the industry. Then we did a little movie together like a decade ago. Whenever we're on set together, there was just this warm, good, positive just enjoyment of being around each other. And I think it comes through on-screen too."

ADVERTISEMENT

Patty Duke Once Played Helen Keller On Broadway

ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
Patty Duke Once Played Helen Keller On Broadway
United Artists
United Artists
ADVERTISEMENT

Something you might not know about actress Patty Duke is that she was once a big stage presence, as well as film and TV. From 1959-1961, the child actor played Helen Keller on the Broadway stage, in the play The Miracle Worker.

ADVERTISEMENT

Interestingly, it wasn't the last time Duke played the role of the young blind, deaf, and mute girl, Helen. In 1962, she reprised her role for the silver screen, playing Helen in the Arthur Penn-directed movie The Miracle Worker. Duke was honored with an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress for her performance as Keller.

ADVERTISEMENT

Duke Returned To The Miracle Worker As Anne Sullivan

ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
Duke Returned To The Miracle Worker As Anne Sullivan
NBC
NBC
ADVERTISEMENT

Patty Duke wasn't finished with The Miracle Worker after winning her Academy Award for Best Actress. In 1979, she returned to the story, but this time, she didn't portray Helen Keller. Instead, Duke took up the role of Anne Sullivan, Keller's teacher, who changed her life.

ADVERTISEMENT

A year after the made-for-television film was released, Duke won an Emmy for her performance as the miracle worker. Then, in 2011, she directed a production of the play.

ADVERTISEMENT

Patty Duke And The Flintstones Have A Strange Connection

ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
Patty Duke And The Flintstones Have A Strange Connection
ABC
ABC
ADVERTISEMENT

If you've ever watched The Patty Duke Show, then you might recognize the opening theme as something similar to The Flintstones. That's because both themes were produced by the same vocal group, the Skip-Jacks. They might not be a household name, but mostly everyone can hum along to "Flintstones, meet the Flinstones..."

ADVERTISEMENT

Ironically, The Patty Duke Show opens in a very similar manner, with "Meet Cathy..." It seems as though the Skip-Jacks had a theme song formula, and they didn't want to stray too far from it!

ADVERTISEMENT

Patty Duke Was A Jack Of Many Trades

ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
Patty Duke Was A Jake Of Many Trades
ABC
ABC
ADVERTISEMENT

Patty Duke was a very well-known child actor, becoming the youngest actress to have her own show. But acting isn't the only talent the young girl brought to the table. In 1965, Patty Duke reached number eight on the charts with her single "Don't Just Stand There."

ADVERTISEMENT

It was a dramatic teen pop song that meshed perfectly with Duke's target audience. We're actually surprised ABC didn't utilize her talent for The Patty Duke Show theme, instead opting for Skip-Jack.

ADVERTISEMENT

Patty Duke Plays More Than Two Characters In The Show

ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
Patty Duke Plays More Than Two Characters In The Show
ABC
ABC
ADVERTISEMENT

While it's common knowledge that Patty Duke plays two identical cousins in The Patty Duke Show, people tend to forget that a third cousin pops into the picture in one episode. In "The Perfect Hostess," Patty and Cathy's cousin Betsy visits from Tennessee. In the episode, Duke is even credited as a "guest star" for the role!

ADVERTISEMENT

But it begs the question, how are three cousins identical? Well, it's because they each had a father who was an identical triplet, Martin, Kenneth, and Jed Lane! Each of the men is played by William Schallert.

ADVERTISEMENT

Patty Duke Won $32,000 On A Game Show

ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
Patty Duke Won $32,000 On A Game Show
Bettmann/Getty Images
Bettmann/Getty Images
ADVERTISEMENT

At the age of 12, Patty Duke won $32,000 on the game show The $64,000 Challenge. Unfortunately for Duke, the 1950s was the time of the Quiz Show Scandals, and she was stuck in the middle. Duke was accused of being coached, and she had to testify in front of the U.S. Senate.

ADVERTISEMENT

Host Sonny Fox later told PBS in a documentary about the scandal, saying, "They coached her. That's when she was about twelve. Three years later, she's about fifteen, she was summoned down to the Senate to testify...and she was coached how to lie to the U.S. Senate." Duke eventually spilled the beans in court.

ADVERTISEMENT

The Patty Duke Show Wrongly Credited A Comedian

ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
The Patty Duke Show Wrongly Credited A Comedian
George Pimentel/Getty Images
George Pimentel/Getty Images
ADVERTISEMENT

In The Patty Duke Show episode "Patty Pits Wits, Two Brits Hits," a modern-day comedian and podcaster is wrongly credited as a guest star on the show. Marc Maron, the host of the popular podcast WTF, was actually born the year of the show's debut, so it would have been kind of impossible for him to play the teenager Walter.

ADVERTISEMENT

According to Maron, the Internet Movie Database incorrectly credits him as being part of the episode. Well, at least the incorrect credit makes for good material for his podcast and comedy sketches!

ADVERTISEMENT

Patty Wasn't Raised By Her Biological Parents

ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
Arthur Penn and Patty Duke on Set of The Miracle Worker
Bettmann/Getty Images
Bettmann/Getty Images
ADVERTISEMENT

When Patty Duke was growing up, she was estranged from her biological parents. Her father was absent and her mother struggled with mental issues. As a result, her talent agents were made her legal guardians.

ADVERTISEMENT

Not even this arrangement really worked though. John and Ethel Ross also managed her brother, and treated neither with the support a growing child needs. Instead, they used her for their own profit, exploiting the child while taking unreasonably high fees from her earnings.

ADVERTISEMENT

Duke Released Six Albums

ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images
Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images
ADVERTISEMENT

In a three-year span from 1965 until 1968 Patty Duke released six albums: Don't Just Stand There, Patty, Patty Duke's Greatest Hits, TV's Teen Star, Songs from Valley of the Dolls and Other Selections, and Patty Duke Sings Folk Songs: Time To Move On

ADVERTISEMENT

Two of her singles were top 30 hits on the Billboard singles charts. At the peak of her musical endeavors, Duke was given a performance slot on The Ed Sullivan Show.

ADVERTISEMENT

She Won An Oscar And Two Golden Globes At A Young Age

ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
27th Annual Golden Globe Awards
Ron Galella, Ltd./Ron Galella Collection via Getty Images
Ron Galella, Ltd./Ron Galella Collection via Getty Images
ADVERTISEMENT

Patty Duke won many, many awards throughout her illustrious career. By the time she was just 24-years-old, she already had an Oscar and two Emmy awards to her name. The Oscar was for The Miracle Worker, which was released in 1963.

ADVERTISEMENT

Her first Golden Globe was for Most Promising Newcome - Female for The Miracle Worker. She later won Best Actress - Comedy or Musical, for her role in Me, Natalie.

ADVERTISEMENT

She Was The Youngest Actress To Ever Win An Oscar

ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
George Kennedy Receiving Oscar from Patty Duke
Bettmann/Getty Images
Bettmann/Getty Images
ADVERTISEMENT

When Patty Duke won her Academy Award for The Miracle Worker, she was the youngest actress to ever win the award. It would be 10 years before a younger actress would unseat her from that honor.

ADVERTISEMENT

In 1973, Tatum O'Neal won the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress for her role in Paper Moon. O'Neal was 10-years-old at the time and played Addie Loggins in the dramedy that was directed by Peter Bogdanovich.

ADVERTISEMENT

The Patty Duke Show Was Filmed In New York For A Reason

ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
Patty Duke in The Patty Duke Show
Bettmann/Getty Images
Bettmann/Getty Images
ADVERTISEMENT

It would be easy to believe that The Patty Duke Show being filmed in New York is only logical. It does take place in Brooklyn Heights, after all. Not all shows film in geographically accurate locations, but this one did, and there's a specific reason.

ADVERTISEMENT

At the time The Patty Duke Show was being made, child labor laws were more relaxed in New York. Since Duke was still underage, this made it easier to shoot the show under its tight television production schedule.

ADVERTISEMENT

Bette Davis Almost Guest Starred

ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
dead-ringer_DAngP3
Warner Brothers
Warner Brothers
ADVERTISEMENT

During its peak, The Patty Duke Show producers came close to convincing Better Davis to make a guest appearance on the show. In 1964, Davis starred in a double role in Dead Ringer, and producers thought having her make a cameo would be a fun tongue-in-cheek gag.

ADVERTISEMENT

Unfortunately, the guest appearance never materialized. Even though it would have just been a small role, Davis asked for money that producers were willing to pay.

ADVERTISEMENT

Patty Scored A Top 10 Single In 1965

ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
Patty Duke
Henry Gris/FPG/Getty Images
Henry Gris/FPG/Getty Images
ADVERTISEMENT

In 1965, early in her musical pursuits, Patty Duke scored a big hit. Her single, "Don't Just Stand There," became a top 10 hit in the United States. The song peaked at number seven, and was on Duke's first album.

ADVERTISEMENT

As she continued pursuing music, she would never get another single to chart so high. She did have another top 30 hit, though, with the track "Say Something Funny" off the same album.

ADVERTISEMENT

The Actor Who Played Her Boyfriend Was Much Older Than Duke

ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
20applegate-obit-superJumbo
ABC
ABC
ADVERTISEMENT

On The Patty Duke Show, Patty's boyfriend was portrayed on-screen as being the same age as her. In reality, actor Eddie Applegate was eleven years older than Patty Duke.

ADVERTISEMENT

Aside from The Patty Duke Show, Applegate had roles on Nancy and The Lucy Show. He also starred in one move, A Ticklish Affair, which was released in 1963 and was a critical and commercial failure. Applegate reprised his Patty Duke role in a 1999 reunion special.

ADVERTISEMENT

Duke's Show Didn't Survive The Transition To Color TV

ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
The Patty Duke Show
Archive Photos/Getty Images
Archive Photos/Getty Images
ADVERTISEMENT

Despite maintaining solid ratings throughout the course of its run, The Patty Duke Show was canceled by ABC after three seasons. The reason for the move was that ABC was joining the color television revolution, and it Duke's show was shot in black and white.

ADVERTISEMENT

ABC could have transitioned the program to color, but the network determined it would cost much money. Instead, they focused their development on the next generation of television shows.

ADVERTISEMENT

Duke Was Close To Her On-Screen Father

ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
the-patty-duke-show_ZFZ8r2
ABC
ABC
ADVERTISEMENT

Having a rough childhood, it's not surprising to learn the Patty Duke found a fatherly figure in her television dad. Even though William only played her dad on TV, Duke still gravitated to him in real life.

ADVERTISEMENT

She told the Los Angeles Times, "He's the dad I never got to spend time with. The family we created [on] the show was very much a family. That was my safety zone."