Patty Duke

Actress

The Academy of Television Arts & Sciences Foundation Presents

02:26

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About

About this interview

In her three-hour interview, Anna Marie "Patty" Duke (1946-2016) discusses her early start in the entertainment industry. She talks about her strict and abusive managers, John and Ethel Ross, and speaks of her early work in commercials. Duke recalls getting cast as "Helen Keller" in the Broadway play "The Miracle Worker," opposite Anne Bancroft, and tells how that led to the film version of the play, for which Duke won an Academy Award. She then details her dual roles as "Cathy" and "Patty" on The Patty Duke Show, and talks of the show's cast and creators. She discusses getting diagnosed with manic depression, writing her book "Call Me Anna," and becoming a mental health advocate. Duke also recalls her work in the television movies My Sweet Charlie and Curse of the Black Widow, and comments on playing "Anne Sullivan" opposite Melissa Gilbert's "Helen Keller" in a TV remake of The Miracle Worker. She chronicles her time as President of SAG, and speaks of her guest appearances on several series, including Touched By An Angel, The Torkelsons, and Glee. Stephen J. Abramson conducted the interview on December 8, 2013 in Coeur d'Alene, ID.

"You know sometimes when you act, you work through some things as if you would in a therapy session."

People Talking About ...

Patty Duke

Highlights

Patty Duke on when and why her name was changed to Patty Duke

Patty Duke on how she got cast in the Broadway play "The Miracle Worker"

Patty Duke on how her managers gave her the answers for the $64,000 Challenge; on testifying during the Quiz Show Scandals

Patty Duke on enjoying playing "Cathy" more than "Patty" on The Patty Duke Show

Patty Duke on the reaction to her book "Call me Anna" and going public with her manic depression

Full Interview

Chapter 1

On her early life and influences; on growing up in New York City and her father's early death; on wanting to be a nun as a child

On her managers, John and Ethel Ross; on living with her managers and her start in live television at seven years old

On her first professional jobs and commercials; on how her managers prepared her for auditions and gave her the answers for the $64,000 Challenge; on testifying during the Quiz Show Scandals

On how she got cast in the Broadway play "The Miracle Worker"

On when and why her name was changed to Patty Duke; on acting in the play "The Miracle Worker"; on meeting Helen Keller; on the physicality of performing in the play

On working with Anne Bancroft; on the success of "The Miracle Worker" and her managers becoming more controlling

On making the film version of "The Miracle Worker"; on differences between the stage and film versions; on winning an Oscar for her role

On acting with Laurence Olivier in Power and the Glory

On the origins of The Patty Duke Show; on the challenges of playing two characters

Chapter 2

On the technical aspects of playing identical cousins on The Patty Duke Show; on child labor laws in New York; on how characters evolved over the course of the show

On the popularity of The Patty Duke Show; on her managers coaching her behavior; on the merchandising on The Patty Duke Show (including making records)

On the atmosphere on the set of The Patty Duke Show; on the cast and crew on the show

On firing her managers; on meeting and marrying John Astin; on working with Richard Crenna on It Takes Two and getting diagnosed with manic depression; on the industry's reaction to her diagnosis and her guest appearance on Glee

On performing in regional theater in Idaho; on her current marriage

On her book "Call Me Anna" and going public with her manic depression; on being an advocate for those suffering from mental illnesses; on playing herself in the TV movie of Call Me Anna

On favorite memories from The Patty Duke Show; on the 1999 reunion movie of The Patty Duke Show

On her appearances on talk shows; on the 1970 TV movie My Sweet Charlie and winning her first Emmy for her role; on the miniseries Captains and the Kings and the TV movie Curse of the Black Widow

Chapter 3

On being interviewed by Hugh Downs; on her former manager Ethel Ross' death

On the TV movies A Family Upside Down and Having Babies III

On playing "Anne Sullivan" in the TV movie of The Miracle Worker; on TV movies in which she appeared in the 1980s; on acting with her son, Sean Astin, and both of her sons going into acting

On playing "Martha Washington" in the miniseries George Washington; on meeting her current husband while starring in A Time to Triumph

On becoming President of the Screen Actors Guild; on the SAG-AFTRA merger; on guest appearances on Touched By An Angel, The Torkelsons, and Amazing Grace; on how the remake of the TV movie of The Miracle Worker ended

On her acting process and where she keeps her awards; on the longevity of her career; on her guest appearance on Glee; on her opinion on fame and getting recognized

On advice to an aspiring actor; on career regrets and how she'd like to be remembered

Shows

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Patty Duke

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Chapter 1

Chapter 2

Chapter 3

$64,000 Question

Academy Awards, The

Brighter Day, The

Captains and the Kings

Dick Cavett Show, The

Ed Sullivan Show, The aka Toast of the Town

Emmy Awards, The (Primetime and Daytime)

Facts of Life, The

George Washington

Glee

I Love Lucy

Insight

It Takes Two

Miracle Worker, The

My Sweet Charlie

Patty Duke Show, The

Power and the Glory, The

Torkelsons, The

Touched By an Angel

Advice

Emmy Awards

Fame and Celebrity

Industry Crossroads

Quiz Show Scandals

Television Industry

Actress

Performers

Comedy Series

Commercials

Game Shows

TV Movies/Miniseries/Dramatic Specials

William Asher

John Astin

Sean Astin

Meredith Baxter-Birney

Richard Crenna

Hugh Downs

Al Freeman, Jr.

Melissa Gilbert

Helen Hayes

Hal Holbrook

Larry King

Patty McCormack

Paul O'Keefe

Laurence Olivier

Arthur Penn

Suzanne Pleshette

William Schallert

Sidney Sheldon

All Interviews