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Patty Duke, Academy Award winning actress, past President
of the Screen Actors Guild, best selling author, has been
delighting and challenging audiences for more than 40 years
with her work in moves and on television. Her Oscar-winning
portrayal of blind, mute, and deaf Helen Keller in The Miracle
Worker launched Patty as one of America's finest young talents.
Still a teenager, she went on to enjoy success in "The
Patty Duke Show" before establishing herself as one of
television most versatile and beloved actresses.
Her career has brought her to Broadway, Feature Films, Television
Series and Cartoons. Seventy-two television movies have afforded
her a wide variety of roles.
Neely O'Hara of Valley of the Dolls, Martha Washington
in George Washington, Mother of the Bride in Prelude
to a Kiss, Helen in the controversial lesbian comedy,
By Design and Anne Sullivan in the 1980s remake of
The Miracle Worker to cite a few.
Patty has received much recognition from her peers - An
Oscar, two Golden Globes, three Emmy Awards, six Emmy Nominations,
and a People's Choice Award. Community service awards have
honored her commitment to many social issues.
Since the publication of her autobiography, "Call
Me Anna" and her second book, "A Brilliant
Madness," Patty spends a great deal of time and
travel speaking on the topic of mental illness.
Married to Firefighter Michael Pearce, she makes her home
in Northern Idaho. It is here that they raise their twelve-year-old
son, Kevin. She feels with today's approach to our industry,
one can live just about anywhere and work with the same zeal
as ever.
At the moment only two of her children have joined her in
the family business. Sean Astin, well known as "Rudy"
and soon to appear as Sam in Lord of the Rings. His
brother, Mackenzie Astin, (Iron Will fame) has just completed
a series "1st Years." Both play a great
game of "All Star Baseball."
At this writing, Patty continues to jump from Television
to Film to Commercials to Cartoons and the Theatre. Patty
is in her element as her career heads into its Forty-Eighth
year. She finds it just as adventurous as it was when she
was seven.
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