Patty Duke Movies
American actress Patty Duke was groomed almost from infancy for a starring career by her manager/guardian John Ross. She studied at the Quintano School for Young Professionals and earned her Equity card at age seven, appearing in numerous TV productions and in such Hollywood films as I'll Cry Tomorrow (1955), The Goddess (1958) (playing young Kim Stanley, the "Marilyn Monroe" character in that film), and Happy Anniversary (1959). Duke also appeared as a quiz-show contestant, and was later compelled to testify as to her honesty during the cheating scandals of 1958 and 1959. Just before her 13th birthday, Duke made her stage debut in the role of Helen Keller in The Miracle Worker; the production won the girl instant stardom and later an Academy Award for the film version of Miracle Worker (1962). Manager John Ross very carefully monitored Duke's public appearances, making certain the world saw her as a sweet, uncomplicated young lady. The truth was that Duke was terribly unhappy, feeling pressured into performing and into suppressing her own emotions. That's not what the world saw in the three seasons of The Patty Duke Show (1963-1966), a sitcom wherein the young actress literally talked to herself in the dual role of cousins Patty and Cathy Lane. She became cynical with stardom in a hurry, and in a bold act of defiance, 18-year-old Duke married a man twice her age, director Harry Falk Jr. Her first grown-up role as a Judy Garland type in Valley of the Dolls (1967) was panned, and it was suggested that she'd lost her talent. The next few years she was cast in a series of unsuccessful films but made a strong comeback with the 1969 TV movie My Sweet Charlie, which won her the first of three Emmys; the others being for the miniseries Captains and the Kings(1976) and a remake of The Miracle Worker (1979) in which she played the role of Annie Sullivan, co-starring with Melissa Gilbert as Helen Keller. In 1972 she married actor John Astin. Their union produced actor sons, Sean Astin and Mackenzie Astin. Duke also briefly changed her professional name to Patty Duke Astin. The Astins worked together prolifically for the duration of their marriage (which eventually ended in divorce). Building up her self-confidence and completely rebuilding her reputation in the '80s, Patty Duke served from 1985 through 1988 as president of the Screen Actor's Guild (the first woman to do so), starred in three separate network sitcoms, and wrote her harrowing best-selling memoirs, Call Me Anna, which in 1990 was adapted into a TV movie that she co-produced and starred in. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide- 2006
Reunited as adults, childhood friends Mark Lucas (Bridget Brannagh and Theresa Connolly (Crystal Allen) fall in love and decide to get married. The wedding plans are okay so far as Mark and Theresa's golfing-buddy dads are concerned. Alas, the couple's mothers constitute a different story: Betsy Lucas (Shelley Long) and Bridget Connolly (Patty Duke) have carried on a bitter feud for the past 25 years, and they aren't about to go into "all is forgiven" mode just because their kids are in love. The situation reaches a disastrous peak when Betsy and Bridget take it upon themselves to arrange the couple's Catalina Island wedding--and as terrifying as these two ladies are when they're on opposite sides of the fence, they're even more so when they join forces! Falling in Love with the Girl Next Door was first telecast February 4, 2006, as a cinematic Valentine card from cable's Hallmark Channel. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
A former nun moves into the suburban home of her deceased aunt only to make a shocking discovery concerning a gruesome crime committed thirty years ago in director Kevin Conner's twisting tale of murder, matricide, and injustice. Together, prodigious savants James and Edward Talley's remarkable brilliance was nearly incalculable, but a sudden act of cold-blooded murder would find them forever confined to separate mental health institutions by strict court order. Ordered to spend the rest of his days at the Greenwillow care center for developmentally disabled adults, James Talley is housed in the same facility as ex-nun Christine Bennett (Megan Ward)'s cousin Gene (Matt Lutz). Upon moving into her aunt's former home in a bid to be closer to Gene, Christine becomes transfixed on the details of the Talley case and soon learns that, despite their current status as a danger to society, neither James nor Edward had ever been officially charged with the crime they were committed for. With the future of the Greenwillow care facility on the line, Christine vows to find out what really happened on that tragic night three decades ago, and ensure that her brother Gene and the other innocent souls housed at Greenwillow will always have a place to call home. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Megan Ward, Morgan Weisser, (more)
- 2003
In the first half of Touched by an Angel's series finale, Heavenly caseworker Monica (Roma Downey) is at long last on the verge of being promoted to supervisor. First, however, she is required to pass one last test--and it's a formidable one indeed. Monica must somehow restore hope and faith to the profoundly grief-stricken citizens of Ascention, where all the children have been killed in a school explosion. Curiously, several of Monica's former "clients" have apparently settled in Ascention, including mentally challenged Joey (Paul Wittenberg), the sole witness to the tragedy. And what exactly is the story of happy-go-lucky handyman Zack (Scott Bairstow), who shows up in town just in time to be accused of setting off the explosion? Guest star Randy Travis sings "When Mama Prayed". ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 2003
In the conclusion of Touched by an Angel's two-part series finale, it appears as though Monica will fail her final test to become a Heavenly Supervisor. The town of Ascention remains entrapped in the grip of bitterness and hatred following a schoolhouse boiler explosion which killed all of the town's children. Worse still, genial handyman Zack (Scott Bairstow), the only person in town with a positive outlook on life, has been accused of deliberately causing the tragedy and put on trial for his life. Even with Monica's fellow angel Gloria (Valerie Bertinelli) and her old friend Mike (Patrick Duffy) handling his defense, the cards are obviously stacked against Zack--especially since the prosecuting attorney is really Satan in disguise. But what seems to be a hopeless situation takes a unexpected turn in the final moments...and there is a startling revelation at the very end. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
This Hallmark Hall of Fame presentation stars a heavily (and effectively) "aged" Ving Rhames as taciturn Texas rancher John Morgan. Long estranged from his daughter Natalie (Gloria Reuben), John is determined to effect a reconciliation. To this end, he embarks upon a long journey to Los Angeles, taking along his grandson Little John (Robert Bailey Jr.), whom Natalie, an unwed mother, had given up for adoption twelve years earlier. But Natalie, who through an ironic twist of fate has become a family-court judge, wants absolutely nothing to do with either her father or her son -- and her reasons are not quite as callous or cold-blooded as one might imagine. Boasting a distinguished African American cast (with Patty Duke as virtually the sole Caucasian actor), Little John was telecast by CBS on May 5, 2002. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 2000
Used to having his family jump at the sound of his voice, control-freak executive Tom Kincaid (William Devane) insists that his wife Carla (Patty Duke) and his three teenaged daughters accompany him on a weekend trip to the mountains. Flying in their private plane, the Kincaids crash in a remote area. With Tom barely surviving the disaster, it is up to Carla and the kids to take charge of the situation. Huddling in a tumbledown cabin, the family struggles to survive the elements--and an avalanche--and to forget their differences and work together as a team. But what of Tom's oldest daughter Carla (Elizabeth Rosen), who was left back home because she was late for the takeoff, and who may or may not be aware of her parents' and siblings' desperate plight? Filmed on location in British Columbia, Miracle on the Mountain: The Kincaid Family Story made its first CBS network appearance on April 26, 2000. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Patty Duke, William Devane, (more)
- 1999
The Yuletide Season is anything but merry for Emily (Carla Gugino), who is forced to take charge of her nephew J.T. (Evan Sabara) and niece Alanna (Mae Whitman) when their drug-addicted mother (Laura Dern) O.D.'s and the kids are dispossessed. When it looks as though the kids will be sucked into the merciless maelstrom of the foster-care system, Emily packs them up and heads out of her home state, ending up in a little town that happens to be named Bethlehem Even though the authorities have been temporarily left behind, Emily will need a miracle to keep her family together. Enter a versatile guardian angel (Patty Duke), who assumes a variety of earthly guises to save the day for Emily, J.T. and Alanna--and also orchestrates a romance between Emily and a sympathetic local cop (David Conrad). Based on a novel by Marilyn Pappano, A Season for Miracles first aired as a CBS Hallmark Hall of Fame presentation on December 12, 1999. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Carla Gugino, David Conrad, (more)
- 1999
Thirty-three years after the demise of The Patty Duke Show, you'll be glad to know that Patty Lane is still seeing the sights a girl can see from Brooklyn Heights, and that her identical cousin Cathy still prefers the minuet and crepe suzette, judging from the evidence presented in this made-for-TV movie. Patty Duke once again plays both Patty and Cathy; these days, Patty is a drama teacher at her old high school, and while she's still sees her old boyfriend Richard (Eddie Applegate), they got married after high school and have since divorced; they have a grown son and a granddaughter. Cathy, on the other hand, is a widow with a teenage son, currently living in Scotland. When the two cousins meet again at a family reunion, they join forces to do battle with Patty's arch-enemy Sue Ellen (Cindy Williams), who plans to buy Brooklyn Heights High School, tear it down and put in a strip mall. Also reprising their roles from the original TV series are William Schallert and Jean Byron as Patty's parents. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Patty Duke, William Schallert, (more)
- 1998
Widow Nancy (Patty Duke) has never seen eye to eye with Stephanie (Hillary Danner), the fiancee of Nancy's son Michael (Mark Kiely). In fact, Nancy and Stephanie have just finished a bitter argument over what sort of wedding to have when word comes that Michael has been seriously injured in a car accident. Hovering over her comatose son, Nancy insists that Michael be taken off life support, while Stephanie pleads with the doctors to save him--and somewhere in Limbo, Angel of Death Andrew (John Dye) gently informs Michael that even if he survives surgery, he will be confined to a wheelchair for the rest of life. In a lighter moment, Heavenly caseworker Monica (Roma Downey) shows up at Michael's bachelor party...popping out of a cake! ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
In this made-for-television drama, a mother worries when her beloved son's newest love proves to be a conniving vixen. Even though he is 26-years-old, the mother gets panicky when the son suddenly disappears. It is her suspicion that the new girlfriend had something to do with that disappearance. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Patty Duke, Robert Floyd, (more)
- 1997
This episode is told in flashback, as Frasier (Kelsey Grammer) tries to cheer up a depressed radio caller by philosophizing over an event in his own experience. It seems that the Crane's quirky dog Eddie was also down in the dumps emotionally, causing no end of concern for Frasier and his dad, Martin (John Mahoney). The solution: Send Eddie to see a pet psychiatrist, Dr. Shaw (Zeljko Ivanek, of Oz fame). And the results? Well, the results are much better seen than described. ~ All Movie Guide
Made for television, A Christmas Memory is adapted from the wistful short story by Truman Capote, previously filmed in 1967 as a one-hour episode of ABC Stage 67. Capote himself narrated the original version, in which he recalled his lonely childhood and the strong bond between himself and his simple-minded older cousin Sook, a role brilliantly essayed in 1967 by Geraldine Page. The remake stars Patty Duke as Sook, with whom young Buddy (Eric Lloyd) (the Capote character) lives during one memorable Depression Christmas while his divorced (and detached) mother and father are otherwise occupied. Looked after by her unmarried sisters Jennie (Piper Laurie) and Callie (Anita Gillette), the warm, unfailingly cheerful Sook busies herself with preparing Christmas fruitcakes for everyone she can think of--including President Roosevelt and Jean Harlow!--and, with the innocence of the eternal child, she allows the impressionable Buddy into her own private world. When the time comes for Sook and Buddy to be separated, he prefers to remain with her. . .a decision, alas, that is not his to make. Bereft of Capote's eloquent narration, and including several subplot intrigues not to be found in the original short story, A Christmas Memory is a game effort, but in the end falls short of the 1967 classic. The remake aired December 21, 1997 on CBS. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Eric Lloyd, Patty Duke, (more)
- 1996
Knowing that her daughter will die without a bone marrow transplant, a mother is forced to face up to her past mistakes and find the child she gave up years before in hopes of finding a donor match. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Patty Duke, Tracey Gold, (more)
- 1996
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Telemovie mainstays Richard Crenna and Patty Duke (who co-starred in the 1982 sitcom It Takes Two) reteamed for this 1996 prime-time docudrama. Crenna is John Porter, a husband and father whose emotional isolation from his wife (Duke) and children springs from his own ingrained fear of mortality. When the Porters' twentysomething daughter, Sarah, is kidnapped, crisis pulls the family together in a desperate attempt to find the young woman before time runs out. It also forces John to overcome his fear of intimacy and connection, by reaching out to his family at an intensely difficult time. This feature, unsurprisingly, was based on a true story. ~ Nathan Southern, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Richard Crenna, Patty Duke, (more)
- 1995
Based on a true story, the made-for-cable When the Vows Break is a remnant of those dark days not long ago when many women were at the mercy of a chauvinistic legal system presided over by misogynistic judges. Having endured much mental anguish through her marriage, affluent Barbara Parker (Patty Duke) finally divorces her husband Art (Art Hindle) when he coldly changes his life insurance policy to make their daughter Susan his sole beneficiary. When the case comes before Oakland County judge Wendell Adams (Robin Gammell), he presumptively concludes that Barbara was responsible for all the friction in her marriage and rules that she is allowed only a pittance of a settlement and an insultingly low alimony allotment. Thus, despite her divorce, the all-but-impoverished Barbara is still at the mercy of her vindictive ex-husband. Refusing to accept this state of affairs, she launches a legal counterstrike, representing herself in court as she charges Judge Adams with anti-female bias. Produced for the Lifetime cable network, When the Vows Break premiered November 1, 1995. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1994
This program explores the possibility that mysterious celestial beings are all around us, helping troubled people in times of need. Released in 1994, Angels: Mysterious Messengers -- True Stories of Angelic Experiences is hosted by television star Patty Duke and features firsthand accounts from ordinary people who claim to have had extraordinary experiences that they believe involved the presence of angels. ~ Matthew Tobey, All Movie Guide
In this drama, the mother of an autistic boy and his teacher are frequently at odds. But when they learn that the boy has been molested, the two must unite to discover the abuser's identity. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Patty Duke, Melissa Gilbert, (more)
- 1994
When a jury frees a killer, the woman who testified against him fears for her life. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
This made-for-television drama is based on the true story of a woman's search for her birth parents. Melissa Gilbert-Boxleitner stars as Julie, a woman about to undergo surgery. Confronted with questions about her medical history, Julie learns for the first time that she in fact was adopted as an infant. The revelation sparks a desire within Julie to seek out her birth parents and sends her on a quest for the truth. ~ Bernadette McCallion, All Movie Guide
In this made-for-TV drama, Patty Duke plays a mother who vows to do everything possible to keep custody of her grandchild following the murder of her son. Though no one believes her, Duke is convinced that her boy was murdered by his suspiciously worldly ex-wife-to-be. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Martin Sheen, Patty Duke, (more)
- 1993
In this made-for-television drama a young mother finds herself unable to cope with her daughter's handicap and so puts her up for adoption. When her mother finds out, she launches a courtroom battle for the right to raise her granddaughter herself. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Patty Duke, Tracy Nelson, (more)
Based on an autobiography by Betty Rollin, this is a heart-tugger which finds a woman with cancer seeking the assistance of her daughter in fulfilling her last wish--a wish to die with dignity. ~ Tana Hobart, All Movie Guide
- 1992
In this bizarre thriller, based on a true story, a family moves into their dream house and are appalled to discover that they are not alone when strange things begin to happen. It soon becomes apparent that the special tenants are angry spirits out to destroy the family and their neighbors who have built their homes on top of a graveyard. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Patty Duke, David Selby, (more)
- 1991
In 1988, Nancy Klein, the pregnant wife of Long Island accountant Marty Klein, was involved in a car accident that left her comatose. Convinced that Nancy would never recover if she went to full term with the baby, Marty asked the doctors to perform an abortion. Almost immediately, Nancy Klein became a cause celebre for pro-life and pro-choice activists alike. Made for television, Absolute Strangers recreates this traumatic event and the drawn-out courtroom litigation that followed. Henry Winkler, who produced the film, returned to acting after a long absence to play Klein; others in the cast include Jennifer Hetrick as Nancy, Richard Kiley as Dr. R. J. Cannon, Karl Malden and Audra Lindley as Nancy's parents, and Patty Duke as a lower-court judge. Though it is clear that the filmmaker's sympathies are clearly on Marty Klein's side, the script remains even-handed throughout, observing that the pro-choicers can be just as narrow-minded and contentious as the "absolute strangers" who wish to usurp Marty Klein's rights concerning his wife's wellbeing. Written by playwright Robert Anderson (Tea and Sympathy, I Never Sang For My Father), Absolute Strangers premiered April 14, 1991. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Henry Winkler, Richard Kiley, (more)
