Just Heard that Patty Duke Died at the Age of 69

SeaBreeze

SeaBreeze

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Something about a ruptured intestine. Rest peacefully Patty.

(Reuters) - Oscar-winning American actress Patty Duke, widely known for the 1960s show "The Patty Duke Show," died on Tuesday, her representative told Reuters. She was 69 years old.

Duke died Tuesday morning in Coeur d'Alene, Idaho from sepsis due to a ruptured intestine, her spokesman Mitchell Stubbs said.

"She was a wife, a mother, a grandmother, a friend, a mental health advocate and a cultural icon. She will be greatly missed," Stubbs said.
Born Anna Duke in New York in 1946, the actress began working as a child in commercials, television and on stage.

She won a best supporting actress Oscar for playing deaf-blind author and activist Helen Keller in 1962's "The Miracle Worker" at age 16, and later won an Emmy for playing Keller's instructor Annie Sullivan in 1979's TV movie of the same name.

The actress also starred in her own sitcom, "The Patty Duke Show" from 1963 to 1966, and had a role in 1967's "Valley of the Dolls."

She later became president of the Screen Actor's Guild in the 1980s, and also became an advocate for mental health issues after being diagnosed with bipolar disorder in 1982.

The actress was married four times and has three children, including "Lord of the Rings" actor Sean Astin and "The Facts of Life" actor Mackenzie Astin.
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She was a wonderful actress. I remember her playing Helen Keller and I always watched the Patty Duke show. I know she struggled with being bipolar and wrote a book about it.
 
I think Patty Duke was a part of so many people's childhood & youths. I loved the show as a child. I did think it strange the cousins were identical lol. Later I read her story about the abuse going on towards her from the actor that starred as her father & now I can't bear to watch the show. She was courageous to talk about that and also her struggle with being bi polar. RIP Patty.
 
BlunderWoman said:
I think Patty Duke was a part of so many people's childhood & youths. I loved the show as a child. I did think it strange the cousins were identical lol. Later I read her story about the abuse going on towards her from the actor that starred as her father & now I can't bear to watch the show. She was courageous to talk about that and also her struggle with being bi polar. RIP Patty.
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BW, I never heard that the man playing her father was abusive. So I goggled it. She was abused by her foster parents who were her managers. They stole here earnings, gave her drugs and alcohol beginning at age 13, and also sexually abused her. And this was in combination to her being bipolar! Geez. It's amazing she survived.
 
69 is so young. David Bowie was only 69. Alan Rickman was only 69. This is starting to freak me out, not only because they are gone, but they were all the same age. And Glenn Frey was only 67. Too many, too young, too close together.

All these TV commercials, all these drugs that are being marketed, people are "supposed" to be living longer.

69 is just so young.
 
Guitarist said:
69 is so young. David Bowie was only 69. Alan Rickman was only 69. This is starting to freak me out, not only because they are gone, but they were all the same age. And Glenn Frey was only 67. Too many, too young, too close together.

All these TV commercials, all these drugs that are being marketed, people are "supposed" to be living longer.

69 is just so young.
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Yea, there's been a lot recently who were only in their 60's. I'm 64 and my husband is 67.
 

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