Was Patty Duke blackballed in Hollywood?

I could totally see Lucy making some phone calls, but not Angela Lansbury. I just don't think she would care all that much.

Patty did pretty well overall for a plain woman with severe emotional problems who was a former child actress.

I hugely doubt anyone cared about Lucille Ball's opinion of her, or her beating out Angela Lansbury for the Oscar.

ENTHUSIASM.

Patty Duke continually worked after the Desi, Jr., affair. She wasn’t blackballed.

SAG-AFTRA President in mid-80’s doesn’t seem to indicate she was somehow ostracized. She was an interesting woman with a short, eventful life.

Patty was a child on Broadway in The Miracle Worker and then played the part in the film. Unbelievable talent. Her peers elected her to represent them as President of SAG-AFTRA. Doubtful she was 'blackballed'. She had a great career on stage, film, and TV. Very sad about her mental illness but that can't take away from a great career.

I miss Patty Duke. When she died, I felt as if I lost an old friend.

[quote] I could totally see Lucy making some phone calls,

"Hello? Is this Gordon Stulberg, the head of 20th-Century Fox ? Mr Stulberg, this is Lucille Ball calling. Yes, [italic]that[/italic] Lucille Ball.

Mr. Stulberg, do you know Miss Patty Duke? Well, I want you to know exactly what I think of her...

***makes "spider" noise***"

Patty Duke was national treasure.

Patty Duke was President of SAG.

The current SAG-AFTRA wasn't a thing before 2012, when the Screen Actors Guild merged with AFTRA.

More like 8-balled in Hollywood.

the only thing missing in R8's post is a cameo by Gale Gordon.

Patty should have played Lucy's daughter in law in Life With Lucy, it would have run for years. It could have been a Roadrunner/Wylie Coyote set up, where they try to kill each other every week, but end up with buckets of water on their head, or their mugs plastered in a plate of spaghetti.

I also forgot that Suzanne Pleshette was no fan of Patty after the latter made Suze's life a living hell after she replaced Bancroft in The Miracle Worker. While yes, I agree Patty kept working after the Desi affair, she never again did film work and by the '90s was relegated to Lifetime movies, while Meryl Streep who is only three years younger than her and Sally Field who was about the same age were starring in features.

R14, Suzanne made a joke of it. What made her life a living hell was having to keep throwing this heavy young girl around the stage. She said because of it, she never wore sleeveless dresses because her arms became so baggy.

Baggy or ripped, R15? I don’t understand how throwing a heavy weight around would make someone flabbier.

Patty was never a bombshell (she was perfectly cast as Neeley O’Hara), and fairly quickly moved from playing younger characters to middle-aged, motherly roles. These were easier to find in “movie of the week” type movies. She also balanced work responsibilities (acting, leading SAG) alongside raising a family, while managing mental health. (She had bipolar disorder and chose to live away from Hollywood for a slower-paced lifestyle.) I think these factors probably influenced her career decisions more than blackballing led by Hollywood higher powers.

Thanks R10, I did consider that when I posted, but was too lazy to check.

^^R5

R16, called Bagwings, it's something that was widely considered for women who spent years carrying children.

Dammit, I thought I told you all to call me ANNA!

Patty had been a star since childhood and any of her career issues were caused by her undiagnosed bipolar disorder as well as those two crazy guardians/managers she had in childhood.

She was one of the first nepo babies in Hollywood!!!!. The bastard love child/inbred daughter of Duke Wayne and Doris Duke.

She helped Hillary send emails!!!!!!

She had the best and probably longest TV movie career of any Hollywood actress. The schedule seemed to give her flexibility in her personal life, which someone with her challenges needed. Given everything she dealt with, she really triumphed professionally despite all the gaps in her big screen credits.

The comparisons with Sally Field and Meryl Streep are pointless. Streep was a genuine (if unusual) beauty when she was younger, and also had an even greater talent; Field was much cuter than Duke, and had incredible drive.

Neither Streep nor Field suffered from Duke's troubled history of mental illness, which held her back.

Patty Duke was very talented, but her physical plainness and her emotional and mental problems held her back. it's amazing she worked as steadily as she did.

Patty was very pretty! Not plain at all.

You could lose your mind!

[quote]Add to that beating Angela Lansbury to win her Oscar when Lansbury gave a career performance.

Sweetie, Angela Lansbury couldn't even win an Emmy for "Murder She Wrote" on twelve nominations. Duke won three Emmys for three different films. Patty Duke gives one the greatest performances on film, child or adult as Helen Keller. Lansbury had three Oscar nominations and they finally threw her a honorary with one foot in the grave.

[quote] Patty was very pretty! Not plain at all.

Don't piss on my leg and tell me it's raining.

I never quite understood what Lucy's beef was. Desi, Jr. was already a slut, way before he got involved with Patty. Yeah, he was 17, but hadn't he already knocked up multiple girls and one even had his kid - which Lucy covered up.

insure -> ensure

Everyone has their own eyes, R24, but even in her youth I never considered Meryl Streep a beauty. Her talent, and more so her drive, allowed her to succeed despite being a Plain Jane.

Duke had an Oscar and 3 Emmys -- she did great for herself. And not everyone wants the stress involved in trying to maintain a high profile film/TV career for decades and decades.

Very overated. Bad actress.

[quote] after the Desi affair, she never again did film work

THAT! Is a LIE!

Patty was only about five years older than Desi Jr., it wasn't a significant age difference.

R32 = Lucille Ball from the grave.

I've watched Match Game on YouTube. She was on it a few times. I always felt embarrassed for her.

Only after a hot dog made her lose control.

"Hello, Alan Pakula? This Lucille Ball, the most powerful woman in Hollywood. I hear you're thinking of casting Patty Duke as the lead in your upcoming film Sophie's Choice. Well let me tell you something Mr. Pakula, if you don't want to find a horse's head in your bed in the next week, I'd advise you to reconsider your casting decision. What about that albino girl Steep or Strep? Or that homely girl Close? She looks like she's suffered a lot! Hahaha! Anyways, if you don't wanna brick going through your window anytime soon, I'd advise you to NOT hire that little trollop who corrupted my boy, capice?"

[quote]Was Patty Duke blackballed in Hollywood?

Black-dicked, yes.

And from what I've heard about her taking it deep, that probably included being black-balled, too.

Yes, by Al Freeman, Jr.

[quote]Was Patty Duke blackballed in Hollywood?

No, but she sure was blue-balled!

"Desi, come pound my puss!"

"Desi, Desi...anyone with a big dick?"

Because Hollywood doesn't go for booze and drugs Baby!

Alan Pakula didn't die of a brick through his window but he did die of a metal pipe through his windscreen.

Was Arlene Francis in town when that happened?

OP's image of the two Mames conspiring against Helen Keller out of sheer spite has me in stitches.

I read her book - I think she said she was cast in a Hollywood movie around the same time as her famous acceptance speech and she (mentally) went off the rails big time and that's why she was no longer cast in big movies and then found work in smaller budget TV movies. Maybe they couldn't insure her after what happened.

How much did Match Game pay her?

Very surprised she wasn't an EGOT with her career spanning Broadway, TV, film, and records. Patty won awards in every category but didn't seem interested in pursuing the Big Four.

Patty didn’t “lie” about Desi Jr. being the father of her son, Sean. She believed he was the father.

I still believe he is. There's way too much resemblance between him and Sean.

[quote]Very surprised she wasn't an EGOT with her career spanning Broadway, TV, film, and records.

She played Madame Morrible in the sit down production of "Wicked" replacing Carol Kane in San Francisco. She got great reviews and the Producers kept extending her contract. I asked why she didn't come to New York and she said they never asked her to.

R51, it soulds like Angela called in a few favors.

Patty Duke definitely liked the black balls, right up tight to her pussy!