‘The Patty Duke Show’: 21 Things You Probably Never Knew About The Classic Series

15. Duke Went Public With Her Mental Illness

During the mid 20th century, mental health was something that almost never got talked about. There was a huge stigma attached to people who had these illnesses. But in her 1987 autobiography, Duke revealed that she had been diagnosed in 1982 with bipolar disorder. This made her one of the first stars to speak about their experience with mental health issues.

16. She Was An Advocate For Mental Health Awareness Later In Life

Not only did she speak out about her experiences with mental illness but she became an activist and advocate for numerous mental health causes. She even lobbied for Congress to increase funding for research and treatment of mental illnesses, which were still a fairly touchy subject at this time.

17. Duke Eventually Became a Singer

Apparently being a TV actor and movie star wasn’t enough for Duke, so she tried her hand at singing. As it turned out for Duke, it was a pretty good idea. She put out a few albums, had a few singles, had two top 40 hits and one that rose to the top 10.

18. Duke Married Four Times

Despite most fans know her as a teenage actress and star, Duke eventually grew up. She lived a hectic adult life on the romance front, sadly, not having the best of luck with love. She married a total of four times including a marriage that lasted less than a year. Her first marriage took place when she was only 19.

19. The Show Was Canceled When It Had Good Ratings

Many people have wondered why a show with a megastar like Duke and really good Nielsen ratings would get canceled after only a few years. It didn’t make any sense as Duke was only 18 and the show was likely going to get increasingly better over time. As it turned out, it was actually canceled because Duke wasn’t willing to relocate to Los Angeles.

20. They Approached Bette Davis For The Show

Bette Davis, then playing a double role in the film Dead Ringer (1964), was approached to play a guest spot but demanded too much money and too many perks, so they decided to drop the idea.

21. Duke Herself Was The Main Reason Show Was Canceled

The reason ABC originally wanted to keep the show in NY was that of their lax child labor laws, allowing her to work longer hours. But once she turned 18 in the middle of the 1964-65 season, the show’s producers finally wanted to make the move to LA. Duke declined as she didn’t want to travel across the country for work. It was also rumored that the production studio did not want to comply with ABC’s request that the show begin filming in color, which became the final nail in the coffin of the show.

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