7 Things You Didn’t Know About ‘The Patty Duke Show’
Broadcast on ABC from September 18, 1963, to April 27, 1966 (and successfully syndicated for many years afterwards). The Patty Duke Show was a vehicle for teenage star Patty Duke, who was coming off of a huge Academy Award win the previous year. Duke starred as the chatty and fun-loving Patty Lane and the demure and sophisticated Cathy Lane, a pair of mismatched cousins who were somehow also identical twins.
TV Guide/courtesy Everett Collection
When Patty’s “Poppo” (aka her father) Martin agrees to let Cathy move into their home in Brooklyn Heights, the two very opposite relatives must learn how to be friends, resulting in fun misadventures. Costarring William Schallert, Jean Byron, Paul O’Keefe, and Eddie Applegate, the series lasted three seasons and produced a total of 104 episodes (not to mention a theme song that would stand the test of time).
A fond memory for those who loved it in the sixties (or enjoyed it in reruns on Nick at Nite years later), The Patty Duke Show was a fun look into teenage life in that era. While Patty Duke herself passed away nine years ago, let’s celebrate her life – and this memorable sitcom – by diving into some little known facts about The Patty Duke Show!
1 The show was actually filmed in New York … at first
Everett Collection
Since Duke was only sixteen when the show began, the powers-that-be decided to film the show in New York City instead of Hollywood. The reason why was simple: California’s child labor laws were very strict, especially their limitations on the number of hours a minor could work per day. With Patty playing two lead characters, producers needed her available as much as possible, leading to the decision to keep production on the East Coast. However, since Duke turned 18 just before the filming of the show’s third season, the entire production was moved to Los Angeles. Regardless, the setting of the show remained in Brooklyn Heights from beginning to end.
2 More than just a sitcom star
While most would consider starring in their own show to be a career highlight, it was just one of many of Patty Duke’s amazing accomplishments. Before turning 18, she’d already been a game show winner, singing sensation, won an Oscar for 1962’s The Miracle Worker, and she was just getting started. Kickstarting her post-sitcom career by starring in the Valley of the Dolls, she continued to act for most of her life, became a pioneering spokesperson for bipolar disorder awareness, and watched her son, Sean Astin, become a huge success all his own.
3 The theme song was a Yabba-Dabba-Doozy
The Skip-Jacks may not be widely known, but the coed vocal group left their mark by recording two albums of lounge music for RCA in 1959 and 1960: Let’s Get Away from It All and Sweet, Hot & Blue. Despite their brief discography, the group is best remembered for creating the themes for The Patty Duke Show and The Flintstones, two of the catchiest ever!
4 One of the show’s stars was replaced in the reunion – by Shirley Feeney?
Tony Esparza/CBS/Courtesy Everett Collection
When the cast reunited in 1999 for the TV movie The Patty Duke Show: Still Rockin’ in Brooklyn Heights, almost all of the original actors reprised their iconic roles. One exception was Kitty Sullivan, who portrayed the school rival Sue Ellen in the original show. Instead, Cindy Williams, known for her role in Laverne & Shirley, took on the role of Patty and Cathy’s arch-nemesis, who was up to her old tricks and planning to tear down the school.
5 Duke’s success even rubbed off on her body double
In the days before CGI and other special effects, shows like The Patty Duke Show resorted to camera tricks and body doubles to pull off scenes involving multiple characters being played by the same person. For this series, actress Rita Walker (née McLaughlin) was usually the stand-in that you see from behind in those scenes. It may sound like a thankless job, but the hard-working performer eventually found success facing the camera by nabbing the role of Carol Deming on As the World Turns from 1970 to 1981.
6 Duke actually played a third role on the show
Everett Collection
Doing double-duty every single episode apparently wasn’t enough of a challenge for Duke, who was given the task of playing Betsy, a third identical cousin who visits from Tennessee in a Season 2 episode titled “The Perfect Hostess.” Hilariously, she is credited for that episode as a special guest.
7 The show had street cred with hip-hop legends
New York City’s own rap legends, the Beastie Boys, are infamous for including television references in their lyrics. Referencing Duke’s wacky dance moves from the show’s opening credits, Mike D memorably boasts that he enjoys “The Patty Duke, The Wrench and then I bust the tango” on the 1989 hit “Shake Your Rump.” Five years later, the rapper reminded us that, “I do the Patty Duke, in case you don’t remember” on “Get it Together,” doubling down on his love for a fellow New York City legend.
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1965
February 2025
Flashback to 1965 and celebrate the very best of TV, Movies, Music, Fashion & more!
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