Patty Duke was the teenager that won an Oscar for her role in "The Miracle Worker" and has starred in several films and sitcoms. Now, her works are cemented in the Hollywood halls after passing away at the age of 69.
One of her reps, Mitchell Stubbs, confirmed to USAToday that the actress passed away on the morning of Mar. 29, 2016 at 1:20 AM. "Her cause of death was sepsis from a ruptured intestine. She was a wife, a mother, a grandmother, a friend, a mental health advocate and a cultural icon. She will be missed," he further explained. She died at a private hospital in Coeur D'Alene, Idaho.
To celebrate her life and career, celebrities, fans and multiple websites have chosen to remember her acting career dating back to the 1950s.
Duke won an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress in "The Miracle Worker" which made her the youngest person (back then) to win an Oscar. She was the only person who could pull off playing the blind and deaf American icon, Helen Keller , in 1962. Later on, she was given her own American pop culture TV series called "The Patty Duke Show." But it wasn't her acting alone that made her mark in the industry. She was also successful as a singer. Patty Duke made the Top 40 hits twice in 1965 with her songs "Don't Just Stand There" and "Say Something Funny." Being a multi-tasker, she also wrote her own books titled "Call Me Anna" and "Brilliant Madness: Living with Manic Depressive Illness."
Though her acting accolades were many, she was best known as an advocate for mental health. She herself was diagnosed with bipolar disorder in 1982. Jeffrey Borenstein, president and CEO of the Brain & Behavior Research Foundation interviewed her during an episode of Healthy Minds. He shares that Patty Duke was an inspiration and a role model for people dealing with mental illness.
Her last tweet softened the hearts of many, "Hi tweethearts and FB friends. I have been absent, but not far, believe me. I love and miss you all. Hopefully back more soon and often," was her Twitter post on March 1.
She may not be popular with today's young generation but those who are trying to make it in the world of acting can learn from her experiences and career.
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