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Patty Duke (born December 14, 1946) is an Academy Award-winning American actress of the  stage and screen. She currently resides in Coeur d'Alene, Idaho.

She's 60!

Born Anna Marie Duke in Elmhurst, Queens, New York, USA to an Irish American father,  John P. Duke, and an Irish-German mother, Frances McMahon.



Duke experienced what could be termed a Dickensian childhood. Her father was  an alcoholic, and her mother  suffered from unipolar disorder and was prone to  violence.

When Duke was 6, her mother threw her father out. When she was 8, her mother  essentially turned Duke's care over to her managers, John and Ethel Ross, who  recognized her talent and promoted her as a child actress.

The Rosses' methods were somewhat unscrupulous. For instance, they  consistently billed Duke as two years younger than she was, and padded her  resume with some false credits. It was Ethel Ross who gave the sweeping  name-change order, "Anna Marie is dead, you are Patty now." This would have  painful repercussions for Duke in the decades to come. (Her professional name  was chosen because the Rosses wanted her to achieve the success of Patty McCormack).Duke has suffered from mental health issues throughout her life. In 1982, an unusual reaction to a cortisone shot she received on a set  led to her being diagnosed with bipolar disorder.

Its treatment, which included lithium as a medication, stabilized Duke's  life put her on the true road to recovery.

Many have attributed some of Duke's early, extraordinary acting abilities to  her being affected by bipolar disorder.

Duke has since become an activist for numerous mental health causes.Duke's recent appearances have been limited; she has mainly appeared in  television movies in the last decade. She has made her permanent home in Idaho, and is not involved in day-to-day  activities in Hollywood.

On November 2, 2004, it was announced that Duke would undergo  single bypass surgery  in her adoptive home state of Idaho, which  was successful.

In 2002 she returned to New York to appear as "Aunt Eller" in a revival of Oklahoma. She also returned to New York  in 2005 to attend a memorial service for actress and old co-star from The Miracle  Worker, Anne  Bancroft, who had died of uterine cancer earlier in the year.

Other December 14th Birthdays:

Hal Williams-Actor/Sanford and Son  68

Joyce Vincent-Wilson-Singer/Tony Orlando and Dawn  60

Dee Wallace-Actress/Cujo  58

Cynthia Gibb-Actress/Fame  43

Brian Dalyrimple-Singer/Soul for Real  31
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