R.I.P, Oscar-winning actress Patty Duke dies at 69

Patty Duke, an Oscar-winning actress and the beloved star of the 1960s sitcom “The Patty Duke Show,” has died at 69.

The Hollywood icon passed away Tuesday after suffering sepsis due to a ruptured intestine, her manager Holly Shelton confirmed to the Daily News

 

Actress Patty Duke passed away Tuesday at 69.

“She was a wife, a mother, a grandmother, a friend, a mental health advocate and a cultural icon,” Shelton said via email. “She will be greatly missed.”

The actress, born Anna Marie Duke, rose to fame as a child star in the 1950s and won an Academy Award for best supporting actress for her portrayal of Hellen Keller in “The Miracle Worker” in 1962 when she was 16.

The following year, she earned an even larger following as the star of “The Patty Duke Show,” on which she played two different main characters — a pair of cousins named Patty and Cathy Lane.

As she grew older, she landed more film roles, including a gig as Neely O’Hara in the classic 1967 drama “The Valley Of Dolls.”

She also enjoyed considerable success as a Broadway actress, most notably starring in “The Miracle Worker” as Keller before the play was turned into a film.

Duke won three Emmys in her storied career for her performances in “Captains and Kings,” “My Sweet Charlie” and in a 1979 biographical TV special of the “The Miracle Worker.” She received eight Emmy nominations overall.

 

But Duke’s impact on the world went far beyond the entertainment circuit. After being diagnosed with bipolar disorder in 1982, the actress made it her mission to educate others about mental illnesses by teaming up with the National Institute of Mental Health and National Alliance on Mental Illnesses to raise money and awareness about the conditions.

Then in 2011, Duke portrayed a character with bipolar disorder on an episode of the “The Protector” in an effort to de-stigmatize the condition.

Duke’s legacy on television lasted long after “The Patty Duke Show” went off the air in 1966, as she was ranked 40th on TV Guide’s list of the 50 Greatest TV Stars of All Time in 1996.

an episode of Disney Channel’s “Liv and Maddie” in 2015.

Duke, who was married four times, is survived by her husband Michael Pearce and her three children Mackenzie, Kevin and “Lord of the Rings” actor Sean Astin — who shared a touching tribute to his mother on Facebook on Tuesday.

“I love you mom,” he posted, along with a photo of her holding him when he was a baby.

The actor also shared a statement released by his family after Duke’s passing.

“We celebrate the infinite love and compassion she shared through her work and throughout her life,” the statement read.

Other public figures took to social media Tuesday to commemorate the actress' life.

"Very saddened on the passing of Patty Duke," wrote actor William Shatner. "She was a wonderful friend on Twitter. Condolences to her family."

First Lady of New York Chirlane McCray, meanwhile, commended Duke for her devotion to educating others about mental illnesses.

"Will miss #PattyDuke who courageously spoke out about bipolar disorder at a time when people did not talk about mental health," she tweeted.