Meeting a Hollywood Legend
Patty Duke
March 25, 2006
"We could never learn to be brave and patient if there were only joys in the world."
Courageous words of wisdom from a woman who personified hope in the face of incredible odds. Her name was Helen Keller and her inspiring journey to overcome the hindrance of being without sight and hearing through the help of her teacher, Annie Sullivan, continues to be a significant lesson of determination to this day.
So it is only fitting that the extraordinary woman who brought her story to the world on Broadway and the big screen be equally inspiring.
On a windy March morning at the Boyd's Bears Barn in Gettysburg, Pennsylvania, my co-star Jenna McBreen and I had the good fortune of meeting this extraordinary lady in person.
When William Gibson's The Miracle Worker, opened on Broadway in October of 1959, little did a then 12 year-old New York native realize just how much of an impact her special gifts would have on the world.
Patty Duke would eventually walk through this journey in the shoes of both Helen Keller (with the beloved, late Anne Bancroft in the original stage production and film directed Arthur Penn) and as Annie Sullivan alongside Melissa Gilbert in 1979. Like Helen Keller, Patty would have to overcome a considerable, life-changing set of cards that dealt both stigma and misunderstanding in the eyes of the world.
But like Annie Sullivan, she would also go on to teach others how to take those cards and play a winning hand - one that proves that even the greatest challenge is not strong enough to break the power of the human spirit.
Patty greets fans at the Boyd's Bears Barn in Gettysburg, PA.
After her own harrowing experience with bipolar disorder, Patty Duke has taken considerable time and effort to promote awareness and education on an issue that continues to be terribly misunderstood. She has written two books on the subject. The first, Call Me Anna, was published in 1987. The title springs from Patty's birth name Anna Marie Duke.
A compelling and revealing autobiography, Patty was one of the first among the celebrity community to so openly discuss being diagnosed with manic depression. It was later adapted into an equally compelling television movie with Anna playing herself in the second half of the film. As noted on Anna's official website, when the hotline for the National Alliance for the Mentally Ill (NAMI) was presented at the film's conclusion, operators were literally flooded with calls for help from patients and loved ones.
And this was only the beginning.
That success was followed by A Brilliant Madness: Living with a Manic Depressive Illness in 1992. Since then, Anna has graciously donated her time and energy with organizations such as NAMI to let the world know that there is hope to combat this illness and continues to break the painful stigmas associated with it.
To be fortunate enough to spend time with this remarkable woman is like spending time with someone you have known for years. Though most of us have grown up watching her from a distance, Anna does not distance herself at all from the fans who love her. She embraces them.
Clearly you can see that this is someone who has not only overcome incredible odds but is genuinely happy.
Sparkly-eyed and lovely as ever, Anna greeted everyone who approached her with great enthusiasm and open arms. It is truly amazing to see the incredible aura of warmth that extends from this woman and her witty sense of humor is nothing short of delightful. At one point, after a store manager had delicately placed her well-deserved Oscar inside a glass display case, Anna turned to the crowd and chuckled. "My word, it's never had such a nice home!"
Anna's Oscar from her breakthrough performance in The Miracle Worker
Standing close by, more than willing to lend a hand in taking photographs and talk with the crowd was Anna's husband, Michael Pearce, whom she met while filming the television drama A Time to Triumph. The film, depicting a mother who enlists in the army to support her family after her husband falls ill, brought the future couple together when Sgt. Michael Pearce was assigned the task of putting Anna through a crash course in basic training to prepare for the role. They married in 1986.
Anna poses with her biggest fan: husband Michael Pearce
Fans were just as eager to meet with Michael and express their gratitude. When a small crowd began to encircle her husband, Anna jokingly folded her arms and noted "you're getting a following I'm not too sure about there, dear" much to the amusement of everyone.
After our time to meet Anna had come to a close, she ended the conversation with big hugs and smiles of appreciation. Through tears that were already forming from the experience, I thanked Anna for everything she has done and continues to do for mental health awareness. "You are a true miracle worker," I told her.
"Thank you so much and God bless both of you," she said as Jenna and myself made our exit. Truly an experience neither one of us will forget any time soon.
Be sure to visit Anna's website as it is not only a fascinating look at her career but a significant resource in mental health information and support.