Richard
12-02-2001, 02:28 PM
Patty Petersen always looked up to her older brother,Paul.She wanted to be like him every way possible.Patty even wanted to be on TV with Paul.Then in late 1962,her wish came true.On her birthday,Dec.2nd,Paul took her to the studio where the show was filmed.The producer,Tony Owen,decided to give eight-year-old Patty a break...and so he,with the help of Paul West(writer for the show)made her a regular on the Donna Reed show.
On the show,the Stones were playing ball in the park-and joined by a little girl.Then the little girl,Trisha,followed them home and declared herself a new member of the family.They all liked her,but Dr.Stone tried to be practical and gave a description to the police.Later on,Trisha's uncle,Mr.Hawley,came and told the Stones how she was an orphan and living with him.The Stones arranged to,"adopt,"Trisha.
For the next 3 1/2 years,Patty was Trisha(and when you think about it,her names were really the same)and anyone who first tuned in to the show after March of 1963 would have no reason to think she hadn't always been a family member.She was seldom center-stage,but more than once an unsung heroine in particular episodes.
When the Donna Reed show came to an end in 1965/66,Paul Petersen might have been glad that Patty's teen years would be closer to normal than his were.Considering that now he has a special clinic helping other child stars to cope with all the things they need to cope with,he is still someone to be admired and I'm sure Patty still admires her brother.
Happy 47th birthday,Patti Petersen Mirkowich. I wish you and your two children well and hope you have a wonderful birthday.
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Richard Ranke
On the show,the Stones were playing ball in the park-and joined by a little girl.Then the little girl,Trisha,followed them home and declared herself a new member of the family.They all liked her,but Dr.Stone tried to be practical and gave a description to the police.Later on,Trisha's uncle,Mr.Hawley,came and told the Stones how she was an orphan and living with him.The Stones arranged to,"adopt,"Trisha.
For the next 3 1/2 years,Patty was Trisha(and when you think about it,her names were really the same)and anyone who first tuned in to the show after March of 1963 would have no reason to think she hadn't always been a family member.She was seldom center-stage,but more than once an unsung heroine in particular episodes.
When the Donna Reed show came to an end in 1965/66,Paul Petersen might have been glad that Patty's teen years would be closer to normal than his were.Considering that now he has a special clinic helping other child stars to cope with all the things they need to cope with,he is still someone to be admired and I'm sure Patty still admires her brother.
Happy 47th birthday,Patti Petersen Mirkowich. I wish you and your two children well and hope you have a wonderful birthday.
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Richard Ranke