When I was in high school and college, I loved this show. When I grew up and learned that Patty Duke was playing two roles while living with undiagnosed bipolar disorder, I loved the show even more. I think I had a secret desire to go back to the “good old days” and actually believed the 50's might be it. I had a passing flirtation with the 20s and the late 1800's, but the 1950's where it for me, man. Until I left the nest and learned what the squabbles about bussing us kids during the 1984 WM high school merger really meant — – funny how those same phrases are coming to light now regarding the Duquesne students … 23 years later. Sigh.
Anyway, Patty Duke is my dirty little secret. I also loved teen romance novels set in the 50s of which the WM junior high library was well stocked. To balance it out, I read a lot of boys stories, too. In fact, I would hide my brother's copy of “Boys Life” (from Boy Scouts) when it arrived and read it under the covers at night. My all-time favorite was “My Sister Mike” about the tomboy who got the guy without compromising who she was. For a long time, I thought I wanted to get the guy, too. Took me awhile to figure out I wanted to get the tomboy. LOL.
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Sue,
RE: The Patty Duke Show
It took place in the early to mid 1960's, not 1950's. I remember it was one of my favs too, but that was the original broadcast and you're making me feel older than I am! LOL
It ran from '63 to '66, so basically it took place after JFK and at the height of Beatlemania.
Ha ha ha. “That's pretty funny,” she said in a self-deprecating way. I confused the 50's and 60's. LOL. It all looked the same to me on television, which is very telling I guess. I remember going to the beach one summer and becoming enthralled with Dobie Gillis, Gidget and some show about a teacher b/c they were in black and white which seemed so very retro and cool. Same with the first season of Bewitched. It didn't seem quaint, but more surreal to me. I loved it.
I will still minus 7 through minus 4 when it took place. Take heart, because my parents had met by 1966. 🙂
Sue, it's like we have lead parallel lives. Call me Anna.
Jen
P.S. I enjoyed reading books about girls boarding schools.
Did you ever read a book called “Jane Emily”? It was a young adult mystery and scared the bejeezus out of me. I remember one particular Juvenile Fiction book in which the heroine had one “good” sweater that she carefully folded after wearing to school every two weeks. I was fascinated with the idea of having that kind of fancy clothes. I was just happy to have a new pair of jeans, but I grew up in the steel mill 80s. Of course, she got the boy. He put his ring on her finger at the school outside movie. Of course, he didn't *ask* her if she wanted the ring or anything, but heck ….