Who is Joyce Van Patten? Everything You Need to Know

Quick Facts

Also Known As: Joyce Benignia Van Patten

Family:

Spouse/Ex-: Dennis Dugan (m. 1973–1987), Hal Lynch (m.1968-1970), Martin Balsam (m. 1957-1962), Thomas King (m.1950-1953)

father: Richard Byron Van Patten

mother: Josephine Rose Acerno

children: Casey King, Talia Balsam

Born Country: United States

Actresses American Women

Ancestry: Italian American

City: New York City

U.S. State: New Yorkers

Recommended For You

Recommended Lists:

New Yorkers Actresses

Pisces Actresses

American Actresses

Actresses Who Are In Their 90s

Career

Joyce Van Patten’s career in the entertainment world started at a very young age after being thrust into showbiz by her mother. Her mother was taking baby Joyce to auditions and modeling opportunities even before her first birthday. At the age of two in 1936, she made her stage debut as the winner of a ‘Shirley Temple look-alike contest’ at the ‘RKO Theatre’, Richmond Hill, New York. Then, at the age of six, she made her Broadway debut in ‘Love’s Old Sweet Song’ (May 02, 1940 - June 08, 1940).

Joyce Van Patten returned to Broadway throughout her career and delivered critically acclaimed performances. Notable among them were in ‘Popsy’ (February 10, 1941 - February 12, 1941), ‘Tomorrow the World’ (April 14, 1943 - June 17, 1944), ‘The Bees and the Flowers’ (September 26, 1946 - October 19, 1946), ‘Brighton Beach Memoirs’ (March 27, 1983 - May 11, 1986), and ‘The People in the Picture’ (April 28, 2011 - June 19, 2011), etc.

She made her movie debut at the age of seven, when she was cast as Mae in ‘Reg'lar Fellers’ (1941). Episodes on TV series like ‘Repertory Theatre’ (1948) and ‘Armstrong Circle Theatre’ (1950) were her very first TV appearances. Her first two recurring roles were in the series ‘Kraft Theatre’ (1949 – 1951) and ‘Mama’ (1954). Joyce Van Patten continued building her portfolio through TV shows like ‘Young Dr. Malone’ (1959 - 1960), ‘The New Loretta Young Show’ (1962), ‘The Alfred Hitchcock Hour’ (1963), and ‘The Untouchables’ (1963).

Her best recurring roles during the period were in ‘The Many Loves of Dobie Gillis’ (1961 – 1963), ‘Perry Mason’ (1963 – 1965), and ‘The Good Guys’ (1968 – 1970). After establishing herself as a bankable performer, Joyce Van Patten was cast in multiple roles in the TV series ‘Love, American Style’ (1970 – 1974). However, leading roles in mainstream movies would elude her throughout her career. She did deliver praiseworthy performances in ‘Bone’ (1972), ‘Mame’ (1974), ‘The Manchu Eagle Murder Caper Mystery’ (1975), and ‘The Bad News Bears’ (1976).

She next starred in the TV series ‘Columbo’ (1974 – 1976), ‘The Rockford Files’ (1977), and ‘The Mary Tyler Moore Hour’ (1979). She became a darling of the audience for her many TV movies. These included ‘A Christmas for Boomer’ (1979), ‘The Demon Murder Case’ (1983), and ‘Malice in Wonderland’ (1985). In 1985, she returned to mainstream movies and delivered an amazing performance in the classic ‘St. Elmo’s Fire’. Her notable works in the 1990s include the series ‘All My Children’ (1993) and ‘Unhappily Ever After’ (1995 – 1996).

In 2002, Joyce Van Patten delivered three noteworthy performances in the TV series ‘The Sopranos’, ‘NYPD Blue’, and ‘Judging Amy’ (2002 – 2003). After playing Carol Prudy in the series ‘Desperate Housewives’ (2005), she starred in two comedy blockbusters, ‘Marley & Me’ (2008) and ‘Grown Ups’ (2010). She has also been seen in an episode of ‘Boardwalk Empire’ (2014) and in the movie ‘Diane’ (2018).

Recommended Lists:

Women Film & Theater Personalities

American Film & Theater Personalities

American Female Film & Theater Personalities

Pisces Women

Continue Reading Below

Family & Personal Life

Joyce Benignia Van Patten was born on March 9, 1934, in New York City, New York, USA. Her mother was Josephine Rose Acerno and her father was Richard Byron Van Patten. She had an older brother, actor Richard Vincent Van Patten (December 9, 1928 – June 23, 2015). Her half-brother is director-producer Timothy Van Patten (born June 10, 1959). Joyce Van Patten was married to Thomas Casey King briefly from (July 15, 1950 – 1953). They had a son together named Thomas Casey King Jr. (November 12, 1951 – December 15, 2014).

Patten’s second marriage was with actor Martin Balsam (August 18, 1957 – August 14, 1962). They have a daughter together, actress Talia Balsam (born March 5, 1959). Joyce then married actor Hal Lynch (January 21, 1968 – 1970). Her last marriage was with actor Dennis Dugan in 1973, but that too ended in divorce, in 1987.

Joyce Van Patten Biography