Richard Van Patten

Rosemary Rice (May 3, 1925 – August 14, 2012) was an American actress, singer, and voice-over artist. Rice was best known for her role as Katrin Hansen, the oldest daughter in the television series, Mama, which aired on CBS from 1949 to 1957. She provided the opening voice narration for Mama through her character. Personal life Rice was born to Albert and Laura (née Rogers) Rice in Montclair, New Jersey, on May 3, 1925. She married John B. Merrell, July 3, 1954; the couple had two children. Early career and Broadway Rice's acting career began during junior high student in Montclair, when she was cast in her first Broadway production, later attending New York's Professional Children's School. She appeared in twelve plays and musicals on Broadway. Her Broadway credits included the 1943 production of The Naked Genius, a play written by Gypsy Rose Lee, as well as Dear Ruth and Junior Miss. Rice's first radio appearance was on Grand Central Station. She enjoyed an active career in radio, appearing in mysteries, comedies and soap operas. Her best known role was as Betty Cooper in the Archie Andrews radio series. Other radio credits included Ma Perkins (as Laura), The Right to Happiness (as Susan Wakefield), CBS Radio Mystery Theater, NBC Playhouse, Calvacade of America, Playhouse 90, When a Girl Marries (as Kathy), My True Story, Westinghouse Studio One, Young Doctor Malone (as Jill), and Let's Pretend. In 1949, CBS debuted Mama, an early, live television series adapted from "Mama's Bank Account", a book written by Kathryn Forbes. The series, which was set in San Francisco, California, in the early 20th century, centered on the life of a Norwegian American family. The show, which aired from 1949 to 1957, was originally broadcast live from a television studio located above the Oyster Bar in Manhattan's Grand Central Terminal. Rice was cast as Katrin Hansen, the family's oldest daughter. Rice opened each episode by showing and narrating a family photo album with the television audience, always ending the scene with the phrase, "But most of all, I remember... Mama." Veteran actress Peggy Wood starred as her Katrin's mother, Marta Hansen. Judson Laire appeared as the father, Lars Hansen, while Dick Van Patten was cast as the younger brother, Nels, and Robin Morgan as the younger sister, Dagmar. Rice described the cast, which spent five days a week working together, as very close, explaining to the New York Times that she called Judson Laire "Papa" until he died in 1979. Mama was filmed using kinescopes. Rice kept some kinescopes from the production, though most of the machines have been destroyed or thrown away, along with many of the Mama episodes. In 1985, Rice donated her kinescopes to the Museum of Broadcasting, now called the Paley Center for Media, for exhibition of surviving Mama episodes. She appeared at Mama reunions and fan gatherings throughout her life. She continued to work in guest spots on series and television commercials. Additional television credits included roles or appearances on Kraft Television Theatre, The Mike Douglas Show, One Life to Live, Playhouse 90, Search for Tomorrow, The Edge of Night, and Dave Garroway. Children's music Additionally, Rice wrote, sung and narrated fifteen children's albums during her career. She released nine albums through Columbia Records and six albums on the RCA label. Rice won a Grammy Award for one of her albums from Columbia Records. Her album Learning America the Fun Way was part of Harmony Records' Hi-Fi Fun Series, which included coloring kits and cutouts with the recordings. Commercial work Rice also worked in several dozen radio and television commercials, both on camera and through voice-over work. She became a familiar voice to consumers of Clairol products by recording the ad slogan, "If I've only one life to live, let me live it as a blonde!" Her other campaigns included Johnson & Johnson. Her work in the advertising industry earned her three Clio Awards. She provided the voice for the Bell Telephone exhibit at the 1964 New York World's Fair in 1964 and 1965. Audio books Later in life, Rice recorded the books-on-tape narrations for Caedmon Audio. She provided the narration for more than twenty textbooks published by Allyn & Bacon of Boston. She narrated nine audio books for The American Girl Collection, a line of books which accompany the popular American Girl dolls. Awards In addition to the Grammy Award for her children's album and the three Clio Awards, Rice also won one Emmy Award and three Peabody Awards. Later life Rice was a longtime resident of New Canaan, Connecticut, before moving to nearby Stamford, where she died from a heart attack on August 14, 2012, aged 87. She was survived by her daughter, Mrs. Marcie Schonborn; her son, John Merrell, as well as a brother, Rogers, and three grandchildren.

Dick Van Patten Born Richard Vincent Van Patten December 9, 1928 Kew Gardens, Queens, New York, U.S. Died June 23, 2015 (aged 86) Santa Monica, California, U.S. Resting place Forest Lawn Memorial Park, Hollywood Hills Occupation Actor, comedian, businessman, animal welfare advocate Years active 1935–2012 Spouse(s) Patricia Poole ​(m. 1954)​ Children 3, including Vincent Relatives Tim Van Patten (half brother) Joyce Van Patten (sister) Richard Vincent Van Patten (December 9, 1928 – June 23, 2015) was an American actor, comedian, businessman, and animal welfare advocate, whose career spanned seven decades of television. He was best known for his role as patriarch Tom Bradford on the ABC television comedy-drama Eight Is Enough. Van Patten began work as a child actor and was successful on the New York stage, appearing in more than a dozen plays as a teenager. He worked in radio, on Duffy's Tavern. He later starred in numerous television roles including the long-running CBS television series, "Mama" and Young Doctor Malone. Later, he would star or co-star in many feature films, including Charly, Mel Brooks's Robin Hood: Men in Tights and Spaceballs, and Charlton Heston's Soylent Green. Van Patten was the founder of Natural Balance Pet Foods and National Guide Dog Month. Early life Richard Vincent Van Patten was born on December 9, 1928, in the Kew Gardens section of the New York City borough of Queens, the elder child of Richard Byron Van Patten, an interior decorator, and Josephine Rose (née Acerno), who worked in advertising. His younger sister is actress Joyce Van Patten. His mother was of Italian descent, while his father had Dutch and English ancestry. He began work as a model and actor as a child making his Broadway debut at the age of seven. He was successful on the New York City stage, appearing in a dozen theatrical plays before reaching his teen years. He later moved to Hollywood and began a lengthy career in film and television. Van Patten's career in show business began as a child actor on Broadway in 1935 in Tapestry In Gray starring Melvyn Douglas. He was billed as "Dickie Van Patten" and went on to appear in twelve other Broadway plays as a teenager. He moved on to television with the role of Nels Hansen in the CBS series, Mama, starring Peggy Wood, about a Norwegian-American family living in San Francisco, in the early 20th century. It ran from 1949 to 1957. In 1949, James Dean, then an unknown, replaced Patten on the show for a time, when Patten was drafted into the Army. In 1975, he played "Friar Tuck" on When Things Were Rotten, a comic take on Robin Hood, created by Mel Brooks. The series ran for 13 episodes before being canceled. He was best known as the Bradford family patriarch, Tom Bradford, on Eight Is Enough, which aired from 1977 to 1981, and which was loosely based on a book of the same name by the American journalist Thomas Braden. Van Patten appeared in episodes of Sanford and Son, Banacek, Arrested Development, The Brian Keith Show, Cannon, The Streets of San Francisco, Adam-12, Emergency!, Growing Pains, and Happy Days. He had numerous leading roles in motion pictures including Joe Kidd, The Snowball Express and The Santa Trap. He played a small role in the dystopian film Soylent Green (1973). Van Patten appeared in several films directed by Mel Brooks, including High Anxiety, Spaceballs, and Robin Hood: Men in Tights, as well as cameos in the music videos for "Smells Like Nirvana" and "Bedrock Anthem" by "Weird Al" Yankovic, and on The Weird Al Show. He played "Jack Benson" in Opposite Day (2009). He also was a commentator for the World Series of Poker from 1993 to 1995. The Hollywood Walk of Fame honored Van Patten on November 20, 1985, with a Star of Television marker at 1541 North Vine Street. On January 12, 2008, Van Patten received a star on the Palm Springs Walk of Stars. On November 1, 2009, Phoenix Books published Eighty Is Not Enough!, a book co-authored by Van Patten and Robert Baer, in which Van Patten shared his 80-year journey of insights and anecdotes through the entertainment industry. He discusses his journey from his humble beginning in Queens, New York; his rise as a childhood star on Broadway during the Great Depression; working as an actor on the radio; the advent of television and his role in the second-ever live situation comedy Mama; a rough period between acting gigs; a rise back to the top that led the TV icon to the lead role on the popular hit show Eight Is Enough and subsequent roles in television and movies. Other work Main articles: Natural Balance Pet Foods and National Guide Dog Month An animal enthusiast, Van Patten co-founded Dick Van Patten's Natural Balance Pet Foods in 1989. Van Patten's creation of his own brand of dog food was satirized in comedian John Hodgman's 2008 book More Information Than You Require, and was rebranded as Dick Van Patten's Hobo Chili for Dogs. He founded National Guide Dog Month which began in 2008 to raise awareness and money for non-profit guide dog schools in the United States, accredited by the International Guide Dog Federation. Patriarch of a famous Hollywood family, Van Patten was the older brother of actress Joyce Van Patten, and the older half-brother of film director and Emmy award-winning television director/producer Tim Van Patten. He was married to Patricia Poole (also known as Pat Van Patten) from 1954 until his death. She was a professional dancer on Broadway and a June Taylor dancer on The Jackie Gleason Show. They lived in Sherman Oaks, California. They had three sons, all actors: Vincent, Nels, and Jimmy. Nels, who is married to actress Nancy Valen, is named for the character Van Patten played on the CBS's I Remember Mama. Van Patten was related to several other actors through marriages. His sister Joyce married actor Martin Balsam; their daughter is actress Talia Balsam. Talia's first husband was actor George Clooney, and she is now married to actor John Slattery. Van Patten's son, Vince, is married to actress Eileen Davidson. Grave of Dick Van Patten at Forest Lawn Memorial Park, Hollywood Hills. In January 2006, Van Patten was taken to Cedars Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles after suffering a diabetic stroke. Van Patten, who suffered from Type 2 diabetes, made a full recovery. Van Patten died at Saint John's Health Center in Santa Monica, California, on June 23, 2015, at age 86. Complications from diabetes were the listed cause. Willie Aames, who played son Tommy Bradford on Eight Is Enough, called his television father "truly a gem [who] will be missed. ... As Dick always said, 'Remember our times together, gang ... Cause these ARE the good ole' days". Betty Buckley, Van Patten's co-star on the series, recalled, "Every day on the set he was a happy, jovial person, always generous and ready to play, tease, and always keep us all laughing. He was the consummate professional, a wonderful actor, master of comedy, and a kind and generous human being." He is interred in the Forest Lawn Memorial Park in the Hollywood Hills of Los Angeles. On November 20, 1985, Dick Van Patten was honored with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. In 2008, a Golden Palm Star on the Palm Springs, California, Walk of Stars was dedicated to him.