Michael Tell is a former American journalist and rock promoter. He was briefly married to American actress and mental health advocate Patty Duke in 1970, during a manic phase of Duke’s bipolar disorder. They had their marriage annulled after just 13 days. It was later determined through a paternity test that Tell was the biological father of Duke’s son, actor Sean Astin
Anna Marie “Patty” Duke (born December 14,1946) was an American actress and mental health advocate who achieved great success in the entertainment industry. Her impressive acting career earned her an Academy Award, two Golden Globe Awards, three Primetime Emmy Awards, and a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.
At the age of 15, Duke became famous for her portrayal of Helen Keller in the film adaptation of The Miracle Worker (1962), a role that originated on Broadway. Her stunning performance won her an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress. The following year, she showcased her versatility by playing the dual role of “identical cousins” Cathy and Patty Lane on her own network television series, The Patty Duke Show (1963–1966).
As she matured as an actress, Duke went on to play more complex characters, such as Neely O’Hara in the film Valley of the Dolls (1967) and Natalie Miller in the film Me, Natalie (1969), which earned her a Golden Globe Award for Best Actress in a Motion Picture Comedy or Musical. From 1985 to 1988, she served as president of the Screen Actors Guild.
In 1982, Duke was diagnosed with bipolar disorder, which had a profound impact on her life. She dedicated herself to raising awareness about mental health issues and educating the public. Duke was also known for her occasional singing and writing.
On March 29, 2016, Duke passed away at the age of 69 in Coeur d’Alene, Idaho, due to sepsis from a ruptured intestine. Her son Sean Astin encouraged people to make donations to the Patty Duke Mental Health Initiative, a foundation established in her honor to promote mental health awareness. Duke was cremated, and her remains were laid to rest at Forest Cemetery in Coeur d’Alene.
Michael Tell, Arnaz Jr. or John Astin – Who is Sean Astin’s father?
Anna Marie Duke, who was also known as Patty Duke, discovered that she was pregnant in June 1970 while going through a manic phase. In an effort to give her unborn child a name, she got married to Michael Tell on June 26, 1970, but their marriage only lasted for 13 days before they got an annulment on July 9, 1970.
Duke’s son, Sean Astin, was born on February 25, 1971. She had told her son that Arnaz Jr. was his biological father. In her 1987 autobiography, Duke claimed that her marriage to Tell was unconsummated and that actor John Astin. was actually Sean’s biological father. She reiterated these claims in several chapters of the book. However, it was later revealed that all three statements were untrue. In 1994, Sean underwent a biological test that proved Tell was, in fact, his biological father.
Actor John Astin of ‘West Side Story’ fame married Patty Duke in 1972 and adopted Sean.
Anna Marie Duke – Husbands, Boyfriends and Children
Duke, who was raised Catholic, had aspirations of becoming a nun when she was younger. She later explored various religions, including Christian Science, Buddhism, and Judaism, and attended both Unity and Catholic churches. Over the course of her life, she married four times and had three children.
- Harry Falk: Duke’s first marriage was to director Harry Falk in 1965. They had no children together. Their marriage led to the breakdown of Duke’s relationship with her childhood guardians, the Rosses. During her marriage to Falk, Duke experienced mood swings, anorexia, alcoholism, and attempted suicide multiple times. They divorced in 1969.
- Michael Tell: In 1970, Duke became involved with three men simultaneously: Here’s Lucy star Desi Arnaz Jr., actor John Astin, and rock music promoter Michael Tell. Duke discovered she was pregnant and married Tell in June 1970 during a manic episode to give her child a name. However, their marriage only lasted for 13 days before ending in an annulment on July 9, 1970. Duke’s son, Sean Astin, was born on February 25, 1971. In her 1987 autobiography, Duke claimed that the marriage to Tell was never consummated and that John Astin was Sean’s biological father. However, it was later determined that Tell was Sean’s biological father.
- John Astin: Duke married John Astin on August 5, 1972, and he adopted Sean. They had another son together, Mackenzie Astin. However, Duke and John Astin divorced in 1985.
- Michael Pearce: In 1986, Duke married drill sergeant Michael Pearce, whom she met during the production of A Time to Triumph. They adopted a son, Kevin, in 1988 and remained married until Duke’s death in 2016.
In addition to her three biological children, Duke had three granddaughters from Sean’s side, Alexandra, Elizabeth, and Isabella.
Throughout her life, Duke’s faith and personal relationships underwent significant changes.
Patty Duke’s children with Michael Tell, John Austin, Michael Pearce
Anna Marie Duke, also known as Patty Duke, had three children: Sean Astin, Mackenzie Astin, and Kevin Pearce.
Sean Astin is Duke’s oldest son, born on February 25, 1971. Initially, Duke claimed that John Astin, her second husband, was Sean’s biological father, but it was later determined through biological testing that Michael Tell, Duke’s brief husband, was actually Sean’s biological father. After her marriage to John Astin, he legally adopted Sean, and he took on his last name. Sean Astin is an actor and filmmaker, best known for his roles in “The Lord of the Rings” trilogy and “The Goonies.” He has three daughters from his first marriage, Alexandra, Elizabeth, and Isabella, who are Duke’s granddaughters.
Mackenzie Astin is Duke’s second son, born on May 12, 1973. He is the son of Duke and John Astin, and he grew up in a creative environment, with both his parents being actors. Mackenzie Astin is an actor as well, known for his roles in “The Facts of Life,” “The Last Days of Disco,” and “Scandal.”
Kevin Pearce is Duke’s adopted son, born in 1988. Duke and her husband, Michael Pearce, adopted him after they met during the production of the television film “A Time to Triumph” in 1986. Kevin was born with fetal alcohol syndrome and suffered from various health issues as a result. He required a liver transplant in 1995, which he received from his biological mother. Despite his health challenges, Kevin has grown up to be a successful young man, and he was with Duke until her death in 2016.
Where is Michael Tell now?
It is not clear where Michael Tell is currently located as there is no recent public information available about him. The last known information about him was from the 1990s when he was working as a journalist in Florida.