By Megan Bull
Copyright hellomagazine
Dynasty star Patricia Crowley has passed away, just days before her 92nd birthday. The American actress, who landed her breakthrough role opposite Ginger Rogers in Forever Female (1953), died of natural causes in Los Angeles. Her son, Jon Hookstratten, executive VP of administration and operations at Sony Pictures Entertainment, confirmed the news. According to Hookstratten, Patricia is also survived by her husband of almost 40 years, film producer Andy Friendly, 73, as well as her two children. A Golden Globe winner, Patricia established a successful career in Hollywood, which included a recurring role in the beloved soap opera, Dynasty.
As fans will recall, Patricia played the role of Emily Fallmont, the wife of Richard Anderson’s Senator Buck Fallmont, in nine episodes of the iconic series. Among her impressive list of credits, the mother-of-two also appeared in episodes of Charlie’s Angels, Port Charles, and The Bold and the Beautiful. Following the announcement of her passing, tributes have flooded in for the actress on social media. Gigi Garner, the daughter of beloved Patricia’s Maverick co-star, James Garner, was among the first to respond, writing: “Rest in peace”.
Meanwhile, George Pennacchio, an entertainment reporter for ABC7 Eyewitness News, shared a photo of Patricia on Instagram, remarking, “She was such a lovely lady”. He recalled: “I met Pat on our studio lot in 1997 when she was on the General Hospital spinoff, Port Charles. She always had a smile and a nice word! May she RIP.”
Born on 17 September 1933, Patricia was born in Olyphant, Pennsylvania. While little is known about her parents, Patricia’s late sister, Ann Crowley, a fellow actress, is revered for her prestigious Broadway career, which included stints in Paint Your Wagon and Seventeen, in which she originated the role of Lola.
While Ann pursued a life on the stage, Patricia broke into the world of film after landing her breakthrough role in Forever Female at the age of 20. A huge undertaking, the film saw her appearing alongside Hollywood heavyweights Ginger Rogers and William Holden. Cast as Clara, the role was originally meant for Audrey Hepburn, but after scheduling conflicts, Paramount found a worthy replacement in Patricia, who was later awarded the Golden Globe for New Star of the Year in 1954.
While Patricia’s earliest film roles had her collaborating with Rosemary Clooney, Dean Martin, Jerry Lewis, and Tony Curtis, she eventually became synonymous with television, owing to her hilarious performance as Joan Nash in the NBC sitcom, Please Don’t Eat the Daisies. Before her death, Patricia made her final on-screen appearances in episodes of The Bold and the Beautiful, The Closer, and Cold Case, the latter of which aired in 2009.
