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Who is Michael Tell? Relationship with Patty Duke
Michael Tell is an American rock promoter, publisher and writer, but he is best known worldwide for his short but spectacular relationship with an actress Patty Duke, which spawned actor Sean Astin. Michael and Patty were only together for 25 days and their marriage lasted 13 days, which apparently made Michael very popular. The two married on June 26, 1970 and divorced on July 9.
Supposedly the reason the two got married was because Patty found out she was pregnant but didn’t know who the father was as she was dating both Michael and Desi Arnaz Jr., the son of Lucille Ball and Desi Arnaz at the time . .
However, her and Michael’s marriage ended in annulment and he was never a father to Sean, though it was later confirmed that Michael is Sean Astin’s father.
Unfortunately, nothing is known about Michael’s life in the media, except that he has worked as a writer for various magazines. His net worth is estimated to be around $1 million, as of early 2020.
Michael Tell’s ex-wife, Patty Duke
Born Anna Marie ‘Patty’ Duke on December 14, 1946 in Manhattan, New York City, USA, she was the youngest in the family of three siblings. The daughter of Frances Margaret, a cashier, and John Patrick Duke, who was a handyman and taxi driver and was of Irish and German descent, she struggled growing up; her father an alcoholic and her mother suffering from clinical depression, often violent episodes.
Her father was forced to leave home when she was six years old, and with her unstable mother, she turned to talent managers, John and Ethel Ross, who were already working on Patty’s brother’s career. Her problems only got worse there, when she was forced into drugs and alcohol by the Rosses.
Career
Her managers imposed the name Patty on her and she became a star under this name. She made her acting debut in 1958 in the TV series ‘Brighter Day’ and subsequently appeared in more than 140 films and TV series before her death. She is best known worldwide as Helen Keller in the biographical drama film “The Miracle Worker” (1962), for which she won an Academy Award and Golden Globe Award, among others.
Other popular credits include the role of Billie Carol in the movie “Billie” (1965), and as Bernadette Hennessey Armagh in the TV miniseries “Captains and the Kings” (1976).
Personal life, health problems, death
Patty was married four times in her life; her first husband was the director Harry Falk from 1965 to 1969. Her second husband was Michael, with whom she has a son Sean – she then married John Astin in 1972 who adopted Sean and gave him his last name. The two had a son together, actor Mackenzie Astin, but the two divorced in 1985. She then married drill sergeant Michael Pearce, to whom she remained married until her death. They lived in Hayden, Idaho with their adopted son, Kevin, who was born in 1988.
Patty often talked about her health issues, particularly her mental health, as she was diagnosed with bipolar disorder in 1982.
She died on March 29, 2016 at the age of 69 from sepsis caused by a ruptured bowel. Her son Sean started the Patty Duke Mental Health Initiative in her honor.
Michael Tell’s son, Sean Astin
Sean Astin was born on February 25, 1971 in Santa Monica, California, USA, and is an actor, voice actor, director and producer.
He was adopted by John Astin and Sean would call him Dad, but her mother and John divorced in 1985. He was later told that Desi Arnaz Jr. his father was, but this was not true, which he discovered in his mid-twenties, after a DNA test. Nevertheless, he refers to his mother’s love interests as four fathers, John Astin, Michael Tell, Desi Arnaz Jr, and Michael Pearce. He attended Crossroads High School for the Arts and took master classes at the Stella Adler Conservatory in Los Angeles. He eventually earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in History and English (American Literature and Culture) from the University of California, Los Angeles.
Career
Sean’s career started in 1981 with the role in the television movie “Please Don’t Hit Me, Mom”, but had his first success in 1985 with the role of Mikey in the hugely popular movie “The Goonies”. Before the late 1980s, he had several other successful performances, including parts in White Water Summer” (1987) and “Staying Together” in 1989. Throughout the 1990s, he enjoyed success, beginning with “Encino Man” ( 1992), then “Courage Under Fire” (1996) and the Academy Award nominated film “Bulworth” (1998).
However, his most successful years were the early 2000s when he played Samwise Gamgee in the “Lord of the Rings” trilogy from 2001 to 2003; he won a number of awards and the role propelled him to prominence.
He has since expanded his career into voice acting and now has over 155 projects he has worked on as an actor and voice actor to date. He has often been used in small or guest roles, and in recent years you could have seen him playing Bob Newby in the TV fantasy drama series ‘Stranger Things’ (2017-2019), and as Ed in the TV series ‘No Good Nick ‘, in addition to numerous other roles he has played in his career so far.
Sean is also a director and producer and has worked on the short films and TV series, including the 1988 short film “On My Honor”, his directorial debut, then “The Long and Short of It” (2003).
Sean Astin personal life, net worth
Astin is a married man and his wife is Christine Harrell, the former Miss Indiana Teen USA for 1984. The couple married in 1992 and have welcomed three daughters, Alexandra, Elizabeth and Isabella, born in 1996, 2002 and 2005 respectively. His oldest, Alexandra, had a minor role in the third episode of “Lord of the Rings” – “The Return of the King” – as Samwise’s daughter.
Sean is a successful actor and his prolific career has earned him millions. According to sources, his net worth is estimated at $30 million in early 2020.
