On June 24, 1970, the rock promoter Michael Tell and the Hollywood star Patty Duke exchanged marital vows barely after a few weeks of meeting. Unfortunately, the marriage crumbled after only 13 days as a couple and this became the most famous of Patty’s 4 marriages.
From their first meeting and wedding to their divorce and the twist of events that followed, here is all to know about Michael and Patty’s short marriage.
Michael Tell and Patty Duke Crossed Paths While he was Sorting a Sublet Apartment
Michael Tell and Patty Duke reportedly met at the Sierra Tower Apartment where the actress Patty was living at the time. According to the story, she was about to move out of the apartment when she overheard Tell asking for an apartment to sublet to a switchboard operator. She then asked him to take a look at her apartment which he agreed and a few months later he moved in.
Following this, the pair soon became friends and later started dating. However, Tell wasn’t the only one Patty was dating at the time. Records have it that, she was also in a relationship with then-17-year-old Desi Arnaz Jr, and their affair was widely known because Arnaz’s mother Lucille Ball wasn’t in support of it. Nonetheless, the pair still continued to see each other.
Consequently, Tell relationship with Patty never really got to the news. The only people who knew that they were an item were their close friends and family members.
The Pair Got Married when Patty Discovered She was Pregnant
For a relationship that only began, getting married wasn’t on the list. However, when Patty discover that she was pregnant, it became an option. The pair were engaged for two weeks before officially getting married on June 24, 1970. Their wedding ceremony was held at a little church of the West in Las Vegas. Since the occasion wasn’t so planned, the pair had to use borrowed rings.
Their wedding was widely spread and Michael soon gained popularity for his marriage to the Hollywood actress who was renowned for her roles in The Miracle Worker (1962), The Patty Duke Show (1963), Billie (1965), and Valley of the Dolls (1967).
Asides from giving her unborn child a name, it was also reported that their wedding happened when Patty suffered several episodes of maniac depression from her previous relationships.
Michael Tell and Patty Duke Spent Only 13 Days as a Couple
Although Michael’s marriage to Patty came as a surprise to the public, their breakup was even more shocking. The couple parted ways after barely 2 weeks of being married. It was unclear why they parted ways at first however, Patty later revealed in her autobiography that they were a mismatch.
She said that he was a lavish spender and she had to pay off his gambling debts at several casinos soon after their wedding. The pair got into an argument one of those nights at the hotel and it didn’t end well. This happened after Michael revealed to the public that Patty was pregnant during an interview with the host of “The Dick Cavett Show”. He also added that he doubted if he was the father of the child.
Following the argument, Patty asked Tell to leave her apartment and the two never saw each other again.
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Michael Tell Got To Know He Was The Father Of Patty’s Child After Over 2 Decades
When Michael Tell and Katty Duke got married, no one knew that her unborn child was his. In fact, she had noted that the marriage was not consummated and later revealed that the father of her son Sean was actor John Astin who was already married.
The two kept this away from the public and their families until their son was born. Astin also ended this marriage and married Michael’s ex-wife Katty in 1972. The following year, the couple welcomed another son named Mackenzie who was raised alongside his older brother, Sean.
When Sean turned 14, Katty confessed that Astin was not the father of her child. She noted that she had a relationship with Desi Arnaz Jr. before her marriage to Tell and named him the father of her child. Unfortunately, this brought an end to her 13 years of marriage to Astin.
Her son Sean then began a relationship with his said father Arnaz Jr. until he met one of Tell’s relatives who hinted that they might be related. Following the uncertainty of his paternity, he decided to take a DNA Test which confirmed that Micheal Tell was his biological father.
Nonetheless, Sean still maintains a close relationship with the three men and still refers to all of them as his father.
Tell’s Ex-wife Patty Duke was Married 4 Times in Her Life Time
As you would easily find, Michael Tell is just one of the 4 men Patty was married to. The actress was first married to Harry Falk Jr. when she was 18 years old. According to her, she got married to get freed from her surrogate parents who she termed as abusive. However, the marriage ended after a few years following her then-undiagnosed bipolar condition which often resulted in mood swings and substance abuse.
As hinted, she moved on with John Astin in 1972 after she ended things with Tell. Unfortunately, they also parted ways.
Patty Duke then got married to Michael Pearce, a former military sergeant in 1986 who remained her husband until she died in 2016. The pair led a quiet life alongside their adopted son, Kelvin her two stepdaughters Charlene and Raelene.
Where is Michael Tell Today?
At the moment, Michael’s whereabouts are not known as not so much has been heard of him since he parted ways with Patty Duke. He decided to live away from the spotlight and has maintained that until this day. Before, his marriage to Patty, he pursued a career in the musical industry as a rock promoter.
