Following Patty Duke's Academy Award-winning performance in "The Miracle Worker", producer Sidney Sheldon looked to star the 15-year-old in a television show. He invited her to spend a week with his family and began observing how she had two distinct personalities (later diagnosed as bipolar disorder). From this, he began writing the basis for the sitcom.
Patty Lane (Patty Duke) is a typical American teenager living in the New York City suburb of Brooklyn Heights. Her caring father, "Poppo", Martin Lane (William Schallert) is the managing editor of the New York Daily Chronicle where his identical twin bother Kenneth is a foreign correspondent. Kenneth's daughter Cathy (also Duke) has moved to the United States from Scotland to live with Patty and her family. This includes Patty's mother Natalie (Jean Byron) and her pesty younger brother Ross (Paul O'Keefe). Cathy looks identical to Patty, but the resemblances end there, as Cathy is a cultured, studious young lady. Episodes center around Patty and Cathy's misadventures, often involving Patty's boyfriend Richard Harrison (Eddie Applegate). The classic sitcom ran for three seasons from 1963-66.
Patty Lane is elated that her love interest Richard has decided to give his pen to her, establishing their relationship. Her father, Martin Lane (played by Mark Miller in the pilot) is the managing editor of the San Francisco Express (also different from the series' New York setting). Upset with things at the office, he threatens to get on a jet and never come back. The family goes to the airport to pick up from Scotland Patty's cousin of identical appearance, Cathy (also Duke). Cathy's father Ross is Martin's twin brother. His business will be requiring of him extensive travel, and he feels it is best that Cathy live with Martin's family. Martin is delayed in traffic, so Cathy goes to his newspaper office where she is mistaken for Patty. When the secretary (Phyllis Coates: Joe McDoakes shorts, Lois Lane in "Adventures of Superman") asks about her father, Cathy answers that he is in Scotland, leading to a misunderstanding that he finally became fed up enough to quit. His boss J.R. Castle (surly character actor John McGiver) feels Martin is valuable, but angrily has his name removed from his office door. Cathy goes to Martin's home where she also is mistaken for Patty. She slaps Richard trying to kiss her and is made to clean Patty's room by the housekeeper (Geraldine Wall). Patty and Cathy meet, stunning everyone of how much they look alike. Cathy confides in Patty that she doesn't know if her father can get along without her since her mother passed away, and vice versa. Patty reassures her that she will enjoy it here in America. Furthermore, she details how they can "be at two different places at the same time" fooling people. For instance, intelligent Cathy can step in for Patty's school subjects she struggles with. Patty decides to test it by dressing as Cathy, but she learns some upsetting truths that creates a divide between the two girls.
Patty Lane (Patty Duke) is a typical American teenager living in the New York City suburb of Brooklyn Heights. Her caring father, "Poppo", Martin Lane (William Schallert) is the managing editor of the New York Daily Chronicle where his identical twin bother Kenneth is a foreign correspondent. Kenneth's daughter Cathy (also Duke) has moved to the United States from Scotland to live with Patty and her family. This includes Patty's mother Natalie (Jean Byron) and her pesty younger brother Ross (Paul O'Keefe). Cathy looks identical to Patty, but the resemblances end there, as Cathy is a cultured, studious young lady. Episodes center around Patty and Cathy's misadventures, often involving Patty's boyfriend Richard Harrison (Eddie Applegate). The classic sitcom ran for three seasons from 1963-66.
Patty Lane is elated that her love interest Richard has decided to give his pen to her, establishing their relationship. Her father, Martin Lane (played by Mark Miller in the pilot) is the managing editor of the San Francisco Express (also different from the series' New York setting). Upset with things at the office, he threatens to get on a jet and never come back. The family goes to the airport to pick up from Scotland Patty's cousin of identical appearance, Cathy (also Duke). Cathy's father Ross is Martin's twin brother. His business will be requiring of him extensive travel, and he feels it is best that Cathy live with Martin's family. Martin is delayed in traffic, so Cathy goes to his newspaper office where she is mistaken for Patty. When the secretary (Phyllis Coates: Joe McDoakes shorts, Lois Lane in "Adventures of Superman") asks about her father, Cathy answers that he is in Scotland, leading to a misunderstanding that he finally became fed up enough to quit. His boss J.R. Castle (surly character actor John McGiver) feels Martin is valuable, but angrily has his name removed from his office door. Cathy goes to Martin's home where she also is mistaken for Patty. She slaps Richard trying to kiss her and is made to clean Patty's room by the housekeeper (Geraldine Wall). Patty and Cathy meet, stunning everyone of how much they look alike. Cathy confides in Patty that she doesn't know if her father can get along without her since her mother passed away, and vice versa. Patty reassures her that she will enjoy it here in America. Furthermore, she details how they can "be at two different places at the same time" fooling people. For instance, intelligent Cathy can step in for Patty's school subjects she struggles with. Patty decides to test it by dressing as Cathy, but she learns some upsetting truths that creates a divide between the two girls.
