Above: Patterson on the set of F Troop, 1966
Melody Patterson
Born April 16, 1949
Inglewood, California, U.S.
Died August 20, 2015 (aged 66)
Hollister, Missouri, U.S.
Occupation Actress, singer
Melody Patricia Patterson (April 16, 1949 – August 20, 2015) was an American actress known for her role as Wrangler Jane in the 1960s television series F Troop and for her role as Ellie in the cult horror film Blood and Lace (1971).
Patterson was the daughter of machinist Pat Patterson and the former Rosemary Wilson, an official in the Miss Universe contest. Her mother had been a dancer with Warner Bros.,who “doubled for Joan Crawford in several films.”
Patterson wrote and directed a play at the age of 5. Before turning 10 she had also been a photographer’s model, an actress and an ice skater. In the ninth grade, she enrolled in the Hollywood Professional School. She continued her education in the Warner Bros. school while she acted on F Troop.
Patterson was 16 years old when she first appeared on F Troop, having obtained the role with the help of a forged birth certificate that indicated her age was 18. After the 1967 cancellation of F Troop, Patterson worked in television, radio, and the theater. She also appeared on Mr. Novak and Shindig! In the 1970s, she appeared in three episodes of Hawaii Five-O, and began modeling and appearing in television commercials.
Patterson’s first screen appearance was an uncredited walk-on in Bye Bye Birdie (1963). Her first featured role was in the 1968 drama The Angry Breed. She also appeared in a lead role in the action film The Cycle Savages with Bruce Dern, followed by a leading part in the slasher film Blood and Lace (1971). In 1973, she appeared in a small part in The Harrad Experiment (1973). Her final film credit was in The Immortalizer (1990), a direct-to-video sci-fi horror film.
While living in Hawaii, Patterson acted in the play Butterflies Are Free, with Barbara Rush and Dirk Benedict. She appeared in other plays such as House of Blue Leaves for the University of Hawaii, and played the part of Peggy in The Front Page written by Charles MacArthur, and directed by her husband James MacArthur.
Patterson died in a nursing home in Hollister, Missouri on August 20, 2015, at the age of 66. Multiple organ failure was the reported cause. Her F Troop co-star Larry Storch (Corporal Agarn) announced her passing on Facebook as follows: “It’s with a heavy heart that we can let you know our beloved Wrangler Jane, Melody Patterson passed away today. Our hearts are sad today. RIP Sweet Melody. We love you.”
Filmography
Film
1963 Bye Bye Birdie Teenager Uncredited
1967 The Angry Breed April Banner
1969 The Cycle Savages Lea
1971 Blood and Lace Ellie Masters
1973 The Harrad Experiment Jeannie Uncredited
1990 The Immortalizer Nurse Jane
Television
1965 Wendy and Me Eleanor 1 episode
1965-67 F Troop Wrangler Jane Angelica Thrift 65 episodes
1967 The Monkees Ellie Mae 1 episode
1968 Adam-12 Valerie 1 episode
1968 Green Acres Lorelei Appleby 1 episode
1969-74 Hawaii Five-O Kathy / Sherry / Missy 3 episodes
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia