Patricia Neal facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Patricia Neal
Neal in 1952
Born	Patsy Louise Neal (1926-01-20)January 20, 1926 Packard, Kentucky, U.S.
Died	August 8, 2010(2010-08-08) (aged 84) Edgartown, Massachusetts, U.S.
Resting place	Abbey of Regina Laudis
Alma mater	Northwestern University
Occupation	Actress
Years active	1945–2009
Political party	Democratic
Spouse(s)	Roald Dahl ​ ​ (m. 1953; div. 1983)​
Children	Olivia, Tessa, Theo, Ophelia and Lucy
Relatives	Sophie Dahl (granddaughter) Phoebe Dahl (granddaughter)

Patricia Neal (born Patsy Louise Neal, January 20, 1926 – August 8, 2010) was a famous American actress. She starred in many movies and plays. Patricia Neal won several important awards for her acting. These include an Academy Award, a Golden Globe Award, and a Tony Award. She also won two British Academy Film Awards.

Some of her most well-known movie roles were in The Day the Earth Stood Still (1951) and Breakfast at Tiffany's (1961). She also won an Academy Award for her role in Hud (1963). Later, she appeared in the TV film The Homecoming: A Christmas Story (1971). This film later inspired the popular TV series The Waltons.

Early life and acting training

Patricia Neal was born in Packard, Whitley County, Kentucky. Her parents were William Burdette Neal and Eura Mildred Neal. She grew up with two siblings.

She spent her childhood in Knoxville, Tennessee. There, she went to Knoxville High School. Patricia loved drama and decided to study it further. She attended Northwestern University to pursue her acting dreams.

A career on stage and screen

Patricia Neal started her acting career in New York City. Her first job was as an understudy in a Broadway play called The Voice of the Turtle. She then appeared in another play, Another Part of the Forest (1946). For this role, she won a Tony Award in 1947. This was at the very first Tony Awards ceremony.

John Wayne and Patricia Neal in Operation Pacific (1951)

Neal soon began acting in movies. Her first film was John Loves Mary with Ronald Reagan in 1949. She also appeared with Reagan in The Hasty Heart that same year. She then starred in The Fountainhead (1949).

She continued to star in many films in the early 1950s. These included The Breaking Point (1950) and The Day the Earth Stood Still (1951). She also acted alongside John Wayne in Operation Pacific (1951). After a difficult time, she left Hollywood and returned to Broadway. She starred in a play called The Children's Hour in 1952.

Neal and Andy Griffith in A Face in the Crowd

While in New York, Patricia Neal joined the Actors Studio. This is a famous place where actors train and work together. Her connections there led to more important roles. She co-starred in the film A Face in the Crowd (1957). She also appeared in the play The Miracle Worker (1959). More film roles followed, including Breakfast at Tiffany's (1961).

Neal (right) with Andy Griffith and Lee Remick on the set of A Face in the Crowd (1957)

In 1963, she starred in the film Hud with Paul Newman. Her performance in Hud earned her the Academy Award for Best Actress. She also won a BAFTA award for this role.

Patricia Neal worked with John Wayne again in the movie In Harm's Way (1965). For this film, she won her second BAFTA Award. She was nominated for another Academy Award for her role in The Subject Was Roses (1968).

In 1971, she played the main mother character in the TV film The Homecoming: A Christmas Story. This movie was so popular that it inspired the TV series The Waltons. Patricia Neal won a Golden Globe award for her performance. However, her health made it difficult for her to commit to a weekly series. So, another actress took over the role of Olivia Walton.

Later in her career, Neal appeared in the movie Cookie's Fortune (1999). She also received a Lifetime Achievement Award at the SunDeis Film Festival in 2007. In 2003, she was honored by being inducted into the American Theatre Hall of Fame. Her final film role was in Flying By (2009).

Personal life and family

Patricia Neal at the Tribeca Film Festival (2007)

Patricia Neal met the famous British writer Roald Dahl in 1952. They got married on July 2, 1953, in New York. They had five children together. Their children were Olivia, Tessa, Theo, Ophelia, and Lucy.

Patricia Neal and Roald Dahl, photo by Carl Van Vechten (1954)

In 1960, their son Theo had a serious accident as a baby. This caused brain damage. The family worked hard on his recovery. In 1962, their daughter Olivia tragically passed away at age 7 from an illness. A movie called To Olivia (2020) was made about how Patricia and Roald dealt with this sad time.

In 1965, while pregnant, Patricia Neal suffered a very serious health crisis (a stroke). She was in a coma for three weeks. With the help of Roald Dahl and many volunteers, she recovered. They developed new ways to help stroke patients. This period of their lives was shown in the TV film The Patricia Neal Story (1981). After her recovery, she gave birth to a healthy daughter. She even received an Oscar nomination for her acting in The Subject Was Roses (1968).

Patricia Neal and Roald Dahl divorced in 1983. She then moved back to live in the United States.

Legacy and helping others

In 1978, a special place was named after Patricia Neal. It is the Patricia Neal Rehabilitation Center in Knoxville, Tennessee. This center helps people recover from strokes, spinal cord injuries, and brain injuries.

Patricia Neal was a strong supporter of people with paralysis. She often visited the center in Knoxville. She would encourage the patients and staff there. She also appeared in advertisements for the center until her death.

Later life and passing

Patricia Neal passed away at her home in Edgartown, Massachusetts, on August 8, 2010. She was 84 years old. She died from lung cancer.

Before she passed away, she became a Catholic. She was buried in the Abbey of Regina Laudis in Bethlehem, Connecticut. This is where her friend, actress Dolores Hart, became a nun. Patricia Neal had supported the abbey's arts program for many years.

Filmography

Film

Television

Stage

Images for kids

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  Neal in 1952

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  John Wayne and Patricia Neal in Operation Pacific (1951)

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  Neal and Andy Griffith in A Face in the Crowd

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  Neal (right) with Andy Griffith and Lee Remick on the set of A Face in the Crowd (1957)

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  Patricia Neal at the Tribeca Film Festival (2007)

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  Patricia Neal and Roald Dahl, photo by Carl Van Vechten (1954)

See also

In Spanish: Patricia Neal para niños