Top Models by Samuel Claesson - HTML preview

Pat Sheehan

 

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Pat Sheehan was one of the most talked-about women in Hollywood. Initially a San Franciscan vying for the title of Miss America, she quickly caught the attention of numerous columnists, producers, and admirers. She won pageants, appeared in newspapers such as the Los Angeles Times and the San Francisco Examiner, modeled for magazines like Scene and Parade, and attracted such men as Bing Crosby, Howard Hughes, and Rod Taylor. Her appearance was compared to actresses Marilyn Monroe and Rita Hayworth. Studios such as Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer and 20th Century Fox cast her for their movies, and she was frequently seen on television with talents like Jonathan Winters, Mickey Rooney, and Art Linkletter.

 

Patricia Ann Sheehan was born on September 7, 1931 in San Francisco, California. Her father was Arthur E Sheehan Sr, a veteran of World War | who was raised in Brockton, Massachusetts. Her mother was Gladys, who was born to a prominent family in Bridgeport, Connecticut.

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Pat graduated from Galileo High School in June 1949

and got a part-time job at the Fisherman ’s Wharf near her home. She had hoped to be stenographer -a job prospect that was abandoned when she did poorly at shorthand- or a nurse. It was a life that she felt destined for, not realizing that she would pursue and instrumentally different path. Pat pursued modeling at the urging of her friends shortly after graduating. She entered local beauty pageants, appeared in auto shows, and modeled for advertisements in the San Francisco Chronicle, the San Francisco Examiner, and on posters.

 

It was in September 1949 that the city of San Francisco was planning for its Miss Milkmaid competition, sponsored by the Saints and Sinners Club. Pat prepared rigorously for this competition, reciting a monologue for hundreds of spectators. Pat won and was crowned Miss Milkmaid at the Saints and Sinners Ball in October 1949.

 

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Pat Sheehan as Miss Milkmaid (October 1949) ->

She realized that she wanted to be a model, so she enrolled at the Dorothy Farrier School of Modeling and Charm to learn the trade of modeling. An recruiter at Pan American Airways saw Pat at the school, and hired her to pose for the airline's advertisements in March 1950. She was crowned Miss Pan American Airways that year (a fictional title created by the

airliner) and they sponsored her for the city’s upcoming Miss San Francisco pageant. She was the first applicant, entering the competition on April 11, 1950. She was among nineteen women competing for the title. Her inexperience and lack of training in the arts was compensated by her beauty and charm. She advanced in the competition rather easily, defeating such talents as Barbara Eden who placed fifth.

 

The semifinals were held on May 8, 1950 at 6:30pm at The Emporium. It was a busy week for Pat, as she was also competing against 24 competitors for the title of

“Miss World Trade.” Although she advanced to the finals of World Trade Week, she lost to actress

Kristine Miller. The finals for Miss San Francisco 150 were scheduled for May 15. Pat had planned to recite Abraham Lincoln's Gettysburg Address for the talent competition, but that was met with criticism. She ultimately decided on a monologue that she found at a library. The finals were hosted by Russ Byrd with Bud Moore and his orchestra performing, while the

judges were senator Gerald O ’Gara, supervisor Marvin Jack Rosenbaum, actor's agent George Duuglas, hotelier Al Williams, disc jockey James Grady, and designer Betty Klein.

 

Pat did fantastically well throughout the competition, being awarded high scores for the swimsuit competition and the personality assessment. Unfortunately, she did poorly in the talent competition. Although she had rehearsed rigorously for it, she stumbled onstage; she stammered nervously through her monologue. Thankfully, the audience was encouraging, and she received applause while walking offstage.

 

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Pat Sheehan and Barbara Eden in Miss San Francisco (April 1950) ->

Pat was crowned Miss San Francisco on May 15, 1950 at the Paramount Theater in San Francisco, California.

She’d go to Santa Cruz, California the following month to compete for Miss California, being escorted by columnist Herb Caen who reported on the event. Paul Speegle was hired by Pan American Airways to coach her on her monologue, as they wanted to avoid a repeat of her awful performance. She was among seventeen gorgeous women who were competing in front of 30,000 spectators for a $500 scholarship, a $250 diamond ring, and a chance at being crowned Miss America. Unfortunately,

 

Pat was eliminated on June 10, 1950 without placing. She returned to her hometown and enrolled at San Francisco City College that fall, only to drop out weeks later. She took odd jobs no matter how ridiculous they were, including appearances at the Calaveras County Fair -where she competed in a frog-tickling competition for a chance to win $1,200- and the annual San Francisco Dog Show. Despite the setbacks, she

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was determined to succeed and felt destined for greater things.

 

Pat met George Duuglas in May 1950 while he was a judge at the Miss San Francisco pageant. They dated steadily for months, but Pat -who was employed at Bing Crosby Enterprises at the time-was being pursued by wealthy men; aware of this, George wasted no time in proposing to her. They wed on January 9, 1951 in Carson City, Nevada. People were confused about why they married suddenly, considering she had rejected the advances of Bing Crosby and Gary Cooper.

 

Bing got his vengeance though, as he used his influence to get George fired at the American Guild of Variety Artists. The good part of that story is that George was paid a generous severance on the condition that he tell the media he resigned. He lived off that severance for months. According to comedian Shecky Greene, Pat

married George because she was enticed by George’s

 

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sexual magnetism and that she would describe him as

being “great in bed, but a Hollywood phony.”

 

Their marriage began well; their son, Gregory Duuglas (born as Franz Nicholas Gregory Von Duuglas-lIttu) was born on October 21, 1951 and they moved to Los Angeles, California afterward. There was some good fortune during their marriage when Pat was hired as a model on Queen for a Day on KHJ-TV the following year, which had been a ratings success on radio before being telecasted earlier that year. Pat was responsible for presenting gifts to the contestants - who were often poor and homely- alongside models Mary Ellen Gleason, Carol Silversparre, Gloria Moore, and Josephine Burris with Jack Bailey as the host. The models formed their own social group, often having lunch at the Hollywood Plaza Hotel after Pat Sheehan and Nancy Majors at Pan American Airways - March 6, 1951 rehearsals. Although her tenure on Queen for a Day was forgettable and none of her episodes exist

 

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anymore, she was honored with crowning the series’ first “King” on July 4, 1952 in an exclusive primetime slot.

 

Pat would’ve enjoyed her newfound fame more had she not been burdened with being the financial provider of their marriage, as George was not steadily employed. This and other differences caused tension in their marriage, and they divorced on January 9, 1954 in Los Angeles, California. In an interview weeks before their divorce with the San Francisco

Examiner, Pat said “He [George Duuglas] has no initiative.” George remained active in Hollywood until his death on October 31, 1989 in Los Angeles, California from liver cancer. He had been living with his niece, Claudette Radsack of HillHecht-Lancaster Productions. Even though he hadn't spoken with Pat in decades, he did muster enough strength to give her one last phone call and make amends for his missteps in their marriage.

 

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Pat’s romance with Bing Crosby flourished. They met in 1949 while he was performing at the Marines Memorial Theater roughly a mile from her childhood home. Between performances, he saw her posing for photographs to promote another event. Enamored by her beauty, he approached her and asked her about her life and ambitions. He was surprised to discover that her full-time job was doing heavy lifting by the docks, so he offered her a job as a secretary at Bing

Crosby Enterprises to which she accepted. Bing’s words to her were “lifting crates and cleaning floors isn’t for you.”

 

Pat Sheehan and Jack Bailey on Queen for a Day

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Pat Sheehan and Nancy Majors - August 1951

 

Pat eventually left Bing Crosby Enterprises so that she could pursue modeling on a full- time basis, but that did not prevent Bing from pursuing her; letters and gifts from the crooner were common. He even telephoned her shortly before her elopement with George Duuglas, to which she responded by reminding him that he is a married man.

 

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They reconnected years later after Pat divorced her husband, with the San Francisco Examiner reporting

on December 1, 1953 that “(Pat) decided to show a little initiative of her own by phoning Bing Crosby, one of her old admirers. Crosby said that he was happy to

hear from her and would phone her back.” Bing eventually proposed to her after several dates, but she rejected the offer citing their differences in age as being a factor. When asked about their prior relationship on March 16, 1958 by the San Bernardino

County Sun, Pat said “It was after his wife died, and he was very lonely. His boys were in school or in the service, and | used to see him off and on. The columnists said we were headed for the altar, but they were wrong. Bing is charming and fun, but there was too much of a difference in our ages for me to

take our friendship too seriously. ” They resumed dating in April 1957, having an on-again off-again relationship for months while Pat was employed at The Tropicana in Las Vegas, Nevada.

 

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Pat had a brief relationship with aviator and mogul Howard Hughes. Phillip Lambro was a composer who dated Pat in the 1980's. Although their relationship was brief, they shared various memorable experiences together. He recalled Pat telling him about an encounter that she had with Hughes. Lambro detailed this in his autobiography Close Encounters of the Worst Kind in 2007:

 

“She told me about an encounter that she had with

Howard Hughes in the 1950's while she was a single

mother. He saw her working in a nightclub, and

assiduously pursued her for a date. "At the time," Pat

said "I was living in an apartment on Gardner and

Sunset and | had to support my first son by my teenage

marriage. I informed Howard that I'd be happy to go out

to dinner with him provided he pay for the babysitter."

"How much will that cost?" Hughes asked. "About ten

dollars,” Pat replied. "That's no problem." Hughes said,

and they made arrangements to meet that week.

"Well Phillip,” Pat said. "On the afternoon of our dinner

engagement, Howard telephoned saying that his

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chauffeur would be by with the baby sitter money

because he did not want me to be late. The chauffeur

came by and handed me an envelope with ten brand

new one-hundred dollar bills in it. | immediately called

for the chauffeur to come back and told him to break

one of the hundreds into twenties. While he was gone, I wrote Howard a note saying that twenty dollars would

be more than adequate to take care of the babysitter

and | hope that he wouldn't be offended, but I was

returning the rest of his money." Pat said that when

she and Hughes finally encountered each other for

dinner that twilight, he was absolutely disarmed over

what she had done. ”

 

Hughes was kind enough to offer Pat a contract with RKO Pictures, where he'd cast her -and hundreds of other women- in various films. Pat and Hughes maintained a good friendship for decades. In fact, she spoke with him less than a year before his death. She'd say to columnist James Bacon, "Nobody will ever know all the nice things that he's

[Hughes] done for people." 161 Although optimistic about her opportunity with RKO Pictures, it was short-lived. She later discovered that she was among hundreds of women that Howard Hughes signed to a contact. Furthermore, she found that she was competing with well-established

actresses for roles in Hughes’ movies. Her first role was in Son of Sinbad (1955) starring Dale Robertson and Sally Forrest. She earned $250 a week during filming, but it was enough to sustain her. Weeks after

completing Son of Sinbad, Hughes’ cast her for The French Line (1954) starring Jane Russell and Gilbert Roland, Pat was released from her contract shortly

after the movie ’s release, as were over 100 other actresses who were on contract with Howard Hughes.

 

Pat finally secured someone to manage her career and represent her interests, having met the renowned

agent Louis Shurr at Ciro ’s. He was able to get her cast in The Adventures of Hajji Baba (1954) and Daddy Long Legs (1955), which were both released by 20th-Century Fox.

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Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer gave her the opportunity to appear in some big-budget movies, such as Kismet (1955) starring Howard Keel and Ann Blyth. Pat was

initially cast as a Princess vying for the Poet’s attention. Despite a successful audition where she proved herself to be a competent actress, she had difficulties reciting her lines on camera and in front of a cast and crew. Pat grew frustrated and asked to be dismissed from the production, and was promptly recast as a harem girl.

 

Pat Sheehan in The French Line (1954)

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She recalled it as being an enjoyable experience despite a lot of her scenes being deleted from the theatrical release. In an interview with The Record on March 21, 1956, she said "My favorite

film I ’ve worked on... Kismet. | worked nine weeks. | was very excited ’ and wrote my family to rush down and see. Most of me ended up on the cutting room floor and | was hardly in the picture."

 

Pat Sheehan in Daddy Long Legs (1955)

 

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Guys and Dolls (1955) was her next film. It was a mere walk-on role, but it was enough to attract the attention

the movie ’s producer Samuel Goldwyn Jr. He asked Pat to participate in the nationwide tour with the cast in July 1955. As one of the Goldwyn Girls (a group of dancers chosen by Samuel Goldwyn to appear in his movies), she posed for photographs and traveled across the country to promote the movie. Pat left the tour prematurely due to scheduling conflicts.

 

Frank Sinatra, who starred in Guys and Dolls, met Pat during rehearsals. After touring with her to promote the movie, he called Pat and asked her to accompany him to a live show. She accepted his offer on the condition that they have separate hotel rooms, which he agreed to. Upon entering her room, she found many precious gifts that included jewelry, clothing, and artwork. On the nearby coffee table, she found a heartwarming card from Frank Sinatra himself.

 

Pat Sheehan and Marlon Brando in Guys and Dolls (1955) -> 165

Samuel Goldwyn Jr cast her in his upcoming movie Man with the Gun (1955) starring Robert Mitchum and Jan Sterling. She had a significantly larger role, appearing in numerous scenes while having

choreography. Pat also uttered the lines “Nelly said we should be hearing soon” and “Bye”, which were her only audible lines in a movie. She was crowned Rodeo Queen by the Rodeo Cowboy Association after the filming ended, but it was more of a phony title used to publicize the movie.

 

Pat's last movie was Gigi (1958). She auditioned for the production in September 1957 while visiting Eddie Fisher in Los Angeles, staying at an apartment he provided for her between rehearsals. Although most of the filming was done in France, she appeared in the scenes that were taken at Venice Beach in California.

 

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Pat Sheehan achieved greater success on television.

In fact, she was one of television’s biggest stars. NBC Studios casted her as a dancer on the variety series Texaco Star Theater -hosted by Jimmy Durante and

Donald O’Connor- in a troupe of five women known as The Durante Girls, where she earned $125 a week. She continued to have walk-on roles on such series as The Milton Berle Show and The Bob Hope Show. Pat briefly returned to her hometown to attend the funeral of her father, who died on September 25, 1955 in San Francisco, California.

 

Pat Sheehan at The Brown Derby - March 17, 1956

 

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She was a recurring guest on the last season of the Colgate Comedy Hour, starring alongside comedians like Dean Martin, Jerry Lewis, Gordon McRae, and Mickey Rooney. Pat was featured on the series finale as a blonde bombshell named Mildred in a role that was written for her at the urging of Jerry Lewis, who

told reporters that “with those curves, she’d be an ideal straight man for comics. ” She presented Palmolive products and shared an onscreen kiss with Dean Martin. Although the script was criticized for its racist undertones towards Asians,

 

Pat earned critical acclaim in a defining performance that would launch her career. While appearing on the

series finale, Pat was seen by Sylvester “Pat” L. Weaver, who was the President of NBC. He was

captivated by her, saying “Sign that girl!” He offered Pat a seven-year contract with options for the network. She accepted the offer on January 23, 1956, becoming the first starlet to be on contract in the history of television.

 

Pat Sheehan on Texaco Star Theater -> 169

Days after her contract began, Pat was given a starring role on the NBC Comedy Hour. The series was similar most talk shows of that era, but it focused more on music than comedy. Gale Storm and Jonathan Winters were the primary headliners of the series, but Pat was

labeled the “Queen of the NBC Comedy Hour’ by the network and garnered more publicity than the stars of

the series. Jonathan Winters wasn ’t bothered by this, saying “Pat Sheehan? Lovely, yes lovely.” Pat was a regular on the series and appeared in almost every episode.

 

The Comedy Hour was panned by critics like Variety

for being “poorly conceived.” Pat's performance in the series was criticized as well, with columnist

Terrance O’ Flaherty writing “I’m sorry that she [Pat] was given some lines to read on the Comedy Hour the

other night. Why spoil the illusion?” The series was cancelled, with Pat hosting the series finale on June 10, 1956.

 

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Pat Sheehan on the Colgate Comedy Hour (November 13, 1955) ->

Her most frequent co-star on television was Art Linkletter. She starred with him on Inside Beverly Hills (1956), which was a 90- minute special giving an inside look at Hollywood's finest estates, restaurants, and gatherings. In a role that lasted a mere 8 seconds, Pat was embraced by actor Peter Lawford before walking offstage. She had a larger role in another 90- minute special called Salute to Baseball (1956), where Pat starred as an unconventional umpire alongside Art as they had admiration for the sport.

 

Another notable role of Pat’s was on Matinee Theater, an anthology series that averaged 7 million viewers daily by its second season. Pat portrayed a Bohemian Artist in tattered clothing. and even though her appearance was brief, columnist John Maynard said

that she “did it nicely” and reported that the series’ producer was considering her as a recurring character.

 

Pat Sheehan and Art Linkletter on Salute to Baseball (April 15, 1956) -> 173

As the momentum in Pat’s career grew, so did the efforts to further her career. The network hired Agnes Moorehead, an actress who later starred on Bewitched, as her acting teacher. Her classmates

included Jack Benny’s daughter, Joan. They later hired Meredith Wilson has her vocal coach, who

would say in an interview “she [Pat] has an ear for music. ” She was able to use much of what she learned in her modeling, as she did a lot of acting in her pictorials, pinups, and centerfolds with various gestures and facial expressions.

 

Pat later appeared in an episode of Blondie, which was

a series based on Chic Young’s successful comic strip. The series starred Arthur Lake and Pamela Britton. She was in the episode, The Other Woman, where Blondie mistakes her for being the librarian that Dagwood invited to lunch. Audiences who tuned in that night were surprised by her brief walk-on role considering the overwhelming advertisements she appeared in before this episode aired.

Pat Sheehan on the NBC Comedy Hour ->

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Pat began to grow weary of Hollywood. She was uncomfortable speaking on camera, she was not passionate nor interested in the art of acting, and she did not feel that her acting abilities were progressing. This was clear in an interview with the Chicago

Tribune on March 3, 1956 when Pat said, “I am studying dramatics, but | have no illusions about playing deep, tense roles... I am the sexy type, and that is who | want

to play.” According to her future sister-in-law Barbara Fredrickson, “She [Pat] was hired to be the straight man when performing opposite of comedians, which

she grew weary of.”

 

Pat's last venture in television came when producer Wally Sherman signed her, Juli Reding, and Barbara Barrett for his new series Juke Box Derby (a music-quiz TV show on CBS) hosted by Bill Bradley. Pat would

be a hostess and was set for the series’ debut on February 9, 1957. Unfortunately, the network -perhaps out of spite- reversed their decision to loan her to CBS, and she was replaced by actress Anne Fleming.

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Pat Sheehan on Blondie ->

Pat was told in February 1957 -days after her 1-year anniversary with the network- that her contract would not be renewed, and she left humiliated. Aside from the lifelong friendships that she made with the people (actors, producers, agents, and moguls) whom she worked alongside, she did not consider it a memorable part of her life. Pat acknowledged years later in an interview with Pat Phillips that she was a

good fit in the film industry, saying “I have no talent whatsoever. | just sort of fell into show business.”

 

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Pat Sheehan on People Are Funny ->

After parting ways with Hollywood, Pat wasted no time looking for another job. She read an advertisement in a local newspaper that was looking for dancers at a recently-constructed hotel and casino called The Tropicana and she was selected out of approximately 700 applicants who were vying for pseudostardom. On April 4, 1957, Pat made her debut at The Tropicana in Las Vegas, Nevada with a contract offering $200 a week (a salary that was negotiated by her agent, Lou Walters) lasting through June 10, 1958.

 

Since she was performing alongside a bevy of gorgeous women, she had a makeover to stand out among her peers by curling and dying her hair platinum blonde while wearing tangerine lipstick (which would become a trademark of hers). Pat was

part of the hotel’s original lineup of showgirls that consisted of obscure bit-players and former models who hoped to revive a waning career.

 

Pat Sheehan and Dennis Crosby at Sy Devore’ 184

s Halloween Bash (October 31, 1957) ->

She reconnected with Bing Crosby while he was in Las Vegas visiting some friends. After seeing Pat onstage during one of her performances, he had flowers and a note sent to her hotel room. The note

read, “I saw you last night and you were so gorgeous.” They continued to date for months. He spontaneously proposed to her again, but she again refused. It was then that Bing realized Pat would never have him. Their relationship cooled afterwards, with the letters, gifts, and dinners coming to a halt.

 

Pat briefly dated iconic musician Elvis Presley (he flew her to meet his mother), writer Harry Crane, and millionaires Carl Anzalone and Robert Neal after parting ways with Bing Crosby. While dating Bing Crosby, Pat had a relationship with Eddie Fisher. Eddie was singer who performed at The Tropicana between recordings. He was married to actress Debbie Reynolds, which had become an unhappy and contentious relationship. Pat and Fisher had a months- long affair, with Eddie contemplating leaving his wife for Pat. Their

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relationship ended when Eddie realized that an affair could tarnish his image, especially considering that Debbie was pregnant with their child. Although Eddie Fisher attempted to woo Pat after his eventual divorce, Pat was no longer interested. Eddie Fisher wrote his autobiography Been There, Done That where he detailed his affair with Pat.

 

Shecky Greene introduced Pat to Dennis Crosby in October 1957 at a nightclub called The Little Room in Beverly Hills, and rumors about their relationship began circulating shortly thereafter. They announced their relationship during an appearance at the Sy

Devore’s Halloween Party. Their romance was met with cheers and jeers. Pat voiced their commitment to each other in an interview with The Miami Herald that

“Denny and I have not announced an engagement. | love him, and he loves me, but so far we have no definite

wedding date.” In an interview with Modern Screen, Bing expressed his approval by saying “The boy

 

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[Dennis] has to live his own life. We all do.” He explained to Dennis the one condition to approve of their relationship, saying "You know how much our Church has meant to your mother [Dixie] and me. If you can get the approval of the Catholic Church and be married in the same church in which | married Kathy, or one like it, you'll have my blessing." Dennis replied,

“Sure thing dad.”

 

Pat Sheehan and Honey Merrill at The Tropicana Hotel - 1957

 

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Pat and Dennis announced their engagement shortly

thereafter. They intended to honor Bing’s request, but their plans hit a snag when they realized that Dennis would have difficulty finding a priest to wed them. Since Pat was divorced with a son, representatives of various catholic churches made it clear that it was not permissible to marry a divorcee without

investigating the legality of that spouse’s prior marriage. They decided to postpone their plans indefinitely until they could locate her ex- husband. After discovering that she was pregnant, she met with Dennis for dinner El Cholo to discuss their options. They decided to get married immediately.

 

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Pat Sheehan and Dennis Crosby were married on May 4, 1958 at the Gretna Green Wedding Chapel in Las Vegas, Nevada by Rev. James A. Herndon. She did not want her newborn to be labeled as illegitimate, as it could cause embarrassment for her and her soon-to-be-born child. It was an unconventional wedding that took place during a break between Pat's performances at The Tropicana. Among the attendees

at their wedding were singer Don Williams (Dennis’ best man), actor Gordon MacRae, and showgirls

Dorothy “Dottie” Harmony (Elvis Presley’s long-time girlfriend), Marilyn Darcy, and Marcia Darcy, Pat Sheehan and Dennis Crosby were married on May 4, 1958 at the Gretna Green Wedding Chapel in Las Vegas, Nevada by Rev. James A. Herndon. She did not want her newborn to be labeled as illegitimate, as it could cause embarrassment for her and her soon-to-be-born child. It was an unconventional wedding that took place during a break between Pat's performances at The Tropicana. Among the attendees

at their wedding were singer Don Williams (Dennis’

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best man), actor Gordon MacRae, and showgirls

Dorothy “Dottie” Harmony (Elvis Presley's long-time girlfriend), Marilyn Darcy, and Marcia Darcy, with Dottie being in charge of the last-minute arrangements. Pat wore a trench coat with her showgirl attire underneath in lieu of a wedding gown, returning to The Tropicana shortly after the ceremony to finish her performance that night. They had a wedding reception the next day that was bombarded with reporters, photographers, and fans.

 

Pat and Dennis ’ marriage seemed promising until days after their wedding -and during their honeymoon sadly- when they received a phone call from a reporter who asked her about whether rumors about Dennis fathering a child with another woman were true. A paternity suit was filed against Dennis shortly thereafter. Allegedly, he had a relationship with Marilyn Miller Scott after meeting at a café in West Hollywood in January 1957. They had a daughter out of wedlock that they named Denise Michelle Crosby. Although Dennis initially denied that

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Denise was his child, he voluntarily supported her at the urging of Bing. The negative publicity forced Pat to leave her gig at the Tropicana roughly a month before her contract expired, leaving a letter to Monte Proser thanking him for helping her and her dance career.

Monte later said publicly “Pat is a nice kid. If she wants to come back [to the Tropicana], she can.”

 

Although Pat appeared onscreen and dated some of Hollywood's most famous men, she is best known for her pictorials in Playboy. In 1956, she posed for Sam Wu,

who was a photographer for various men’s magazines throughout the 1950’s and 1960’s. His photographs of Pat caught the attention of Hugh Hefner, who purchased them in May 1958 to publish in the upcoming October issue. Her appearance in Playboy was historical, as she shared the title of Playmate of the Month with Mara Corday. Beforehand, Hugh Hefner had never chosen two women to share that title. Bing unsuccessfully tried to persuade Hugh to retract the photographs, as he did not want his daughter-in-law being exploited like

that. Pat herself 192 was unaware that these photographs were going to appear in Playboy. She was interviewed for Playmate: Five Decades of Centerfolds (1996) by Gretchen Edgren, where she reminisced about the experience:

 

“Sam Wu took some pictures. I signed a release and

got paid $75, but he didn ’t say where they would

appear. When the issue came out, | had just married

Dennis Crosby. Bing wasn’t too thrilled, but the boys

loved me.”

 

The Crosby Clan - 1960

 

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Pat and Dennis became one of Hollywood’s finest couples. They were filmed, photographed, and interviewed while attending some of Hollywood's most exclusive events, parties, and previews. Dennis continued to perform with his brothers Philip and Lindsay Gary Crosby had left the group) in an act known as The Crosby Brothers. Pat quit show

business to focus on raising a family, saying “My marriage comes first.” Their marriage was strengthened when Dennis adopted Pat’s son Gregory on December 17, 1958.

 

Pat Sheehan with her sons at Elvis Presley’s concert - 1964

 

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The Crosby’s marriage began to have issues resulting from Dennis’ alcoholism, so they agreed on a trial separation on December 1962. Dennis was arrested later that month for intoxication. Pat and Dennis had a formal separation on August 16, 1963, making the announcement a week later with Pat

saying in the Victoria Advocate that “I’m sorry it had to happen. Dennis is a sweet person. We have both tried hard but are just incompatible. However, we still hope to work things out. We are going to make a strong

effort for both our sake and the children’s.” That didn’t happen, and Pat and Dennis divorced on July 3, 1964. She accused him of being a bad father, a habitable drinker, and a neglectful

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husband, giving the following testimony:

 

“He would embarrass me at parties, and was seldom

home. He would leave our family for long periods of

time. Even at Christmas, he wouldn’t come home. He’s

a good father when he’s sober, but not when he’s

drunk. That's no way to bring up three children.”

 

In the book My Life with Bing, Kathryn Grant [Bing

Crosby’s wife] described having first met Pat in what seemed to be conflicting feelings of adoration and envy:

 

“In the middle of the cocktail party [at her and Bing’s

home in Pebble Beach] stood Dennis with his new

bride Patricia, the warmest, friendliest girl I’ve ever

known. At the moment, however, her large heart was

all too visible, because she had generously elected to

wear her jax suit without the blouse. Obviously

entranced, Dennis was keeping Pat supplied with ginger ale. She, who never drank hard liquor, was

 

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intoxicated with the attention that she was receiving.

With her spectacular figure and golden hair peek-a-

booing over one eye in the style that Veronica Lake

had popularized, she made every other woman in the

room pale into insignificance. Everyone except Bing

enjoyed her display tremendously... the older

generation would not be amused by the flashiness of

Hollywood as exemplified by Pat and Dennis.”

 

After their divorce, Pat stayed in their Beverly Hills home with her sons. She changed her name to Pat Crosby, as she did not want people to know about her modeling career for the sake of her children. She had an on-fire social life and was frequently seen dining at restaurants like La Scala, the Luau, au Petit

Jean, Dino’s Lodge, Stefanino’s, and the Daisy (a star-studded nightclub that required a membership fee of $250) while attending a-list events with some of Hollywood's elites.

 

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She dated performers, directors, producers, entrepreneurs, and athletes. Among them were actors Harold Gould, Kem Dibbs, Omar Sharif, Ron Lerner, Jay Della, and Richard Tatro, producers David Gerber and Guy McElwaine, socialites William Holmes and Anthony Rogell, businessmen Bob Wasserman, Anthony Scotti, Martin Kimmel, Paul Robertson, Charles Baron, Arnold Sugarman, and Herb Edwards, comedian Dick Martin, football players Benjamin Scotti and Don Klosterman, director Allen Reisner, singer Cantinflas, detective Freddie Otash, and agents Gene Yusem and Ted Witzer.

 

One of her serious relationships was with Lee Hyatt, a liquor salesperson for Drambuie who was known around Hollywood for mingling with celebrities, in 1955 after meeting each other at the wedding of model Naida Curtis. They fell in love, and Pat left her apartment in West Hollywood to move in with Lee at

 

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his modest home in Malibu. She used his surname

“Patricia A. Hyatt”, and was candid about her relationship with Lee in various interviews. They parted ways after Pat started dating Eddie Fisher. Lee eventually married Myrna Hansen, an actress who starred in Man Without a Star (1955) and Party Girl (1958).

 

Pat Sheehan and Curtis LeMay

 

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Although there was speculation that Pat had married Lee, those rumors were dismissed with Pat telling

columnist Earl Wilson “I went with the boy and we thought of getting married, but we didn’t even get close to it. He probably is spreading the rumor we got

married.” Pat resumed dating Lee -who had become a wealthy realtor- in April 1967 after he divorced Myrna.

 

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Pat Sheehan and Rod Taylor- December 2, 1967 ->

Perhaps her most notable romance was with Australian actor Rod Taylor, who starred in such films as The Birds (1963) and Hotel (1967). The met in 1968 while he was married to Mary Hilem, who resembled Pat from many angles. Pat described him as being kind and hardworking, yet brash. His cursing and colorful humor would cause embarrassment for her, particularly when he told off-color jokes in front of close friends like Paul Newman. Pat's friends thought

that he was “the one” though, and that they would get married in the hopes that she and her children would have some stability in their lives.

 

Pat Sheehan and Rod Taylor at the Director’s Guild Theater - August 19, 1970 -> 202

Pat Sheehan and Honey Merrill at the Beads, Bangles, and Beards Extravaganza - May

 

11, 1968

 

After years of dating though, their relationship grew sour. They argued and fought a lot, and it did not help

matters when she heard about her son Dennis’ alleged one-night stand with Rod’s father. Rod was fed up with Dennis’ drug abuse, repeatedly urging Pat to get him into rehab. Pat wouldn’t consider it, as she was in denial that her son needed treatment. In addition, she suspected that he was being unfaithful to her as he had been during his prior romances. These

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numerous differences created the perfect storm for a failed romance. They finally broke up in the early 1970's after he had caught Pat looking through his mail after returning from an errand, which she did to put her suspicions about infidelity to rest. Rod eventually wed Carol Yaemi Kikumura, a dancer who starred in Flower Drum Song (1961). Although he had decades-long marriage with Carol, Rod would

sometimes refer to Pat as “The one that got away.” After their breakup, she had a brief romance with singers Gene Simmons, Jack Cassidy, Dean Martin, Dean Paul Martin, and Phillip Lambro, the latter whom documents Pat extensively in his autobiography Close Encounters of the Worst Kind.

 

Her last long-term relationship was with Thomas Holbrook. They met at an event hosted by Jack Haley Jr., and they lived together in Monterey County for years. Thomas would later say that she was the most gorgeous woman he ever dated, even more gorgeous than Jane Fonda despite being several years older

than her. 204 In addition to their close relationship, they also

collaborated on Thomas’ project, the John Wayne Film Festival. This was a planned event that would

showcase various films of John Wayne’s annually in the Soviet Union. Pat was instrumental in persuading a lot of celebrities to participate in the event, while Thomas was able to attract investors like Coca-Cola. Her friend, Frank Sinatra, assisted in organizing the event as well. The project was abandoned after the Berlin Wall was demolished on December 22, 1989.

 

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Pat feared aging, and dating -not marriage- made her feel young and desirable. Pat seemed to shift her perspective years later; she regretted not marrying. This attitude was reflected in an interview in Playmate: Five Decades of Centerfolds where she

said, “I still look good, and I’m sure I will [marry] someday.”

 

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Pat would often rely on close friends during hardships, particularly during her later years. She burned through a lot of the money that she eared during her years as a flamboyant starlet, even selling memorabilia and heirlooms that she accumulated over the years. Sandra Giles, an actress who starred in Daddy-O (1958), was someone whom she relied on in the early 1980's. Her daughter, Sandra Piller, oversees a production company in Los Angeles, California. She remembers the close bond that her mother and Pat had:

 

“My mom [Sandra Giles] and Pat had been friends

since the 1960's. I ’m sorry to hear that she died. |

remember that she couldn't afford her apartment and

had to move in with my mom. | think this happened

sometime in the late 1970's, but | can’t recall. Mom had a small apartment with wood floors, so Pat slept in the

living room on a foam pad. It was really sad. Cathy

Crosby also moved in for a while too. They probably

stayed for about a year.”

 

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Pat continued to date Thomas Holbrook into the 1990’s. They lived together in Carmel-by-the-Sea -a short

distance from Clint Eastwood’s mansion- for years. Their days would consist of walks at Pebble Beach and dining at the local country club. Although they

loved each other and contemplated marriage, 165 Pat’s struggles with alcoholism strained their relationship.

Many of Pat’s contemporaries struggled with alcoholism and her father had been an alcoholic, so this addiction was not surprising. She often pleaded with Thomas much to his dismay to bring her hard liquor on his way home from work. This led to their eventually breakup.

 

On May 4, 1991, Pat's ex-husband Dennis Crosby

committed suicide in Novato, California using a friend’s shotgun. He had recently divorced his wife, Arleen, and he was saddened by the recent suicide of his brother

Lindsay. In addition, he was working at Denny ’s as a cook because of financial difficulties. Arleen Newman confirmed this in an interview with STAR, saying

"Lindsay's suicide devastated him.”

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Throughout the 1990’s, Pat focused more on her family than in prior years. She spent a lot of her time with her sons and grandson, Luke. She had some financial difficulties and moved into a one-bedroom apartment on North Kingsley Drive in Los Angeles after having filed for bankruptcy. It was during this decade that Pat worked at Gucci on Rodeo Drive, where customers would walk in thinking that she was a movie star. Her supervisor absolutely admired her, begging her to stay onboard when she considered retirement.

 

Although her sons and some admirers were more than willing to support her, she always insisted on

supporting herself. “She always wanted to keep working. She didn’t want to be dependent on anyone,” said Thomas Holbrook. Pat was always self-sufficient regardless of the hardships that she went through.

Quoting Bing Crosby, “She [Pat] has always been independent... always hardworking.”

 

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By the 2000's, Pat's health began to deteriorate. She was walking around North Beverly Park after visiting some friends when she collapsed onto the nearby turf. Thankfully, some joggers found her minutes later and rushed her to a nearby hospital. Doctors discovered that she had suffered a severe stroke. She endured months of therapy where she learned to speak, eat, and walk properly.

 

Although she made a miraculous recovery with no permanent damage, she became somewhat reclusive.

She was embarrassed about the ordeal and didn’t want friends knowing about what she had endured, with friends saying that she disappeared from the public eye. Pat had suffered from Arthritis for decades and was plagued with heart failure. She was diagnosed with breast and uterine cancer in 2005. She moved in with her friend Gloria Haley so she could heal without any financial burdens.

 

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The irony was that her illnesses were self-inflicted, as she had spent years trying to reverse the aging process using dangerous methods such as diet pills -often laced with Amphetamines and Barbiturates- and hormone replacement therapy. The prognosis was not good, but she miraculously recovered through a combination of chemotherapy and holistic medicine. Unfortunately, the aggressive treatments began to affect her health. Her heart failure worsened. She

didn’t want to be dependent on devices that would affect her quality of life, so she opted to forgo surgery. She spent her final years at an apartment 1124 N La Cienega Blvd in West Hollywood, with her dignity and class intact.

 

Pat Sheehan passed away on June 14, 2006 in Beverly Hills, California from a heart attack. She was buried at Forest Lawn Memorial Park in Glendale, California among Hollywood's stars. The Los Angeles Times and Classic Images published obituaries of her, and fellow alumnus Sisvan Der Harootunian wrote an article in

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The Galileo Observer in her honor. On April 26, 2019, the Galileo Academy of Science and Technology inducted her to the Galileo Hall of Merit. Although she is best known as Playboy's Playmate of the Month for October 1958 who married Bing Crosby's son, she was so much more. She was a kind person, a loyal friend, and a loving mother.

 

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