Jean Byron

December 10, 1925

Jean Byron (born Imogene Audette Burkhart; December 10, 1925 – February 3, 2006, Height 5 feet 9 inches [1.75 meters]) was an American film, television, and stage actress. She was best known for the role of Natalie Lane, Patty Lane's mother in the sitcom The Patty Duke Show. Byron was born in Paducah, Kentucky, and raised in Louisville. She began her career as a singer on radio, and then moved to Los Angeles to pursue an acting career. She made her film debut in 1952's Voodoo Tiger. She appeared in several other films, including The Magnetic Monster (1953), Serpent of the Nile (1953), and The Opposite Sex (1956). Byron's most famous role was as Natalie Lane on The Patty Duke Show. She appeared in all three seasons of the show, from 1963 to 1966. She was nominated for an Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series in 1964. After The Patty Duke Show, Byron continued to work in television, appearing in shows such as The Wild Wild West, The Love Boat, and Murder, She Wrote. She also appeared in several films, including The Sting (1973) and The Muppet Movie (1979). Byron retired from acting in the early 1990s. She died in Mobile, Alabama, in 2006, at the age of 80. In addition to her acting career, Byron was also a talented singer and dancer. She was a member of the Actors Studio and the Screen Actors Guild. She was also a member of the Delta Delta Delta sorority.