In "The Night They Shot Santa Claus," which kicked off the fourth season of "The Untouchables" (ABC, 1959-1963), Patrick played a Chicago orphan who witnesses the Christmas Eve rub-out of a man in a Kris Kringle suit.The sale of Ken Hunt's contract by the Los Angeles Angels to the Washington Senators prompted a move east for Butch Patrick's blended family. In very short order, he was racking up appearances on such acclaimed weekly series as "The Detectives" (ABC, 1959-1962) with Robert Taylor and "Ben Casey" (ABC, 1961-66) with Vince Edwards. Patrick was reluctant to return to acting after this incident but the volume of offers was too great to refuse. When the film premiered in November 1961, the child actor cast as Patrick's onscreen brother was so upset to find himself billed below his co-star that he pushed Patrick into a banister, knocking out a tooth. The children's fantasy, about two young brothers who consult a gypsy fortune teller in order to transform themselves into bears, also marked the film debut of radio and TV comic Soupy Sales. Patrick made his film debut in "The Two Little Bears," starring Eddie Albert, Jane Wyatt and diminutive pop singer Brenda Lee, who contributed two songs to the soundtrack. At only eight years old, Butch Patrick was a working actor. Interviews with producers swiftly followed, as did small roles in a TV commercial for Kellogg's cereal and a role in a feature film. Impressed with his look and precocious personality, a talent agent snapped a few photos. When he was seven, Patrick accompanied his mother and four-year-old sister to an open audition for child models. Patty Lilley eventually remarried, blending her family with that of Ken Hunt, a sometimes radio newsman and outfielder for the Los Angeles Angels expansion team. After the divorce of his parents when he was still a toddler, Patrick and his sister Michele were raised by their mother, Patty he would not see his father again until he was eight years old. Butch Patrick was born Patrick Alan Lilley in Inglewood, CA.
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