Vicki Abelson's Broadcast: The Road Taken

Spectacular chat with Butch Patrick, from pre-Eddie Munster... a cute sister and a charming mom helped pave the way to his first film at 7, with Eddie Albert, Jane Wyatt, and Soupie Sales, on The Two Little Bears. His resume is a time capsule of my youth. We talked about his guest starring roles on Ben Casey, Bonanza, My Favorite Martian, Mister Ed, Rawhide, The Real McCoys, and General Hospital, leading to The Munsters. The fun there with mentors Al Lewis and Fred Gwynne, and movie star at the time, Yvonne DeCarlo. How life changed and led to roles on My Three Sons, I Dream of Jeannie, and a week on The Monkees having the time of his life. Passing on a starring role in unknown George Lucas's American Grafitti, missing the draft by thismuch... partying himself into some troubled times, becoming a pop star with Whatever Happened to Eddie Munster, which led to MTV's Basement Tapes. Some more partying and trouble followed, leading to gettting sober and finding his niche. He's survived cancer, is COVID comfortabl