Hollywood is saying goodbye to one of its classic TV-era stars.
Lory Patrick, the prolific 1960s television actress who appeared in beloved Westerns like Tales of Wells Fargo, Wagon Train and Bonanza, has died peacefully. She was 92.
Patrick passed away on January 26 in Gettysburg, Pennsylvania, according to her family.
Born Loretta Basham on April 8, 1933, in Beckley, West Virginia, Patrick carved out an impressive Hollywood résumé before stepping away from the spotlight in the late 1960s. During her career, she appeared in more than 70 television series — including The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet, Dr. Kildare and The Many Loves of Dobie Gillis — becoming a familiar face to audiences during television’s golden age.
She also made her mark on the big screen, with roles in the satirical hit How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying and the beach party favorite Surf Party, where she appeared alongside singer Jackie DeShannon.
But Patrick’s legacy extended far beyond acting.
Under her married name, Lory Basham Jones, she was married to Disney favorite Dean Jones, known for starring in classic family films like That Darn Cat!, The Love Bug and The Shaggy D.A..
At a time when few women were writing for major television productions, Patrick broke barriers by penning episodes of Bonanza — a rarity in the male-dominated Western genre of the 1960s.
Her career began in modeling after high school, first in Detroit and later in New York City, where she worked in commercials and even appeared on the NBC game show Split Personality. After moving to Los Angeles, she landed a role on The Loretta Young Show before signing with Universal Studios and co-starring opposite Dale Robertson on Tales of Wells Fargo — officially adopting the stage name Lory Patrick.
Even after retiring from acting, she remained creatively active. She wrote television and film projects, contributed as a columnist to a writers’ magazine, and authored the award-winning devotional book Hearing God, which received a 2000 Excellence in Print Award.
In 1984, she directed the original stage production of the play St. John in Exile starring her husband Dean Jones. The production toured nationally and continues to be performed today. When the play was adapted into a 1986 film starring Jones, she was credited as the stage director.
Following Dean Jones’ death in 2015, Patrick relocated from Tarzana, California, to Gettysburg to be closer to family.
She is survived by her children, grandchildren, great-grandchildren, siblings and extended family.
From beach party flicks to classic Westerns and behind-the-scenes breakthroughs, Lory Patrick’s career spanned decades — and helped shape a golden era of television that still resonates with fans today.
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