Patricia Ziegfeld Stephenson

Patricia Ziegfeld Stephenson (October 23, 1916 - April 11, 2008) was an American author. Stephenson was the only child of Broadway impresario, Florenz Ziegfeld, and actress Billie Burke, who may be best known for portraying Glinda the Good Witch of the North in the 1939 film, The Wizard of Oz. cite news |first=|last=|title=Patricia Ziegfeld Stephenson, Daughter of Legendary Broadway Impresario |url=http://www.allaboutjazz.com/php/news.php?id=18104|work= Jazz News |publisher= |date=2008-04-25 |accessdate=2008-05-11]

Biography

Patricia Ziegfeld was born in New York City on October 23, 1916. Her father was performing his famous "Ziegfeld Follies" in the city at the time. She was the only child of Ziegfeld and Burke.She grew up on an estate in Hastings-on-Hudson, a town in Westchester County, New York. She also lived at the family's home in Palm Beach, Florida, where the family kept a menagerie of animals, including an elephant named Ziggy.

Her father died in 1932 after which she moved to California with her mother. She attended UCLA as a student, before exploring careers in acting and writing for newspapers and radio.

She married William Robert Stephenson, Sr. on June 11, 1939. [cite news |first= |last= |authorlink= |coauthors= |title=Engaged |url=http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,883203,00.html |quote=Patricia Ziegfeld, 22, only daughter of Cinemactress Billie Burke and the late Florenz Ziegfeld; to William Stephenson, 26, dance instructor; in Hollywood. |work=Time (magazine) |date= |accessdate=2008-07-28 ] [cite news |first= |last= |authorlink= |coauthors= |title=Patricia Ziegfeld To Wed. Late Producer's Daughter to Be Bride of William Stephenson. |url=http://select.nytimes.com/gst/abstract.html?res=FB0A10FB3B58127A93C7A8178FD85F4D8385F9 |quote=Miss Patricia Ziegfeld, daughter of the late Florenz Ziegfeld and of Billie Burke. Mr. Stephenson is a native of Norfolk, Va. |work=Associated Press in New York Times |date=April 15, 1939 |accessdate=2008-07-28 ] [cite news |first= |last= |authorlink= |coauthors= |title=Patricia Ziegfeld Wed. |url=http://select.nytimes.com/gst/abstract.html?res=FA0F13FA385E10728DDDA80994DE405B898FF1D3 |quote= Patricia Ziegfeld, daughter Billie Burke, motion-picture actress, and the late Florenz Ziegfeld, producer, was married today to William Robert Stephenson, ... |work=New York Times |date=April 15, 1939 |accessdate=2008-07-28 ] She met Stephenson while he was working as a dance instructor at the historic Beverly Hills Hotel. He designed homes and other buildings for many of Hollywood's elite for decades, including a brand new General Electric built, all electric show home designed for Ronald Reagan and Nancy Reagan.

In 1963, Ziegfeld Stephenson released an autobiography of herself and her father, "The Ziegfeld's Girl: Confessions of an Abnormally Happy Childhood", which she hoped would preserve his legacy as an entertainer. She also wrote the introduction for a biography of her father, "The Ziegfeld Touch: The Life and Times of Florenz Ziegfeld Jr", which was written by her distant cousins, Richard and Paulette Ziegfeld.

Patricia Ziegfeld Stephenson died of congestive heart failure at her home in Los Angeles on April 11, 2008. She was 91 years old. Ziegfeld Stephenson was survived by her three daughters, Cecilia Duncan, Florenz Crossley and Susan Plemons; her son, W. Robert Stephenson Jr., as well as nine grandchildren; and three great-grandchildren. Her husband, William Stephenson, died in October 2007.

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External links

*imdb name|id=0827300|name=Patricia Ziegfeld Stephenson