6 favorite Patty Duke moments to celebrate her life

Patty Duke, who died Tuesday morning at age 69, made lots of contributions to pop culture that go beyond her Oscar and her bubbly 1960s sitcom. She wrote a 1987 book, "Call Me Anna," that openly addressed her battles with mental illness. The memoir became a bestseller, which gave Duke the chance to succeed in another public arena after her triumphs in film, TV and music. The woman accomplished a lot during her impressive career, and here are six of our favorite Patty Duke moments.

RELATED: Oscar-winning former child star Patty Duke dies, age 69

'The Miracle Worker' 

Duke immediately became a star playing Helen Keller in 1962's "The Miracle Worker," in which she acted opposite Anne Bancroft as Annie Sullivan. Both women won Oscars for the film; at 16, Duke became the then-youngest performer to win the trophy in a competitive category.

'The Patty Duke Show'

Let's not be too hard on "The Patty Duke Show." It's a good-natured 1963-1966 sitcom built around the improbable premise that "identical cousins" are a thing. They're not. Still, Duke displayed plenty of charm and verve, and even made the extra effort to imbue both twins with their own personalities and traits. She didn't even have to go that extra mile, yet she did.

'Don't Just Stand There' 

Patty Duke, singer? Yep, in 1965, at the height of her fame as a teen idol, she reached the Top 10 with "Don't Just Stand There," an emotional ballad that was the best Lesley Gore song that Lesley Gore never recorded. Duke never had another Top 10 hit, but recorded four albums before the decade was out. Real Gone Music reissued them all in 2013.

'Valley of the Dolls'

Is 1968's "Valley of the Dolls" a good movie? Not in the traditional sense, but Duke ended up with an enduring camp classic on her resume. The movie, in which she plays a pill-popping actress named Neely O'Hara, was a box office hit and a critical disaster. Years later, it was embraced by audiences, who would often recite the dialogue along with the characters. Among the best: "Sparkle, Neely, sparkle!"

'My Sweet Charlie'

The year 1970 doesn't sound that long ago until you realize that a relationship between a White woman (Duke) and a Black man (Al Freeman Jr.) was still a touchy subject on prime-time TV. Duke won an Emmy for the moving NBC film, and it also marked the beginning of her run as one of the era's most prolific TV actresses.

'The Miracle Worker'

Duke came full circle when she signed on for an NBC remake of "The Miracle Worker" that aired in 1979. It could have been a disaster, especially as she was following in the Oscar-winning footsteps of her pal Bancroft. Duke held her own, earning her third Emmy for the role.