Patricia Ziegfeld Stephenson
Encyclopedia
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
.
on October 23, 1916. Her father was presenting 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. 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.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
author
Author
An author is broadly defined as "the person who originates or gives existence to anything" and that authorship determines responsibility for what is created. Narrowly defined, an author is the originator of any written work.-Legal significance:...
. Stephenson was the only child of Broadway impresario
Impresario
An impresario is a person who organizes and often finances concerts, plays or operas; analogous to a film producer in filmmaking, television production and an angel investor in business...
, Florenz Ziegfeld
Florenz Ziegfeld
Florenz Ziegfeld, Jr. , , was an American Broadway impresario, notable for his series of theatrical revues, the Ziegfeld Follies , inspired by the Folies Bergère of Paris. He also produced the musical Show Boat...
, and actress Billie Burke
Billie Burke
Mary William Ethelbert Appleton "Billie" Burke was an American actress. She is primarily known to modern audiences as Glinda the Good Witch of the North in the musical film The Wizard of Oz. She was nominated for an Academy Award for her performance as Emily Kilbourne in Merrily We Live...
, who may be best known for portraying Glinda the Good Witch of the North
Glinda
Glinda is a fictional character in the Land of Oz created by American author L. Frank Baum. She is the most powerful sorceress of Oz, ruler of the Quadling Country south of the Emerald City, and protector of Princess Ozma.- Literature :Baum's 1900 children's novel The Wonderful Wizard of Oz...
in the 1939 film The Wizard of Oz
The Wizard of Oz (1939 film)
The Wizard of Oz is a 1939 American musical fantasy film produced by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer. It was directed primarily by Victor Fleming. Noel Langley, Florence Ryerson and Edgar Allan Woolf received credit for the screenplay, but there were uncredited contributions by others. The lyrics for the songs...
.
Biography
Patricia Ziegfeld was born in New York CityNew York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
on October 23, 1916. Her father was presenting his famous Ziegfeld Follies
Ziegfeld Follies
The Ziegfeld Follies were a series of elaborate theatrical productions on Broadway in New York City from 1907 through 1931. They became a radio program in 1932 and 1936 as The Ziegfeld Follies of the Air....
in the city at the time. She was the only child of Ziegfeld and Burke. She grew up on an estate
Estate (house)
An estate comprises the houses and outbuildings and supporting farmland and woods that surround the gardens and grounds of a very large property, such as a country house or mansion. It is the modern term for a manor, but lacks the latter's now abolished jurisdictional authority...
in Hastings-on-Hudson, a town in Westchester County, New York
Westchester County, New York
Westchester County is a county located in the U.S. state of New York. Westchester covers an area of and has a population of 949,113 according to the 2010 Census, residing in 45 municipalities...
. She also lived at the family's home in Palm Beach, Florida
Palm Beach, Florida
The Town of Palm Beach is an incorporated town in Palm Beach County, Florida, United States. The Intracoastal Waterway separates it from the neighboring cities of West Palm Beach and Lake Worth...
, where the family kept a menagerie
Menagerie
A menagerie is/was a form of keeping common and exotic animals in captivity that preceded the modern zoological garden. The term was first used in seventeenth century France in reference to the management of household or domestic stock. Later, it came to be used primarily in reference to...
of animals, including an elephant named Ziggy
Ziggy
Ziggy is a cartoon created by Tom Wilson, a former American Greetings executive.Ziggy is a small, bald, trouserless, barefoot, almost featureless character who seems to have no friends, hobbies, or romantic partner, just a menagerie of pets: Fuzz, a small white dog; Sid, a cat afraid of mice;...
.
Her father died in 1932 after which she moved to California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
with her mother. She attended UCLA as a student, before exploring careers in acting
Acting
Acting is the work of an actor or actress, which is a person in theatre, television, film, or any other storytelling medium who tells the story by portraying a character and, usually, speaking or singing the written text or play....
and writing
Writing
Writing is the representation of language in a textual medium through the use of a set of signs or symbols . It is distinguished from illustration, such as cave drawing and painting, and non-symbolic preservation of language via non-textual media, such as magnetic tape audio.Writing most likely...
for newspapers and radio
Radio
Radio is the transmission of signals through free space by modulation of electromagnetic waves with frequencies below those of visible light. Electromagnetic radiation travels by means of oscillating electromagnetic fields that pass through the air and the vacuum of space...
.
She married William Robert Stephenson, Sr. on June 11, 1939. She met Stephenson while he was working as a dance instructor at the historic Beverly Hills Hotel
Beverly Hills Hotel
The Beverly Hills Hotel is a hotel on Sunset Boulevard in Beverly Hills, California. It was opened on May 12, 1912 by Margaret J. Anderson and her son, Stanley S. Anderson, who had been managing the Hollywood Hotel. The original main building of The Beverly Hills Hotel was designed by Pasadena...
. He designed homes and other buildings for many of Hollywood's elite for decades, including a brand new General Electric
General Electric
General Electric Company , or GE, is an American multinational conglomerate corporation incorporated in Schenectady, New York and headquartered in Fairfield, Connecticut, United States...
built, all electric show home designed for Ronald Reagan
Ronald Reagan
Ronald Wilson Reagan was the 40th President of the United States , the 33rd Governor of California and, prior to that, a radio, film and television actor....
and Nancy Reagan
Nancy Reagan
Nancy Davis Reagan is the widow of former United States President Ronald Reagan and was First Lady of the United States from 1981 to 1989....
.
In 1963, Ziegfeld Stephenson released an autobiography
Autobiography
An autobiography is a book about the life of a person, written by that person.-Origin of the term:...
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
Congestive heart failure
Heart failure often called congestive heart failure is generally defined as the inability of the heart to supply sufficient blood flow to meet the needs of the body. Heart failure can cause a number of symptoms including shortness of breath, leg swelling, and exercise intolerance. The condition...
at her home in Los Angeles
Los Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
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.