RIP PATRICIA NEAL

Patricia Neal, an Oscar Winner Who Endured Tragedy, Dies at 84

Rick McKay's PATRICIA NEAL TRIBUTE

When filmmaker Rick McKay ("Broadway: The Golden Age Trilogy", "Fay Wray", PBS, A&E) was asked in early 2010 to host a tribute to his friend, the actress Patricia Neal, who had appeared in his films, and to interview her on stage, he happily accepted. The tribute was a benefit for the great NYC theatre company, The Peccadillo Theatre, who was mounting a revival of Lillian Hellman's "Another Part of the Forest", which had made Ms. Neal a Broadway star in 1946, winning her the first Tony Award ever given. However, shortly before the date, Neal fell and was hospitalized in California. At the last minute McKay put together this video tribute, or "virtual interview" to substitute, which was shown on stage at the benefit as a huge success. Ms. Neal's friends rallied to appear at the tribute, which happily turned into a celebration of her life hosted by McKay, with the help of her friends Joel Vigg, Cliff Robertson, Eli Wallach and Anne Jackson, Betsy von Furstenburg, Tammy Grimes and many more. Sadly, Ms. Neal was never to return to NYC, did not see the new production of "Forest" (which got rave reviews and was extended), but happily did get to see this footage as well as a tape of the tribute evening before she passed away on August 8th, 2010. A true friend, a great actress and an incredible inspiration to millions, Patricia Neal will be greatly missed . . .