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Melody
Melody
Patterson’s life has been anything but normal; but according to her, she wouldn't
have had it any other way. She started her theatrical career at five, appearing in Mrs.Mc
Thing, at the Downey Community Theater, and before her tenth birthday, Melody was already
singing, dancing, and ice skating. It was the Downey Children’s Theater that sparked
an ever lasting love of the stage. Her first musical was Gypsy, in which she played the
part of Dainty June, singing out "I Have a Moo-Cow" with great aplomb. Loving
the theater from the start, she has never been off the boards for too long at a time.
Melody wrote and directed her first play in the fifth grade. After that, she was fortunately encouraged by her school to continue writing plays and directing her fellow classmates; putting on her plays in the school auditorium. Our Lady of Perpetual Help, Melody's school while in 7th grade, was not surprised when she was cast to sing and dance for three weeks in the movie musical "Bye Bye Birdie", as they knew she was a natural entertainer.
In the ninth grade, Melody was enrolled in Hollywood Professional School. During this time she landed her first television job on the series "Mr. Novack." The next fall, before her sixteenth birthday, she tested at Warner Bros. for the part of Wrangler Jane on a new comedy series to be called "F-Troop." Melody got the job, with only one problem. She had lied about her age to the studio, telling them she would be eighteen on her next birthday and would therefore be out of school. Fortunately, the truth did not surface until she had filmed seven shows and had proven to the studio that she could play the part of "Wrangler Jane Angelica Thrift".
"F-Troop" was a big hit in America and also in 39 countries around the world. Playing the part of Wrangler Jane , a sexy, feisty, fast shooting cowgirl, was the biggest thrill of Melody’s career. Life after F-Troop included such shows as, Green Acres, The Monkeys, Death Valley Days and The Flip Wilson Show.
Wanting to keep her foot in the theater she simultaneously starred for 12 months in the comedy play, "The Impossible Years," at the Las Palmas theater in Hollywood.
Soon after the close of this show, she was off to Vietnam to entertain the troops for the USO. She toured Vietnam on three different handshake tours with such stars as Martha Raye and Vickie Lawrence. While busy doing all she could for the USO, she was asked by Armed Forces Radio if she would be interested in becoming the first female disc-jockey in Vietnam. She jumped in with both feet, but found out that doing a daily radio show was a very ambitious endeavor.
While working in Hollywood taping her radio shows, she also appeared in several movies. "Blood and Lace" with Gloria Graham, and "Cycle Savages" with Bruce Dern and Chris Robinson
Melody married actor James MacArthur, who at the time was starring in the television series "Hawaii 5-0," and had to put her career aside to move to Honolulu, Hawaii. During the next seven years she appeared in many episodes of Hawaii 5-0, and started modeling and making commercials. While living in Hawaii she found herself again on the stage in the Herb Rogers Production of "Butterflies are Free," with Barbara Rush and Dirk Benedict. After that she kept busy doing other plays such as "House of Blue Leaves," for the University of Hawaii, and the part of Peggy in "The Front Page" written by Charles MacArthur, and directed by her husband James MacArthur. Before leaving the islands, she played the part of Miss Julie in the Strindberg classic, "Miss Julie," for the Honolulu Performing Arts Company.
After her divorce, Melody moved to New York and attended the American Academy of Dramatic Arts Then, back to California, to appear in another movie, "The Immortalizer," playing the part of an evil nurse in this sci-fi thriller. Out of the blue she was asked to play the part of Izzie in a light hearted musical "Double Your Pleasure," and to sing a song that was written for her by director songwriter, Sky Redlove, called "Everybody’s Got Tits But Me Blues." Singing and dancing in this show was great fun at the Sky Lite Theater in Hollywood.
For the last five years Melody has been pursuing a BA. Degree in Visual and Performing Arts. In the summer of 1996 she had the privilege to perform for Sierra Nevada College’s first summer production at the Tahoe Vista Open Air Theater in "Annie Get You Gun." She graduated this May and intends to continue her education one more year in order to acquire her High School Teaching Credential. She plans on teaching Drama and English Literature. Melody feels that a good foundation in Theater Arts while in High School is a good way to learn how to be a team player and also a way to tap into one’s creativity .
Last spring, Melody was asked by David John of the Comstock Cowboys to direct the musical production "Calico". It is an original show with fourteen fabulous songs. It was a thrill and a challenge to direct this production. The play opened in Virginia City, Nevada in July of 1998 and since has toured in Nevada and California to rave reviews. While rehearsing "Calico", Melody met Vern Miller who plays lead guitar, banjo, and mandolin for the Comstock Cowboys. They were married last November. If you browse through the website you will find a picture of Melody with the cast on opening night.
Melody also writes a column for the magazine "Wildest Westerns", called "Wrapping with Wrangler". In each issue Melody writes to her fans about the filming of different shows and also answers question about the show and its fabulous guest stars, If you would like to read the column, or find out more about the magazine, please browse through the website.