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Patrick Dennis as a child was played by Jan Handzlik. Patrick was susposed to be 9 years old when Mame first sees him. He arrrives at Mame's apartment after the unexpected death of his father. Jan was 11-12 years old when he did the Broadway play. Russel who bought shares in the Broadway production company liked working with him on Broadway. She became quite attached to him and referred to him as "a darling". When Warner Brothers made the film, she insisted that he play the part. This gave the film, as she explains in her autobiography, a somewhat different look. Jan was only 9 years old when he began Aunty Mame on Broadway and at that age he came across as very innocent. He was 12 when he did the film. As there is a huge difference between the age of 9 and 12, Jan comes across as more precocious than innocent. She worried about him during Broadway run. He got sick twice during the run. She'd ask him what he had for dinner and he'd say a strawberry soda. Jan dressed in the basement which wasn't properly heated and he heard a lot of bad language there, plus he kept getting dirty. So she brought him up to her dressing room and looked after him there. His mother was an out of work Broadway singer so she found her a job. For a while he traveled back and forth to New Jersey where is home was. Russel droved him to the boat with great trepidation. To make her feel better, he would tell her, "It's only three blocks, and when I get off the ferry, I run all the way."
Both Jan and Kirby Furlong in the musical version played Patrick well. Jan's performance is, however, the one by which other "Patricks" will be measured. As far as I know, "Auntie Mame" was his principal show business experience, although he appeared in a few television shows. He did not continue his acting career. He became an Assistant U.S. Attorney. He then became a celebrated criminal defense attorney in Los Angeles working with Kirkland & Ellis, defending defendants accused of white-collor crimes. He says he was not disappointed about not havibg a Hollywood career. He's divorced, and has three children.
Jan's mother was Jean Handzlik, a minor Broadway actress. We do not know anything about his father. We know virtually nothing about his childhood at this time. We know he lived in New Jersey. As his mother was not particularly successful as an actress, the family was not particularly well off.
Patrick Dennis as a child was played by Jan Handzlik. We do not yet know just how he got the part. Patrick was susposed to be 9 years old when Mame first sees him. He arrrives at Mame's apartment after the unexpected death of his father. Jan was 11-12 years old when he did the Broadway play. Russel who bought shares in the Broadway production company liked working with him on Broadway. Russel became quite attached to him and referred to him as "a darling". She worried about him during Broadway run. He got sick twice during the run. She'd ask him what he had for dinner and he'd say a strawberry soda. Jan dressed in the basement which wasn't properly heated and he heard a lot of bad language there, plus he kept getting dirty. So she brought him up to her dressing room and looked after him there. His mother was an out of work Broadway singer so she found her a job. For a while he traveled back and forth to New Jersey where is home was. Russel droved him to the boat with great trepidation. To make her feel better, he would tell her, "It's only three blocks, and when I get off the ferry, I run all the way."
When Warner Brothers made the film, she insisted that he play the part. This gave the film, as she explains in her autobiography, a somewhat different look. Jan was only 9 years old when he began Aunty Mame on Broadway and at that age he came across as very innocent. He was 12 when he did the film. As there is a huge difference between the age of 9 and 12, Jan comes across as more precocious than innocent. Both Jan and Kirby Furlong in the musical version played Patrick well. Jan's performance is, however, the one by which other "Patricks" will be measured.
As far as I know, "Auntie Mame" was Jan's principal show business experience, although he appeared in a few television shows. He did not continue his acting career.
Handzlik became an Assistant U.S. Attorney. He then became a celebrated criminal defense attorney in Los Angeles working with Kirkland & Ellis, defending defendants accused of white-collor crimes. He says he was not disappointed about not havibg a Hollywood career. He's divorced, and has three children.
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