Patti Gilbert Obituary

Gilbert, Patti
May 14, 1931 - January 15, 2011
Patti Gilbert: Actress of the Stage, Television Screen and Supreme Hostess
Patti Gilbert, who appeared in several popular TV shows in the late 60's and 70's, has died at the age of 79. She suffered from complications due to diabetes and died peacefully in her home in Los Angeles.
Gilbert started her career in New York, where she was voted Miss Subways of 1950. She modeled for the John Robert Powers agency and performed in summer stock productions.
In Chicago she was the leading lady in many dinner theater productions and was often a guest on the Kupcinet radio show. Her beauty and wonderful speaking voice kept her employed many years as a spokesperson for the auto and trade shows in Chicago's McCormick place.
In the early 70's she garnered roles in Get Smart, Batman, All in the Family and looped voicetracks for various studio productions. She worked for LA Mayor Tom Bradley to assist with the Bicentennial celebration, notably arranging contributions from Indian tribes. Her facility for entertaining was widely appreciated and sometimes tapped into by organizations such as KCET.
Gilbert loved all the arts and was generous in her desire to promote others' careers. She prided herself on being a 'go to' person for contacts in the industry.
She is survived by her loving daughters Laurel Phillips and Gina Moffitt and by her beloved grandchildren Julia, Emily and Evan Moffitt. Her husband, Charles Schleussner, of Bel Air, predeceased her. Previous marriages were to the late owner of UPA Studios, Henry G. Saperstein, and to the late Henry Gilbert of Chicago.
Interment at Pierce Bros. Westwood Memorial Park.

To plant trees in memory, please visit the Sympathy Store.

Published by Los Angeles Times from Feb. 10 to Feb. 13, 2011.

Memories and Condolences
for Patti Gilbert

Sponsored by Laurel Phillips, daughter.

6 Entries

Robin Maiden

April 3, 2023

Hello my name is Robin Maiden. I assisted your Mom for many years at Neiman Marcus for many years. Her and Beauregard would come and have lunch with me often at the store. Your Mom was always so sweet and kind to me. I know she is greatly missed and I thank you for sharing her with me. Sending love to your family.

Robin Maiden

April 3, 2023

Hello my name is Robin Maiden I assited your Mother for many years at Neiman Marcus in Beverly Hills. Her and Beauregard would often come and have lunch with me at the store. I have often thought of her, sorry to see that she has passed away. My sincere condolences to you and your family.

Allison McKay

March 8, 2011

My dear Yenta Patti...I loved her tenacity...The myriad of dates she thought I was "right" for that never panned out...but Oh, how she tried. SHE was the match.com of the 70s...and she knew EVERYONE! (also a great hostess) But what laughs!

I loved her from the first moment I met her at an audition. Both of us with young daughters. Before they got to us, we had exchanged stories of our entire lives up to that point. We discussed our ex-husbands (which, at that time,she had only one) and I said how strange it was that at my divorce, all my ex wanted back was my wedding ring..(probably to inflict it on his next victim) Patti, of course, had the topper. She said, "In court, they asked my ex-husband what HE wanted(and there I sat with a 5-karat diamond on my finger) He said all he wanted was his
electric trains.

Patti was like a sister. We could tell each other anything. So much we had to talk about...always. And...well, I guess I'll still run it by her now and then.

See ya soon, Patti ...we'll talk.

Love, Allison

To Gina and Laurel...Robin and I miss her already.

Deborah McKay

February 15, 2011

My Darling Patti. Everything good that happened to me from the minute I met her was because of Patti, her goodness, generosity of spirit and genuine love of people...the crazier, the better.

If you were going on a mission to Mars Patti would give you the number of someone to call when you got there.

My World will never be as happy again.

Robin McKay

February 13, 2011

No one was nicer than Patti. She was also the go-to person for matchmaking, ask her lovely daughters! I had known her since I was a child, and truly she was one of my role models for general loveliness and grace; she always invited my mother and me to her grand outings, sent the most thoughtful and lavish gifts, even lent me a parking space at her home when I attended UCLA at what I'm sure must have been considerable inconvenience but she never complained or accepted any payment. I was proud to include her in my AFI student film, and she was gracious enough to accept. Always, always looking for an opportunity to help, she was among the most gracious ladies I have ever met, and she will be sorely missed by anyone whose lives she touched, and there were many. As a teenager, I shall never forget my first grownup excursion to the Sherry Netherland on one of her visits. What a star! Thank you for a life well-lived, Patti. Much love.

Dr. Denis Bettencourt

February 13, 2011

Over A decade ago I became dear friends with Patti when she was kind enough to include me in her New Year's celebrations at the end of 1999. She only knew of me through a friend and yet took the time to call and invite me personally. I instantly took a great liking to her and we became fast friends. Over the years she and I shared lunches at least once a month, often including her wonderful Standard Poodle "Beauregard" along in tow as we walked through Beverly Hills.
She always "dressed to the nines" and seemed to know everyone as we sat outside and talked with passerbys. She also loved art and was an accomplished painter as well as an instructor. She was a funny and always entertaining friend who had "contacts" for me to call no matter where I traveled. And these friends always treated you as an immediate friend if you were a friend of Patti's. Her friendship, laughter and smile will be painfully missed.
Dr. Denis Bettencourt

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