Search by Name

Search by Name

Paulette Breen

1947 - 2014

BORN

1947

DIED

2014

Paulette Breen Obituary

(News article) The public spotlight found Paulette Breen early, and at age 15 she became Miss Teen-Age Toledo - a "beauty queen," as pageant winners were called then.

Modeling and acting careers preceded work as a Hollywood producer for the graduate of Cardinal Stritch High School and Bowling Green State University.

Miss Breen, 67, who grew up in Rossford, died Oct. 29, 2014, in Providence Tarzana Medical Center in California, said her stepsister, Kathy Miller. The cause was cardiac-pulmonary arrest secondary to chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and cancer of the throat.

Mrs. Miller only learned of the death several weeks ago when she received notice from California officials seeking Miss Breen's family and friends.

She had lived in Van Nuys, Calif. A Los Angeles Daily News article in May, 2012, detailed her struggle against foreclosure after getting caught in a mortgage scam.

Miss Breen's 2001 project, the television movie Haven, received awards. She was one of the executive producers for the story, based on the life of Ruth Gruber, a Jewish journalist who fought American anti-Semitism as she relocated Holocaust survivors to upstate New York. The cast included Natasha Richardson, Colm Feore, and Anne Bancroft.

It took five years of rejections before CBS picked up the drama, during which she was told the project was "too Jewish, too expensive, too big," she told The Blade in 2001. "I never gave up."

Other notable producer credits included the TV movies 83 Hours to Dawn and The Stranger Within from 1990.

"She was very focused, and she loved what she was doing," Mrs. Miller said. "She was an intense person and threw herself into it. She kept looking for future successes and stuck with it."

In New York, she was cast in 1970 on All My Children, but she soon struck out for Hollywood. For much of the 1970s and 1980s, she had TV roles - Wonder Woman, Happy Days, Quincy, ME. She made a decision after losing a series role to the producer's girlfriend.

"I was so mad about that," she told The Blade in 1988. "I decided that I had the ability to produce these shows. An actress is controlled. A producer is [in] control. That's what I wanted to be."

She was born Oct. 29, 1947, to the former Margaret Horvath and Gilbert Breen. After her parents divorced, she and her mother moved to Rossford. Her mother, who had been a dancer on the New York stage, encouraged Miss Breen in the performing arts.

As Miss Teen-Age Toledo of 1962, Miss Breen was a semifinalist in the Miss Teen-Age America Pageant, but she won the talent division for her acrobatic ballet. She was 1966 queen of the Ohio New Photographers Association, third runner-up in the 1967 Miss Ohio pageant, and 1971 Miss Illinois USA. She'd gone to Chicago after BGSU, she told The Blade in 1988, to go into advertising and public relations. Unable to find a job, she went into modeling.

Survivors include her stepsister, Kathy Miller, and two first cousins, Robert McAlister, son of her mother's sister Julie, and AnnMarie Mussolini, daughter of her mother's brother Joe Horvath.

Memorial services will be at 10 a.m. Saturday at All Saints Church in Rossford. The family suggests tributes to Cardinal Stritch High School, Oregon, or All Saints Church, Rossford.

This story was written by Blade Staff Writer Mark Zaborney. Contact him at: [email protected] or 419-724-6182.
Published by The Blade on Mar. 11, 2015.

Memories and Condolences
for Paulette Breen

Not sure what to say?





14 Entries

Kozmo

October 26, 2024

Sorry to read all this, but it is a comfort to see that she was liked and remembered. I looked her up because of an appearance in the Hawkman #4 comic book (1964, recently reprinted), among others, where she is noted as "Miss American Teenager" and campaigning against smoking. Requiescat in pace.

Eugenia Briscoe: Valet Service Worker

February 28, 2024

I met Ms.Breen in Chicago. I worked in the building where she lived. She was a wonderful person who treated me like an equal. Not just a building worker. She was 4 years older than me. For some reason, I thought about her and her kindness today as I have done many times over the years. Today I decided to look to see if she was listed anywhere and how she was doing only to find she had passed on. I feel grief at this late date and the world has lost a great person. One who made a good, lasting memory for me. I hadn't kept up with her career as I was not one to watch much TV or go to the movies often. But today she popped up in my head and I had to know how she was doing. I knew I would find her somewhere because a person like her had to be destined for great things. RIP Paulette, I think of you fondly.

David Paglin

November 2, 2022

I met Paulette in 1962 in D.C., when she was here for a pageant--and corresponded with her for the year after. Her charisma, congeniality, and energy were unforgettable. So sorry to read of her early passing.

David Paglin

June 7, 2019

I met Paulette in 1963 Washington DC during the Miss American Teenager pageant year....and we exchanged some letters after that. I remember her as gracious, attentive, thoughtful, and empathetic--especially so for one still so young. Sad to hear of her too-early passing.

michael leasor

June 11, 2017

i was not a popular student at cardinal stritch high school however she aways found a minute to walk up and smile and say hi to me a lovely individual i though comfort from her hellos and friendly smiles

June 28, 2016

I knew Paulette in L.A. She was a very talented actress, kind, considerate, and feisty.
Brock Johnsen

February 5, 2016

She played a vixen character on the soap All My Children circa 1975. 'Claudette'. As a student at BGSU, I remember hearing that she was a former student there. Remember her fights with the Erica Kane character.

September 13, 2015

As a '66 Stritch grad, I found her to be a kind and gracious upperclassman. I looked up to Paulette. Prayers for you. RIP

March 20, 2015

Sorry to hear of your loss. I was in an entertainment group with Paulette before we were 10 years old. I also went to BGSU at the same time she did. She was a very talented young lady.

March 14, 2015

She was one of the most memorable clients of my career as an attorney. Both feisty and friendly - she will be missed.

Steven Abraham

March 11, 2015

I talked to Paulette on the phone a few times. She liked to talk!

March 11, 2015

So sorry to hear about. Paulette. Kathy, my Godmother was your Aunt Mary. Paulette and I were in a play together and she was a friend. Bernadette Kovacs Barth

Billie Sturgill

March 11, 2015

I went to high school with Paulette. She was one of the kindest person. She always went out of her way to greet me,and made others feel welcome & comfortable. Our high school was so proud of her when she became Miss teenage America. We knew she had a bright future. She will be remembered fondly.

Showing 1 - 14 of 14 results

Make a Donation
in Paulette Breen's name

How to support Paulette's loved ones
Honor a beloved veteran with a special tribute of ‘Taps’ at the National WWI Memorial in Washington, D.C.

The nightly ceremony in Washington, D.C. will be dedicated in honor of your loved one on the day of your choosing.

Read more
Attending a Funeral: What to Know

You have funeral questions, we have answers.

Read more
Should I Send Sympathy Flowers?

What kind of arrangement is appropriate, where should you send it, and when should you send an alternative?

Read more
What Should I Write in a Sympathy Card?

We'll help you find the right words to comfort your family member or loved one during this difficult time.

Read more
Resources to help you cope with loss
Estate Settlement Guide

If you’re in charge of handling the affairs for a recently deceased loved one, this guide offers a helpful checklist.

Read more
How to Write an Obituary

Need help writing an obituary? Here's a step-by-step guide...

Read more
Obituaries, grief & privacy: Legacy’s news editor on NPR podcast

Legacy's Linnea Crowther discusses how families talk about causes of death in the obituaries they write.

Read more
The Five Stages of Grief

They're not a map to follow, but simply a description of what people commonly feel.

Read more
Ways to honor Paulette Breen's life and legacy
Obituary Examples

You may find these well-written obituary examples helpful as you write about your own family.

Read more
How to Write an Obituary

Need help writing an obituary? Here's a step-by-step guide...

Read more
Obituary Templates – Customizable Examples and Samples

These free blank templates make writing an obituary faster and easier.

Read more
How Do I Write a Eulogy?

Some basic help and starters when you have to write a tribute to someone you love.

Read more