Patty McCormack (b. August 21, 1945) is an American actress. She is best known as a child actress for her portrayal of a murderous little girl in The Bad Seed.

She was born Patricia Ellen Russo in Brooklyn, New York to Frank Russo, a firefighter and Elizabeth (McCormack) Russo, a professional roller skater. She was a model at the age of four and began appearing on television at the age of seven. She made her motion picture debut in Two Gals and a Guy (1951) and appeared in the television series Mama (aka I Remember Mama) from 1953-1956. She briefly starred in her own series, Peck's Bad Girl, in 1959.

Her Broadway debut was in Touchstone (1953) followed by her most famous role, as little Rhoda Penmark, an evil child with murderous inclinations, in The Bad Seed (1954). She would go to star in the film version (1956) and garner an Academy Award nomination for Best Supporting Actress.

McCormack has continued to act in secondary roles, mostly in televsion with occassional film appearances. She has had recurring roles in popular televison series such as Dallas, Murder She Wrote, and The Sopranos.

She is divorced from restaurateur Bob Catania (married 1967) and has two children.

References

Rigdon, Walter (ed.) The Biographical Encyclopedia of Who's Who of the American Theatre. New York: James H. Heineman, Inc. c1966.

"Patty McCormack." Biography Resource Center. Thomson Gale. February 15, 2005.