Episode 416. Patricia Barnstable-American Actress, Model, & Philanthropist
Patricia Barnstable-Brown is an American actress, model, and philanthropist. She is perhaps best known for her acting work, including her role in the “Quark” series, which aired in 1978. However, she gained significant attention and fame alongside her identical twin sister, Priscilla Barnstable, as the “Doublemint Twins” in the well-known advertising campaign for Doublemint gum by the Wrigley Company. The ad campaign featured twins to highlight the “double” freshness and “double” flavor of the gum, and Patricia and her sister were among the most recognizable faces associated with it.
Beyond her entertainment career, Patricia Barnstable-Brown has made notable contributions as a philanthropist, particularly in healthcare. She is one of the co-hosts of the annual Barnstable Brown Gala, a high-profile charity event held in Louisville, Kentucky, during the Kentucky Derby weekend. The gala is renowned for its celebrity guest list and has raised millions of dollars for diabetes research. The Barnstable Brown Diabetes Center at the University of Kentucky is named in recognition of the substantial contributions from the gala.
The Barnstable Brown Gala is considered one of the premier events of the Kentucky Derby weekend, attracting a range of celebrities, business leaders, and other high-profile individuals. Given its social prominence and philanthropic impact, local and national media have covered the event widely.
Lovely, sunny, and vibrant blonde bombshell Patricia Barnstable was born in Louisville, Kentucky, on May 23, 1951. She’s the identical twin sister of Cyb Barnstable and the daughter of Dale and Wilma Barnstable. Patricia graduated from Seneca High School in Louisville, Kentucky, in 1969. In 1971, she was entered into a beauty contest by her mother; she won the title of Miss Kentucky and was the fifth-place runner-up in the Mis USA pageant. Barnstable attended the University of Kentucky, earning degrees in speech and theater. Patricia began her career in show business in 1972 along with her sister Cyb, singing and dancing in Bob Hope’s last USO Christmas tour of Vietnam.
Moreover, both siblings appeared in TV commercials for Doublemint Gum and are featured together on the covers of a handful of national magazines, including Redbook and Good Housekeeping. Patricia and Cyb both portrayed spaceship pilots named Betty — one’s a clone, and the other is human — on the hilarious but sadly short-lived science fiction comedy series “Quark.” In addition, the Barnstable sisters also acted together on episodes of the television shows “The Love Boat” and “Walt Disney’s Wonderful World of Color” as well as the made-for-TV movie “Operating Room.” Patricia co-founded the Barnstable Brown Foundation with her sister Cyb and mother Wilma; this organization has raised over $2 million for Diabetes Research. She’s the mother of a son, Christopher. Patricia still lives in her hometown of Louisville, Kentucky, and serves as the annual Kentucky Derby Eve party hostess with her sister Cyb.