SYNOPSIS

Teenage actress Patty Duke had just finished filming her Academy Award-winning movie, The Miracle Worker, when she was asked to star in a dual role in this light-hearted, family situation comedy.

As Patty Lane, she was a perky, upbeat, bubble-gum chewing teenager who was into Paul Anka records and slumber parties with her girlfriends. As Cathy Lane, she was Patty's intellectual Scottish cousin newly arrived from overseas to live with the Lanes, complete with bagpipes and Scottish accent.

The girls confused everybody in their middle-class Brooklyn Heights, New York, neighborhood by mischievously switching personalities at very important moments. Since they were exact look-alikes, no one could tell them apart.

Others cast members included: Martin Lane, Patty's newspaper editor father; Natalie, her mother and Ross, her 12-year-old younger brother who was at constant war with the girls. Richard was Patty's boyfriend, a part-time Western Union messenger.

Having one actress play two parts did present it's problems. The main one occurred when both girls were supposed to be on the screen at the same time. The young woman who served as Patty/Cathy's double and was seen only from the back as one girl while Patty Duke faced the camera as the other, was Rita McLaughlin.

Guest appearances by popular singing stars like Chad & Jeremy, Bobby Vinton and Frankie Avalon helped boost the popularity among teenagers - boys and girls alike.