Discovering Arthur Patrick Lake
I discovered Arthur Patrick Lake when researching glamorous-grit Hollywood bloodlines. Born March 1, 1943 in Hollywood, California, this guy led a brief but vibrant life until his April 6, 1994 death at 51. After drinking all night, he died in a Riverside vehicle accident. Tall blond and blue-eyed, he exuded old money and show business disarray. Growing up in a Santa Monica beach home, he dropped out of school early, purchased eight automobiles by 18, and pursued acting while the family fortune eroded. The term “trust fund junkie” fit him like an old leather jacket. His days were filled with parties, celebrities, and impulsivity. Hidden beneath the surface was a secret paternity and publishing empire that dominated American culture.
His environment felt like a fading film reel playing in real time. After appearing in family documentaries, he pawned heirloom jewelry to pay bills. Locals called the luxurious property Horror Manor by his thirties due to financial problems. Arthur Patrick Lake never lost his Hollywood spirit. He chased stunt work and bit parts with the same recklessness as his personal life. His story depicts hereditary affluence clashing with harsh reality, a golden ticket that ran out of ink.
The Complex Family Tapestry
Arthur Patrick Lake stood at the center of a sprawling family web that stretched from vaudeville stages to newspaper empires. I mapped it out and the connections still surprise me with their reach. Here is a clear breakdown in table form for easy reference.
| Relationship | Name | Key Details |
|---|---|---|
| Father | Arthur Lake | Born Arthur Silverlake Jr in 1905 died 1987. Star of 28 Blondie films as Dagwood Bumstead plus radio and 1957 TV series. Vaudeville trapeze roots in the Flying Silverlakes act. |
| Mother | Patricia Lake | Born around 1923 died October 3 1993. Actress and radio comedian. Publicly listed as niece of Marion Davies but claimed on her deathbed to be secret daughter of William Randolph Hearst and Marion Davies. Arthur Patrick Lake affirmed this in her obituary. |
| Sister | Marion Rose Lake | Born October 6 1944 later Marion Rose Canessa. More studious than her brother with interests in singing and academics. Distanced herself from later family media plans. |
| Daughter | Patricia Lake Hashi | Age 34 in 1995. Manicurist on Kauai Hawaii. Married young raised three children amid the family chaos. Inherited Davies like features. |
| Son | Arthur David Lake | Age 32 in 1995. Surfer and mason who split time between Hawaii and Malibu. Father to a young daughter. Shared deep set blue eyes resembling young William Randolph Hearst. |
| Daughter | Kimberly Lake Santori | Age 25 in 1995. Secretary in Clovis California. Married a maintenance technician raised three children. Kept a ruby heart ring from Marion Davies collection. |
| Paternal Aunt | Florence Lake | Actress in vaudeville who joined the family trapeze act. |
| Maternal Grandparents | Marion Davies and William Randolph Hearst | Per Patricia Lake claim affirmed publicly by Arthur Patrick Lake. Davies the actress Hearst the publishing titan. |
| Paternal Grandparents | Arthur Silverlake and Edith Goodwin | Tied to early 1900s circus and stage world. |
| Great Grandparents | George Hearst Phoebe Hearst Bernard J Douras Rose Reilly | Foundations of the Hearst media fortune and Davies Douras vaudeville lineage. |
This table barely captures the emotional undercurrents. The household pulsed with unconditional love mixed with eccentricity. Grandchildren ran wild in Davies old gowns surrounded by dozens of inbred dogs. Arthur Patrick Lake and his sister learned the truth about their mother teenage years a revelation that hit like a plot twist in one of those Blondie comedies. Patricia Lake had lived as Davies companion yet confided the Hearst secret only to her children. When she passed Arthur Patrick Lake honored her final wish listing Hearst and Davies on the death certificate. The move turned private whispers into public headlines and cemented the family place in Hollywood lore.
Career Highlights and Financial Struggles
Arthur Patrick Lake dipped his toes into show business early. At age six in 1949 he appeared as himself in the short Screen Snapshots Series 28 No. 9 Hollywoods Happy Homes. Five years later in 1954 he featured in the TV movie Meet the Family. Adulthood brought guest spots on Wonder Woman and Baa Baa Black Sheep plus stunt work that suited his adventurous streak. Rehearsals for his fathers projects often spilled into the family home turning the living room into an impromptu set.
Money flowed freely at first then trickled. Trusts from the Hearst Davies circle kept him afloat yet expenses mounted. The Santa Monica beach house sold in 1979. He pawned Marion Davies jewelry when cash ran short and eyed book and miniseries deals about his mothers story to generate fresh income. No major business ventures emerged. Instead his career mirrored a rollercoaster short climbs followed by long plateaus. I see it as a vivid metaphor for many Hollywood offspring chasing shadows of greater fame while wrestling real world bills.
Milestones in Arthur Patrick Lake’s Life
Numbers and dates paint the clearest picture of his journey. I compiled them into this timeline table to show the arc from privilege to final chapter.
| Year | Milestone |
|---|---|
| 1943 | Born March 1 in Hollywood California to Arthur and Patricia Lake. |
| 1949 | Appears in Screen Snapshots documentary on celebrity families. |
| 1954 | Features in Meet the Family TV movie project. |
| 1960s to 1970s | Guest roles in Wonder Woman and Baa Baa Black Sheep. Marries first wife. Children born. Builds reputation for parties and fast cars. |
| 1979 | Family sells Santa Monica beach house. |
| 1987 | Father Arthur Lake dies in January after nearly 50 years of marriage to Patricia. |
| 1993 | Mother Patricia Lake dies October 3. Arthur Patrick Lake lists her parents as Marion Davies and William Randolph Hearst on certificate and obituary. Plans Hidden Hearst book and miniseries. |
| 1994 | Marries second wife in quick ceremony in Bullhead City Arizona. Dies April 6 in alcohol related single car crash on return drive. Survived by second wife and three children who later manage estate affairs. |
Each entry marks a pivot. The 1993 revelation came six months before his own death turning grief into a final act of loyalty. His children Patricia Arthur David and Kimberly stepped in handling media deals and preserving the legacy.
Personal Relationships and Lasting Echoes
Arthur Patrick Lake’s life revolved around relationships. His three children from his former marriage were beach rats in inherited gowns and club nights. The second union ended tragically on that April roadway after months. His sister Marion Rose was close to him, but she subsequently called spotlight plans horrible. Uncles, uncles, and cousins from Silverlake and Douras brought circus flair and theatrical presence.
I imagine the family as an ancient oak tree with rich soil roots and newspaper dynasties. Arthur Patrick Lake swayed between glamour and dirt on a high limb. His voice resembled Dagwood and his blue eyes Hearst. One daughter has a solid manicurist hand, another son surfs in Hawaii. Their stories preserve the legacy without publicity.
FAQ
What made Arthur Patrick Lake publicly affirm his mothers secret parentage?
On October 3 1993 Patricia Lake passed away. Arthur Patrick Lake honored her deathbed wish by listing William Randolph Hearst and Marion Davies as her parents on the official certificate and obituary. The move ended decades of whispered rumors and placed the family firmly in the Hearst Davies narrative.
How many children did Arthur Patrick Lake have and what paths did they take?
He had three documented children. Patricia Lake Hashi became a manicurist on Kauai Hawaii and raised three kids. Arthur David Lake worked as a surfer and mason splitting time between Hawaii and Malibu while fathering a daughter. Kimberly Lake Santori served as a secretary in Clovis California married a maintenance technician and raised three children of her own. All inherited pieces of the Davies jewelry collection and family features.
What acting work did Arthur Patrick Lake complete during his lifetime?
He started young with a 1949 appearance in Screen Snapshots Series 28 No. 9 and a 1954 role in Meet the Family. Later he landed guest spots on Wonder Woman and Baa Baa Black Sheep plus stunt work. Family rehearsals often happened at home blending personal and professional worlds.
Why did financial pressures shape so much of Arthur Patrick Lake adult life?
Early trusts from the Hearst and Davies circles provided comfort yet the Santa Monica beach house sale in 1979 signaled decline. He pawned jewelry sought advances on media projects and described himself as a trust fund junkie. The pattern reflected spending habits formed in a privileged chaotic household rather than steady wealth building.
How did Arthur Patrick Lake death connect to family events?
Six months after his mothers October 1993 passing he married a second wife in a quick Arizona ceremony. On April 6 1994 an alcohol related crash on the return drive took his life at age 51. His children managed the estate and any lingering media deals afterward.
What role did vaudeville play in the broader family background?
Paternal grandparents Arthur Silverlake and Edith Goodwin came from the Flying Silverlakes trapeze act. Aunt Florence Lake performed in the same world. This circus stage foundation later merged with the Davies Douras acting lineage creating a unique blend of physical showmanship and silver screen polish that influenced Arthur Patrick Lake own stunt career.
