Desi Arnaz : Is Desi Jr the father of Sean Duke Astin?

I recently finished reading a book about "Lucy and Desi - The Legendary Love Story of Television's Most Famous Couple" where the author states that Desi Jr had an affair with Patty Duke when he was 17 1/2 and she was a little older. The author, Warren Harris, intimates that Ms. Duke became pregnant during that time and that Desi Jr. was thought to be the father. It was even reported that when Desi Sr. first saw the baby he said, "he looks just like me!" I don't know how much of this to believe.has it ever been substaniated?

The last time I saw Desi Jr. was on the 50th anniversary tribute to the I Love Lucy series and he looked very fragile and almost sickly. Is he okay? I can't seem to find much on his history or what his personal life is like now.is he married? Thanks for your input.

If you look at the trivia on this page it says that was proven to be false some time ago. Also, try wikipedia.org for lots of facts on all sorts of junk.

Sean Astin and his mother, Patty Duke, were on a news magazine show, 20/20, I think. According to a DNA test, Desi Jr. is not the father. Patty Duke doesn't believe the test and insists the Jr. is the father. While he probably isn't the biological father, he apparently treats Sean as a son. In that interview, Sean says he's got 4 fathers that would do anything for him. His biological (who isn't famous) father, Jr., the father who raised him, Astin (can't think of his first name right now), and his step father, Patty's present husband.

"Astin (can't think of his first name right now)"

John Astin is his name.


[Marcia and Charlie kiss]
Charlie:"Marcia I gotta gosomething suddenly came up!" ;)

Desi Jr. was believed to be the biological father of Sean, but the 2 were buddies and agreed to blood testing in the 1990's which proved otherwise. His biological father is Mike Tell. His step-father is Mike Pearce. His *adoptive* father is John Astin. This is how he gets the four people he calls "Dad".

"I am Kizersozay" (the white dog in Doctor Doolittle)

Desi Jr. has been married since 1989 to Amy.

"I am Kizersozay" (the white dog in Doctor Doolittle)

You will often find old movie magazines from the early 1970's on ebay with cover stories on the Desi-Patty affair and her subsequent pregnancy and giving birth. Lucy of course is made prominent in the stories. I think almost every story from the era stated Desi was the father but of course that doesn't mean he was. Apparently they have had tests that proved he was not. I wonder if Lucy ever knew the truth.

Yes, Michael Tell, whom Patti Duke had a 13 day marriage to is indeed the biological father of Sean Astin. (Google Michael Tell and you will see a pic of Sean AStin with his father, quite a resemblence)

The test with Desi Arnaz Jr was done in 1994, 3 years after he was deemed the biological father of a young woman named Julia who was born in Los Angeles in 1969. So as far as fact goes he is the adopted father of his wifes daughter, Sean A111cstin's mentor/father, and the biological father to Julia Desire. The firstborn granddaughter of Desi and Lucy.

I read that Sean Astin took the DNA test with Mike Tell, are you saying that Sean also took a DNA test with Desi Arnaz Jr?

Have you read Duke's autobiography? She says John Astin is Sean's father.

She says: ".according to when Sean was born and the last time I'd b5b4een with Desi, the child was not Desi's but his [John Astin]." "Call Me Anna" 232.

I don't know anything about whether DNA test can be wrong or not, but in my humble opinion Sean Astin looks just like Desi Jr and Mackenzie Astin looks just like John Astin.

The creepy thing is that I was watching a DVD of Here's Lucy where Gary Morton was warming up the audience and pointed out Patty Duke who was sitting up there with everyone else. I was wondering why she would come to the taping (before I knew that she had had an affair with Desi). Now it makes sense.

Back in 1994 when the DNA was done, technology had come far enough and was completey accurate. In the early 90's, my client was deemed the biological child to Desi Jr. and the resemblance and mannerisms are immense.

If Patty Duke feels the DNA is in dispute, they can always retest.

Check out this page and see Sean Astin's biological father

www.reviewjournal.com//news/23327549.html

I agree he did look fragile as if he is ill?? Has he given any interviews lately?

If I am not mistaken, wasn't Patti suffering from mental problems back then? I think she was involved with three men, therefore a scandal was born in regards to Sean's parentage. I think his dad is a guy Patti was briefly married to for a few days. She was a few years older than Desi. She was either in her early or mid 20's, while Desi was only in his late teens.

Desi Jr. isn't Sean Astin's father. Michael Tell is. DNA testing proved he is not Desi's child, and that he is indeed Michael Tell's child. Let it go people. I especially love the "I lived 30 miles away in the 70's" like that's reliable proof. Fer cryin' out loud, get a life.

I have always believed and will continue to believe that Sean is Desi Jr.'s son. I watched him grow up and in certain pictures Sean is a dead ringer for Desi Jr. I think the truth was swept under the rug at the time of Sean's birth because of and by Lucille Ball, who always hated Patty Duke. I wouldn't even trust a DNA test.


"There's more to life than a little money, you know."

and That's the Way It WAS You didn't have to live within 30 Miles to see the "Family Resemblence" !!!

Sean Astin looks nothing like Desi Arnaz, Jr. but closely resembles his biological father, Mike Tell. They are pictured together below.
http://www.reviewjournal.com/lvrj_home/2004/Feb-29-Sun-2004/news/23327 549.html

All I can sa1c84y is for someone with such an "interesting" family, Sean is certainly seems to be a fairly grounded and well-adjusted person. I am inspired by his ability to deal with such controversy and always keep a smile on his face. And yes, the resemblance to Mike Tell is "telling!" Sorry - it had to be said!

And the Sun orbits the flat Earth. Were you on the OJ jury?

This will be the high point of my day; it's all downhill from here.

No Westhudsonpark, the DNA proved that Mike Tell is the biological dad and John adopted him.
Also Patty's current husband has not worked in the military since the early 1980's. He left right after they were married. Today I guess you can say that he is her manager.

I know if anyone goes to that link someone provided the article talks about Michael Tell being proven by DNA as his father and it gets me how people on here have said Sean is a dead ringer for Desi and for JOhn. All you have to do is look at that pic of him sitting right beside Michael Tell and see he looks almost identical to him, Same eyes, Same mouth same face shape. Here is a close up of the photo onthat page.

http://www.reviewjournal.com/lvrj_home/2004/Feb-29-Sun-2004/photos/ast in.jpg

Yes he looks like his dad alright.

In his autobiography, Sean states that Michael Tell is his biological father.
However, he remains close to the three other men who were "father figures" to
him: Desi Arnaz, Jr., Michael Pearce, and John Astin.

I have seen pictures of Michael Tell and his brother (name?) Tell. Sean really
resembles them.

When did Sean write his autobio? It sounds interesting. He sounds like a nice guy to consider the feelings of the other men.

Sean wrote his biography entitled "There and Back Again, an Actor's Tale" in
2004.