PA
Pat Ast
Actor
Born October 21, 1941Died October 3, 2001 (59 years)
Pat Ast was an American actress and model. She was best known for starring in Andy Warhol films and being a Halston model and muse in the 1970s. Ast enjoyed partying in her twenties on Fire Island, and her boisterous personality allowed her to meet and befriend influential people. She had aspirations to become an actress, singer and model despite her day job as a receptionist at a box factory. She made her screen debut after meeting director John Schlesinger on Fire Island, who cast her as a party guest in his film Midnight Cowboy (1969). Around that time, she caught the attention of fashion designer Halston, who gave her a job at his boutique and made her one of his models, despite her weighing 210 pounds, in a time when most models were extremely thin. In the early 1970s, with Pat Cleveland, Connie Cook, Alva Chinn, Anjelica Huston, Karen Bjornson, among others, Ast became one of Halston's favored troupe of models, nicknamed the Halstonettes. She also appeared in runway shows for Halston and Yves St. Laurent, closing the 1972 Coty Awards runway show for Halston by popping out of a giant cake. She later became associated with Andy Warhol, who gave her the role of landlady Lydia in his film Heat (1972) alongside Joe Dallesandro.
In 1975, Ast moved to Hollywood to pursue her acting career. She has appeared in films such as The Duchess and the Dirtwater Fox (1976), Foul Play (1978), The Incredible Shrinking Woman (1981), and Reform School Girls (1986).
She became resentful of Los Angeles as her film career stalled. She went to New York to do Nine, a Broadway musical based on Federico Fellini’s movie 8 1/2, but was dismissed after three months.
In 1975, Ast moved to Hollywood to pursue her acting career. She has appeared in films such as The Duchess and the Dirtwater Fox (1976), Foul Play (1978), The Incredible Shrinking Woman (1981), and Reform School Girls (1986).
She became resentful of Los Angeles as her film career stalled. She went to New York to do Nine, a Broadway musical based on Federico Fellini’s movie 8 1/2, but was dismissed after three months.
Filmography
| 1992 | Loving Lulu · as Cast |
| 1991 | Ted & Venus · as Women's Group #2 |
| 1989 | Homer and Eddie · as Maggie Sinclair |
| 1989 | Quantum Leap (TV Series) · as Dolores |
| 1986 | Reform School Girls · as Edna Dawson |
| 1986 | Slow Burn · as Cast |
| 1986 | Club Life · as Butch |
| 1985 | The Twilight Zone (1985) (TV Series) · as Fat Woman (segment "dead Run") |
| 1985 | Mr. Belvedere (TV Series) · as Marie |
| 1982 | Faerie Tale Theatre (TV Series) · as Princess #1 |
| 1982 | Pandemonium · as Bus Driver |
| 1981 | The Pursuit of D.B. Cooper · as Horse Lady |
| 1981 | Best of the West (TV Series) · as Ruby |
| 1981 | The Incredible Shrinking Woman · as Customer |
| 1980 | The Donna Summer Special · as Bad Girl |
| 1979 | Amateur Night at the Dixie Bar and Grill · as Vera Elvira |
| 1978 | The Users · as The Dressmaker |
| 1978 | Foul Play · as Mrs. Venus |
| 1977 | The World's Greatest Lover · as Italian Wardrobe Lady / Bakery Lady |
| 1977 | Which Way Is Up? · as Hooker |
| 1977 | Baby I'm Back (TV Series) · as Secretary |
| 1976 | Six Characters in Search of an Author · as Madam Pace |
| 1976 | The Duchess and the Dirtwater Fox · as Music Hall Singer |
| 1975 | Switch (TV Series) · as Security Guard |
| 1975 | Baretta (TV Series) · as Penelope |
| 1973 | Police Story (TV Series) · as Claire |
| 1972 | Heat · as Lydia / Landlady |
| 1972 | The Possession of Joel Delaney · as Mental Hospital Patient (uncredited) |
| 1970 | The Sidelong Glances of a Pigeon Kicker · as Fat Girl At Party |
| 1969 | Midnight Cowboy · as Party Guest (uncredited) |