Biography

Heather was born Patricia Kay Paterson on in Bremerton, Washington. She is the eldest of five children, with three sisters and one brother. Her father Melvin Paterson was a civil engineer, and he travelled widely around the States with his job. The family travelled with him and Heather therefore attended many schools around the country, including schools in Riverton, Wyoming; Tacoma Park, Maryland; and Rolla, Missouri, and three years at Brigham Young University in Provo, Utah.

Her early ambitions were far divorced from the world of show business. Whilst still in high school at Rolla, she actively pursued her desire to be a nurse or physical therapist. Heather's strong involvement with the Mormon Church encouraged her towards singing and it was through her singing that she was discovered by 20th Century Fox. Brigham Young University was a Mormon University, and students were encouraged to entertain. They put on shows there, and the Mormon Church sent out groups all over the U.S. and to the Orient. Richard Zanuck's (of Twentieth Century Fox) executive assistant, Harry E. Sokolov, recommended that she call Fox if she ever visited Hollywood.

After a summer singing at Disneyland, Heather called 20th Century Fox. She stayed on in Hollywood. The first action at Fox was to change Heather's name to Heather Young. In 1967 she had a number of small roles in shows such as Adam West's 'Batman' series and the courtroom series 'Judd for the Defence'. She also appeared very briefly in the film 'A Guide for the Married Man'.

Heather's first experience of working with Irwin Allen was in the final episode of 'Time Tunnel' called 'Town of Terror'. However, her 'smallest' role of all was as Betty Ann Hamilton on 'Land of the Giants'. It was not a role that she would necessarily have chosen for herself, as she had little interest in science fiction. As Heather had a contract with 20th Century Fox, she found it difficult to refuse, and she was never very happy making the show.

On 14th June 1968, Heather married David Youkstelter, who worked in the aerospace industry, at a Morman ceremony in the Temple at Salt Lake City. He, too, was at Brigham Young University, but as he was older than Heather, they never actually met at the time.

One major complication during the second season of 'Land of the Giants' was that Heather became pregnant with her first child who was born in August 1969. Heather's appearances lessened and she was often shot from above the waist, or seated/standing behind a console or a rock. When Heather returned after the birth of her first child, she was given some significant storylines such as those in 'Panic' and 'The Marionettes'.

After 'Land of the Giants', Heather stayed on in Hollywood to play in a few more programmes and television movies. Amongst these, she got to work with two 'Land of the Giants' guest stars, Paul Carr and John Marley, in 'Insight'.

During the seventies David and Heather moved to Utah, and Heather now has five children. She has concentrated on giving her children a stable upbringing, but has not forsaken her singing talents.

Heather returned to Hollywood briefly in 1980 to guest in a two part episode in 'Galactica 1980' (appearing in the second part called 'So This is New York'). Wearing a blond wig with 'Shirley Temple' ringlets, she sang 'On the Good Ship Lollypop' on stage in a small cameo role. Heather has continued to sing, and has ventured to write children's shows. Heather has written two full length stage musicals, and is in the process of writing another one. Jane Eyre, for which Heather wrote the book and lyrics (as Patricia York), has just completed its eighth production in California. She has also recorded several albums.