Pat Ast

Born: 1941-10-21

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.


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Midnight Cowboy

as Party Guest (uncredited)
Released: 1969-05-25

Joe Buck is a wide-eyed hustler from Texas hoping to score big with wealthy New York City women;...

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Foul Play

as Mrs. Venus
Released: 1978-07-14

A shy San Francisco librarian and a bumbling cop fall in love as they solve a crime involving...

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Reform School Girls

as Edna Dawson
Released: 1986-08-22

Jenny is sent to a women's reform school. It is run by evil warden Sutter and her henchwoman...

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Ted & Venus

as Women's Group #2
Released: 1991-08-08

Ted is a 1970s Venice Beach poet who spends his days drifting along the boardwalk, reciting his...

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The World's Greatest Lover

as Italian Wardrobe Lady / Bakery Lady
Released: 1977-12-18

When frustrated movie studio mogul Adolph Zitz announces a talent search for a romantic leading...

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Pandemonium

as Bus Driver
Released: 1982-04-01

A former high school student who always wanted to be a cheerleader decides to reopen the...

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Heat

as Lydia / landlady
Released: 1972-10-06

Former child star Joe Davis, reduced to living in a cheap Hollywood motel while struggling for...

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The Pursuit of D.B. Cooper

as Horse Lady
Released: 1981-11-13

A speculation on the fate of the famous hijacker who parachuted with his ransom and disappeared...

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The Possession of Joel Delaney

as Mental Hospital Patient (uncredited)
Released: 1972-05-24

Manhattan socialite begins to fear for her troubled younger brother when he starts behaving...

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The Users

as The Dressmaker
Released: 1978-10-01

A beautiful girl from a small town with dreams of making it in Hollywood marries an actor whose...

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The Duchess and the Dirtwater Fox

as Music Hall Singer
Released: 1976-04-01

A female hustler is chasing after rich men, but becomes repeatedly mixed up with a suave con man...

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Homer and Eddie

as Maggie Sinclair
Released: 1989-08-17

A mentally disabled man gets help from a sociopath when he tries to reunite with his dying...

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Six Characters in Search of An Author

as Madam Pace
Released: 1976-10-14

A rehearsal is disrupted when six figures mysteriously appear on the stage, claiming to be...

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Amateur Night at the Dixie Bar and Grill

as Vera Elvira
Released: 1979-01-08

A variety of people are drawn together through their participation in an amateur talent contest...

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Club Life

as Butch
Released: 1986-02-20

A young man from a small town goes to Hollywood to make his fortune. He gets hired as a bouncer...

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The Princess and the Pea

as Princess #1
Released: 1984-04-16

A bored prince realizes he would like a wife. His mother searches through all the kingdoms far...

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Warhol

as Self
Released: 1973-03-27

David Bailey, self-taught photographer and one of the prime architects of the Swinging Sixties,...

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The Donna Summer Special

as Bad Girl
Released: 1980-01-27

A variety special that showcased the musical talents of singer and actress Donna Summer.

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Quantum Leap

as Dolores
First aired: 1989-03-26

Theorizing that one could time travel within his own lifetime, Dr. Sam Beckett stepped into the...

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Faerie Tale Theatre

as Princess #1
First aired: 1982-09-11

A live-action children's television anthology series retelling popular fairy tales.

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Faerie Tale Theatre

as 2nd Slipper Contestant
First aired: 1982-09-11

A live-action children's television anthology series retelling popular fairy tales.

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