Patricia Blair (born Patsy Lou Blake; January 15, 1933 – September 9, 2013) was an American television and film actress, primarily on 1950s and 1960s television. She is best known as portraying famed American frontier pioneer woman Rebecca Boone (1739-1813), real-life wife of famous Kentucky frontiersman Daniel Boone (1734-1820), in all six seasons of the 18th century colonial era Western TV series Daniel Boone (1964-1970). She also appeared in 22 episodes of the later seasons of The Rifleman (1962-1963).[1][2]
She had a recurring role as Goldy, one of Madame Francine's hostesses, on the 1958 TV series Yancy Derringer. In 1962-1963 she starred as newly-arrived hotel operator "Lou Mallory" in the later seasons of the Western The Rifleman, (replacing general store keeper "Milly Scott", played by actress Joan Taylor) as North Fork, New Mexico Territory rancher "Lucas McCain" (star Chuck Connors)'s new occasional love interest on that long-running series.
Blair had considered moving to New York City in 1964 until screenwriter Gordon Chase helped her get a role on the NBC series Daniel Boone (1964-1970). She played real-life wife Rebecca Boone, opposite star Fess Parker as real-life frontier pioneer leader Daniel Boone for six seasons, with Darby Hinton as son Israel Boone and future multi - Primetime Emmy Award nominee Veronica Cartwright as daughter Jemima Boone. Blair became concerned that her TV daughter, played by Cartwright, made her appear aged and she refused to sign a contract for season three unless Cartwright was dropped from the show.[citation needed] After the series ended in 1970, her career struggled, and she appeared in only a few minor films and television spots. Her last appearance in a feature film was in 1979, portraying a fashion narrator in The Electric Horseman starring Robert Redford. In her later years she produced trade shows in New York City and New Jersey.
On February 14, 1965, the 32-year-old Blair married 42-year-old[4] land developer Martin S. Colbert in Los Angeles, California. The couple divorced in 1993. Colbert died in 1994.