SF native Patricia Campbell "Patty" Hearst turns 60 today. Some of you might recognize her from her cameo in the John Waters films like Cry Baby and Serial Mom. Others of you might recall her beyond meta turn in Veronica Mars as Selma Hearst Rose, the granddaughter of the founder of fictional "Hearst College" who had faked her own kidnapping. But all of us remember her most famous role, that as "Tania," a member of the Symbionese Liberation Army who non-fictionally robbed a Sunset District bank in April, 1974.

Born into a life of privilege as the granddaughter of William Randolph Hearst, Patty was kidnapped by, then chose to join the SLA. She was arrested after robbing the Hibernia Bank (it's now a B of A a NEMS) at 1450 Noriega. Though it was argued that Hearst had been brainwashed by other members of the SLA into participating in their crimes, Hearst refused to testify against her comrades and was sentenced to 35 years in prison, a sentence that was reduced to two years by then-President Carter.

Hearst now lives in New York, though I'm told that she regularly visits her brother, Will, who works for Kleiner Perkins and is the director of the Hearst Corporation.

Happy birthday, Patty! Here's to many more years of varying wildness.

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[Found in SF]
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