Patten was perhaps best known for his role as Walt the trapper on the American television series Northern Exposure, which aired from 1990 until 1995.
He served as a tank commander during the Battle of Monte Cassino, for which he received a Silver Star for heroism in 1944.
[2] Patten moved to New York City following the end of World War II to pursue his acting career.
Fans of Northern Exposure still sought out Patten for his autograph years after the show's production ended in 1995.
In an interview with The Oregonian following his death, Patten's daughter, Sarah Goforth, explained her father's acting philosophy saying, "Anyone who pursues the arts is really creating another world for themselves, because the one they are faced with does not, in some way, suit them.