[2] She obtained her first Social Security card in November 1943 under the name Pat Lou Baker; from the number assigned it appears she was living in Illinois at the time.

She played in a stage version of Inherit the Wind, made her first film, The Bonnie Parker Story for AIP, and did her first television work, two episodes of Studio One, all within a three-month span.

[5][6][3] By the end of 1958, she had completed filming on Paratroop Command, her second movie for director William Witney and AIP; done two more television episodes; had attracted the attention of Lucille Ball who signed her to a contract with Desilu Productions; and was in the midst of a highly successful six week run for the play Children of Darkness.

[12][13] Her "Little Red Schoolhouse" at the Desilu Workshop was training eight contract players, including Huston, in the finer points of stagecraft and television work.

In February 1960, Huston appeared in an original play, Music in the Distance, by drama critic Patterson Greene, performed at the Circle Theater in Hollywood along with co-stars William Phipps, Kathie Browne, and Mark Herron.

[27] Her television appearances were halved from her Desilu tenure due to an extended stage commitment, and the shows themselves were mainly short-lived sitcoms or syndicated programs.

The production starred Maxine Stuart, Adam Williams, and Huston, with Josip Elic, Arthur Malet, Tom Costello, and Derva Korwin in feature roles.

[29] Huston's performance as a sex worker named Carmen drew high praise from the LA critics, with the production running for four months.

[29][30] Columnist Mike Connolly suggested that Huston had lost the lead in a new TV series because her agent Sandy Camora had asked for too much money.

[33] She received positive reviews playing the central role of "Leah", with the other leads being Richard Hale, John D. Brinkley, and Michael Fox.

Huston's first stage work in three years (and her last for the next twenty) took place in August 1965, in a San Francisco production of the LeRoi Jones play Dutchman.

[35] The play starred Paul Winfield and Huston (replacing Sheree North from the Los Angeles run), with Burgess Meredith directing.

Ludlum persuaded Huston to attend a theater class he was leading then gradually involved her in teaching, directing, and performing in local stage productions.

[40] She was slow to realize her growing fame; when her pet schnauzer went astray, she took out a "Lost" ad in a Hollywood area newspaper using her own name and phone number.