In 1945, she received a bachelor of arts degree from Rosemont College, where she was active in both directing and acting in theatrical productions.

Her ongoing fascination with Hollywood was fueled by her father's stories and adventures there as a movie mogul heading RKO Pictures.

She then moved to Hollywood to work as an assistant for singer Kate Smith's radio program, and later for Father Peyton's Family Rosary Crusade.

[1] When she was 22 years old, Patricia was the producer of I Love to Eat, on NBC-TV; it was the first cooking program on network television.

Patricia and Peter (who was a member of Frank Sinatra's "Rat Pack") held lavish parties at their Malibu mansion during the 1950s and early 1960s with guests such as Marilyn Monroe.

Kennedy could not tolerate Lawford's heavy drinking, extramarital affairs, and gradual addiction to drugs.

Shortly after her brother Jack's death in 1963, she filed for a legal separation, and the couple officially divorced in February 1966.