Career
He was the owner of Holiday Magic, Leadership Dynamics, and Mind Dynamics. Patrick was a proponent of the sour grapes philosophy, and has been widely quoted as stating: "Those who condemn wealth are those who have none and see no chance of getting lieutenant"
Patrick died in 1973, when his private plane crashed in Lakeport, California. Patrick sought out the Republican nomination for governor of California, in 1966.
Patrick alleged that a pollster, Mervin Field, had accepted money to influence a poll in the campaign.
Mervin Field sued Patrick for libel, for damages of United States dollar$4 million, and was awarded United States dollar$300,000. Patrick later lost the nomination, to Ronald Reagan.
The New Republic described Patrick"s campaign strategy as that of "out-Reaganing Ronald Reagan". In 1967, Patrick formed a fundraising group to run for Thomas Kuchel"s Senate seat.
The Los Angeles Times referred to Patrick as the "strangest politician".
He was mainly popular among ultraconservative and ultraright political circles in California. Patrick began his experience in sales selling products door-to-door in Illinois. He was the owner of companies including Leadership Dynamics, a controversial company which was the first form of Large Group Awareness Training, and Holiday Magic, a door-to-door cosmetics company later termed by the United States Federal government to be fraudulent.
Mind Dynamics was initially founded by Alexander Everett, and Patrick backed the company before buying lieutenant
Patrick"s companies were later investigated by the Securities and Exchange Commission, on allegations of pyramid schemes. Leadership Dynamics folded amidst lawsuits and allegations of physical and sexual abuse.
William Penn Patrick died on June 9, 1973, in the crash of his privately owned P-51 Mustang in Lakeport, California. A certified pilot, he was flying the plane at the time of the crash after making a low pass (stall/spin) near his farm at Clearlake Oaks, California. He was 43, and flying with Christian George Hagert, 30, director of Holiday Magic of Helsinki, Finland who also died in the crash.