Eugene Sidney Patton Sr.

 Eugene Sidney Patton Sr. (April 25, 1932 – March 9, 2015)

Patton was widely known by his stage name Gene Gene the Dancing Machine, was a television personality, dancer and stagehand who worked at NBC Studios in Burbank, California. Patton was the first African-American member of the International Alliance of Theatrical and Stage Employees, Local 33. Patton's claim to fame, however, was from his various appearances on the network's talent search game show, The Gong Show. In addition to his stage duties, Patton was one of several amateur performers who would warm up and entertain the audience during commercial breaks. Host Chuck Barris found him so entertaining that he had him dance on the show on-air, and he proved so popular that he soon became a recurring act, then an occasional judge. Patton's fellow stagehands would toss all manner of things onto the stage while he continued to dance. Through his performances, Patton gained membership in AFTRA.

Patton performed on the NBC edition of The Gong Show until its cancellation in the summer of 1978 and on the weekly syndicated series until it was canceled in 1980. He later worked as a stagehand on The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson and appeared on screen in at least two episodes. Once on June 20, 1984, as part of Johnny's soap opera parody, Johnny refers to him as "Buford Styversen, Sludge Falls' only blues singer," and once on March 12, 1986, in which he played a general. Patton lost both legs due to complications from diabetes in 2001. He wore prostheses and walked with a cane. Patton died in Pasadena, California, on March 9, 2015, from complications from diabetes. He was 82 years old.