Frances Elena Farmer (1913–70) was an American actress known for her talent, beauty, and tumultuous life. Rising to fame during Hollywood’s Golden Age, she captivated audiences but remains one of its most tragic figures.
Born in Seattle, Washington, she studied acting at the University of Washington before signing with Paramount Pictures (1935.) Her film début came with Too Many Parents (1936,) followed by Border Flight (1936) and Rhythm on the Range (1936,) opposite Bing Crosby.
Farmer earned acclaim for Come and Get It (1936) and Toast of New York (1937) but soon grew disillusioned with Hollywood. She returned to theater, starring in Clifford Odets’Golden Boy (1937,) later working with Elia Kazan on Broadway.
Her personal struggles overshadowed her career. In the early 1940s, she faced legal troubles and was diagnosed with paranoid schizophrenia. Institutionalized 1944–50, she endured harsh treatments. After her release, she attempted a comeback, hosting Frances Farmer Presents on Indianapolis television.
Her autobiography, Will There Really Be a Morning? (1972,) detailed her experiences, though its authenticity is debated. Farmer’s life inspired films, including Frances (1982,) starring Jessica Lange, and songs like Nirvana’s Frances Farmer Will Have Her Revenge on Seattle.
More: Wikipedia • READ: Works by Frances Farmer
I have learned that to have a good friend is the purest of all God’s gifts, for it is a love that has no exchange of payment.
—Frances Farmer
Topics: Gift, Friendship
I wondered a little why God was such a useless thing. It seemed a waste of time to have him. After that he became less and less, until he was… nothingness.
—Frances Farmer
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