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Frances Farmer is a Actor American born on 19 september 1913 at Seattle (USA)

Frances Farmer

Frances Farmer
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Birth name Frances Elena Farmer
Nationality USA
Birth 19 september 1913 at Seattle (USA)
Death 1 august 1970 (at 56 years) at Indianapolis (USA)

Frances Elena Farmer (September 19, 1913 – August 1, 1970) was an American actress and television host. She is perhaps better known for sensationalized accounts of her life, especially her involuntary commitment to a mental hospital. Farmer was the subject of two films, one television special, three books, and numerous songs and magazine articles.

Biography

Famille
Fille d'Ernest Melvin Farmer, un avocat réputé, et de Lillian Van Ornum, Frances Elena Farmer a une sœur, Edith, un frère, Wesley, et une demi-sœur, Rita.


Études

En 1931, alors élève de la West Seattle High School, elle gagne le Concours d’écriture créative avec son essai controversé God Dies (Dieu meurt). Les Services de Surveillance Nationale rapportent les faits, titrant « La fille de Seattle rejette Dieu et gagne le Premier Prix ».

Elle entre à l’université de Washington, devient membre du Théâtre dramatique et fait la connaissance de la professeur Sophie Rosenstein. Les critiques s’extasient sur son jeu d’actrice dans Helen of Troy et Alien Corn. Elle change de spécialité et passe du journalisme à la dramaturgie.

En 1935, elle part pour la Russie en bateau après avoir gagné le concours du journal Voice of Action. Les Services de Surveillance relèvent l’histoire et qualifient Frances Farmer de communiste.


Début de carrière au cinéma

Frances reste à New York après son voyage et est découverte par un dénicheur de talents. Elle signe un contrat de sept ans avec la Paramount Pictures.

En 1936, elle se marie avec l’acteur Leif Erickson (de son vrai nom William Wycliffe Anderson) et tourne dans son premier film Too Many Parents. Plus tard Frances donne la réplique à Bing Crosby dans Rhythm on the Range et à Edward Arnold dans Come and Get It. Elle est décrite comme « l’exceptionnelle trouvaille des écrans de 1936 ».

En 1937, elle interprète le rôle principal dans la production théâtrale Golden Boy écrite par Clifford Odets et le premier rôle féminin dans L'Or et la Femme (The Toast of New York) de Rowland V. Lee. Elle joue également dans Pago Pago, île enchantée (South of Pago Pago) d'Alfred E. Green en 1940.


L'enfermement
En 1942, elle est arrêtée pour conduite sans permis en état d’ivresse et désobéissance aux ordres dans une zone de restriction. Elle jettera le contenu d'un pot d'encre au visage du juge chargé de l'affaire, qui la fera condamner à 180 jours de détention et remise en liberté sous surveillance. Elle divorce la même année.

En 1943, elle est arrêtée pour violation de la liberté surveillée et agression. Les services sanitaires qualifient Frances de « malade mentale » et recommandent de la placer dans le sanatorium de La Crescenta. Elle y reçoit 90 traitements-choc à l’insuline (cure de Sakel) et rentre au Western Washington State Hospital à Steilacoom d’où elle s’échappe.

Sa mère, apprenant les traitements que sa fille a subis, obtient que la tutelle de sa fille soit transférée de l'État vers elle. Mais en 1944, Frances agresse sa mère qui la fait à nouveau interner. Après un séjour de trois mois, et un traitement incluant des électrochocs, Frances est déclarée guérie.

En 1945, elle s’enfuit plusieurs fois de chez sa mère qui petit à petit la convainc de retourner à l’hôpital psychiatrique où elle restera les cinq années suivantes. Aurait commencé alors pour elle un véritable enfer : outre les conditions de vie médiocres, les humiliations et des traitements continuels d’électrochocs, elle aurait été prostituée de force auprès du personnel médical.

Un de ses biographes, William Arnold, affirmait que Frances avait subi une lobotomie trans-orbitaire, évènement que l'on trouve dans le film Frances. La Scientologie a utilisé son cas dans les années 1970 pour exiger l'abolition de la psychiatrie.

Best films

Come and Get It (1936)
(Actress)

Usually with

Hans Dreier
Hans Dreier
(6 films)
Edith Head
Edith Head
(4 films)
Lee Shumway
Lee Shumway
(3 films)
Source : Wikidata

Filmography of Frances Farmer (14 films)

Display filmography as list

Actress

Son of Fury: The Story of Benjamin Blake, 1h38
Directed by John Cromwell, Darryl F. Zanuck
Origin USA
Genres Drama, Action, Adventure, Romance
Themes Seafaring films, Films about sexuality, Transport films, Erotic films, Films about prostitution, Erotic thriller films, Children's films
Actors Tyrone Power, Gene Tierney, George Sanders, Frances Farmer, Roddy McDowall, John Carradine
Roles Isabel
Rating70% 3.54583.54583.54583.54583.5458
The story is set during the reign of King George III, in Bristol, England, where young Benjamin Blake (Roddy McDowall), son of the deceased Baronet of Breetholm is taken from his commoner grandfather, gunsmith Amos Kidder (Harry Davenport), and forced to serve his vengeful uncle, Sir Arthur Blake (George Sanders). Arthur inherited the title and land from his brother Godfrey, and fears that Ben may not have been born out of wedlock and might claim his inheritance. He compels the boy to become his ward and bonded servant, giving Arthur life-and-death power over the lad. Ben runs away to his grandfather, but rather than force the old man to live a life on the run, returns to Breetholm, vowing to endure whatever he must in order to one day prove himself a "true Blake" and recover his birthright.
Among the Living, 1h7
Directed by Stuart Heisler
Origin USA
Genres Drama, Thriller, Horror, Noir, Crime
Themes Medical-themed films, Films about psychiatry
Actors Albert Dekker, Susan Hayward, Harry Carey, Frances Farmer, Gordon Jones, Rod Cameron
Roles Elaine Raden
Rating63% 3.192283.192283.192283.192283.19228
Albert Dekker plays twins, John and Paul. Paul was supposed to have died when he was 10 years old, but actually went insane and was shut up in a secret room in his parents' mansion.
Flowing Gold, 1h21
Directed by Alfred E. Green
Origin USA
Genres Drama, Adventure, Romance
Actors John Garfield, Raymond Walburn, Frances Farmer, Pat O'Brien, Cliff Edwards, Granville Bates
Roles Linda Chalmers
Rating64% 3.2455053.2455053.2455053.2455053.245505
Oilfield worker John Alexander (John Garfield) is on the run from a murder charge. He talks "Hap" O'Connor (Pat O'Brien) into hiring "Johnny Blake" on a trial basis, even though Hap has been contacted by the police and given a wanted poster with a photograph of the fugitive. Hap is rewarded when Johnny saves him from being attacked by a man Hap fires for being drunk on the job. However, when the police show up again, Johnny has to flee.
South of Pago Pago, 1h38
Directed by Alfred E. Green, John E. Burch
Origin USA
Genres Adventure
Themes Seafaring films, Transport films
Actors Frances Farmer, Victor McLaglen, Jon Hall, Olympe Bradna, Gene Lockhart, James Flavin
Roles Ruby Taylor
Rating63% 3.186743.186743.186743.186743.18674
In the 1880s a group of ruthless adventurers look for pearls in the Pacific Islands.
The Toast of New York, 1h49
Directed by Rowland V. Lee, Alexander Hall
Origin USA
Genres Drama, War, Biography, Comedy, Historical, Romance
Actors Edward Arnold, Cary Grant, Frances Farmer, Jack Oakie, Donald Meek, Thelma Leeds
Roles Josie Mansfield
Rating62% 3.1474753.1474753.1474753.1474753.147475
In post-Civil War America, unscrupulous, ambitious partners Jim Fisk (Arnold) and Nick Boyd (Grant) talk tight-fisted businessman Daniel Drew (Donald Meek) into selling them his shipping company, paying with worthless Confederate bonds. Later, worried that his longtime rival, Cornelius Vanderbilt (Clarence Kolb), is trying to take control of his railroad, Drew seeks help from Fisk, only to have him turn the situation to his own advantage. Fisk and Boyd eventually become powers to be reckoned with on Wall Street.
Come and Get It, 1h39
Directed by Richard Rosson, William Wyler, Howard Hawks
Origin USA
Genres Drama, Romance
Actors Edward Arnold, Joel McCrea, Frances Farmer, Walter Brennan, Andrea Leeds, Mary Nash
Roles Lotta Morgan / Lotta Bostrom
Rating68% 3.4464653.4464653.4464653.4464653.446465
The story focuses on ruthless Barney Glasgow (Edward Arnold), who will stop at nothing to achieve his goal as he rises in rank from lowly lumberjack to the head of the logging industry in 19th century Wisconsin. His determination to succeed eventually leads him to end his relationship with saloon singer Lotta Morgan (Frances Farmer) and marry Emma Louise Hewitt (Mary Nash), the daughter of his boss Jed Hewett (Charles Halton), in order to secure a partnership in his business.
Rhythm on the Range, 1h27
Directed by Norman Taurog
Origin USA
Genres Musical, Western
Themes Films about music and musicians, Musical films
Actors Bing Crosby, Frances Farmer, Bob Burns, Bob Burns, Martha Raye, Samuel S. Hinds
Roles Doris Halliday
Rating61% 3.0977953.0977953.0977953.0977953.097795
Doris Halliday (Frances Farmer), the daughter of a wealthy banker, is about to marry a man she doesn't love so the family will become richer. Her outspoken aunt Penelope Ryland (Lucile Gleason), the owner of the Frying Pan Ranch in Arizona, objects to their marriage, claiming people should only be married if they love each other. Doris starts to see Penelope's point and eventually runs away the night before the wedding.
Border Flight, 58minutes
Directed by Otto Lovering
Origin USA
Genres Drama
Actors Frances Farmer, John Howard, Roscoe Karns, Robert Cummings, Grant Withers, Samuel S. Hinds
Roles Anne Blane
Rating63% 3.195083.195083.195083.195083.19508