Mimsy Farmer
Mimsy Farmer | |
|---|---|
Farmer in 1975 | |
| Born | Merle Farmer February 28, 1945 |
| Occupation(s) | Actress, sculptor |
| Years active | 1961–1991 |
| Spouses | |
| Children | 1 |
| Website | www |
Merle "Mimsy" Farmer (born February 28, 1945)[2][3] is an American former actress, artist and sculptor. She began her career appearing in several Hollywood studio films, such as Spencer's Mountain (1963) and Bus Riley's Back in Town (1965), followed by roles in the exploitation films Devil's Angels and Riot on Sunset Strip (both 1967).
Farmer went on to establish herself as an international performer, starring in numerous European films, including the dramas More (1969) and Strogoff (1970), as well as multiple Italian giallo films: Dario Argento's Four Flies on Grey Velvet (1971), The Perfume of the Lady in Black (1974), Autopsy (1975), and Lucio Fulci's The Black Cat (1981).
Early years
Farmer was born Merle Farmer on February 28, 1945, in Chicago, Illinois.[2] Her father was a news reporter for the Chicago Tribune and a writer for radio.[2] Her mother was French. Her nickname, which she later took as her stage name, is derived from a line in Lewis Carroll's Jabberwocky: "All mimsy were the borogoves".[4]
When she was four years old, her family relocated to Los Angeles, California, where she was raised.[5] Farmer graduated from Hollywood High School in 1962.[6] Her early experience as an entertainer came in her role of handling rabbits for a magician who performed at children's birthday parties.[7] As a teenager, Farmer also worked as a concession cashier and theater usherette at the Cinerama Dome in Los Angeles.[8]
Acting career
In 1962 and 1963, respectively, Farmer guest-starred as Laurie in "The Swingin' Set" and as Joanne Wells in "Boys and Girls" on the sitcom The Donna Reed Show.
She made two guest appearances on Perry Mason in 1964, including the role of defendant Kathy Anders in "The Case of the Tragic Trophy" and as Sande Lukins in "The Case of the Careless Kidnapper". She appeared on My Three Sons, Honey West, The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet, The Outer Limits (March 2, 1964, episode "Second Chance") and The F.B.I.
In 1966, she appeared as Lorrie Thatcher in the episode "The Calico Kid" and as Antonia in the episode "A Prince of a Ranger" on Laredo. In 1963, she played a supporting role in Spencer's Mountain.[7] During her film career in the United States, she mostly portrayed party-girl types in films such as Hot Rods to Hell (1967), Riot on Sunset Strip (1967), and The Wild Racers (1968). In the late 1960s, she moved to Italy.[9]
Farmer's breakthrough came in Europe when she played a starring role in More (1969), a drama about drug addiction. In 1971, Farmer won a special David di Donatello film award for acting for her performance in The Road to Salina (1970). In Italy, she appeared in several Italian gialli and horror films such as Four Flies on Grey Velvet by Dario Argento, The Black Cat by Lucio Fulci and The Perfume of the Lady in Black by Francesco Barilli.[10][11] In France, she was Alain Delon's co-star in Two Men in Town (1973) and played starring roles in crime dramas The Suspects (1974) and The Track (1975).
Artwork
Since 1992, she has worked as a sculptor for theatre and opera in France and Italy, and for films such as Oceans, Troy, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, Marie Antoinette, Five Children and It, The Golden Compass, Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides, Wrath of the Titans, Guardians of the Galaxy, and Beauty and the Beast.[12]
She also creates personal sculptures and paintings.
Personal life
Farmer was married to screenwriter Vincenzo Cerami from 1970 to 1986. They had a daughter, actress Aisha Cerami.[12] She later remarried to set designer Francis Poirier.[12]
Filmography
Film
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1961 | Gidget Goes Hawaiian | Girl in Lobby | Uncredited |
| 1963 | Spencer's Mountain | Claris Coleman | |
| 1965 | Bus Riley's Back in Town | Paula | |
| 1967 | Hot Rods to Hell | Gloria | |
| Riot on Sunset Strip | Andrea Dollier | ||
| Devil's Angels | Marianne | ||
| 1968 | The Wild Racers | Katherine Pearson | |
| 1969 | More | Estelle | |
| 1970 | Strogoff | Nadia | |
| Road to Salina | Billie | ||
| 1971 | Four Flies on Grey Velvet | Nina Tobias | |
| 1972 | The Master and Margaret | Margarita | |
| Corpo d'amore | The Woman | ||
| 1973 | La vita in gioco | Anna | |
| One Way | Milena | ||
| Two Men in Town | Lucie | ||
| Les mille et une mains | Nadine | ||
| 1974 | The Perfume of the Lady in Black | Silvia Hacherman | |
| Allonsanfàn | Francesca | ||
| The Suspects | Candice Strasberg | ||
| 1975 | Autopsy | Simona Sana | |
| The Track | Helen Wells | ||
| 1977 | Antonio Gramsci: The Days of Prison | Giulia | |
| 1978 | L'amant de poche | Helen Miller | |
| Bye Bye Monkey | Feminist Actress | ||
| 1979 | The Concorde Affair | Jean Beneyton | |
| 1980 | Operation Leopard | Annie Devrindt | |
| Même les mômes ont du vague à l'âme | Charlotte | ||
| 1981 | The Black Cat | Jill Travers | |
| 1982 | The Girl from Trieste | Valeria | |
| 1983 | Quartetto Basileus | Miss Permamint | |
| The Death of Mario Ricci | Cathy Burns | ||
| Un foro nel parabrezza | Daniza | ||
| 1984 | The World of Don Camillo | Jo Magro | |
| Code Name: Wild Geese | Kathy Robson | ||
| 1986 | La ragazza dei lillà | Leonora | |
| Body Count | Julia Ritchie | ||
| Evil Senses | Nicol | ||
| 1987 | Poisons | Anne | |
| 1988 | Il segreto dell'uomo solitario |
Television
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1962 | My Three Sons | Janee Holmes | Episode: "Steve gets an "A"" |
| 1964 | Perry Mason | Sande Lukins | Episode: "The Case of the Careless Kidnapper" |
| Kathy Anders | Episode: "The Case of the Tragic Trophy" | ||
| 1989 | Ceux de la soif | Comtesse Von Kleber | TV movie |
| 1991 | Safari | Ingrid |
Awards and nominations
| Award | Year | Category | Work | Result | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Laurel Awards | 1963 | Top Female New Personality | — | 6th place | |
| David di Donatello | 1971 | Special David | Road to Salina | Won |
References
- ^ "The Strange Case of Mimsy Farmer". Austin Film Society. April 21, 2024. Retrieved September 29, 2024.
- ^ a b c Thomas, Bob (August 17, 1962). "Mimsy Farmer Starts Thomas To Wondering". Corsicana Daily Sun. Associated Press. p. 3. Retrieved January 24, 2017 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ Karney, Robin; Lucas, Sharon (2000). Cinema: Year by Year, 1894-2000 (3rd ed.). London: Dorling Kindersley. p. 348. ISBN 978-0-789-46118-6.
- ^ Warner Bros. Publicity quoted in Reid, John CinemaScope One: Stupendous in 'Scope (p. 75), 2004.
- ^ McCarthy, Marilou (July 7, 1963). "Meet Mimsy Farmer". New York Daily News. p. 625 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "Mimsy Farmer Has Come a Long Way". Muskogee Daily Phoenix and Times-Democrat. United Press International. August 5, 1962. p. 27 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ a b "Mimsy Farmer Has First Role in a Picture". Kingsport News. Tennessee, Kingsport. United Press International. August 3, 1962. p. 6. Retrieved January 24, 2017 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "Mimsy Farmer Begins Comeback at 20". Oroville Mercury-Register. April 16, 1966. p. 9 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "Mimsy Farmer, Danger Girl" Archived 2010-04-21 at the Wayback Machine, lostinthegrooves.com; accessed June 13, 2017.
- ^ Four Flies on Grey Velvet (1971), mondoholocausto.blogspot.com; accessed June 13, 2017.
- ^ Moon in the Gutter: A Tribute to Mimsy Farmer in Argento's Four Flies on Grey Velvet (July 2008), mooninthegutter.blogspot.com; accessed June 13, 2017.
- ^ a b c "Mimsy Farmer, changement de décor" (in French). 2018-08-15. Retrieved 2025-05-21.