Mimsy Farmer

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Mimsy Farmer
Mimsy Farmer 1975.jpg
Farmer in 1975
Born
Merle Farmer

Chicago, Illinois, U.S.
OccupationActress, sculptor
Years active1961–1991
Spouse(s)
​
​
(m. 1970; div. 1986)​

Francis Poirier
​
​
(m. 1989)​
Children1

Mimsy Farmer is an American actress, artist and sculptor. Her nickname came from a line in Lewis Carroll's Jabberwocky: "All mimsy were the borogoves".[1]

Early years[]

She was born Merle Farmer in Chicago Illinois. Her father was a newsman and a writer for radio.[2] Her mother was French. She attended Hollywood High School. Her early experience as an entertainer came in her role of handling rabbits for a magician who performed at children's birthday parties.[3]

Career[]

Farmer in Allonsanfàn (1974)

Farmer acted in Spencer's Mountain (1963)[3] and More (1969). After a brief film career in the United States, mostly portraying party-girl types in films such as Hot Rods to Hell (1967), Riot on Sunset Strip (1967), and The Wild Racers (1968), Farmer moved to Italy.[4] Most of her acting career has been in Europe, with roles in gialli such as Four Flies on Grey Velvet by Dario Argento, The Black Cat by Lucio Fulci and The Perfume of the Lady in Black.[5][6]

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.[7]

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.[8]

In 1971 Farmer won a special David di Donatello film award for acting for her performance in The Road to Salina (1970).

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.

She also creates personal sculptures and paintings.

Filmography[]

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 (The pocket lover) 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
1964 Perry Mason - The Case of the Careless Kidnapper Sande Lukins TV movie
1964 Perry Mason - The Case of the Tragic Trophy Kathy Anders TV movie
1989 Ceux de la soif Comtesse Von Kleber TV movie
1991 Safari Ingrid TV movie, (final film role)

Awards[]

Year Award Category Result Ref.
1963 Laurel Awards Golden Laurel Nominated
1971 David di Donatello Special David Won

References[]

  1. ^ Warner Bros. Publicity quoted in Reid, John CinemaScope One: Stupendous in 'Scope (p. 75), 2004.
  2. ^ Thomas, Bob (August 17, 1962). "Mimsy Farmer Starts Thomas To Wondering". Corsicana Daily Sun. Texas, Corsicana. Associated Press. p. 3. Retrieved January 24, 2017 – via Newspapers.com. open access
  3. ^ Jump up to: 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. open access
  4. ^ "Mimsy Farmer, Danger Girl" Archived 2010-04-21 at the Wayback Machine, lostinthegrooves.com; accessed June 13, 2017.
  5. ^ Four Flies on Grey Velvet (1971), mondoholocausto.blogspot.com; accessed June 13, 2017.
  6. ^ 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.
  7. ^ ""Boys and Girls", The Donna Reed Show". Internet Movie Data Base. April 11, 1963. Retrieved January 15, 2013.
  8. ^ "Mimsy Farmer". Internet Movie Data Base. Retrieved January 15, 2013.

External links[]

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