Mimsy Farmer

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

(1945-02-28) February 28, 1945 (age 80)
Chicago, Illinois, U.S.
Occupation(s)Actress, sculptor
Years active1961–1991
Spouses
​
​
(m. 1970;div. 1986)​
[ citation needed ]
Francis Poirier
​
​
(m. 1989)​
[1]
Children1[ citation needed ]
Website www.mimsyfarmer.com

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).

Contents

Farmer then gained fame as an actress in Europe; her films included the drama More (1969), the adventure film 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). She retired from acting in the early 1990s and went on to work as an artist, creating models for the film industry.

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

Farmer in Four Flies on Grey Velvet (1971) Quattro mosche di velluto grigio (1971) Mimsy Farmer 02.jpg
Farmer in Four Flies on Grey Velvet (1971)
Farmer in Allonsanfan (1974) Mimsy Farmer 1974.png
Farmer in Allonsanfàn (1974)

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 in Corpo d'amore (1972) Corpo d'amore (1972) - 1.jpg
Farmer in Corpo d'amore (1972)

Farmer's breakthrough came when she played a starring role in the French-German production More (1969), a drama about drug addiction, which made her famous in Europe. [10]

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. [11] [12] 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). [10] [13]

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 . [10]

She also creates personal sculptures and paintings.

Personal life

Farmer was married to Italian screenwriter Vincenzo Cerami from 1970 to 1986. They had a daughter, actress Aisha Cerami. [10] She later remarried to French set designer Francis Poirier with whom she lives in France. [10]

Filmography

Film

YearTitleRoleNotes
1961 Gidget Goes Hawaiian Girl in LobbyUncredited
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'amoreThe Woman
1973La vita in giocoAnna
One WayMilena
Two Men in Town Lucie
Les mille et une mainsNadine
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
1978L'amant de pocheHelen 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'âmeCharlotte
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 parabrezzaDaniza
1984 The World of Don Camillo Jo Magro
Code Name: Wild Geese Kathy Robson
1986La ragazza dei lillàLeonora
Body Count Julia Ritchie
Evil Senses Nicol
1987PoisonsAnne
1988Il segreto dell'uomo solitario

Television

YearTitleRoleNotes
1962 My Three Sons Janee HolmesEpisode: "Steve gets an "A""
1964 Perry Mason Sande LukinsEpisode: "The Case of the Careless Kidnapper"
Kathy AndersEpisode: "The Case of the Tragic Trophy"
1989Ceux de la soifComtesse Von KleberTV movie
1991SafariIngrid

Awards and nominations

AwardYearCategoryWorkResultRef.
Laurel Awards 1963Top Female New Personality—6th place
David di Donatello 1971Special David Road to Salina Won

References

  1. ↑ "The Strange Case of Mimsy Farmer". Austin Film Society . April 21, 2024. Retrieved September 29, 2024.
  2. 1 2 3 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.
  3. ↑ Karney, Robin; Lucas, Sharon (2000). Cinema: Year by Year, 1894-2000 (3rd ed.). London: Dorling Kindersley. p. 348. ISBN   978-0-789-46118-6.
  4. ↑ Warner Bros. Publicity quoted in Reid, John CinemaScope One: Stupendous in 'Scope (p. 75), 2004.
  5. ↑ McCarthy, Marilou (July 7, 1963). "Meet Mimsy Farmer". New York Daily News . p. 625 – via Newspapers.com.
  6. ↑ "Mimsy Farmer Has Come a Long Way". Muskogee Daily Phoenix and Times-Democrat. United Press International. August 5, 1962. p. 27 – via Newspapers.com.
  7. 1 2 "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.
  8. ↑ "Mimsy Farmer Begins Comeback at 20". Oroville Mercury-Register . April 16, 1966. p. 9 – via Newspapers.com.
  9. ↑ "Mimsy Farmer, Danger Girl" Archived 2010-04-21 at the Wayback Machine , lostinthegrooves.com; accessed June 13, 2017.
  10. 1 2 3 4 5 "Mimsy Farmer, changement de décor" (in French). 2018-08-15. Retrieved 2025-05-21.
  11. ↑ Four Flies on Grey Velvet (1971), mondoholocausto.blogspot.com; accessed June 13, 2017.
  12. ↑ 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.
  13. ↑ "Serge Leroy – « La Traque » (1975)" (in French). 2021-02-16. Retrieved 2025-07-18.
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