The story of Frances Farmer’s life is one of the more tragic among UW alumni. You may not recognize the actress unless you are a classic film buff, but chances are you’ve probably heard of her and her connections to Seattle.
Farmer was born in Seattle and attended West Seattle High School. While there, she wrote a prize-winning essay titled “God Dies”, which won her $100 (big bucks in 1931). She graduated from WSHS and went on to attend UW to major in drama and journalism. While here, she won a trip to the USSR and was labeled an athiest and communist (also in 1931, this wasn’t just some expensive study abroad trip, you were going to spooooky communist Russia. People freaked). She also starred in many UW drama productions including Alien Corn, the longest running play in the department’s history. For this, she recieved rave reviews and jumpstarted her acting career.
Frances was “discovered” by a talent scout for Paramount Pictures, and started out by acting in b-movies, but finally started to appear alongside folks like Bing Crosby in a-movies. However, this was a time period when movie studios wanted to take control of every single detail of stars’ lives–as her fame grew, so did the studio’s hold on her. Naturally, this made Farmer uncomfortable. She felt trapped and suffocated and soon became notorious for her rebellious behavior in the industry.
In 1942, Farmer was arrested for driving in a wartime “blackout zone” with her headlights on. When pulled over, police suspected she was drunk and arrested her. Soon after, she would be (falsely) deemed mentally ill and committed to a mental institution (this was pretty much straight torture in that time period).
While attending the institution, Farmer underwent cruel treatment. She was subject to shock treatments and a reported lobotomy. Her physical health was deteriorating and she was prone to nervous breakdowns. Upon leaving the institution, Farmer laid low and worked as a hotel receptionist.
In the late 50s, Frances brushed herself off and came back with a vengeance! She appeared on the Ed Sullivan Show and even had her own show, Frances Farmer Presents.
Although she is remembered for the tragic aspects of her life, she should be remembered for her beauty, talent and outspokenness. HC Washington thinks you were a boss, Ms. Farmer.
This article is written by a student writer from the Her Campus at Washington chapter.