Glenda Farrell

Glenda Farrell

Farrell in Stolen Heaven (1938)
Born (1904-06-30)June 30, 1904
Enid, Oklahoma, U.S.
Died May 1, 1971(1971-05-01) (aged 66)
New York City, New York, U.S.
Cause of death Lung cancer
Occupation Actress
Years active 1928–1970
Spouse(s) Thomas Richards (m. 1921; div. 1929)
Dr. Henry Ross (m. 1941; her death 1971)
Children Tommy Farrell

Glenda Farrell (June 30, 1904 – May 1, 1971)[1] was an American actress of film, television and theater. She is best known for her role as Torchy Blane in the 1930s Warner Bros. film series.[2] With a career spanning more than 50 years, Farrell has appeared in over 100 films and television series, and numerous Broadway plays. She won an Emmy Award for best supporting actress for the television series Ben Casey in 1963, and received a star on the hollywood walk of fame on February 8, 1960.

Early life

Farrell was born to Charles and Wilhelmina "Minnie" Farrell of Irish and German descent in Enid, Oklahoma. She had two brothers Richard and Gene.

After her family moved to Wichita, Kansas, Farrell began her acting career at age 7 with a theatrical company, playing the role of Little Eva in Uncle Tom's Cabin. She received a formal education at the Mount Carmel Catholic Academy.[3] When her family moved to San Diego, California, she joined the Virginia Brissac Stock Company. Farrell made the third honor roll in Motion Picture Magazine’s "Fame and Fortune Contest." Her picture and biography was featured in the Magazine’s April 1919 issue, which also says Farrell has experience in the chorus, vaudeville and camp entertainments.[4]

Career

In 1925, Farrell was in the cast of Cobra and The Best People with actress Charlotte Treadway, at the Morosco Theater in Los Angeles. In 1928, she was cast as the lead actress in the play The Spider and made her film debut in a minor role in Lucky Boy. Farrell moved to New York in 1929, where she replaced Erin O'Brien-Moore as Marion Hardy in Aurania Rouverol's play Skidding. The play was later served as the basis of MGM's Andy Hardy film series. By April 1929 the Brooklyn Daily Eagle reported that she had played the role 355 times. Farrell appeared in a number of other plays, including Divided Honors, Recapture, and Love, Honor and Betray with George Brent, Alice Brady and Clark Gable.

Farrell in Mary Stevens, M.D. (1933)

In 1930, she starred in the comedy short film The Lucky Break with Harry Fox. And in July 1930, Film Daily announced that Farrell had been cast in Mervyn Leroy's film Little Caesar as the female lead, Olga Stassoff. Afterwards, she returned to Broadway and stars in On the Spot at the Forrest Theater. At the time, Farrell conceded that the motion pictures offer immense salaries, but felt the theater was the foundation of the actor's profession.[4] She appeared in several more plays and in 1932 stars in the hit play Life Begins. Her performance in play caught the attention of Warner Bros. president, Jack Warner, who signed her to a long-term contract with the studio. And cast her to re-create the role in Warner Bros' film adaptation of Life Begins later that year. Farrell would not return to the stage until 1939.

Farrell became one of Warner Bros.' most prolific actresses of the 1930s. In her first year with Warner Bros. Farrell starred in five films and appeared in twelve films in 1933, including I Am a Fugitive from a Chain Gang (1932), Gambling Ship (1933) opposite Cary Grant and Mystery of the Wax Museum (1933). She also stars in the Columbia Pictures Lady for a Day (1933) by director Frank Capra. Farrell worked in over 20 films between 1934 and 1936, starring in films like, The Big Shakedown with Bette Davis, The Secret Bride, Gold Diggers of 1935, Little Big Shot and appeared opposite Dick Powell and Joan Blondell in the Academy Award nominated musical comedy film Gold Diggers of 1937. Farrell came to personify the smart and sassy, wisecracking dame of the '30s and '40s films.

Farrell was given her own film series in 1937 as Torchy Blane, "Girl Reporter".[5] In this role, she was promoted as being able to speak 400 words in 40 seconds. Warner Bros. began to develop a film adaptation of MacBride and Kennedy stories by detective novelist Frederick Nebel in 1936. For the film version, Kennedy is changed to a woman named Teresa "Torchy" Blane, and is now in love with MacBride's character. Director Frank MacDonald immediately knew who he wanted for the role of Torchy Blane. Farrell had already proved that she could play hard-boiled reporters in Mystery of the Wax Museum and Hi, Nellie!. She was quickly cast as Torchy with Barton MacLane playing detective Steve McBride in the first Torchy Blane film, Smart Blonde. On her portrayal of the Torchy Blane character, Farrell said in her 1969 Time interview:

So before I undertook to do the first Torchy, I determined to create a real human being—and not an exaggerated comedy type. I met those [news-woman] who visited Hollywood, and watched them work on visits to New York City. They were generally young, intelligent, refined and attractive. By making Torchy true to life, I tried to create a character practically unique in movies.[6]
Farrell in the first Torchy Blane film, Smart Blonde (1937)

Smart Blonde was a surprise hit and became a popular second feature with moviegoers. Warner Bros. starred her in several more Torchy Blane movies opposite Barton MacLane. She would portray Torchy Blane in seven films from 1937 to 1939. The films took Farrell's popularity to a new level. She was beloved by the moviegoing public and received a huge amount of fan mail for the Torchy Blane films. Along with starring in the Torchy Blane series, Farrell also appeared in a number of other films. And several radio series, including Vanity and Playhouse in 1937, and Manhattan Latin with Humphrey Bogart in 1938.

Farrell's portrayal of Torchy Blane was credited by Superman co-creator Jerry Siegel as the inspiration for the Daily Planet reporter Lois Lane, and the name of actress Lola Lane (who played the role once in 1938) as the inspiration for Lois' name.[7] Siegel also named, June Farrell, one of the character in his Funnyman comic book series after Farrell.

In 1937, Farrell was elected to a one-year term as the honorary Mayor of North Hollywood, beating her competition Bing Crosby and Lewis Stone by 3 to 1 margin. Despite the fact that it began as publicity stunt by Warner Bros. Farrell took the job very seriously, attending functions, presentations and ceremonies. She was also put in charge when the North Hollywood Chamber of Commerce announced that it wanted to put sewers along Ventura Highway and started the groundwork for that project.[8]

After seven years working in films, when her Warner Bros. contact expired in 1939, Farrell decides to return to her stage career once again. "There's something more satisfying about working in a play. You get that immediate response from the audience, and you feel that your performance is your own. In pictures, you get frustrated because you feel you have no power over what you’re doing." Farrell told syndicated columnist Bob Thomas in 1952.

Farrell stars in the lead role in the play Anna Christie at the Westport Country Playhouse in July 1939. And followed that with a summer stock production of S.N Behrman's Brief Moment. She co-starred with Lyle Talbot and Alan Dinehart in the long-running play Separate Rooms at the Broadway's Plymouth Theater for a successful 613 performance run throughout 1940 and '41.

Farrell in 1963

In 1941, Farrell returned to motion picture starring in director Mervyn LeRoy's film noir Johnny Eager. In April 1942, she returned to Broadway in the play The Life of Reilly. Farrell starred in numerous films from 1942 to 1970, including The Talk of the Town, Heading for Heaven, Middle of the Night, and the 1954 Charlton Heston adventure epic Secret of the Incas, upon which Raiders of the Lost Ark was based on a quarter century later.[9] In 1964, she stars in comedy films Kissin' Cousins with Elvis Presley and The Disorderly Orderly with Jerry Lewis.

In 1949, Farrell made her television debut in The Chevrolet Tele-Theatre. Between 1950 and 1969, she appeared in numerous television series, including Kraft Theatre, Studio One in Hollywood, The United States Steel Hour, Bonanza and Bewitched. She won the Emmy Award for best supporting actress in 1963 for her performance in the television series Ben Casey.

Farrell was appearing in Forty Carats on Broadway at the Morosco Theatre in 1969, when she was diagnosed with lung cancer. She remained with the show until ill health forced her departure in November 1970.

Farrell has a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame for her contribution to Motion Pictures, at 6524 Hollywood Boulevard.[10]

Personal life

In 1920, Farrell was hired to do a dance routine at a San Diego Navy benefit ball and met her first husband Thomas Richards.[11] They were married from 1921 to 1929. Their son, actor Tommy Farrell was born in 1921. In 1931, she was engaged to comic Jack Durant of the comedy duo "Mitchell & Durant", but never married him.[12] She dated screenwriter Robert Riskin a few years later.

In 1941, Farrell married Dr. Henry Ross,[13] a staff surgeon at New York's Ployclinic Hospital, and a West Point graduate and Army physician, who served on General Eisenhower's staff.[14] The couple met when Farrell sprained her ankle during the play Separate Rooms and was treated backstage by Ross, who had been called forth from the audience.[8] Farrell and Ross remained married until her death thirty years later. Farrell was very close friends with fellow Warner Bros. actress Joan Blondell.[15] They co-starred in nine films together.

Death

In 1971, Farrell died from lung cancer, aged 66, at her home in New York City and was interred in the West Point Cemetery, West Point, New York.[16] When Ross, who did not remarry, died in 1991, he was buried with her.[14] In 1977, Ross donated 38 acres of land to the Putnam County Land Trust, establishing the Glenda Farrell-Henry Ross Preserve.

Filmography

Year Film Role Notes
1928 Lucky Boy Bit Part Uncredited
1930 The Lucky Break Short
1931 Little Caesar Olga Stassoff
1932 Scandal for Sale Stella Uncredited
Life Begins Florette Darien
Three on a Match Mrs. Black, Prisoner at Checkers Table Uncredited
I Am a Fugitive from a Chain Gang Marie
The Match King Babe
1933
Mystery of the Wax Museum Florence Dempsey
Grand Slam Blondie
Girl Missing Kay Curtis
The Keyhole Dot
Central Airport
How to Break 90 #2: Position and Back Swing Golfer's Wife Short, uncredited
Gambling Ship Jeanne Sands
Mary Stevens, M.D. Glenda Carroll
Lady for a Day Missouri Martin
Bureau of Missing Persons Belle Howard Saunders
Man's Castle Fay La Rue
Havana Widows Sadie Appleby
1934
The Big Shakedown Lily 'Lil' Duran
Hi, Nellie! Gerry Krale
I've Got Your Number Bonnie, aka Madame Francis
Dark Hazard Valerie 'Val' Wilson
Heat Lightning Mrs. 'Feathers' Tifton
Merry Wives of Reno Bunny Fitch
The Personality Kid Joan McCarty
Kansas City Princess Marie Callahan
The Secret Bride Hazel Normandie
1935
Gold Diggers of 1935 Betty Hawes
Traveling Saleslady Claudette Ruggles
Go Into Your Dance Molly Howard, aka Lucille Thompson
In Caliente Mis Clara Thorne
We're in the Money Dixie Tilton
Little Big Shot Jean
Miss Pacific Fleet Mae O'Brien
1936
Snowed Under Daisy Lowell, Wife #2
The Law in Her Hands Dorothy 'Dot' Davis
Nobody's Fool Ruby Miller
High Tension Edith McNeil
Here Comes Carter Verna Kennedy
Gold Diggers of 1937 Genevieve Larkin
1937
Smart Blonde Torchy Blane
Fly-Away Baby Torchy Blane
Dance Charlie Dance Fanny Morgan
You Live and Learn Mamie Wallis
Breakfast for Two Carol Wallace
The Adventurous Blonde Torchy Blane
Hollywood Hotel Jonesie
Sunday Night at the Trocadero Short
1938
Blondes at Work Torchy Blane
Stolen Heaven Rita
Prison Break Jean Fenderson
The Road to Reno Sylvia Shane
Exposed 'Click' Stewart
Torchy Gets Her Man Torchy Blane
Breakdowns of 1938 Torchy Blaine Short, uncredited
1939 Torchy Blane in Chinatown Torchy Blane
Torchy Runs for Mayor Torchy Blane
1941 Johnny Eager Mae Blythe
1942
Twin Beds Sonya Cherupin
The Talk of the Town Regina Bush
1943
City Without Men Billy LaRue
A Night for Crime Susan
Klondike Kate Molly
1944 Ever Since Venus Babs Cartwright
1947 Heading for Heaven Nora Elkins
1948 I Love Trouble Hazel Bixby
Mary Lou Winnie Winford
Lulu Belle Molly Benson
1949 The Chevrolet Tele-Theatre TV Series
1950 The Silver Theatre Gaudy Lady TV Series
1951 Starlight Theatre Dorine TV Series
Faith Baldwin Romance Theatre TV Series
The Prudential Family Playhouse Effie Flound TV Series
1952 Apache War Smoke Fanny Webson
1953 Girls in the Night Alice Haynes
Tales of Tomorrow TV Series
Armstrong Circle Theatre Serena Price 2 Episodes
1954 Secret of the Incas Mrs. Winston
Susan Slept Here Maude Snodgrass
1955 The Girl in the Red Velvet Swing Mrs. Nesbit
Goodyear Playhouse Mrs. Davis TV Series
The Elgin Hour Mrs. Dane TV Series
Justice TV Series
1956 The Kaiser Aluminum Hour TV Series
The Alcoa Hour Eloise Schroeder TV Series
Front Row Center May Cooper TV Series
1957 The 20th Century-Fox Hour Mae Swasey TV Series
The Sheriff of Cochise Sarah Avery TV series
Kraft Theatre Stella Harvey / Alma Wilkes 5 Episodes
1958 Studio One in Hollywood Claire / Mrs. Endsley / Irene 4 Episodes
Cimarron City Maggie Arkins TV series
1959 Middle of the Night Mrs. Mueller
The Further Adventures of Ellery Queen TV Series
General Electric Theater Mrs. Brady TV Series
The Bells of St. Mary's TV Movie
Wagon Train Belle MacAbee TV Series
Buick-Electra Playhouse TV Series
1960 Play of the Week Rose Frobisher TV series
The Islanders Mrs. Dan King TV Series
1961 Westinghouse Playhouse Laura TV Series
Special for Women: The Glamour Trap Beauty Operator TV Movie
1962 Frontier Circus Ma Jukes TV Series
The Defenders Edna Holley TV Series
Route 66 Laverne TV Series
1963 Ben Casey Martha Morrison 2 Episodes
Won—Emmy Award for outstanding Performance in a Supporting Role by an Actress.
The United States Steel Hour Grace Smith / Edna Huntington / Mrs. Rausch 5 Episodes
Rawhide Mrs. Elizabeth Farragut TV Series
Dr. Kildare Vera Dennis TV Series
The Fugitive Mrs. Maggie Lambert TV Series
1964 Bonanza Lulabelle 'Looney' Watkins TV Seies
Kissin' Cousins Ma Tatum
The Disorderly Orderly Dr. Jean Howard
1968 Felony Squad Jeanette Anderson TV Series
1969 Bewitched Hortense Rockeford TV Series
1970 Tiger by the Tail Sarah Harvey

References

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Glenda Farrell.
  1. ↑ "Glenda Farrell". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved March 4, 2016.
  2. ↑ Bubbeo, Daniel. The Women of Warner Brothers: The Lives and Careers of 15 Leading Ladies, with Filmographies for Each - Glenda Farrell: The Gimme Girl. McFarland & Company. p. 74. ISBN 0786411376.
  3. ↑ "Glenda Farrell: Her Life and Legacy". Retrieved March 13, 2016.
  4. 1 2 Aliperti, Cliff (September 10, 2013). "Glenda Farrell Biography and 1930s Hollywood Heyday". Immortal Ephemera. Retrieved March 13, 2016.
  5. ↑ Backer, Ron (August 25, 2012). Mystery Movie Series of 1930s Hollywood - Torchy Blane: The Investigative Reporter. McFarland. p. 258. ISBN 0786469757.
  6. ↑ Bubbeo, Daniel. The Women of Warner Brothers: The Lives and Careers of 15 Leading Ladies, with Filmographies for Each. McFarland & Company. p. 79. ISBN 0786411376.
  7. ↑ Siegel, Joanne. "The True Inspiration for Lois Lane". Superman Home Page. Retrieved July 19, 2015.
  8. 1 2 Bubbeo, Daniel. The Women of Warner Brothers: The Lives and Careers of 15 Leading Ladies, with Filmographies for Each. McFarland & Company. p. 80. ISBN 0786411376.
  9. ↑ Mike French & Gilles Verschuere (2005-09-14). "Debora Nadoolman interview". TheRaider.net. Retrieved 2008-04-07.
  10. ↑ "Glenda Farrell". Hollywood Walk of Fame. Retrieved March 13, 2016.
  11. ↑ "Glenda Farrell: Diamond in the Rough". Classic Images. May 1998. Issue 275.
  12. ↑ Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Actress To Wed In June, March 11, 1931, Page 11.
  13. ↑ Valparaiso, Indiana. Vidette-Messenger, Glenda To Wed, February 6, 1941, Page 5.
  14. 1 2 "Dr. Henry Ross, 89, Eisenhower's Chief Of Health in War". New York Times. June 28, 1991. Retrieved April 14, 2009.
  15. ↑ "My Pal Glenda". Retrieved March 15, 2016.
  16. ↑ European Stars and Stripes, Actress Glenda Farrell Dies in N.Y. at Age 67, May 3, 1971, Page 6.

External links

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