Mimsy Farmer

Merle "Mimsy" Farmer (born February 28, 1945) is an American former actress, artist and sculptor. She began her career appearing in several Hollywood studio films, such as Spencer's Mountain 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 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. 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".

When she was four years old, her family relocated to Los Angeles, California, where she was raised. Farmer graduated from Hollywood High School in 1962. Her early experience as an entertainer came in her role of handling rabbits for a magician who performed at children's birthday parties. As a teenager, Farmer also worked as a concession cashier and theater usherette at the Cinerama Dome in Los Angeles.

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.

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. 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.

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. She later married French set designer Francis Poirier, with whom she lives in France.

Filmography

Film

Television

Awards and nominations Award Year Category Work Result Laurel Awards 1963 Top Female New Personality David di Donatello 1971 Special David Road to Salina