By
Jeffrey Kauffman
Like many of you, I long
thought William Arnold’s book Shadowland was the definitive account of
Frances Farmer’s life. However, as I did
personal research through the years, I slowly began to notice mistakes and
discrepancies in his account, leading me to doubt a great deal of what he
wrote. Since the sensational allegation
that Frances was subjected to a lobotomy was first raised by Arnold in Shadowland,
it is instructive to carefully read the book and be aware of the many
unsubstantiated quotes and anecdotes, not to mention outright errors, contained
therein. While Mr. Arnold is to be
commended for bringing the horrors of the Freeman procedure to the masses, his
major hypothesis of a “vast right wing conspiracy” leading to a lobotomy is
simply not supported by any facts, at least not in his book. When considering the veracity of Mr.
Arnold’s claim about the lobotomy, be aware of the following errors contained
in his book, any of which could have been researched and corrected with a
little effort—especially considering the fact that Mr. Arnold is based in
Seattle, where most of Frances’ life is part of the public record. Though some of these errors may seem minor,
they point up a general sloppiness in the journalistic research required for an
authenticated biography:
BIRTHYEAR
Arnold
states Frances was born September 19, 1914.
Frances was born in 1913.
“NO
LONGER RESIST AUTHORITY OR PROVOKE CONTROVERSY”
In
his introduction, after making his completely unsubstantiated claim that
Frances was lobotomized, Arnold makes the above statement. Frances’ years in Indianapolis (just one
example) are filled with numerous anecdotes of her resisting authority,
including an arrest for drunk driving and run-ins with station management at
WFBM, and her rebellious, defiantly emotional attitude is well documented by
friends and associates. There are both
tv and radio interviews with Frances’ co-workers at WFBM attesting to Frances’
emotional outbursts. These first-hand
reports of her behavior are in direct contradiction to Arnold’s assertions.
ALIEN CORN IN 1935
Throughout
Shadowland, Arnold repeatedly makes timeline errors which are
inexplicable, not only because the true facts are easily obtainable, but even
more so because he cites information (including pictures of newspapers, etc.)
which are in direct contradiction to what he states. One of these errors lies in his statement that Frances starred in
Alien Corn at the University of Washington in the fall of 1935. Of course, this is off by a year—Frances,
receiving rave reviews, did this play in the fall of 1934. By the fall of 1935 she was signed to
Paramount and living in LA. This
particular error is unfathomable as Arnold in the very next chapter goes into
detail about the trip to Russia, correctly placing its genesis in the spring of
1935. One or two errors of this kind
might be blamed on poor proofreading, but a book full of them is simply indicative
of shoddy research and fact-checking.
SHIP
NAMED MANHATTAN
Arnold
claims the ship Frances sailed on to Russia was the Manhattan. Frances’ sister Edith and Patrick Agan
both say the boat was the Washington.
Arnold alleges that her Voice of Action sponsored trip to Communist Russia is barely mentioned in any of the “meager” source material available to him at the time. Virtually every early fan magazine article on Frances, as well as the “official” biographies (including SAG-sponsored bio listings in the Motion Picture Almanacs of 1936-1944) clearly state that Frances’ journey to screen stardom started with a trip to Russia.
FRANCES 20 AT TIME OF RUSSIA TRIP
Due to his previous error on Frances’ birthyear, Arnold states that Frances was 20 on her trip to Russia. This should have been a major red flag to Arnold as he was writing, as the only reason that Lillian was unable to prevent Frances from taking the trip was that Frances had already turned 21 and was a legal adult.
“POWERFUL MOVIE MOGULS KEPT (THE TRIP TO RUSSIA)
SECRET”
This
is one of the most blatantly absurd statements in Arnold’s book. Frances’ trip to Russia, including its
Communist overtones, are recounted in complete detail (including her parents’
shocked response) in several fan magazine articles about Frances, including the
February 1937 “Photoplay” and the May 8, 1937 “Colliers”.
MARRIAGE
TO LEIF ERICKSON
Arnold
has his timeline slightly wrong. Frances
married Leif during the filming of “Too Many Parents” in February 1936. There are numerous press accounts and fan
magazine articles verifying this.
Arnold
claims Erickson’s PR person told him that Erickson considered Frances’ problems
a mystery and refused to comment. The
implication is that Erickson had nothing to do with Frances after their
separation. Not only did Erickson
appear on Frances’ Indianapolis tv show, David Farmer has recounted that
Erickson stayed in good touch with the Farmers throughout the decades after his
divorce from Frances, checking up on Frances during her life, and continuing
his relationship with Wes and Ruth Farmer even after Frances’ death in 1970.
She autographed at least one, as it is in my personal collection!
“NO
EXISTING PRINT OF ‘BORDER FLIGHT’”
It exists.
It’s hard to find, but it does exist.
LOTTA
IN “COME AND GET IT”
Arnold
states Virginia Bruce was originally signed to play this role. Virtually all other accounts of the making
of this movie state that, in fact, it was Andrea Leeds, who ended up playing
Edward Arnold’s daughter, who was first considered for this role, until Hawks
saw Frances’ silent screen test for the dual part. Virginia Bruce did portray the dual role in the Lux Radio Theater
broadcast of “Come and Get It” in 1937.
“ALIENATED
CO-WORKERS STATED THEY WOULD NEVER WORK WITH HER AGAIN”
Arnold
provides no substantiation for this statement regarding the filming of “Come
and Get It.” None of the articles and
press accounts available suggests any such statements were made. In fact, Edward Arnold is quoted during the
making of “Toast of New York” (his
second film in a row with her) that if Frances’ performance in “Toast” matched
“Come and Get It,” he fully expected her to be a major star.
1937
MOVIES “ENORMOUS HITS”; FRANCES RECEIVED EXCELLENT REVIEWS
“Toast
of New York” was actually a notorious flop.
It was the most expensive movie made in 1937, and caused major financial
problems for RKO due to its lackluster boxoffice. Frances’ reviews in all three of her 1937 movies were decidedly
mixed. “Modern Screen” in December 1937
even states that after the “pans” she had received in “Toast” and “Ebb Tide,”
Frances was “chastened” after becoming haughty with success after “Come and Get
It.”
REVIEWERS
SINGLE OUT FRANCES IN GOLDEN BOY
Arnold
claims reviewers singled out Frances as the “finest thing” about Golden Boy. In actuality, while most reviewers were in
no major way critical of her, several mentioned her obvious lack of experience
and even her miscasting in the role (see “Time” review for an example). All reviewers were in unanimous agreement
that the best thing about the play was Odets’ pungent dialogue. In fairness to Arnold (and Frances), her
reviews in the national touring company of “Golden Boy” were rhapsodic (see
next entry).
GOLDEN BOY NATIONAL TOUR
Arnold
states Frances’ heart was not in the tour.
Contrary to the reviews of her Broadway performance, which were mildly
favorable at best, the reviews of the national tour of Golden Boy
repeatedly mention Frances’ intelligence and depth of characterization.
QUIET CITY
Arnold
glosses over this play, alleging only that it was an enormous failure and that
it was the first major setback of Frances’ career. In actuality, it was never a full-fledged production at all. Rather, it was an experimental piece that
ran for only two Sunday night performances during the spring of 1939, crammed
into the Belasco Theater (where Golden Boy had run two years previously)
where another Irwin Shaw play was already running during the week. The Group had wanted to utilize some of its
“off-duty” actors in some short-run experimental pieces. Full details can be found in books by
Harold Clurman and Irwin Shaw.
AFFAIR
WITH ODETS
Arnold’s
timeline is wrong. For details, see any
of the excellent biographies on Odets, especially the one by Margaret Gibson.
Arnold
alleges that The Fifth Column never opened on Broadway after Frances
withdrew and Katherine Locke was hired to replace her. He also states that Frances’ reputation was
irreparably damaged because she had “destroyed” the production. The Fifth Column opened on Broadway
on March 6, 1940, and ran for a respectable, if not record-breaking, 87
performances, closing on May 18, 1940.
It received favorable to rave reviews from all the NYC critics. Frances’ involvement in the play is not
mentioned in any reviews or press coverage of the play.
1941-42
AND “SON OF FURY”
Arnold’s account of this time period is studded with errors, including his statement that Frances’ mother made a “brief” visit (she actually stayed almost three months). The most egregious error is his claim that Frances made “Son of Fury” in late 1942. “Son of Fury” was released in January 1942, so unless Frances had perfected time travel, Arnold is obviously incorrect. Frances’ brief role was filmed in late fall 1941. What is most intriguing is the lack of information about what Frances did in the nine months of 1942 before her arrest--read Patrick Agan’s account for details. This is, in some ways, the most importantly neglected time period of Frances’ impending troubles.
Arnold
recounts Frances’ 1941 interview by the Seattle newspaperman Walter Rue and
states “it was the last personal interview she would ever give.” This is a laughably ludicrous statement, as
Frances granted numerous personal interviews during her 1957-58 comeback period
(some of which Arnold himself documents later in his book!), and continued to
be covered in both the Indianapolis and national press with great regularity
until the cancellation of her tv series.
There was also national press coverage, including interviews, of her
marriage to Alfred Lobley in Seattle in 1954, as well as her infamous 1964
appearance on the Today Show.
Arnold
makes three errors in his account of this event. He indicates Frances was on her way to a party for Deanna Durbin
when she was arrested. Other accounts,
including an “eyewitness” account by Ruth Farmer (Frances’ sister-in-law),
state unequivocally that Frances had actually been visiting her half-sister
Rita (and had imbibed, by her own admission, a few beers) and was on her way
back home when the arrest occurred.
Ruth’s memory is substantiated by contemporary news accounts which quote
Lillian saying much the same thing.
Arnold also states that Frances’ house belonged to Delores Del Rio and
was in Malibu, and that she was “passing through” Santa Monica when she was
arrested. Contemporary news accounts of
her arrest state her address and prove that Frances rented a small bungalow
that was on the same street as the Del Rio home, but that she never lived in
the Del Rio home. Additionally, both
Frances’ bungalow and the Del Rio home were in Santa Monica, not Malibu, and
Frances was nearing her home when the arrest occurred.
Arnold,
in recounting Frances’ emotional distress at having been overworked for years,
states she had been in eighteen feature films (among other credits), which he
evidently copied from Will There Really Be a Morning?, a book he
lambastes for its many errors! By 1942,
Frances had appeared in fourteen films.
She would make her fifteenth, and final, film in 1958.
Arnold
repeats his earlier error about the location of Frances’ rental home, but also
states that Frances’ business manager had sublet the home and moved her
personal items to the Knickerbocker Hotel.
Tapes of Ruth Farmer clearly state it was Frances’ relatives, including
Ruth herself, who moved Frances’ items, both because of financial reasons
(Frances was running out of money) and concern over her increasingly erratic
behavior.
FRANCES'
ORIGINAL COMMITMENT: "NOT APPARENT
FROM THE RECORD"
Arnold
states that the facts surrounding Frances' original commitment after her parole
violation arrest are not clear. He
states "weeks of research provided no explanation." However, several news reports of the arrest
and commitment clearly state that Frances' sister-in-law, Ruth Farmer (Wesley's
wife and a deputy sheriff in LA county), was present at Frances' hearing and
felt psychiatric treatment would be preferable to jail. That is how Dr. Leonard became involved in
Frances' case (again in direct conflict with Arnold's depiction of Leonard's
involvement). Frances' brother Wesley
actually signed the commitment order, not Frances' mother Lillian. Both the public record and information
provided by Frances' nephew David are very clear on the unfortunate chain of
events which lead to Frances' first commitment.
Arnold
states that the orderlies at Steilacoom were inmates (presumably male) and
acted as pimps for marauding Ft. Lewis servicemen. Nurses who actually worked at Steilacoom during Frances’
committal there have stated clearly in interviews that the hospital was not
co-ed, either in terms of patients or those caring for them. In other words, only female nurses and
orderlies cared for female patients.
Years ago I also quizzed my late father, a U.S. Army General who was Sr.
Officer at Ft. Lewis for many years (there is a building there named after
him), and he told me in no uncertain terms that there was simply no way that
either enlisted men or officers could have even made it onto Western State
grounds (which were fenced and guarded), let alone into the facility itself and
then into a locked and guarded isolation ward.
THIS IS YOUR LIFE
Arnold
claims Frances “barely uttered a word,” was “catatonic,” and responded to
questions with a “blank stare.” Nothing
could be further from the truth. The episode,
while emotionally wrenching due to Ralph Edwards’ smarminess, shows Frances in
complete control of her faculties--responding at length, and with great
intelligence, to all questions put to her, sometimes seeming to be on the verge
of tears or suppressing rage at the indignity of being asked such crude
questions.
1958
TV APPEARANCES
Among
Frances’ TV appearances, Arnold lists a Lloyd Nolan series called Treasury
Agent. While Nolan did play a
treasury agent in the series, it was actually called Special Agent 7.
PARTY CRASHERS
Arnold
describes Frances as “burned out” and not “credible.” Her performance in this movie is easily the best thing about
it--refined, understated and compassionate.
She does very credible work in an underwritten and thankless part.
FRANCES FARMER PRESENTS
Arnold describes Frances during this period as “distant” and “never quite in control.” Videotapes of her show reveal a warm and congenial hostess, laughing and interacting beautifully with her on-air guests. Arnold’s claims of Frances’ post-institution “zombification” are completely refuted by the tapes of her interviews—while she does occasionally “fluff” a line (this was live tv, after all), she is quick and spontaneous with all her on-air guests. Her interviewing style shows someone of great intelligence and insight.
Arnold
states that by early 1964 ratings for Frances Farmer Presents had
“drastically fallen off.” Frances’ tv
show remained the number one show in its time period from its debut in 1958
until the day it left the air. In
fact, when WFBM and Frances parted ways, the station manager at a competing
station hoped to hire Frances himself to improve his station’s ratings, but
Frances did not follow through after an initial phone contact.
Exclusively
presented for this web site, March 1999. Updated March 2002.