Merle “Mimsy” Farmer is an American actress, artist and sculptor. Her nickname came from a line in Lewis Carroll‘s Jabberwocky: “All mimsy were the borogoves”.
She was born Merle Farmer in Chicago Illinois. Her father was a newsman and a writer for radio. Her mother was French. She attended Hollywood High School. Her early experience as an entertainer came in her role of handling rabbits for a magician who performed at children’s birthday parties.
Farmer acted in Spencer’s Mountain (1963) and More (1969). After a brief film career in the United States, mostly portraying party-girl types in films such as Hot Rods to Hell (1967), Riot on Sunset Strip (1967), and The Wild Racers (1968), Farmer moved to Italy.[4] Most of her acting career has been in Europe, with roles in gialli 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.[5][6]
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 1971, Farmer won a special David di Donatello film award for acting for her performance in The Road to Salina (1970).
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
