Did This Famous Washington State Actress Get A Lobotomy?

Learn The Story Behind The Rumors About WA State Actress Francis Farmer

I couldn't imagine being thrown involuntarily into a psychiatric hospital especially when lobotomies were regularly being practiced. I'm not sure I would've liked living during the 1950's.

Famous Actress Francis Farmer Was Born In Washington State

It almost seems like a scene out of a horror movie but one famous actress from Washington State lived it and there have been lots of rumors that she received a lobotomy while she was incarcerated.

You might be aware of the movie "Frances" about her life from 1982 starring Jessica Lange and she was recently brought up in the 2022 The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel episode "Billy Jones and the Orgy Lamps" with a character's mental breakdown being described as "full-on Frances Farmer according to Wikipedia.

If you didn't know, Francis Farmer was a talented actress who rose to fame in the 1930s and 1940s, only to have her life take a tragic turn.

One of the most well-known chapters of her life was her time at Western State Hospital in Washington State.

Born in 1913 in Seattle, Washington, Francis Farmer showed promise as an actress from a young age. She made her film debut in 1936 and quickly gained recognition for her raw talent and beauty.

However, behind the glamorous facade, Francis struggled with mental health issues that would eventually lead to her downfall.

In 1945, she was involuntarily committed to Western State Hospital after a series of incidents that landed her in legal trouble.

During her time at Western State Hospital, Francis Farmer faced unimaginable challenges.

She was subjected to various forms of treatment that would be considered unethical by today's standards, including insulin shock therapy and electroconvulsive therapy.

After spending several years at Western State Hospital, Francis Farmer was released in 1950.

One rumor was that she was lobotomized while she was there but no records of such an incident occurred - even though movies about her life claim she was.

Farmer in later years managed to revive some of her acting career and even appeared on the Ed Sullivan show and was a focus of an episode of "This Is Your Life"

She passed away in 1970 but her legacy hasn't been forgotten as Western Hospital's most famous patient.