---
name: "Glenda Farrell"
canonical: "https://film.one/person/glenda-farrell"
roles: ["Actor"]
born: "30 June 1904"
died: "1 May 1971"
reviewed_on_fi1m: 4
average_fi1m_score: 80
average_as: "actor"
average_over: 4
updated: "2026-09-20T00:47:17.653716+00:00"
licence: "© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL."
---

# Glenda Farrell

Actor. Born 30 June 1904 in Enid, Oklahoma, USA. Died 1 May 1971.

## Details

- **Work:** Actor
- **Born:** 30 June 1904, Enid, Oklahoma, USA
- **Died:** 1 May 1971
- **Active:** 1932–1963
- **Primetime Emmy Awards:** 1 Emmy (1 won)
- **Average Fi1m score:** 80, as actor, over 4 titles
- **Fi1m score by decade:** 1930s 82 (2), 1940s 75 (1), 1960s 84 (1)
- **Score spread:** 2 at 80+, 2 at 60–79, 0 under 60
- **Lead roles:** 1 of 3 acting credits billed first or second
- **Genres:** Drama 4, Comedy 2, Action & Adventure 1, Crime 1, Mystery 1, Romance 1
- **Screen time:** 5 hours of reviewed films
- **Box office:** $1m across 1 films with figures
- **Elsewhere:** https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Glenda_Farrell, https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q272083, https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0268225/, https://www.themoviedb.org/person/29315

## Streaming the US now

- **Tubi:** [*The Talk of the Town*](https://film.one/film/the-talk-of-the-town.md) (75)

For United States; add `?region=XX` for another country.

## Fi1m on Glenda Farrell

> Glenda Farrell's rapid-fire delivery made her stand out in the supporting roles she was handed. Warner Bros. spent a decade casting her as the wisecracking blonde; she spent it quietly making the type into a person, and the Torchy Blane films are where it shows.

Glenda Farrell says her line before the other actor has finished theirs, and she is nearly always the one in the scene who has worked out what is going on. That was her trade at Warner Bros. for most of the 1930s: the chorus girl, the gold-digger, the gangster's woman who has heard every promise before, and, best of all, the reporter who has the story while the police are still finding their hats. She was rarely the lead. She did not need to be; she needed a doorway and a line.

She came up through stock theatre as a child and reached Broadway in the late 1920s, then signed with Warners around 1930 and worked at the rate the studio expected. *Little Caesar* (1931), opposite Edward G. Robinson, put her in the gangster pictures. *Mystery of the Wax Museum* (1933) gave her an early go at the fast-talking newspaperwoman, and Frank Capra used her in *Lady for a Day* the same year. Nine times she was paired with Joan Blondell as a double act, two blondes talking over each other and over the men. Then came *Smart Blonde* (1937) and Torchy Blane, seven films in three years with Barton MacLane as the policeman she keeps beating to the facts. She left Warners in 1939 and did character parts in film, television and theatre into the late 1960s, among them Regina Bush in George Stevens's *The Talk of the Town* (1942).

The one film of hers we have reviewed shows the studio using her badly. In Mervyn LeRoy's *I Am a Fugitive from a Chain Gang* (1932), the first of her four films with him, she is Marie Woods, the landlady who works out who Paul Muni's fugitive is. The part asks her to sneer and nothing else, and she sneers well; the film is too busy and too angry to give her more. We were irritated on her behalf. In a stretch where Muni is waiting for his new life to be taken away, Farrell is the only person who plainly knows what she wants and says so, and the script treats that as a fault in the character rather than an asset in the actress.

She knew what the type was worth and what it was not. Before the first Torchy film, she said, "I determined to create a real human being—and not an exaggerated comedy type," and she went and watched working newswomen to do it. That is the difference between her and the dozens of other quick blondes on the lot: the speed is not the joke, it is the character thinking. The cost was that the studios could see nothing else. After Torchy the parts repeated themselves, and the later pictures mostly hand her the same woman with a new name.

Start with the Torchy Blane films, which were built around her. Then watch *I Am a Fugitive from a Chain Gang* and notice how much of her a great film could afford to waste.

## Biography

Glenda Farrell was an American actress whose career in film, television and theatre spanned more than four decades. She began acting on stage as a child and appeared in numerous Broadway productions before signing a contract with Warner Bros. in the early 1930s.

She is known for roles in *Little Caesar* (1931), *I Am a Fugitive from a Chain Gang* (1932) as Marie Woods, *Mystery of the Wax Museum* (1933) and *Lady for a Day* (1933) as Missouri Martin. Farrell starred as the reporter Torchy Blane in a series of Warner Bros. films from 1937 to 1939. Later credits include *The Talk of the Town* (1942) and television appearances such as *Ben Casey*, for which she received an Emmy Award in 1963 for outstanding supporting actress. She was awarded a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 1960.

*Sources: en.wikipedia.org, imdb.com, okhistory.org.*

## On Fi1m (4)

- *The Fugitive* (1963), Fi1m 84, as Mrs. Maggie Lambert — [page](https://film.one/tv/the-fugitive-1963.md)
- *The Talk of the Town* (1942), Fi1m 75, as Regina Bush — [page](https://film.one/film/the-talk-of-the-town.md)
- *Lady for a Day* (1933), Fi1m 78, as Missouri Martin — [page](https://film.one/film/lady-for-a-day.md)
- *I Am a Fugitive from a Chain Gang* (1932), Fi1m 85, as Marie Woods — [page](https://film.one/film/i-am-a-fugitive-from-a-chain-gang.md)

## Complete filmography (96)

Every credit, newest first. Titles without a page can be requested for review on the HTML page.

- *Tiger by the Tail* (1970), as Sarah Harvey
- *The Name of the Game* (1968), series, as Woman
- *Felony Squad* (1966), series, Actor
- *The Disorderly Orderly* (1964), as Dr. Jean Howard
- *Bewitched* (1964), series, Actor
- *The Bing Crosby Show* (1964), series, Actor
- *Kissin' Cousins* (1964), as Ma Tatum
- *The Fugitive* (1963), series, as Mrs. Maggie Lambert — Fi1m 84, [page](https://film.one/tv/the-fugitive-1963.md)
- *Ben Casey* (1961), series, Actor
- *Dr. Kildare* (1961), series, as Vera Dennis
- *The Defenders* (1961), series, as Edna Holley
- *A String of Beads* (1961), Actor
- *Special for Women* (1960), series, Actor
- *Route 66* (1960), series, Actor
- *The Islanders* (1960), series, as Mrs. Dan King
- *Middle of the Night* (1959), as Mrs Mueller
- *Rawhide* (1959), series, as Mrs. Elizabeth Farragut
- *The 20th Century Fox Hour* (1955), series, Actor
- *The Girl in the Red Velvet Swing* (1955), as Mrs. Nesbit
- *Susan Slept Here* (1954), as Maude Snodgrass
- *Secret of the Incas* (1954), as Mrs. Winston
- *General Electric Theater* (1953), series, as Mrs. Brady
- *Girls in the Night* (1953), as Alice Haynes
- *Apache War Smoke* (1952), as Fanny Webson
- *Tales of Tomorrow* (1951), series, Actor
- *Your Show of Shows* (1950), series, Actor
- *Studio One* (1948), series, as Lucille Sears, Mrs. Endsley, Claire, Irene
- *Lulu Belle* (1948), as Molly Benson
- *Mary Lou* (1948), as Winnie Winford
- *I Love Trouble* (1948), as Hazel Bixby
- *Heading for Heaven* (1947), as Nora Elkins
- *Kraft Television Theatre* (1947), series, as Momma, Daylia, Stella Harvey
- *Ever Since Venus* (1944), as Babs Cartwright
- *Klondike Kate* (1943), as Molly
- *A Night for Crime* (1943), as Susan Cooper
- *City Without Men* (1943), as Billie LaRue
- *The Talk of the Town* (1942), as Regina Bush — Fi1m 75, [page](https://film.one/film/the-talk-of-the-town.md)
- *Twin Beds* (1942), as Sonya Cherupin
- *Johnny Eager* (1941), as Mae Blythe
- *Torchy Runs for Mayor* (1939), as Torchy Blane
- *Torchy Blane in Chinatown* (1939), as Torchy Blane
- *Breakdowns of 1938* (1938), as Torchy Blaine (archive footage) (uncredited)
- *Torchy Gets Her Man* (1938), as Torchy Blane
- *Exposed* (1938), as 'Click' Stewart
- *The Road to Reno* (1938), as Sylvia Shane
- *Prison Break* (1938), as Jean Fenderson
- *Stolen Heaven* (1938), as Rita
- *Blondes at Work* (1938), as Torchy Blane
- *Hollywood Hotel* (1938), as Miss Jones, 'Jonesy'
- *The Adventurous Blonde* (1937), as Torchy Blane
- *Breakfast for Two* (1937), as Carol Wallace
- *Sunday Night at the Trocadero* (1937), as Glenda Farrell
- *You Live and Learn* (1937), as Mamie Wallis
- *Dance Charlie Dance* (1937), as Fanny Morgan
- *Fly Away Baby* (1937), as Torchy Blane
- *Smart Blonde* (1937), as Torchy Blane
- *Gold Diggers of 1937* (1936), as Genevieve Larkin
- *Here Comes Carter* (1936), as Verna Kennedy
- *High Tension* (1936), as Edith McNeil
- *Nobody's Fool* (1936), as Ruby Miller
- *The Law in Her Hands* (1936), as Dorothy Davis
- *Snowed Under* (1936), as Daisy Lowell
- *Miss Pacific Fleet* (1935), as Mae O'Brien
- *Little Big Shot* (1935), as Jean
- *We're in the Money* (1935), as Dixie Tilton
- *In Caliente* (1935), as Clara
- *Go Into Your Dance* (1935), as Molly Howard
- *Traveling Saleslady* (1935), as Claudette
- *Gold Diggers of 1935* (1935), as Betty Hawes
- *The Secret Bride* (1934), as Hazel Normandie
- *Kansas City Princess* (1934), as Marie Callahan
- *The Personality Kid* (1934), as Joan
- *Merry Wives of Reno* (1934), as Bunny
- *Heat Lightning* (1934), as Mrs. Tifton
- *I've Got Your Number* (1934), as Bonnie aka Madame Francis
- *Dark Hazard* (1934), as Valerie 'Val' Wilson
- *Hi, Nellie!* (1934), as Gerry Krale
- *The Big Shakedown* (1934), as Lily 'Lil' Duran
- *Man's Castle* (1933), as Fay La Rue
- *Havana Widows* (1933), as Sadie Appleby
- *Bureau of Missing Persons* (1933), as Belle Howard Saunders
- *Lady for a Day* (1933), as Missouri Martin — Fi1m 78, [page](https://film.one/film/lady-for-a-day.md)
- *Mary Stevens, M.D.* (1933), as Glenda Carroll
- *Gambling Ship* (1933), as Jeanne Sands
- *How to Break 90 #2: Position and Back Swing* (1933), as The Golfer's Wife
- *The Keyhole* (1933), as Dot
- *Girl Missing* (1933), as Kay Curtis
- *Grand Slam* (1933), as Blondie
- *Mystery of the Wax Museum* (1933), as Florence Dempsey
- *The Match King* (1932), as Babe
- *I Am a Fugitive from a Chain Gang* (1932), as Marie Woods — Fi1m 85, [page](https://film.one/film/i-am-a-fugitive-from-a-chain-gang.md)
- *Three on a Match* (1932), as Vivian's Friend (uncredited)
- *Life Begins* (1932), as Florette
- *Scandal for Sale* (1932), as Stella
- *Little Caesar* (1931), as Olga Stassoff
- *Lucky Boy* (1929), as Secretary at theater (Unbilled)

## Gallery

- ![A photo portrait of actress Glenda Farrell for the film Bureau of Missing Persons (1933)](https://film.one/media/person/467678/gallery-2fc250c5c1f5.jpg) A photo portrait of actress Glenda Farrell for the film Bureau of Missing Persons (1933) — Warner Brother, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons (https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/1/19/Bureau_of_Missing_Persons_%281933%29.jpg?utm_source=commons.wikimedia.org&utm_campaign=imageinfo&utm_content=thumbnail_unscaled)
- ![Vintage 1930s portrait photo of actress Glenda Farrell by Elmer Fryer](https://film.one/media/person/467678/gallery-9c27fc7a078b.jpg) Vintage 1930s portrait photo of actress Glenda Farrell by Elmer Fryer — Photo by Elmer Fryer, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons (https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/d/df/Glenda_Farrell_1930s.jpg?utm_source=commons.wikimedia.org&utm_campaign=imageinfo&utm_content=thumbnail_unscaled)
- ![Vintage photo of actress Glenda Farrell in the film The Road to Reno (1938) (1930)](https://film.one/media/person/467678/gallery-e80fff2bbac4.jpg) Vintage photo of actress Glenda Farrell in the film The Road to Reno (1938) (1930) — Universal Pictures, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons (https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/5/52/Glenda_Farrell_The_Road_to_Reno.jpg?utm_source=commons.wikimedia.org&utm_campaign=imageinfo&utm_content=thumbnail_unscaled)
- ![A cropped photo of Glenda Farrell in an original vintage photo of the 1934 film I've Got Your Number. (1930)](https://film.one/media/person/467678/gallery-891608159a90.jpg) A cropped photo of Glenda Farrell in an original vintage photo of the 1934 film I've Got Your Number. (1930) — Warner Bros. Pictures, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons (https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/7/72/Glenda_Farrell_1934_I%27ve_Got_Your_Number.jpg?utm_source=commons.wikimedia.org&utm_campaign=imageinfo&utm_content=thumbnail_unscaled)
- ![Glenda Farrell](https://film.one/media/person/467678/gallery-dc55e01bf613.jpg) Glenda Farrell — Image via TMDB
- ![Glenda Farrell](https://film.one/media/person/467678/gallery-0403beec0207.jpg) Glenda Farrell — Image via TMDB
- ![Glenda Farrell](https://film.one/media/person/467678/gallery-4077683e13d0.jpg) Glenda Farrell — Image via TMDB
- ![Vintage portrait still of actress Glenda Farrell in the 1930s.](https://film.one/media/person/467678/gallery-495fba382e30.jpg) Vintage portrait still of actress Glenda Farrell in the 1930s. — Warner Brothers, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons (https://thumb.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/c/c8/Glenda_Farrell_publicity_photo_1.jpg/1280px-Glenda_Farrell_publicity_photo_1.jpg?utm_source=commons.wikimedia.org&utm_campaign=imageinfo&utm_content=thumbnail)
- ![Publicity photo of Glenda Farrell for Argentinean Magazine. (Printed in USA) (1934)](https://film.one/media/person/467678/gallery-28329b1abc11.jpg) Publicity photo of Glenda Farrell for Argentinean Magazine. (Printed in USA) (1934) — produced by Warner Bros. and supplied to Cine Mundial magazine, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons (https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/5/57/Glenda_Farrell_Argentinean_Magazine_AD.jpg?utm_source=commons.wikimedia.org&utm_campaign=imageinfo&utm_content=thumbnail_unscaled)
- ![Glenda Farrell](https://film.one/media/person/467678/gallery-c1b49a960691.jpg) Glenda Farrell — Image via TMDB
- ![Glenda Farrell](https://film.one/media/person/467678/gallery-392c781b12f2.jpg) Glenda Farrell — Image via TMDB

## Awards

### Primetime Emmy Awards — 1 won

- 1963: Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series (won), for *Ben Casey*

### Other awards — 1 won

- star on Hollywood Walk of Fame 1960: star on Hollywood Walk of Fame (won)

*From Wikidata, which records wins more completely than nominations.*

---
© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL. Canonical: https://film.one/person/glenda-farrell