Off The Record
Jamie Farr Looks ‘Great’ At 88 And Says Prayer Changed His Life
Years ago, when Jamie Farr was an actor, he was successful and famous.
His faith and the woman who loved him before he was famous and wealthy brought him great happiness.
Jamie Farr had a humble upbringing before he became renowned, but the lessons he learned there have stuck with him.
His parents were happily married and managed a grocery store, doing what they could for their son.
Farr’s parents raised him right and assisted the homeless whenever they could, he said in an interview he gave in 2022.
His dad would always preserve the scraps from the cold cuts so he could feed the homeless and poor in the area. Farr said, “Back then, we didn’t use the word ‘homeless.’ Instead, we called them tramps or hobos, and when they stopped by, my dad would give them sandwiches.” My dad always said, “No, that’s perfectly all right,” when they asked if there was anything they could do in return.
Farr was born in Toledo, where he endured years of ridicule from his peers because of the size of his nose. The young man’s commitment to acting began with his faith as a child.
“… I believed God had called me to be an actor, to entertain – even help – people. And I’d worked hard at it,” he said.
When Nathan Lane had to drop out of a performance of “Guys and Dolls” in 1992, Farr stepped in.
Once the other actor dropped out of the Broadway production, Farr was brought in to play Nathan Detroit.
The celebrity had taken acting classes at the Pasadena Playhouse in California before making his Broadway debut.
As a matter of fact, he got to appear in films like “No Time for Sergeants” and “The Blackboard Jungle” in rather modest roles.
His film roles were followed by military service in Japan and Korea. He had been left in the acting industry’s dust by the likes of Clint Eastwood, Dennis Weaver, and Robert Blake by the time he returned. He had lost hope for a successful career in film.
His fiancee, a bookkeeper named Joy Richards, was a strong advocate for him at this time. Farr drove his future wife to work because he was too poor to buy her an engagement ring.
The actor was at his wit’s end, but he found solace in religion and frequented churches in search of guidance. One did find its way to him.
The opening film of a brand-new, huge studio would be a biopic on the life of Jesus Christ titled “The Greatest Story Ever Told.” It would be directed by George Stevens.
Farr immediately contacted his agent, saying, “Meyer, they’re putting on this movie about the Bible. Look, with my great Middle-Eastern face, there’s got to be a part in it for me.”
While waiting for word from his agency, the actor said a prayer and was prepared to submit a reel of himself. While waiting for the studio’s response, he prayed again, but eventually found out he was not needed for the movie.
The actor felt even more disoriented during his second visit to the church, during which he did not light any candles or place any money in the collection box.
But, the studio abruptly reversed course and awarded Farr the role of Nathaniel Bartholomew.
After professing his regret to St. Jude, he called his soon-to-be fiancée to share the good news that they could start making wedding plans.
The studio had one more casting change for him, and now they wanted Farr to play the role of the Apostle Thaddeus, according to his agency.
Actor Farr had been praying to a man he called “Apostle Thaddeus,” who he later found out is actually Saint Jude, the Apostle of the Hopeless.
The star was obviously humbled by the whole ordeal.
When he first asked his now-wife to be his wife, he was just a nobody in his twenties. But this fresh start put him on the road to prosperity, and the couple soon wed and established a solid household.
In 1963, they tied the knot. Farr, surrounded by family and friends, gazed up at the apostles of Jesus and saw St. Jude.
“I like to think that he was my best man,” said Farr.
At first, Farr would usually be the one to cook dinner while his wife was at the office.
The couple eventually had a pair of children. Farr’s breakout role as Maxwell Klinger on “MAS*H” brought him widespread acclaim and critical acclaim.
With the money from his most famous part, Farr was able to give his wife the ring she’d always wanted and provide for his family.
The 88-year-old man has been happily married for 60 years and has had a successful career in television, theater, and movies.
The celebrity stated, “I do so appreciate life that I’d hate to leave it,” in an interview conducted in 2011.
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