Frances Farmer, Part 1

About this episode

The episode explores Frances Farmer's early life, rise to fame, and the relationships that influenced her career amidst her struggles with mental health.

Although Frances Farmer was a star of Hollywood’s “Golden Era” and an intellectual powerhouse in her own right, her achievements have been overshadowed by myths surrounding her public struggles with mental health. Her periods in psychiatric hospitals and involuntary confinement have entered pop culture lore, immortalized by everyone from Jessica Lange to Kurt Cobain. In the first of two parts, Lena and Alissa consider Frances’s early rebellious years, her ascent to fame, and the relationships that shaped her burgeoning career. This episode was first published on 06/10/2021.

People in this episode

Hosts: Lena Dunham, Alissa Bennett

Topics covered

• Hollywood history
• mental health
• fame
• Frances Farmer
• pop culture
• relationships

Keywords

• Frances Farmer
• Hollywood
• mental health
• pop culture
• fame
• psychiatric hospitals

More episodes of The C-Word

• Marie Antoinette, Part 1 · June 11, 2026 · 54 min
• Vanessa Marquez · June 4, 2026 · 1h 10m
• Amy Winehouse, Part 2 · May 28, 2026 · 58 min
• Amy Winehouse, Part 1 · May 21, 2026 · 57 min
• Nancy Spungen · May 14, 2026 · 1h 22m
• Frances Farmer, Part 2 · May 7, 2026 · 49 min