A native of Berkeley, California,[1] Farrar was one of three children born to Wendell Dale Farrar and Alma Carmin Boettiger.[5][6] He attended University of California, Berkeley,[1][7] and later the Faucit School of the Theatre in Oakland,[8] a school founded and directed by London-born actress and director Ursula Faucit, the grandniece of actress Helena Faucit.[9] From 1930 to 1936, Farrar was regularly featured in the school's on-air outlet, the dramatic anthology series, The Faucit Theatre of the Air,[10] at least one episode of which he also wrote, adapting J. S. Coyne's one-act comedy, One Night of Terror.[11] He was also featured opposite the school's director on at least two occasions. In 1930 they co-starred in Faucit's own play, Not the Type,[12] and in 1935 Faucit was Bea to Farrar's Benedick in Shakespeare's Much Ado About Nothing.[13] The Faucit Theatre Players also performed live on occasion, such as their 1935 production of Schiller's Mary Stuart—with Farrar's portrayal of Lord Burleigh deemed "extremely good" by the Oakland Tribune[14]—and their 1934 revival of Elmer Greensfelder's Broomsticks, Amen, of which the Tribune's Wood Soanes wrote:
Here is the stuff of which high tragedy is made, but Greensfelder succeeded in evolving only obvious melodrama. The fine performance by Stanley Farrar as Hoffnagel was the saving grace of the show. He pulled 'Broomsticks, Amen' along with a performance that was more professional than amateur, sincere, powerful, well balanced and acute.[15]
In the spring of 1949, The Hollywood Reporter noted that Farrar had begun publishing The 24 Sheet, a news bulletin for actors.[18]
On August 26, 1953, Hollywood Citizen-News entertainment writer Zuma Palmer drew readers' attention to an uncommon occurrence: at a time when the prohibition of prerecorded network radio dramas had only recently been lifted, both Farrar and co-star Marian Richman appeared on Dr. Christian and simultaneously on the transcribed series, Family Theater.[19] Later that year, Farrar appeared onstage, co-starring with Lloyd Corrigan and Tommy Bernard—former radio son of Ozzie and Harriet and TV son of Charlie Ruggles[20][21]—in Corrigan's play The Upper Room, staged as part of an event held to benefit the St. Marks Episcopal Church of Van Nuys.[22]
From March 22, 1936 until his death, Farrar was married to fellow actor Margaret Mary "Margo" Klink,[25][26] with whom he had three sons.[1]
On April 4, 1974, while onstage at the Mendocino Arts Center, portraying Orgon in Molière's Tartuffe, Farrar suffered a heart attack and collapsed. He died shortly thereafter at Mendocino Coast Hospital in Fort Bragg,[27][28] survived by his wife, his sons, his mother and two brothers.[1]
^ abc"California, World War II Draft Registration Cards, 1940-1945", FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:QGXB-NYNY : Wed Mar 06 08:13:50 UTC 2024), Entry for Stanley Wendell Farrar and Margaret Mary Farrar, 16 October 1940.
^"AFTRA Reelects Nelson". The Hollywood Reporter. July 16, 1956. p. 10. ProQuest2338211695. Others elected were: Clayton 'Bud' collyer, Eleanor Engle, Luis Van Rooten, Bill Baldwin, Fred D. Cole, Dick Stark and Nellie Booth, v.-p.'s; Wanda raney, secretary; Stanley Farrar, treasurer
^Sten (July 18, 1945). "Radio Reviews: 'Maisie'". Variety. p. 46. ProQuest1285855633. With Ann Sothern, John Brown, Wally Maher, Bill Maretl [sic], Norman Field, Florence Lake, Paul McVey, Stanley Farrar and Ken Niles. Producer: E. J. Rosenberg. Director: Tony Sanford. Writers: Samuel Taylor and Bob Sloan. 30 Mins.: Thurs., 8:30 p.m. EVERSHARP. WABC-CBS, N.Y.
^Hobe (July 14, 1948). "Radio Review: SUSPENSE: 'The Last Chance'". Variety. p. 30. ProQuest1285989769. With Cary Grant, Paul Frees, Shepperd Menkin [sic], Hermand Waldman [sic], Maxine Marx, Fred Campbell, John T. Smith, Daws Butler, Berry Kroeger, Stanley Farrar; Lud Gluskin, conductor; Lucien Moroweck [sic], arranger; Frank Martin, announcer. Producer: E. J. Rosenberg. Director: Tony Sanford. Writers: Samuel Taylor and Bob Sloan. 30 Mins.: Thurs., 8:30 p.m. EVERSHARP. WABC-CBS, N.Y. [...] Grant was excellent in the long part of the harried prey, while Stanley Farrar, Shepard Menkin and Fred Campbell were effective in supporting parts.
^"Television Chatter: Hollywood". Variety. February 7, 1951. p. 31. ProQuest1286000123. Stanley Farrar inked for one of the supporting roles in 'The Ruggles,' which beams Thursdays on KECA-TV.
^"Farrar for 'Triumph'". The Hollywood Reporter. June 18, 1954. p. 2. ProQuest2322746426. Stanley Farrar, the Mayor Terwilliger of radio's 'Great Gildersleeve' series, gets a role in Dr. James K. Friedrich's' Biblical drama, 'Day of Triumph,' now filming at Hal Roach studio.
^"Here and There". The Hollywood Reporter. March 14, 1955. p. 7. ProQuest2338310243. Stanley Farrar celebrates his 25th year in show business with his current assignment in 20th-Fox's 'How to Be Very, Very Popular.'
^Gros (August 31, 1955). "Television Reviews: YOU ARE THERE (The Attack on Pearl Harbor)". Variety. pp. 27, 39. ProQuest1017010888. With Walter Cronkite, Hayden Rorke, De Forest Kelley, Roy Linnert, Stanley Farrar, Vivi Janiss, Kam Tong, Edward Earle, others
^"Pictures: New York Sound Track". Variety. April 28, 1965. p. 15. ProQuest1017129026. Beach exteriors at Oxnard, Calif., completed on WB's 'Inside Daisy Clover,' the Pakula-Mulligan production has moved to the Conrad Hilton estate in Bel-Aire. [...] Joe Mell and Stanley Farrar added to cast of WB's 'Inside Daisy Clover,' now shooting.
.jpg)
