Neyneen Farrell

Biography

Neyneen Farrell was born in Rotterdam, Holland, where her Mormon parents were on a mission (her great-great-grandfather was Brigham Young). She was raised in Logan, Utah, where her father Alfred Lundberg Farrell was a music teacher. Neyneen became his accompanist at the age of 12. When she was 16, Hollywood director Victor Schertzinger saw Neyneen sing and signed her to a movie contract. As far as is known, she made three films: Dollar Devils (1923) in the role of "Helen Andrews" and Frozen Justice (1929) in the role of "Yukon Lucy." She had a part in The Marx Brothers film A Night at the Opera (1935) but it was cut out. Neyneen married Wade Hamilton, a well-known organist, in 1919 or 1920. Neyneen and Wade gave birth to Gloria Hamilton in 1923, who had a prolific career on Broadway. Neyneen and Wade divorced in 1934 or 1935. Neyneen moved to California in the mid-'20s. She became a voice teacher and pianist for Harold Hurlbut, until she opened her own studio in 1937. She married Harry Pires in 1947 or 1948. Neyneen was the 1964-65 President of the National Association of Teachers of Singing- Los Angeles Branch.