Jamie Farr Looks ‘Great’ at 89 & Has 60-Year Marriage – He Believes Prayer Changed His Life after He Was a Nobody

Jamie Farr is a veteran actor who was raised in a low-income family. His parents owned a small grocery store and had a solid marriage.

They instilled values in him that he carried well into adulthood. Farr recalled what he remembered about his mom and dad during a 2021 interview and the lessons they taught him.

His parents were not only family-oriented, but they fed homeless people too. As they owned a business on the corner of Locust and North Ontario streets, the family patriarch would save the ends of cold cut to feed the hungry residents in their neighborhood. Farr explained during an October 2022 interview:

“In those days, you didn’t call them homeless – they were tramps or hobos – and they would stop in, and my dad would make them sandwich. They would ask if they could do anything in return, and my dad would say, ‘No that’s perfectly all right.'”

It was a harmonious neighborhood, and Farr felt lucky enough to have pals from that area in his old age. Moreover, growing up, the Ohio native dreamed of becoming an actor.

That childhood dream finally materialized in 1992 when he replaced actor Nathan Lane in the Broadway revival of “Guys and Dolls” as Nathan Detroit.

Born in Toledo, Farr shared in January 1985 that his faith was the driving force behind his determination to pursue acting as he sincerely believed that he was destined for it.

However, in November 1962, he felt he could not achieve that dream. “[..] I believed God had called me to be an actor, to entertain – even help – people. And I’d worked hard at it,” he said.

Young Farr was teased a lot by his peers for having a big nose at school. But he resorted to humor to avoid being fazed by the snide remarks and get out of trouble.

The comedian recounted what they used to say to him, “Hey Jamie, you don’t need to snuffer to put out the candles; just nod your head.” Despite this, when Farr became an adult, his look became one of the most lovable and recognizable several years later.

Following high school graduation from Woodward High, Farr learned about the Pasadena Playhouse in California that offered acting classes and went for it. Afterward, he had a few film roles in “No Time for Sergeants” and “The Blackboard Jungle.”

Facing Many Rejections

After those stints, Farr got deployed to Japan and Korea, and upon his return, people had forgotten about him. His old friends, actors Clint Eastwood, Dennis Weaver, and Robert Blake, had already established themselves by then while he struggled. He felt discouraged during that period of his life.

At the time, Farr only had his fiancée Joy Richards, whom he could not buy an engagement ring for. He could only offer his love a ride to her workplace as she worked as a bookkeeper.

He dropped her off every morning and returned to his lonely room, where his telephone barely rang. Farr had been anticipating a call from casting agents but received calls from telemarketers instead.

But even with that, he was glad to hear his phone ring for once. However, in November 1962, he felt he had had enough of the silence. He did not hear any word about possible acting gigs.

One morning after dropping Richards at work, he drove around and saw an old white stucco church on a corner. He remembered that he had not been to church in a while and thought about getting inside, lighting a candle, kneeling, and praying.

He found nobody inside, which was a great relief for him, and started praying, “Lord, You gave me the feeling that I should be an actor. I know it is honorable work, but I can’t even find work.”

He glanced around the room, saw paintings of the apostles, and thought of one who had inspired his hero, Danny Thomas, Jude, “Patron of the Hopeless,” an apostle of Jesus. “Well, I was sure hopeless. I wished he could perform a miracle for me,” said Farr.”

He lit a candle, took out coins and put them into the metal box, and went home to wait for the telephone to ring in hopes of a new acting job. Farr went to the church every morning to pray, and whenever his day was over without receiving a call, he would shake his head in disbelief.

Then he heard some good news about a major studio that would be opening soon and would produce a movie about the life of Jesus titled “The Greatest Story Ever Told.” George Stevens, a well-known director, made the film.

Upon hearing the news, Farr swiftly 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.”

His agent said he would look into it and get back to him. Meanwhile, he rushed to the stucco church to pray. Days later, Meyer called, telling him Stevens would like to see some clips of him being dramatic. Farr was happy to oblige as he had appeared on a TV show called “The Rebel” and got a copy of his previous work from his former co-star, Nick Adams.

Farr dropped off the tape at the production studio and headed to the church to light a candle and pray. “Look, this movie is terrific. I’m just right for it. There’s got to be something for me in it and you have to help me because I know you’re the saint of the hopeless,” he said in his prayer.

While at home, his agent called and delivered some bad news. He did not get the part. “I was shattered,” Farr expressed. After returning the copy to Adams, he went to the church again to share his disappointment in prayer. He asked for a sign and said if acting was not for him, he would become a dishwasher or sell automobiles or anything else to have a job.

Frustrated, he did not light a candle or put some money in the box and walked out in anger. Farr explained what he felt during that moment:

“I drove home feeling more hopeless than ever.”

At that moment, his agent called again and told him that the studio had had a change of heart and would like to have him be a part of the film. He would be playing Nathaniel Bartholomew. Right after that call, he raced to Culver City for a wardrobe fitting, but on his way there, he stopped by the church to apologize to Saint Jude.

He later informed Richards about the exciting news and told her they could start planning a wedding. The following day, Farr received another call from his agent, and for a split moment, he thought it was disappointing news after Meyers said there had been a change of plans. “Oh no! I cried, collapsing inside,” he recounted.

However, Meyer told him there was nothing to worry about as he was calling to say they decided to give him the role of Apostle Thaddeus. His heart started beating fast, and he managed to be at ease as long as he still got the job.

He called a dear friend of his, Mitch, with whom he has been opening up about his problems. Once he told him who he would play, he asked, “Who?” Farr repeated it to him, and Mitch went silent. Afterward, he asked if he knew Thaddeus’ full name, and Farr said no.

“Well, it’s Jude Thaddeus. Saint Jude, the Apostle of the Hopeless, the one you’ve been telling me about all this time,” Mitch explained. Farr was so stunned that he almost dropped the phone and returned to the church minutes later.

He went down on his knees with huge relief and said, “Lord, if you wanted to show me how dumb I am, how little faith I have, You, have done it.”

Farr reflected on how far he had come in a July 1979 interview, saying it was difficult to forget how much he had struggled to provide for his family as a delivery boy in addition to some odd jobs. He joined the Army when his acting career took time to take off and said he sometimes woke up sweating:

“It’s like a recurring dream because I still remember the days when I was hoping to make enough money to buy a can of tuna for dinner. I think what has happened to me is not real but fake. I’m still frightened it will end.”

Farr was a 27-year-old nobody when he proposed to his wife. Despite the odds, marrying Richards was important to him, and he took the plunge by asking her to marry him. Fortunately, things worked out for them, and his career skyrocketed afterward.

The couple tied the knot in 1963 while he was making the movie, and he had his co-stars, including Max Von Sydow, who played Jesus Christ, in attendance. During the ceremony at church looked up at the paintings of Jesus’ apostles and spotted Saint Jude. “I like to think that he was my best man,” said Farr.

A Dream Come True

Despite finally getting a job and getting married, in a 1976 interview, Farr recalled his life with Richards after getting married as he stayed home and cleaned up while she was the sole provider.

When she returned home from work, she would find a home-cooked meal waiting for her. Her beloved spouse shared that it was rare for a man to do that in the household during that time.

Thankfully for the “Cannonball Run II” star, his luck was just around the corner as the hit show “M*A*S*H” was in the pipeline. Thanks to his consistent prayers, Farr’s dream came true.

He became an uncredited announcer in the first episode and later took on the role of Maxwell Klinger in the fourth episode of Season 1.

Farr and Richards welcomed two children, son Jonas and daughter Yvonne, whom they named after his sister Yvonne Farah. The father of two and his daughter – who looks just like him – appeared together in the ABC show “Fall Guy,” once.

Today, Farr is best recognized for portraying the role of Klinger in the CBS sitcom, a cross-dressing corporal turned Sergeant. After attaining success, he could finally splurge some money on his devoted wife, Richards.

The television star purchased the former model a 1.5-carat emerald engagement ring surrounded by diamonds – that he could not afford when they were engaged. He proposed at a restaurant in front of their kids.

After gaining popularity on “M*A*S*H,” Farr also had women swoon over him, which his wife found funny as he would wear a Carmen Miranda fruit-laden hat. Farr gushed:

“Those women go crazy for me. They run to me at airports or wherever and kiss me.”

Farr added any man would enjoy getting that much attention from the opposite sex while further revealing that one lady stopped nursing her child only to get an autograph from him.

There was one incident in his hometown when he got trapped and had to sign over seven hundred autographs before being taken away from the mob of women who had surrounded him.

Farr’s Rare Appearance

In 2022, “M*A*S*H,” celebrated its 50th anniversary after premiering on September 12, 1972. A month later, Farr was spotted at a baseball game wearing sports apparel.

The Blade shared his rare sighting on Facebook, and fans were happy to see him. They commented on the post and complimented him on his looks.

“You still look great even after 50 years. Congratulations” said one Facebook user. Another person shared the same sentiments, “CONGRATULATIONS, YOU’RE LOOKING GOOD.” While a third user said, Farr looked great.

The Hall of Famer made another online appearance when he smiled alongside a fan on her Facebook post on March 19, 2023. One follower commented, “He still looks good!”

A month before, on February 26, 2023, Farr was pictured alongside another fan and his former co-star, Loretta Swit, who played Margaret Houlihan in “M*A*S*H.”

That same month, one other fan posted a snapshot posing with the Hollywood stars and described them as “classy and consummate professionals!”

Farr still has his winning smile and is still in the acting game. Amid the anniversary celebration of “M*A*S*H,” he was working in Atlanta. The Hollywood veteran starred in “Hondo” in 2020.

He met his beloved fans and signed autographs. The star shared stories with them about his successful career and his hometown, Toledo, Ohio.

In September 2018, Farr guest starred in the Fox sitcom “The Cool Kids” alongside fellow actors Leslie Jordan and Travis Schuldt. He played Dudley on the show.

Besides working, Farr revealed that he and his wife, Richards, go on walks together. The lovebirds who have been married for 60 years are proud parents and grandparents, too.

The couple’s children are reportedly both pursuing careers in the entertainment business. One of them made them happy grandparents. Farr and Richards have a grandson.

Farr once spoke frankly about mortality during a 2011 interview, saying that he was thinking about death more often now that he is growing older. “I do so enjoy life that I’d hate to leave it.”