Horror News and Commentary

"Baby Jane" Author Dead at 85

Sorry to be a tad late on reporting the death of "What Ever Happened to Baby Jane" author Henry Farrell. He died March 29 at the age of 85. The New York Times makes the usual mistake of pooh-poohing the films "Baby Jane" and "Hush ... Hush, Sweet Charlotte," both of which were based on Farrell's fiction. But they make up for it with one fell swoop of a quote ...

According to Mitch Douglas, Farrell's press agent at the time, both Bette Davis and Joan Crawford were attracted to "Baby Jane" because of the novel, but also for the opportunity to co-star. Though it smacks of the apocryphal, Douglas claimed that each actress said the very same thing of the other: "I'll wipe the floor with her." Not too difficult to imagine, considering their characters' relationship in the film.

Farrell's most recent novel is a little number called "A Piece of Clarisse," in which female body parts start showing up in someone's mailbox.--Pete Mesling

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Posted by Pete on April 10, 2006 12:12 PM
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