[1][2][3] Farrell was known for his onscreen romances with actress Janet Gaynor in more than a dozen films, including 7th Heaven, Street Angel, and Lucky Star.

[8][9][10][11] Farrell's father variously owned restaurants, a drug store, and several movie theaters, including one in Onset and at Revere Beach.

[10][6][11] Farrell began his career as an extra and bit player for Paramount Pictures in films such as The Hunchback of Notre Dame, The Ten Commandments, and The Cheat.

[4][1][11] While his initial years in the talkies were not much of an issue, Farrell's "Boston Brahmin"[1] eventually fell out of favor with Fox and he was offered a number of roles he refused, as he felt they were beneath him.

"[17] Farrell married Virginia Valli, a former silent film star, on February 1, 1931, in Yonkers, New York[3][12][7][18] and the couple settled in Palm Springs.

[14] She died from a stroke on September 24, 1968,[19][3] after which, according to historian Stephen O'Brien, he became increasingly reclusive until his death from heart failure on May 6, 1990, in Palm Springs.