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
Talu (1929) in the role
of "Yukon Lucy." She had a part in
The Marx Brothers film
Skandal in der Oper (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.
