Jamie Farr explained how his faith ultimately helped him keep pushing in order to fulfill one of his life’s greatest desires, marrying his wife. And how a Christian saint became the best man at his wedding.
According to sources, after serving a tour in Japan and Korea Farr returned to America where his peers had surpassed him without a second thought. Joy Richards, Farr’s future wife, was one of his most steadfast supporters at the time when Farr was struggling.
Later Farr would write an article for Guide Posts where he outline his struggles with failing as an actor while believing it was God’s plan for him. Farr included his relationship with Richards in the letter in a tender excerpt.
“About the only thing I had going for me was Joy, my fiancée. But I couldn’t even buy her an engagement ring. All I had was an ancient rusted Renault. At least I could drive Joy to her job as a bookkeeper/receptionist,” he wrote.
Farr also included a reflection on the role that would soon change his life for the better. “Then I heard the exciting news. A major studio would soon produce a film on the life of Jesus called The Greatest Story Ever Told. George Stevens, a famous director, would produce it,” he wrote. Later going on to detail how he auditioned and after hearing bad news he prayed to Saint Jude.
In a strange twist of events, Farr’s agent would call him back and tell him that he had been cast to play a character in the movie after all. After asking for a sign, he learned that his character was actually very saint he had prayed to.
He wrote at the end of his letter, “Joy and I were married while we were making the movie. All 12 apostles in the film, along with Max Von Sydow who played Jesus Christ, were there with us at the ceremony. Around the church were paintings of Jesus’ apostles. I looked up and spotted Saint Jude. I like to think that he was my best man.”
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