Janet Gaynor
- Known For
- Acting
- Born
- October 6, 1906 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
- Died
- September 14, 1984
- Active Years
- 1924–2013 (90 Years)
- Total Credits
- 74 credits in database
Biography
Janet Gaynor was an American actress and painter born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, on October 6, 1906, and she died on September 14, 1984, at the age of seventy-seven. She was one of the most popular actresses of the silent film era and became the first winner of the Academy Award for Best Actress in 1928 for her performances in Seventh Heaven in 1927, Sunrise: A Song of Two Humans in 1927, and Street Angel in 1928. This remains the only occasion on which an actress has won for multiple roles, as the rule was changed three years later by AMPAS. Her career continued with the advent of sound film, and she achieved notable success in the original version of A Star Is Born in 1937, though she worked only sporadically after the late 1930s.
Career overview
Janet Gaynor was an American actress and painter born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, on October 6, 1906. She was one of the most popular actresses of the silent film era and had seventy-five known credits in acting. In 1928, she became the first winner of the Academy Award for Best Actress. This award recognized her performances in three films, which were Seventh Heaven released in 1927, Sunrise: A Song of Two Humans released in 1927, and Street Angel released in 1928. This remains the only occasion on which an actress has won the award for multiple roles, as the rule was changed three years later by AMPAS.
Her career continued with the advent of sound film, and she achieved notable success in the original version of A Star Is Born in 1937. Other notable appearances in her filmography include Lucky Star in 1929, where she starred alongside Charles Farrell. Following the late 1930s, she worked only sporadically. She passed away on September 14, 1984, at the age of seventy-seven.
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Frequent co-stars
Career timeline
Full Filmography
74 titles- Classic Movie Bloopers: Uncensored (2013) as Self (archive footage)
- Yesteryear (1982) as Self
- The Love Boat (1977) as Violet Hooper
- Hooray for Hollywood (1976) as Self (archive footage)
- Brother, Can You Spare a Dime? (1975) as Self (archive footage)
- Brasileiros em Hollywood (1970) as Self (archive footage)
- Hollywood: The Selznick Years (1961) as Self (uncredited)
- Hedda Hopper's Hollywood (1960) as Self
- Bernardine (1957) as Mrs. Ruth Wilson
- The Oscars (1953) as Self
- General Electric Theater (1953) as Martha Allen
- Lux Video Theatre (1950) as Eleanor
- Cavalcade of the Academy Awards (1940) as Self (archive footage)
- Three Loves Has Nancy (1938) as Nancy Briggs
- The Young in Heart (1938) as George-Anne Carleton
- A Star Is Born (1937) as Esther Blodgett
- Small Town Girl (1936) as Katherine 'Kay' Brannan
- Ladies in Love (1936) as Martha Karenye
- The Farmer Takes a Wife (1935) as Molly Larkins
- One More Spring (1935) as Elizabeth Cheney
- Carolina (1934) as Joanna Tate
- Change of Heart (1934) as Catherine Furness
- Servants' Entrance (1934) as Hedda Nilsson aka Helga Brand
- State Fair (1933) as Margy Frake
- Paddy the Next Best Thing (1933) as Paddy Adair
- Adorable (1933) as Marie Christine "Mitzi"
- Tess of the Storm Country (1932) as Tess Howland
- The First Year (1932) as Grace Livingston
- Merely Mary Ann (1931) as Mary Ann
- The Man Who Came Back (1931) as Angie Randolph
- Delicious (1931) as Heather Gordon
- Daddy Long Legs (1931) as Judy Abbott
- High Society Blues (1930) as Eleanor Divine
- Happy Days (1929) as Janet Gaynor
- Lucky Star (1929) as Mary Tucker
- Christina (1929) as Christina
- Sunny Side Up (1929) as Molly Carr
- Street Angel (1928) as Angela
- 4 Devils (1928) as Marion
- Sunrise: A Song of Two Humans (1927) as The Wife (Indre)
- 7th Heaven (1927) as Diane
- Two Girls Wanted (1927) as Marianna Wright
- With Love and Hisses (1927) as Extra
- The Horse Trader (1927) as (uncredited)
- The Johnstown Flood (1926) as Anna Burger
- Martin of the Mounted (1926) as (uncredited)
- The Stolen Ranch (1926) as Extra
- The Man in the Saddle (1926) as Doubtful (uncredited)
- The Blue Eagle (1926) as Rose Kelly
- The Gunless Bad Man (1926) as Gertrude Dowell
- Skinner's Dress Suit (1926) as Party Guest (Uncredited)
- The Shamrock Handicap (1926) as Lady Sheila O'Hara
- 45 Minutes from Hollywood (1926) as Hotel Guest (uncredited)
- Lazy Lightning (1926) as (uncredited)
- The Galloping Cowboy (1926) as Extra (uncredited)
- Don't Shoot (1926) as Girl
- A Punch in the Nose (1926) as Bathing Beauty (uncredited)
- The Midnight Kiss (1926) as Mildred Hastings
- Oh! What a Nurse! (1926) as (uncredited)
- The Return of Peter Grimm (1926) as Catherine
- The Beautiful Cheat (1926) as Extra
- Fade Away Foster (1926) as (uncredited)
- Ridin' for Love (1926) as Girl
- Ben-Hur: A Tale of the Christ (1925) as Slave Girl (uncredited)
- The Plastic Age (1925) as Co-ed (uncredited)
- The Teaser (1925) as (uncredited)
- The Burning Trail (1925) as (uncredited)
- The Haunted Honeymoon (1925) as (uncredited)
- Dangerous Innocence (1925) as (uncredited)
- The Crook Buster (1925) as (uncredited)
- Flaming Flappers (1925) as One of the Co-Eds (uncredited)
- Cupid's Rustler (1924) as (uncredited)
- All Wet (1924) as Extra (uncredited)
- Young Ideas (1924) as (uncredited)
Frequently Asked Questions
What movies or TV shows is Janet Gaynor best known for?
Janet Gaynor is widely recognized for notable roles and projects including The Love Boat (1977), Hooray for Hollywood (1976), Hollywood: The Selznick Years (1961), The Oscars (1953).
When and where was Janet Gaynor born?
Janet Gaynor was born on October 6, 1906 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA. They passed away on September 14, 1984.
How many credits does Janet Gaynor have?
Janet Gaynor has accumulated over 74 film and television credits across a career spanning from 1924 to 2013.
What is Janet Gaynor's background in cinema and television?
Janet Gaynor was an American actress and painter born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, on October 6, 1906, and she died on September 14, 1984, at the age of seventy-seven. She was one of the most popular actresses of the silent film era and became the first winner of the Academy Award for Best Actress in 1928 for her per...
Janet Gaynor by the numbers
Age in their best-rated roles
- Hooray for Hollywood (1976) as Self (archive footage) — aged about 69
- Sunrise: A Song of Two Humans (1927) as The Wife (Indre) — aged about 20
- The Oscars (1953) as Self — aged about 46
- General Electric Theater (1953) as Martha Allen — aged about 46
- Lux Video Theatre (1950) as Eleanor — aged about 43
- The Young in Heart (1938) as George-Anne Carleton — aged about 31
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