Janet Gaynor

One of the highest paid actress’ of the 1930's, Janet Gaynor was born on October 6, 1906, in Germantown, Philadelphia. Her father, Frank Gainer, was a theatrical painter, and he trained her how to sing, dance and paint during her childhood. In her later years, she mastered these theatrical arts. She used to act in plays at her school. As her parents divorced, Janet's mother, Laura, along with her children, moved to Chicago. Laura married an electrician and settled in San Francisco. Later, she graduated from San Francisco Pyrotechnic High School, and the entire family moved to Los Angeles. There, she went to Hollywood Secretarial School to pursue acting as her career. She had full cooperation and encouragement from the parents.

Janet Gaynor tried searching for a career in the land of the stars and studios, Los Angeles, and at first she did very minute, minor and extra roles. But soon, she appeared in mainstream acting. At the age of 20, she gave her best shot as Anna Burger in The Johnstown Flood. In the next few films, Janet Gaynor managed to climb the ladder of the best Hollywood actresses with her roles in The Blue Eagle, The Midnight Kiss, The Return of Peter, etc.

The Hollywood's transition to sound films from silent movies is taken as an advantage by Janet Gaynor. She was one of those few actresses who could manage to withstand the change. She had a very good voice that helped her contain in Hollywood. In the 1930's, Gaynor was one of the most successful actresses. In 1937, Janet Gaynor gave a grand performance as Vicki Lester in A Star Is Born. This movie is the magnum opus of her acting career, and she received the Best Actress Award nomination for the Academy Awards. Apart from that, she was the first winner of Academy Award for Best Actress for her role in The Heaven, Sunrise: A Song of Two Humans, and Street Angel.

Janet Gaynor's final appearance on the silver screen is in a Broadway version of Harold and Maude. Janet Gaynor died of pneumonia in 1984 in California. All through her life, she believed that things come to those who wait for them.