JANET GAYNOR
BIRTH: October 6, 1905
DEATH: September 14, 1984
AGED: 77 years old
DIED FROM: Pneumonia as a result from a devastating car crash
REAL NAME: Laura Augusta Gainor
NICKNAME: Lolly
MARRIED: 3 times most notably Adrian ( 2nd marriage)
AFFAIRS: Charles Farrell, Tyrone Power and possibly, Margaret Lindsay and Mary Martin
CHILDREN: 1 child, with Adrian
OSCAR WINS: Won 1 Oscar but for 3 films, the first and only time this occurred- Sunrise, 7th Heaven and Street Angel
OSCAR NOMINATIONS: A Star Is Born
TALENT: Oil Painting, she loved this over acting.
KNOWN FOR: her diminutive size- maybe 5 ft. Her quiet strength against the studio system. Possibly gay or bi-sexual..who cares.
Janet is the very first recipient of the Oscar when she was only 22 years old. She was the youngest winner until Marlee Matlin won her Oscar in 1986. The year was 1929 and for the first, and only, time she won for 3 film roles. She was a huge star and one that easily adapted to sound films from the Silent era. This was a huge event because so many big stars lost everything when sound films took hold. Some, like Karl Dane, committed suicide and others, went into alcoholism, like John Gilbert and Marie Prévost. Janet, dammit! Made it! Her dad was one who saw her as something more than just his little girl and trained her in song and dance, acting etc.. when her parents, sadly, divorced, her step-dad took over the reins and they moved to Hollywood. Janet made such an impression on her first film that she went from an extra to a co-star and a star was born.
She was the sweetheart of America and was teamed with Charles Farrell in 11 films! People couldn’t get enough of these screen lovebirds which carried on offscreen. They had a passionate affair with their mutual friend, Douglas Fairbanks Jnr. Often leading reporters astray. Charles proposed marriage but they broke up instead and she quickly married a lawyer. That didn’t last and during the mid-30s, she was often seen with Margaret Lindsay, another big star of the 1930s. Now Margaret was known to lean towards the ladies so there has always been speculation that these 2 had an affair. Oddly, Janet had, what one calls, a lavender marriage with Gilbert Adrian. He was/is a celebrated costume designer and well known gay man but they had a son together and stayed married until his death in 1959. Her last marriage was also nice one and, also, apparently, a lavender marriage to her friend and stage Producer, Paul Gregory and remained together until her death. The biggest speculation of a lesbian affair was with her close friend Mary Martin (Larry Hagman’s mother). Mary was also a screen star and a big theatre star playing Peter Pan to perfection. Robert Cummings( another actor) famously quipped, “Janet Gaynor’s husband was Adrian but her wife was Mary Martin.” You know, this could be the case and why not! I just think about my deep friendship with my best friend and we love hanging out with each other and we both feel we are soul mates but I am not gay. If we were in the entertainment field, I bet there would be speculation.
Janet made great films, both silent and sound and, after 17 years, she decided to call it a day although she did show up in some tv spots including, yes, The Love Boat, but she truly enjoyed oil painting. She considered herself a painter first and acting done on the side. One of her final films she made was “A Star Is Born” and, although not her final film, this film was a high point in her career. Sadly, she had a difficult ending. Janet, her husband, Mary Martin and her manager were in a taxi when a van ran a red light, hitting the taxi ramming it into a tree. Mary’s manager died. Mary suffered 2 broken ribs and a broken pelvis. Janet’s husband suffered 2 broken legs but Mary suffered a fractured collarbone, 11 broken ribs, pelvic fractures, a punctured lung and bladder and injuries to her kidneys. She was in the hospital for months. The driver of the van, a former policeman, was charged with drunk driving and went to prison for…3 years. Janet never truly recovered from these injuries and died of pneumonia 2 years later.
She was effervescent, sweet but strong in such a small frame. I wish more people would know her but both “A Star Is Born” and the great F. W. Murnau film, “Sunrise” will keep her in peoples’ minds for many years to come.
FILMS
1. Sunrise-1927
2. A Star Is Born-1937
3. 7th Heaven-1927
4. Street Angel-1928
5. The Farmer Takes a Wife-1935
6. State Fair-1933
7. 4 Devils-1928
8. Daddy Long Legs-1931
9. Johnstown Flood-1926
10. Sunnyside Up-1929
One of her paintings
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