Janet Gaynor was born Laura Gainor on October 6, 1906, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. When she was a child her parents moved the family to San Francisco, California, where she graduated from high school in 1923. She then moved to Los Angeles where she enrolled in a secretarial school. She got a job at a shoe store for the princely sum of $18 per week. However, since L.A. was the land of stars and studios, she wanted to try her hand at acting. She managed to land unbilled bit parts in several feature films and comedy shorts. She did this for two years but it never really bothered her, as she believed in the old saying goes, "All good things come to those who wait." She didn't have to wait too long, either. In 1926, at the age of 20, she was cast as the leading lady in The Johnstown Flood. She turned in a superb performance as Anna Burger. The Hollywood moguls knew they had a top star on their hands and cast her in several other leading roles that year, such as The Shamrock Handicap, The Blue Eagle, The Midnight Kiss and The Return of Peter Grimm. The next year was a good one for her, as she turned in acclaimed performances in two classic films, Seventh Heaven and Sunrise: A Song of Two Humans. Based on the strength of those two films plus Street Angel, Janet received the very first Academy Award for Best Actress (this was the first and only time an actress won the Oscar for multiple roles. Emil Jannings won for Best Actor in for The Way of All Flesh and The Last Command, also the only time this has happened). When the "talkies" replaces silent films, Janet was one of the few who made a successful transition, not only because of her great acting ability but her charming voice sounded good. Without a doubt, Janet had already lived a true rags-to-riches story. All through the middle 1930s she was the top draw at the theaters. She turned in grand performances in several otherwise undistinguished films. Then came A Star Is Born. She was very convincing as Vicki Lester (aka Esther Blodgett), struggling actress trying for the big time. In one scene her character heads to Central Casting to try to register as a bit player. The receptionist tells her that many women call to get jobs and takes her to the switchboard where she hears the many operators tell callers to try again later. As they leave the receptionist tries to gently discourage her by saying, "You know what your chances are? One in a hundred thousand." To which Esther/Vicki replies, "But maybe--I'm that one." Of course Esther/Vicki does make it big after taking the hard road, something that Janet didn't have to do in real life. For this outstanding performance she was nominated for another Oscar, but it was won by Luise Rainer for The Good Earth, her second in as many tries. After appearing in The Young in Heart, Janet didn't appear in another film until 1957's Bernardine. She knew when it was time to leave, keeping her legacy sparkling. Her last work was on Broadway in "Harold and Maude". Although the play was a flop, it was Janet's performance that salvaged it to any degree. She still had what it took to entertain the public. On September 14, 1984, Janet passed away from pneumonia in Palm Springs, California, at the age of 77.
Son Robin Gaynor Adrian was born in 1940. In September, 1982, Ms. Gaynor, who was 75, was seriously injured in a San Francisco taxi cab accident which also injured her husband, executive producer Paul Gregory, and actress Mary Martin, and killed Martin's agent, Ben Washer. Gaynor suffered 11 broken ribs, a ruptured bladder, a broken collar bone, a bleeding kidney, and multiple pelvic fractures. She was to endure a number of operations in the next year and progressively grew weaker until her death in 1984. Till 1986 she was the youngest leading actress awarded with Oscar Interred at Hollywood Memorial Cemetery (now called Hollywood Forever), Hollywood, California, USA, Section B, east side of lake. She was injured in an auto accident along with Mary Martin in 1982. She never recovered. Measurements: 31 1/2-24 1/2-30 (Source: Celebrity Sleuth magazine) She was the first actress to win the Academy Award as Best Actress. Back then, actors received one Oscar for several films. Gaynor won for Sunrise: A Song of Two Humans, Seventh Heaven and Street Angel.