Fateful Facts About Janet Gaynor, The Hollywood Survivor
Academy Award-winning actress Janet Gaynor was a survivor. She survived a rocky childhood and she survived the transition from the silent films to the talkies. She even survived a couple of fake marriages. And, she was the first to star in A Star Is Born and survived being compared to heavy hitters like Judy Garland, Barbra Streisand, and Lady Gaga who came after her. Sadly, it took just one fateful ride for her luck to turn against her. Let’s roll out the facts, and see this story from its humble beginning to its tragic end.
1. She Got Trained
Janet Gaynor had a different name when she was born on October 6, 1906, it was Laura Augusta Gainor. Her father worked in the theater as a painter and paperhanger while her mother was a stay-at-home mom.
Dad must have loved the theater because as soon as Gaynor was old enough, he started to train her. He taught her how to sing, dance, and even do acrobatics. Gaynor took what dad had taught her and acted in school plays.
Gaynor’s life with her dad seems idyllic, but it wasn’t long before it came to an abrupt end.
2. It Was Over
The Gaynor family was living in Philadelphia and Janet was getting all kinds of theater training from her father—but all that was about to come to a brutal end. In 1914, Gaynor’s parents gave her the terrible news: they were getting a divorce. Gaynor’s mother packed up Gaynor and her sister and moved to Chicago. Her free acting lessons were a thing of the past—and then the world piled insult on top of injury.
3. Her Hopes Were Dashed
Not only was Janet Gaynor no longer getting theater lessons from her father, her mother decided to get remarried. Maybe Mrs.
Gaynor had had it with theater people because her next husband didn’t have an artistic job at all: Harry C Jones was an electrician.
It seemed that Gaynor’s hopes of being a performer were over—but then an unlikely glimmer of hope shone through.
4. He Believed In Her
Gaynor’s new father may have been an electrician, but he did think that Gaynor should get a chance at show business.
After a few moves through the US, her mom and stepdad made a decision: they were moving the family to Los Angeles so Gaynor could give acting in films a try.
This was a lot of pressure to put on a young woman—now she had to deliver.
