Actor
Janet Gaynor
Born 6 October 1906 · Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA — died 14 September 1984
Janet Gaynor (1906–1984) was an American actress and one of the biggest stars of the late silent era. She won the first Academy Award for Best Actress, honoured for three films. She successfully moved into sound films and starred in the original A Star Is Born (1937).
Key films
7th Heaven (1927)
Romantic hit that made her a major star and formed part of her first Oscar win.
Sunrise: A Song of Two Humans (1927)On Cinespective
F. W. Murnau's acclaimed silent masterpiece, in which she gave one of her most celebrated performances.
Street Angel (1928)
Frank Borzage drama paired with her again with Charles Farrell; the third film cited for her Oscar.
State Fair (1933)
Popular sound-era hit showing she could succeed beyond the silent period.
A Star Is Born (1937)
Her best-known sound-era role, in the original Technicolor version of the Hollywood story.
Key awards
- 1929 Academy Award for Best Actress (first winner; for 7th Heaven, Sunrise and Street Angel)
- 1938 Academy Award nomination for Best Actress (A Star Is Born)
On Cinespective
Full filmography · 69
- 1924All Wet · as Extra (uncredited)Actor
- 1924Cupid's Rustler · as (uncredited)Actor
- 1924Young Ideas · as (uncredited)Actor
- 1925Ben-Hur: A Tale of the Christ · as Slave Girl (uncredited)Actor
- 1925The Plastic Age · as Co-ed (uncredited)Actor
- 1925The Teaser · as (uncredited)Actor
- 1925Dangerous Innocence · as (uncredited)Actor
- 1925The Burning Trail · as (uncredited)Actor
- 1925Flaming Flappers · as One of the Co-Eds (uncredited)Actor
- 1925The Crook Buster · as (uncredited)Actor
- 1925The Haunted Honeymoon · as (uncredited)Actor
- 192645 Minutes from Hollywood · as Hotel Guest (uncredited)Actor
- 1926The Johnstown Flood · as Anna BurgerActor
- 1926The Blue Eagle · as Rose KellyActor
- 1926The Shamrock Handicap · as Lady Sheila O'HaraActor
- 1926The Stolen Ranch · as ExtraActor
- 1926Skinner's Dress Suit · as Party Guest (Uncredited)Actor
- 1926Oh! What a Nurse! · as (uncredited)Actor
- 1926The Return of Peter Grimm · as CatherineActor
- 1926The Beautiful Cheat · as ExtraActor
- 1926The Man in the Saddle · as Doubtful (uncredited)Actor
- 1926Ridin' for Love · as GirlActor
- 1926The Galloping Cowboy · as Extra (uncredited)Actor
- 1926Fade Away Foster · as (uncredited)Actor
- 1926Don't Shoot · as GirlActor
- 1926The Gunless Bad Man · as Gertrude DowellActor
- 1926The Midnight Kiss · as Mildred HastingsActor
- 1926Martin of the Mounted · as (uncredited)Actor
- 1926A Punch in the Nose · as Bathing Beauty (uncredited)Actor
- 1926Lazy Lightning · as (uncredited)Actor
- 1927Sunrise: A Song of Two Humans · as The Wife (Indre)Actor
- 19277th Heaven · as DianeActor
- 1927With Love and Hisses · as ExtraActor
- 1927Two Girls Wanted · as Marianna WrightActor
- 1927The Horse Trader · as (uncredited)Actor
- 1928Street Angel · as AngelaActor
- 19284 Devils · as MarionActor
- 1929Lucky Star · as Mary TuckerActor
- 1929Sunny Side Up · as Molly CarrActor
- 1929Happy Days · as Janet GaynorActor
- 1929Christina · as ChristinaActor
- 1930High Society Blues · as Eleanor DivineActor
- 1931The Man Who Came Back · as Angie RandolphActor
- 1931Delicious · as Heather GordonActor
- 1931Daddy Long Legs · as Judy AbbottActor
- 1931Merely Mary Ann · as Mary AnnActor
- 1932Tess of the Storm Country · as Tess HowlandActor
- 1932The First Year · as Grace LivingstonActor
- 1933State Fair · as Margy FrakeActor
- 1933Adorable · as Marie Christine "Mitzi"Actor
- 1933Paddy the Next Best Thing · as Paddy AdairActor
- 1934Change of Heart · as Catherine FurnessActor
- 1934Carolina · as Joanna TateActor
- 1934Servants' Entrance · as Hedda Nilsson aka Helga BrandActor
- 1935The Farmer Takes a Wife · as Molly LarkinsActor
- 1935One More Spring · as Elizabeth CheneyActor
- 1936Small Town Girl · as Katherine 'Kay' BrannanActor
- 1936Ladies in Love · as Martha KarenyeActor
- 1937A Star Is Born · as Esther BlodgettActor
- 1938The Young in Heart · as George-Anne CarletonActor
- 1938Three Loves Has Nancy · as Nancy BriggsActor
- 1940Cavalcade of the Academy Awards · as Self (archive footage)Actor
- 1957Bernardine · as Mrs. Ruth WilsonActor
- 1960Hedda Hopper's Hollywood · as SelfActor
- 1961Hollywood: The Selznick Years · as Self (uncredited)Actor
- 1970Brasileiros em Hollywood · as Self (archive footage)Actor
- 1975Brother, Can You Spare a Dime? · as Self (archive footage)Actor
- 1976Hooray for Hollywood · as Self (archive footage)Actor
- 2013Classic Movie Bloopers: Uncensored · as Self (archive footage)Actor
Filmography data from TMDB. The profile text is a draft written for Cinespective.