Janet Gaynor

American actress

Also known as: Laura Gainor

Written by

The Information Architects of Encyclopaedia Britannica

Last updated

July 17, 2026

Quick Summary

Janet Gaynor, born Laura Augusta Gainor on October 6, 1906, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, was a pioneering American actress. She is celebrated for her significant contributions to early cinema, particularly during the silent film era. Gaynor was the recipient of the first Academy Award for Best Actress in 1929 for her roles in 7th Heaven (1927), Street Angel (1928), and Sunrise: A Song of Two Humans (1927). Her career spanned decades, with notable film appearances including A Star Is Born (1937) and The Young in Heart (1938). Gaynor passed away on September 14, 1984, in Palm Springs, California.1

Summary created from Britannica articles using AI. AI can make mistakes, so verify using Britannica articles.

3 Britannica Sources

Ask Britannica AI about this topic

Britannica doesn't have a full article on this topic, so we've curated a list of our relevant coverage.

Frank Borzage
Breakthrough and success at Fox
…saves a homeless woman (Janet Gaynor) from despair. At the first Academy Awards ceremony, it won for best actress, best screenplay adaptation, and best director of a dramatic picture. It was also nominated for best picture and best art direction.
Read More
…saves a homeless woman (Janet Gaynor) from despair. At the first Academy Awards ceremony, it won for best actress, best screenplay adaptation, and best director of a dramatic picture. It was also nominated for best picture and best art direction.
Read More

Henry King
Films of the 1930s
…Will Rogers, Lew Ayres, and Janet Gaynor. A critical and commercial success, the film offered a sentimental look at American life, a theme King explored in many of his later productions. In 1934 he directed Spencer Tracy in Marie Galante, a popular thriller about a plot to blow up the…
Read More
…Will Rogers, Lew Ayres, and Janet Gaynor. A critical and commercial success, the film offered a sentimental look at American life, a theme King explored in many of his later productions. In 1934 he directed Spencer Tracy in Marie Galante, a popular thriller about a plot to blow up the…
Read More