Janet Gaynor was an American actress and painter. One of the most popular actresses of the silent film era, in 1928 Gaynor became the first winner of the Academy Award for Best Actress for her performances in three films: Seventh Heaven , Sunrise: A Song of Two Humans and Street Angel . This was the only occasion on which an actress has won for successive film roles. This rule would be changed three years later by AMPAS. Her career as the primary actress of Fox Studios continued with the advent of sound film, and she achieved a notable success in the original version of A Star Is Born . She... chose to work only occasionally after her marriage to film costume designer Adrian in 1939. She was severely injured in a 1982 vehicle collision, which contributed to her death two years later. Born Laura Augusta Gainor in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, her family moved west to San Francisco during her childhood. When she graduated from high school in 1923, Gaynor decided to pursue an acting career. She moved to Los Angeles, where she supported herself working in a shoe store, receiving $18 per week .
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| Birthdate: | October 6, 1906 |
| Birthplace: | Philadelphia, Pennsylvania |
| Date of death: | September 14, 1984 |
| Height: | 5' 0" |
| Also known as: | Laura Augusta Gainor, Janet Gaynor, `Lolly` |