Fay Bainter

Fay Okell Bainter (December 7, 1893 – April 16, 1968) was an American film and stage actress. She won the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress for Jezebel and has a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. Other notable films include Make Way for Tomorrow (1937), Woman of the Year (1942), State Fair (1945), and The Children's Hour (1960)

Early life

Bainter was born in Los Angeles, California, the daughter of Charles F. Bainter and Mary Okell.

Career

Bainter made her first appearance on stage in 1908 in The County Chairman at Morosco's Burbank Theater, which was at 548-550 South Main Street, in Los Angeles, California. In 1910, she was a traveling stage actress. Her Broadway debut was in the role of Celine Marinter in The Rose of Panama (1912). P. G. Wodehouse, reviewing Turn to the Right in Vanity Fair in 1916, wrote, "Miss Bainter's advent from nowhere and her instant success form the season's biggest sensation." She appeared in a number of successful plays in New York, such as East Is West, The Willow Tree, and Dodsworth. In 1926, she appeared with Walter Abel in a Broadway production of Channing Pollock's The Enemy. MGM persuaded her to try films and her movie debut was in This Side of Heaven (February 1934). Also in 1934, she appeared in Dodsworth on Broadway and in the film It Happened One Day. Bainter quickly achieved success in the movies, and in 1939, she became the first performer to receive two Oscar nominations in the same year, contending for both Best Actress for White Banners (1938) and Best Supporting Actress for Jezebel (1938), winning for the latter. In 1940, she played Mrs. Gibbs in the film production of the Thornton Wilder play Our Town. In 1945, she played Melissa Frake in the Rodgers and Hammerstein musical State Fair. She was again nominated for Best Supporting Actress for her role in The Children's Hour (1961).

Bainter has a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame at 7021 Hollywood Boulevard in Los Angeles, California.

Personal life Fay Bainter and Reginald Venable were married on June 8, 1921, in Riverside, California. The couple had one son, Reginald Venable Jr., who became an actor.

Bainter was the aunt of actress Dorothy Burgess.

Bainter and Venable are interred at Arlington National Cemetery.

Filmography + Films Year Title Role Notes 1934 This Side of Heaven Francene Turner 1937 Quality Street Susan Throssel 1937 The Soldier and the Lady Strogoff's Mother 1937 Make Way for Tomorrow Anita Cooper 1938 White Banners Hannah Parmalee Nominated – Academy Award for Best Actress 1938 Jezebel Aunt Belle Massey Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress 1938 Mother Carey's Chickens Mrs. Margaret Carey 1938 The Arkansas Traveler Mrs. Martha Allen 1938 Hannah Linden 1939 Yes, My Darling Daughter Ann "Annie" Murray 1939 The Lady and the Mob Hattie Leonard 1939 Daughters Courageous Nancy "Nan" Masters 1939 Our Neighbors – The Carters Ellen Carter 1940 Young Tom Edison Mrs. Samuel (Nancy) Edison 1940 Our Town Mrs. Julia Hersey Gibbs 1940 Margaret "Meg" Fairfield 1940 Maryland Charlotte Danfield 1941 Babes on Broadway Miss "Jonesy" Jones 1942 Woman of the Year Ellen Whitcomb 1942 Stella Hadley 1942 Journey for Margaret Trudy Strauss 1942 Mrs. Wiggs of the Cabbage Patch Mrs. Elvira Wiggs 1943 Mrs. Macauley 1943 Presenting Lily Mars Mrs. Thornway 1943 Salute to the Marines Jennie Bailey 1943 Cry 'Havoc' Captain Alice Marsh 1944 Margaret Sibyll 1944 Dark Waters Aunt Emily 1944 Three Is a Family Frances Whittaker 1945 State Fair Melissa Frake 1946 Mrs. E. Winthrop LeMoyne 1946 Mrs. Taylor 1947 Deep Valley Ellie Saul 1947 Mrs. Eunice Mitty 1948 Give My Regards to Broadway Fay Norwick 1948 June Bride Paula Winthrop 1951 Close to My Heart Mrs. Morrow 1953 Mrs. Donaldson 1961 Mrs. Amelia Tilford Laurel Award for Top Female Supporting Performance (2nd place)Nominated – Academy Award for Best Supporting ActressNominated – Golden Globe Award for Best Supporting Actress – Motion Picture

Radio appearances Year Program Episode/source 1946 Suspense 180/"The Lucky Lady" 1952 Theatre Guild on the Air "The Search"