Fay Bainter's career began as a child performer in 1898. For some time, she was a member of the traveling cast of the Morosco Stock Company in Los Angeles. In 1912, she made her Broadway debut in 'The Rose of Panama', but this and her subsequent play 'The Bridal Path' (1913), were conspicuous failures. She continued in stock and, after forming an ...
December 7, 1893, Los Angeles, California, United States
Died
April 16, 1968, Los Angeles, California, United States
Place Of Birth
Los Angeles, California, USA
Height
5' 5" (1.65 m)
Profession
Actress, Soundtrack
Spouse
Reginald Sidney Hugh Venable (m. 1921–1964)
Children
Richard Venable
Star Sign
Sagittarius
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Trademark
1
Her warm, slightly smoky voice
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Quote
1
[on wearing a black wig for her role as Ming Toy in the stage production of East is West] A disappointed blonde am I. And the dye runs and is ruining my hair.
2
Some of the young players that all that is required of them is learning lines and speaking them when their cue comes. They stand staring at you with vacant eyes, concentrating on what they have to say, instead of listening to and concentrating on what you are saying.
3
[on her early stage work with Minnie Maddern Fiske] I was only a raw girl, with no better sense than to ape Mrs. Fiske in everything she did.
4
[In 1938] There comes a day when the flush of youth disappears from every woman's face. Most women dread it. I did. Like so many things, however, it is worse in anticipation than actual fact.
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Fact
1
Was 3 months pregnant with her son Reginald when she completed her run of the Broadway play "The Lady Cristillinda".
2
Returned to work 5 months after giving birth to her son Reginald when she began performing in the Broadway play "The Other Rose".
3
Gave birth to her only child at age 29, a son Reginald S. Venable Jr. on July 23, 1923. Child's father was her husband, Reginald Venable Sr.
4
Her son Reginald died on June 27, 1974 in Los Angeles, California at age 50.
5
Daughter of Charles Frederick Bainter (1849-1928), born in Illinois, and Mary Okell (1850-1922), born in England.
She was awarded a Star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame at 7021 Hollywood Boulevard in Hollywood, California on February 8, 1960.
8
Biography in "Actresses of a Certain Character: Forty Familiar Hollywood Faces from the Thirties to the Fifties" by Axel Nissen.
9
Was the 12th actress to receive an Academy Award; she won the Best Supporting Actress Oscar for Jezebel (1938) at The 11th Academy Awards on February 23, 1939.
10
She became one of the few performers to be nominated for lead and supporting Oscars in the same year (for White Banners (1938) and Jezebel (1938)). She won for the latter.
11
Presented the very first African-American winner with the Oscar statuette when Hattie McDaniel won Best Supporting Actress for Gone with the Wind (1939) (February 29, 1940, Ambassador Hotel, Los Angeles).
12
Her husband Reginald Sydney Hugh Venable (1890-1964) was a lieutenant commander in the United States Navy.
13
She was pushed into acting by her mother. As a girl, she was on stage by age 6, and made her Broadway debut at age 18. Nothing came of it, so she went back to working in stock acting companies.
$6 Million
