Winner of the Academy Award for Best Actress for three films in 1927-28, Seventh Heaven, Sunrise, and Street Angel, Janet Gaynor may be better known for her roles as the endearing orphan, Judy Abbott, in Daddy Long Legs (1931) and the small town girl-turned actress, Esther Blodgett, in A Star Is Born (1937). Her entire acting career is presented here, from bit parts in 1924 to a final appearance on ABC-TV's Love Boat in 1981. The opening biography assesses her lifework, which is then documented in separate chapters on her work in film, radio, stage, and television. The biography further details her recognition as a talented painter, her many philanthropic activities, and her interests in travel, food, and fashion. An extensive bibliography includes critical studies and reviews and reveals her immense popularity in fan magazines, particularly of the 1920s and 1930s. Interesting photographs--some rare--illustrate her versatile career.

Since her film debut in 1930, Maureen O'Sullivan has consistently proven herself to be one of the most talented and versatile performers in the entertainment media. Her career has spanned 60 years, over which time she has appeared on stage and screen, on television and radio, and has even been a published author of a few short stories. This bio-bibliography explores every facet of O'Sullivan's distinguished career and illustrates the surprising depth and range that she exhibited and still continues to display in her fascinating career. Billips traces the entirety of the actress's professional life, from her film career at Fox in Song O' My Heart in 1930, including her six other films for the Fox studio, to her piece for RKO and Patrician/UA, to her portrayal of Jane in the Tarzan films of the early 1930s to her most recent appearance in 1987's Stranded, revealing an enormous talent. O'Sullivan's contributions to the performing arts have yet to be fully appreciated. Through separate chapters, focusing on different aspects of O'Sullivan's life, the book provides an impressive picture of the actress's multifaceted career. The biographical section primarily discusses her films and the characters she portrayed, while a career chronology offers an overview of her entire professional life, with credits in the various media serving to illustrate her constant activities. Four separate chapters chronicle O'Sullivan's film, radio, television, and stage appearances, with full cast and credits included for each entry, and cross references incorporated to lead the reader to other pertinent material in the book. A bibliographic section follows with film reviews, theater reviews, books and articles, and fan magazine stories each given their own chapters. An appendix reproduces in their entirety two short stories published by Maureen O'Sullivan in the Ladies' Home Journal, and an index concludes the work. This important reference tool will be a welcome resource for film fans and collectors and for courses in film history. It will also be a valuable addition to public, college, and university libraries.