Fay Bainter Career Summary:
Research in progress: Aug 25, 2025
My Oscar Book:
Occupational inheritance: No; her son was an actor
Social Class:
Birth: Los Angeles
Education: Child performer
Stage debut: 1908; age 15
Broadway debut: 1912; age 19
Film debut: This Side of Heaven, 1934; age 41
Oscar awards: 1, Supporting Actress, Jezebel 1938; age 45
Oscar nominations: 3 Oscar nominations (1 lead, 2 supporting)
Screen Image: Typecast–understanding mother, sympathetic matron
Other awards:
Career span: 23 years (1934-1961)
Last film: Children’s Hour, 1961; age 68
Death: 1968; age 74
Fay Bainter was born Born December 7, 1892 in Los Angeles, California, the daughter of Charles F. Bainter and Mary Okell.
In 1910, she was a traveling stage actress.
She made her first appearance on stage in 1908 in “The County Chairman” at Morosco’s Theater in Burbank, California and her Broadway debut was in the role of Celine Marinter in “The Rose of Panama” in 1912.
She appeared in a number of successful plays in New York like East Is West, The Willow Tree, and Dodsworth.
In 1926, she appeared with Walter Abel in Broadway production of Channing Pollock’s “The Enemy.”
Her movie debut was in “This Side of Heaven” in 1934, the same year she appeared in the play “Dodsworth” on Broadway, and in the film “It Happened One Day.”
Best Actress and Best Supporting Actress in Same Year
Bainter quickly achieved success, and in 1938 she became the first performer nominated in the same year for both the Best Actress for White Banners, and Best Supporting Actress for Jezebel, winning for the latter.
Since then, only nine other actors have won dual nominations in the same year.
In 1940, she played Mrs. Gibbs in the film version of Thornton Wilder’s play “Our Town.”
In 1945, she played Melissa Frake in the Rodgers and Hammerstein musical “State Fair.”
In 1962, Fay appeared as a guest star on “The Donna Reed Show.”
Bainter first appeared in stock at the age of five. She made her Broadway debut in 1912.
In 1934, she appeared in her first film, This Side of Heaven.
In 1938, she was nominated for Academy Awards as both best actress (for White Banners) and best supporting actress (for Jezebel) and won in the latter category.
She was nominated again as best supporting actress for The Children’s Hour (1962), her last and grimmest role.
Screen Image:
Bainter was usually cast as an understanding mother or a sympathetic matron.
Oscar Alert
In 1938, Bainter competed for the Best Actress Oscar with Bette Davis (who won) in “Jezebel,” Wendy Hiller in “Pygmalion,” Norma Shearer in “Marie Antoinette,” and Margaret Sullavan in “Three Comrades.”
In 1962, Bainter vied for the Supporting Actress with Patty Duke (who won) in “The Miracle Worker,” Mary Badham in “To Kill a Mockingbird,” Shirley Knight in “Sweet Bird of Youth,” Angela Lansbury in “The Manchurian Candidate,” and Thelma Ritter in “Birdman of Alcatraz.”
Fay Bainter and Reginald Venable married on June 8, 1921 in Riverside, California.
The couple had one son, Reginald Venable Jr. (1926–1974), who became an actor.
Bainter was the aunt of actress Dorothy Burgess.
She died in Los Angeles on April 16, 1968; age 74.
Filmography
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 Best Actress
1938 Jezebel Aunt Belle Massey, Winner Best Supporting Actress
1938 Mother Carey’s Chickens Mrs. Margaret Carey
1938 The Arkansas Traveler Mrs. Martha Allen
1938 The Shining Hour 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 A Bill of Divorcement Margaret “Meg” Fairfield
1940 Maryland Charlotte Danfield
1941 Babes on Broadway Miss “Jonesy” Jones
1942 Woman of the Year Ellen Whitcomb
1942 The War Against Mrs. Hadley Stella Hadley
1942 Journey for Margaret, Trudy Strauss
1942 Mrs. Wiggs of the Cabbage Patch Mrs. Elvira Wiggs
1943 The Human Comedy Mrs. Macauley
1943 Presenting Lily Mars, Mrs. Thornway
1943 Salute to the Marines Jennie Bailey
1943 Cry Havoc, Captain Alice Marsh
1944 The Heavenly Body, Margaret Sibyll
1944 Dark Waters, Aunt Emily
1944 Three Is a Family, Frances Whittaker
1945 State Fair, Melissa Frake
1946 The Kid from Brooklyn, Mrs. E. Winthrop LeMoyne
1946 The Virginian Mrs. Taylor
1947 Deep Valley Ellie Saul
1947 The Secret Life of Walter Mitty Mrs. Eunice Mitty
1948 Give My Regards to Broadway Fay Norwick
1948 June Bride, Paula Winthrop
1951 Close to My Heart Mrs. Morrow
1953 The President’s Lady, Mrs. Donaldson
1961 The Children’s Hour, Mrs. Amelia Tilford
Nominated – Best Supporting Actress
Radio appearances
Year Program Episode/source
1946 Suspense 180/”The Lucky Lady”
1952 Theatre Guild on the Air “The Search”
