Biography in: "The Scribner Encyclopedia of American Lives". Volume One, 1981-1985, pages 313-315. New York: Charles Scribner's Sons, 1998.
In September 1982, Ms. Gaynor, who was 75, was seriously injured in a San Francisco taxi cab accident which also injured her husband, executive producer Paul Gregory, and actress Mary Martin. The accident proved fatal for Martin's agent, Ben Washer. Gaynor suffered 11 broken ribs, a ruptured bladder, a broken collar bone, a bleeding kidney, and multiple pelvic fractures. She was to endure a number of operations in the next year and grew weaker until her death in 1984.
Interred at Hollywood Memorial Cemetery (now called Hollywood Forever), Hollywood, California, USA, Section B, east side of lake.
Measurements: 31 1/2-24 1/2-30 (Source: Celebrity Sleuth magazine)
She was the first actress to win the Academy Award as best actress. In the early years, actors could receive one Oscar for several films. Gaynor won for Sunrise (1927), 7th Heaven (1927) and Street Angel (1928).
Son Robin Gaynor Adrian was born in 1940.
Until 1986, she was the youngest leading actress to be awarded an Oscar.