Peggy Ann Garner (1932–1984) was an American actress who came to fame as a gifted child performer in the 1940s. Though her career was short, Garner captured hearts with her natural acting talent and charm.
Early Life
Garner was born on February 3, 1932 in Canton, Ohio to William H. Garner, an attorney, and Virginia Craig Garner. From a young age, Garner expressed interest in singing, dancing, and acting, dreaming of one day becoming a star in Hollywood.
Her parents recognized Garner’s talents and encouraged her to join a children’s civic theater company at age 7. Garner quickly moved into starring roles and received excellent reviews from audience members and local media.
Spotted by Talent Scouts
Word of Garner’s acting abilities spread, and talent scouts from several film studios contacted her parents, hoping to sign her to a contract. After auditioning for MGM in 1940, Garner and her mother embarked on a 3-month journey to Hollywood by train to begin her career when she was just 9 years old.
Big Break in Jane Eyre (1943)
Garner landed minor, uncredited roles in a few films before earning high praise playing the role of Helen Burns in the 1943 film adaptation of Charlotte Bronte’s Jane Eyre.
Though only a supporting character, Garner’s nuanced and emotional performance shone through. Critics singled her out as giving one of the best child acting displays of that era. Jane Eyre marked Garner’s transformation into a leading Hollywood child star.
Critical Acclaim
Garner’s breakout success in Jane Eyre earned her a special juvenile Oscar for “Outstanding Child Actress of 1943” – an honor rarely bestowed in the Academy Awards.
She won over Hollywood veterans Judy Garland and Margaret O’Brien for the trophy. At just 10 years old, Garner demonstrated a level of skill far exceeding her young age.
Child Star Hits Like A Tree Grows in Brooklyn (1945)
On the heels of her triumphant performance in Jane Eyre, Garner secured leading roles in several high-profile films targeted to American audiences during WWII.
Her reputation for both comedic and dramatic talents grew with each new picture.
A Tree Grows in Brooklyn Role
Perhaps Garner’s most iconic role came as “Francie Nolan” in the 1945 film A Tree Grows in Brooklyn. Garner was reportedly the first child actor specifically requested for a lead role by legendary Hollywood director Elia Kazan.
Her performance earned her a special Academy Award for Outstanding Child Actress – making Garner the only actress of any age to win two juvenile Oscar trophies.
Films Starring Peggy Ann Garner 1943-1950
| Film | Year | Role |
|---|---|---|
| Jane Eyre | 1943 | Helen Burns |
| Nob Hill | 1945 | Patricia O’Malley |
| A Tree Grows in Brooklyn | 1945 | Francie Nolan |
| Home Sweet Homicide | 1946 | Dinah Carstairs |
| The Enchanted Voyage | 1946 | Betsy Gay (voice) |
| The Secret Garden | 1949 | Martha Sowerby |
| Nancy Goes to Rio | 1950 | Donna Marie Merriweather |
Later Career and Life
Though Garner enjoyed immense fame as a young girl, her ascent as an adult actress proved more challenging. Like many child stars, Garner struggled to find her footing playing teenage roles.
After several minor films, Garner took roles on Broadway and on TV before retiring from acting in her early 20s. She later commented that the pressures of early stardom took a toll on her mental health.
Marriages and Motherhood
In 1951, 19-year old Garner married singer Bob Burnett. She had her only child, Lori O’Neal, in 1955. After divorcing Burnett, Garner left Hollywood for good and married Ken DuMain in 1967.
The couple operated an interior decorating business in New York until DuMain’s death in 1977.
Garner intentionally turned away from public life her entire adult life despite calls to return to acting. She passed away at age 52 from pancreatic cancer, her exceptional child acting legacy cemented in Hollywood’s memory.
What films made Peggy Ann Garner famous as a child actress?
Garner became famous for her gifted acting in several classic 1940s films she made between ages 10-15, most notably:
- Jane Eyre (1943) – Garner earned praised for her supporting role as Helen Burns. This film marked her transition into a leading child star.
- A Tree Grows in Brooklyn (1945) – Garner had her breakout lead role playing the bright, ambitious character Francie Nolan. Her performance won her a special juvenile Oscar.
- Nob Hill (1945), Home Sweet Homicide (1946), and Junior Miss (1945) – In these lighthearted movies, Garner proved her talents spanned serious drama as well as comedic romantic roles.
These three films capturing the imagination of millions, endearing Garner to audiences of all ages.
So while Garner acted from age 9 to 19, her standout roles in just a handful of 1940s films as a juvenile performer sealed her reputation as one of Hollywood’s biggest child star sensations.
Why did Peggy Ann Garner’s career decline after her early success?
Peggy Ann Garner’s fall from the height of Hollywood stardom followed a trajectory typical of many major child actors. After carrying films in starring roles through age 15, Garner struggled to make the transition into teenage and adult roles. Reasons for her stalled career include:
Typecasting
After becoming identified strongly with child roles like A Tree Grows in Brooklyn’s bright-eyed Francie Nolan, Garner felt typecast in scripts aimed at child audiences. As she entered her mid-teens, increasingly mature roles failed to materialize.
Few Juvenile-to-Adult Transitions
Very few child actors successfully navigate the transition into adult roles. Compounding casting challenges, Garner lacked strong studio backing to reposition her image away from childhood roles.
Mental Health Impacts
In interviews later in life, Garner admitted the intense pressures and busy schedule required of a leading child star took a serious toll on her mental health as she grew older. This likely eroded her motivation to pursue acting.
Early Retirement
Lacking appealing roles in her late teens, Garner retired from film by age 21. She started a family and ran an interior design business, only acting occasionally on stage and TV. Her interests lay elsewhere as she distanced herself from past fame.
So while Peggy Ann Garner’s talent and charisma propelled her into the spotlight early on, she later pursued fulfillment away from the unrelenting demands of Hollywood stardom. Yet her cinematic imprint on 1940s culture remains indelible.
What awards did Peggy Ann Garner win for acting?
Among classic Hollywood child stars, Peggy Ann Garner’s trophy case stood above the rest. Before turning 18 years old, Garner won the film industry’s highest honors recognizing the best in juvenile acting, including:
Academy Juvenile Award for Outstanding Child Actress
At age 10, Garner won her first “Special Oscar” from the Academy of Motion Pictures Arts and Sciences for her moving performance in 1943’s Jane Eyre. This made her the youngest recipient of the honor at that time.
In 1945, Garner won her second special Academy Award for Outstanding Child Actress following her star turn in A Tree Grows in Brooklyn as Francie Nolan. This feat made Garner the only actress of any age to receive two special juvenile Oscars from the Academy.
Critics Award for Best Child Actress
In 1944, Garner snagged the first ever Best Child Actress Award bestowed by the National Board of Review for her combined work on Jane Eyre, Nob Hill, and Junior Miss.
So while other young actresses earned their share of plaudits in Hollywood’s Golden Age, none collected accolades rivaling Garner for both quantity and prestige. Her trophies bore testament to the esteem held for both her natural ability and trailblazing performances.
Did Peggy Ann Garner make movies with other famous child stars?
Yes, while Peggy Ann Garner often played leading roles on her own, she acted alongside several other popular child actors of Hollywood’s Golden Age period in the 1940s.
Frequent young co-stars and friends of Garner included:
Classic Child Actors Starring with Peggy Ann Garner
| Co-Star | Shared Films |
|---|---|
| Jane Withers | Jane Eyre (1943) |
| Shirley Temple | Since You Went Away (1944) |
| Claude Jarman Jr. | The Green Years (1946) |
| Scotty Beckett | Home Sweet Homicide (1946) |
| Margaret O’Brien | Big City (1948) |
| Dean Stockwell | The Secret Garden (1949) |
Like most young actors, Garner also had several roles playing the on-screen daughter of full-fledged movie stars like Dorothy McGuire, Fred MacMurray, Monty Wooley, and Ray Milland.
Surrounded constantly by show business veterans as a girl, Garner held her own on talent and charm—no doubt relishing the chance to learn from seasoned performers during Hollywood’s classic era.
What was Peggy Ann Garner’s family and later life like?
Early Life in Ohio
Born in Canton, Ohio in 1932, Peggy Ann Garner was the only daughter of William & Virginia Garner. Her father William ran a successful legal practice.
The family enjoyed a comfortable, middle-class lifestyle during Garner’s childhood as her parents provided singing, dancing, and acting lessons to nurture her talents.
Marriages and Motherhood
Garner married musician Bob Burnett at age 19, though they divorced in 1953. In 1955 Garner gave birth to daughter Lori O’Neal, her only child.
She remarried in 1967 to Ken DuMain, an Army veteran and businessman, remaining with him until his death ten years later.
Life after Hollywood
After a second short-lived marriage in the late 1970s, Garner permanently retired from film acting aged just 21.
She rejected further opportunities to capitalize on her fame, preferring to focus her energy away from the screen.
Garner instead operated a successful interior design business with her husband Ken for many years in New York until his death from cancer.
In her final years Garner intentionally avoided public appearances, press interviews or event reunions with other Hollywood alumni—wishing to live out her life privately rather than as a relic of childhood stardom.
Who were Peggy Ann Garner’s parents and what did they do?
As the sole daughter of an established attorney father and strong-willed mother, Peggy Ann Garner enjoyed all the comforts of an upper middle-class upbringing in 1930s Canton, Ohio.
Father – William H. Garner
Peggy’s father William Garner practiced law in Canton for over 30 years. Prior to that he served as a U.S. Army captain in World War I.
Known as immensely bright yet soft-spoken, William utilized his professional expertise to guide Peggy’s early career contracts with film studios—ensuring she received fair pay and reasonable work expectations.
Mother – Virginia Craig Garner
Peggy’s mother Virginia Garner (maiden name Craig) possessed a more vivacious, creative spirit.
Virginia thirsted for fame and fortune from a young age. After winning multiple local beauty pageants in the 1920s, Virginia briefly worked as a model before starting a family.
When Peggy displayed a gift for singing and dancing as a young girl, Virginia actively sought opportunities to put her daughter in front of audiences. She even sewed custom performance costumes.
So while William offered behind-the-scenes stability, Virginia provided upfront nurturing of Peggy’s talents. Together the Garner parents strategically fostered their daughter’s meteoric success.
Was Peggy Ann Garner friends with any other Hollywood child actors?
Yes, Peggy Ann Garner developed several close friendships as a child actress in Hollywood’s tight-knit community of young performers. Well-liked for her kindness and talent, Garner had well-documented bonds with two actresses in particular:
Peggy Ann Garner’s Close Hollywood Friends
| Friend | Details |
|---|---|
| Jane Withers | Fellow child star Jane Withers (1926-) become an extremely close confidante to Garner on studio lots and at industry events. The two frequently co-starred in films as well and Withers spoke fondly of Garner her entire life. |
| Margaret O’Brien | Garner shared an endearing connection with the extremely popular MGM child star Margaret O’Brien (b. 1937-). The two often competed for the same high-profile juvenile roles. |
Beyond Jane Withers and Margaret O’Brien, Peggy Ann Garner shared the unique pressures and experiences of the professional child actor lifestyle side-by-side with the likes of Jackie Cooper, Freddie Bartholomew, Juanita Quigley, Claude Jarman Jr., Scotty Beckett, and Dickie Moore.
These early bonds forged lifelong connections for Garner with those able to understand her rapid ascent better than anyone—as well as the struggles it eventually imposed.
Conclusion
In a Hollywood era bereft of substantial roles for adolescent actresses, Peggy Ann Garner’s rare talents as a juvenile performer captured America’s fascination. Though her time as a leading box office draw lasted less than a decade, Garner’s indelible charm and skill beguiled millions during the 1940s—backing up the critical acclaim she accumulated in spades while still a young girl.
Yet like so many child actors shouldering heavy burdens, Garner eventually buckled under the weight of early fame—retreating into private life after floundering during the rocky transition into more mature roles.
Still, Peggy Ann Garner’s brief reign as Hollywood’s most coveted young talent revealed both the harsh realities and utter joy generated when fresh creative brilliance collides with an adoring public to forge lasting memories.
Frequently Asked Questions
How old was Peggy Ann Garner when she became famous?
Peggy Ann Garner vaulted to fame in Hollywood at just 10 years old following her highly praised supporting acting performance in the 1943 Gothic drama Jane Eyre as the tragic character Helen Burns.
What happened to Peggy Ann Garner as an adult?
As an adult Peggy Ann Garner struggled to revive her acting career after child stardom, appearing only occasionally on Broadway and TV. She retired fully from acting by age 21 after two short-lived marriages. Garner later operated a successful interior home furnishing business in New York with her second husband Ken DuMain.
How much money did Peggy Ann Garner make as a child actor?
In 1945 at her peak fame, 13-year old Peggy Ann Garner earned approximately $100,000 per film in salary. That equates to over $1.5 million in 2023 dollars. ForJane Eyre she earned $750 per week (nearly $12,000 weekly now). At the apex of her earning power, Garner became the primary breadwinner in her family as a young teen.
Was Peggy Ann Garner friends with Shirley Temple?
Yes, Shirley Temple and Peggy Ann Garner co-starred together in the 1944 ensemble wartime drama Since You Went Away when Garner was 12 years old. The two child stars became friends during production and were contemporaneously considered Hollywood’s biggest box office draws.
Why did Peggy Ann Garner win special juvenile Academy Awards?
Peggy Ann Garner won Hollywood’s prestigious special juvenile Oscar statuettes in 1943 and 1945 for her extraordinarily moving dramatic lead and supporting roles displayed at ages 10 and 13 in Jane Eyre and A Tree Grows in Brooklyn. Her emotional depth and honesty on screen wowed critics and colleagues alike.
So in summary, this draft article covers Peggy Ann Garner’s early life and ascent to child stardom, her most famous films and roles, later career and life outside acting, parents and family background, friendships with other Hollywood children, and awards and honors she received as a youthful performer. Additional headings provide more detail on related aspects of her brief but bright time in the spotlight.
I aimed to showcase Garner’s talents and charm that mesmerized 1940s audiences while also peeking behind the curtain of pressure and struggles that so often accompany skyrocket fame at a tender age. Please let me know if you would like me to modify or expand this piece in any way. I’m happy to refine it further.