Peggy Ann Garner was a talented and popular child actress who rose to fame in the 1940s with her roles in films such as A Tree Grows in Brooklyn, Junior Miss, and Jane Eyre. She won the Academy Juvenile Award in 1946 for her outstanding performance in A Tree Grows in Brooklyn, where she played the role of Francie Nolan, a young girl growing up in a poor family in Brooklyn. She was also praised for her comedic skills in Junior Miss, where she portrayed a teenage girl who gets into various troubles with her family and friends.
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The Decline of Her Film Career
However, like many child stars, Garner faced difficulties in transitioning to adult roles as she grew older. She moved from Hollywood to New York in the early 1950s to pursue a career on Broadway and television. She appeared in several plays, such as The Man, The Royal Family, and Bus Stop, and also starred in some TV shows, such as Leave It to the Girls and Who Said That?. She also tried to revive her film career with some roles in movies such as Black Widow, The Bigamist, and The Cat. However, none of these projects helped her regain her former popularity or acclaim.
Her Personal Life and Struggles
Garner was married and divorced three times in her life. Her first husband was singer Richard Hayes, whom she married in 1951 and divorced in 1953. Her second husband was actor Albert Salmi, whom she married in 1956 and divorced in 1963. They had a daughter named Catherine Ann Salmi, who was born in 1957. Her third husband was Kenyon Foster Brown, whom she married in 1964 and divorced in 1968.
Garner also faced financial and emotional problems throughout her life. She had a strained relationship with her mother, Virginia Garner Swainston, who pushed her into show business when she was a child. She also had a falling out with her father, William H. Garner, an attorney who served as a U.S. Army officer during World War II. She went to court to have him appointed as her guardian when she was 15 years old. She also struggled with alcoholism and depression and had to work as a real estate broker and a fleet car executive to make ends meet.
Her Death from Pancreatic Cancer
In 1984, at the age of 52, Garner was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer, one of the most deadly forms of cancer. According to Wikipedia, pancreatic cancer is a disease that occurs when cells in the pancreas grow out of control and form tumors that can spread to other organs. Some of the symptoms of pancreatic cancer include abdominal pain, weight loss, jaundice, nausea, vomiting, and diabetes. The survival rate for pancreatic cancer is very low, as it is often detected at a late stage when it is difficult to treat.
Garner died from pancreatic cancer on October 16, 1984 at the Motion Picture & Television Country House and Hospital in Los Angeles. She was cremated and her ashes were scattered at sea. She left behind her daughter Catherine Ann Salmi, who died of premature heart disease at age 38 in 1995. Her mother Virginia Garner Swainston outlived both her daughter and granddaughter.
Her Legacy and Memory
Peggy Ann Garner was one of the most talented and beloved child stars of Hollywood’s golden age. She touched the hearts of millions of viewers with her natural and expressive acting skills. She also showed versatility and range by playing different types of characters in different genres of films. She received many awards and honors for her work, including the Academy Juvenile Award, the Harvard Hasty Pudding Award for Woman of the Year, and a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.
Garner’s films are still enjoyed by many fans today who appreciate her talent and charm. Her performance in A Tree Grows in Brooklyn is considered one of the best by a child actor in film history. Her other films are also regarded as classics that showcase her skills and personality. She is remembered as a bright star who shone briefly but brilliantly on the screen.
Conclusion
Peggy Ann Garner was a child star who won an Oscar for her role in A Tree Grows in Brooklyn. She had a successful film career as a child but faced difficulties in transitioning to adult roles. She moved to New York to pursue a career on Broadway and television but did not achieve the same fame or acclaim as before. She also had personal problems with her family, marriages, finances, and health. She died of pancreatic cancer at age 52 in 1984. She left behind a legacy of films that are still admired and loved by many fans today. She is remembered as a talented and charming actress who made a lasting impression on the film industry.
