Home> Facts and Trivia > Stars > Luise Rainer
Luise Rainer Facts
| Sign | Capricorn |
| Born |
Jan 12, 1910 Düsseldorf, Germany |
| Died |
Dec 30, 2014 London, England |
| Age | Died at 105 |
| Total Facts | 24 |
Federico Fellini offered her a part in his 1960 film La Dolce Vita (1960), and a scene was written specifically for her. She was not happy with the character, however, and asked for rewrites to be done. Ultimately Fellini abandoned the idea due to these demands, much to her chagrin.
A non-conformist to the MGM star-system, she used to parade around Hollywood untidily dressed, usually with no make-up and wearing pants. Her non-conformist style of behavior cost Ms. Rainer her contract with MGM in the late '30s.
As of 2010, at 100 years old, she is the oldest living Oscar winner.
As of 2010, she is only one of six actors who have a 2-0 winning record when nominated for an acting Oscar. The others are Vivien Leigh for Gone with the Wind (1939) and A Streetcar Named Desire (1951); Helen Hayes for The Sin of Madelon Claudet (1931) and Airport (1970); Sally Field for Norma Rae (1979) and Places in the Heart (1984); Kevin Spacey for The Usual Suspects (1995) and American Beauty (1999); and Hilary Swank for Boys Don't Cry (1999) and Million Dollar Baby (2004).
Attended the 75th Academy Awards and appeared in the Oscar winner tribute sequence introduced by Olivia de Havilland. Was the most senior member of the Oscar Tribute sequence at the The 75th Annual Academy Awards (2003) (TV).
Became a US citizen in the 1940s.
Considers her performance as O-Lan Ling in The Good Earth (1937) to be her finest on film.
First and, as of 2010, the only German actress to win an Academy Award.
Gave her 1937 Best Actress Oscar for The Good Earth (1937) to removal men who helped her relocate from Switzerland to London in 1989; she had been using the award as a doorstep for years and it was bent out of shape.
Her second husband, Robert Knittel, was a New York publisher whom she married in 1945. They had one child, Francesca.
Mother of Francesca Knittel-Bowyer .
Of all the living winners of a competitive Oscar she has had hers the longest (as of 2010) - 73 years. She last won in 1937 for The Good Earth (1937).
Parents were Heinrich Rainer and his wife Emilie Königsberger.
Returned to work 14 months after giving birth to her daughter Francesca Knittel-Bowyer to begin performing in the US tour of "Joan of Lorraine", replacing Ingrid Bergman in the title role.
She is mentioned in the novel 'Breakfast at Tiffany's by Truman Capote . When discussing Holly Golightly's chances of making it the Hollywood agent O.J. Berman says, "If you mean future, you're wrong again. Now a couple of years back, out on the Coast, there was a time it could've been different. She had something working for her, she had them interested, she could've really rolled. But when you walk out on a thing like that, you don't walk back. Ask Luise Rainer. And Rainer was a star. Sure, Holly was no star; she never got out of the still department. But that was before The Story of Dr. Wassell. Then she could've really rolled. I know, see, cause I'm the guy was giving her the push.".
She is the youngest person to ever win a second Oscar (aged 28, for The Good Earth (1937) ) beating Jodie Foster who was 29 years old when she won for The Silence of the Lambs (1991) .
She shares the honor of having several firsts with the Academy Awards. She was the first actor to achieve the perfect Oscar track record (two nominations-two wins). She was the first actor to receive double Oscars consecutively. She was the first to obtain two Oscars and was the first to achieve double Oscars before turning 30.
The first (and so far the only) multiple oscar winning actor or actress to reach the age of 100.
The first actress to win an Academy Award for portraying a real-life person (The Great Ziegfeld (1936))
Was coaxed out of a 20-year retirement to appear on "Combat!" (1962).
Was forced to attend the Oscar ceremony by Louis B. Mayer to receive her Oscar. In the early Academy Awards ceremonies the winners were announced beforehand in the newspapers. A team of MGM staff arrived at her house and made her dress in appropriate evening wear, and rushed her to the show - just in time.
Was in consideration for the role of Maria in For Whom the Bell Tolls (1943) but Ingrid Bergman, who received a Best Actress Oscar nomination for her performance, was cast instead.
Was the first actor/actress to win back-to-back Acadamy Awards for her performances in The Great Ziegfeld (1936) and The Good Earth (1937). She was also the first actor/actress to win two Academy Awards. The following year, 1938, Spencer Tracy , Bette Davis and Walter Brennan also became double Oscar winners.
When the Academy decided to bring back past Oscar winners in 1997 and 2002 for their Oscar Family Album, despite frail health, Ms. Rainer happily agreed to travel from London to Hollywood to attend both ceremonies. She remarked "If I don't show up they'll think I'm dead!" both times.