Born Sarah Jane Fulks on January 5, 1917 in St Joseph, Missouri, Wyman changed her name in the early stages of her illustrious career. Indeed, Wyman's career spans over eighty motion pictures, including 'Magnificent Obsession, 'The Yearling', 'The Blue Veil' all of which she received Academy Award nominations, and 'Johnny Belinda', which brought her an Academy Award in 1948, the same year she divorced her husband, former President, Ronald Reagan.

Orginally on contract to Fox and Paramount, Wyman joined Warner Brothers in 1936 where she was to stay for decades, until she moved to television. Wyman was often cast as the wisecracking comedienne or singer, and stayed away from dramatic roles until her role in the acclaimed Billy Wilder classic 'The Lost Weekend' got her noticed as more than a pert comedienne. Roles followed that brought Wyman much stardom and critical acclaim, including 'The Yearling' in 1946, 'Magnificent Obsession' with Rock Hudson in 1954, and 'All That Heaven Allows' in 1955, again alongside Hudson. Wyman's dramatic prowess was recognised in 1948 with the Oscar for her role as a deaf mute in 'Johnny Belinda', for which she also won a Golden Globe Award.

As Wyman's big screen career faded, she moved to televison, hosting 'The Jane Wyman Fireside Theatre' in the late 1950s, a precursor to her much vaunted move to prime-time television in 'Falcon Crest' in 1981. Indeed, Wyman's casting on Falcon Crest was a coup, stars of Wyman's calibre were few and far between in prime-time and Lorimar had to lure her out of retirement at the time. Wyman was recognised for the role in 1984 with a Golden Globe Award, 33 years after recieving a Golden Globe as World Film Favourite in 1951.

In 1954, Wyman converted to Catholicism through the intervention of her great friend, Loretta Young. Her Catholicism is a mainstay of her life, as is her painting, which takes up much of her time, since she has become a recluse after Falcon Crest ended.

Wyman had a daughter with Reagan, Maureen, and the couple adopted a son, Michael, also, though it's understood Wyman is not particularly close to either. Wyman was also married to New Orleans dress manufacturer Myron Futterman, who she divorced in 1938. Following her marriage to Reagan, Wyman then married orchestra-leader Freddie Karger in 1952, but the marriage ended in divorced in 1954. Wyman remarried Karger in 1961, but divorced him again in 1965.

Wyman is associated with the Arthritis telethon in Los Angeles, and has no plans to act again. She spends her time between homes in Rancho Mirage and Santa Monica in California.

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