The daughter of a British stage comedian, Janet first gained popularity
on British TV of the 1950s. She came to the attention of Disney in 1959,
who signed her up to play spirited ingénues in a number of films, notably
Darby O'Gill and the Little People (1959), Third Man on the Mountain
(1959), Swiss Family Robinson (1960) and The Horsemasters (1961). After
leaving Disney she tried to radically change her wholesome screen image.
She appeared as Jeanie in Val
Guest’s The
Day the Earth Caught Fire (1961), and was Bafta nominated Best British
Actress for her role in Basil Dearden’s
Life for Ruth
(1962). One of her final film roles was as the declining alcoholic pop
star in Sebastian (1968). Ironically, her private
life was similarly unhappy as her career declined, two failed marriages
to actors Tony Wright (1956-1959) and Ian Hendry (1963-1971), were matched
by a slide into alcoholism. She eventually died aged 38 from acute myocarditis.
