JANE WYMAN

        Jane Wyman died at the age of 90. She famously left, and divorced, Ronald Reagan, and many who were not fans of The Gipper’s politics proudly wore buttons proclaiming “Jane Wyman Was Right.” She actually had two careers. From 1981 to 1990 she appeared in over 200 episodes of the megahit Falcon Crest, starring as Angela Channing, regal mistress of the upscale winery. 
Her film career started in 1932, but her memorable roles were in the 40s and 50s. She won the Oscar as the heartbreakingly vulnerable Johnny Belinda (1948). This is the sort of role the Academy loves- she plays a deaf mute, the victim of a savage sexual assault. Using only her gestures and face, she truly breaks your heart. 
Ms. Wyman is even better, in my humble opinion, in Tennessee Williams’ Glass Menagerie (1950). I have probably seen a half dozen productions of this memorable play, and to me Jane Wyman is Laura Wingfield. Gertrude Lawrence is fine as her vague but hopeful mother and Kirk Douglas is good as the gentleman caller. But Ms. Wyman carries this film as the crippled, enchanting Laura. 
Billy Wilder’s Lost Weekend (1945) won everything in sight that year and still packs a punch after 70 years! It was one of the first Hollywood movies to treat a serious issue (alcoholism here) in a grown-up manner. Ray Milland sparkles as the rapidly sinking hero, and Jane Wyman is quite good as his somewhat enabling spouse. 
The Yearling (1946) is a fawn raised by the young son (Claude Jarman, Jr.) of Gregory Peck and Jane Wyman. The boy learns a bitter lesson about necessity.
Magnificent Obsession (1954) is Douglas Sirk’s soapy remake of the earlier 1935 version, and it made Rock Hudson a star. It is his fault that Jane Wyman is blinded, and he vows to become a physician so he can heal her. She is good, once again playing a woman with a severe disorder. The story is ridiculous, but after all this is Hollywood, so just go with it.
All That Heaven Allows (1955) is another Douglas Sirk potboiler with Jane Wyman as the society lady scorned by friends and family because of her love of gardener Rock Hudson. Beneath her, you know...
Jane Wyman can also be seen to advantage as Betty Rogers in The Story of Will Rogers (1952), and as an amateur sleuth in a lesser Alfred Hitchcock vehicle, Stage Fright (1950).
All of the films in this article are available on DVD. All except Johnny Belinda are really suitable for any age, keeping in mind the boredom factor for littlies.