Janet Jones
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Janet Marie Gretzky ( Jones; born January 10, 1961) is an American actress and dancer. She is married to Canadian
ice hockey Ice hockey (or simply hockey in North America) is a team sport played on ice skates, usually on an Ice rink, ice skating rink with Ice hockey rink, lines and markings specific to the sport. It belongs to a family of sports called hockey. Tw ...
Hall of Fame player
Wayne Gretzky Wayne Douglas Gretzky ( ; born January 26, 1961) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey player and former head coach. He played 20 seasons in the National Hockey League (NHL) for four teams from 1979 to 1999. Nicknamed "the Great One ...
.


Early life and education

Janet Marie Jones was born in
Bridgeton, Missouri Bridgeton is a second-ring suburb of Greater St. Louis in northwestern St. Louis County, Missouri, United States. Bridgeton is located at the intersection of the St. Louis outer belt and I-70. Bridgeton serves as the primary transport hub wi ...
, the daughter of a business executive. She attended Pattonville High School in
Maryland Heights, Missouri Maryland Heights is a second-ring west-northwest suburb of St. Louis, located in St. Louis County, Missouri, United States. The population was 27,472 at the 2010 census. The city was incorporated in 1985. Edwin L. Dirck was appointed the city's ...
.


Entertainment career

One of Jones's earliest appearances was as a contestant on
Merv Griffin Mervyn Edward Griffin Jr. (July 6, 1925 – August 12, 2007) was an American television show host and media mogul. He began his career as a radio and big band singer, later appearing in film and on Broadway theatre, Broadway. From 1962 to 1986, G ...
's syndicated U.S. television program '' Dance Fever'' in 1979, and later as a member of the dance duo ''Motion'', dancing choreographed routines with the show's host, Deney Terrio.Sexton, Tom
"Sexton's Corner – Vol 6 – High Stakes Golf and Janet Jones-Gretzky"
''PokerNews.com'' August 20, 2007; accessed July 31, 2008
Jones performed in '' Annie'' (
1982 Events January * January 1 – In Malaysia and Singapore, clocks are adjusted to the same time zone, UTC+8 (GMT+8.00). * January 13 – Air Florida Flight 90 crashes shortly after takeoff into the 14th Street Bridge in Washington, D.C. ...
), '' Staying Alive'' (
1983 1983 saw both the official beginning of the Internet and the first mobile cellular telephone call. Events January * January 1 – The migration of the ARPANET to TCP/IP is officially completed (this is considered to be the beginning of the ...
) and ''Snow White Live'' (
1980 Events January * January 4 – U.S. President Jimmy Carter proclaims a United States grain embargo against the Soviet Union, grain embargo against the USSR with the support of the European Commission. * January 6 – Global Positioning Sys ...
), and had a bit part in '' The Beastmaster'' (
1982 Events January * January 1 – In Malaysia and Singapore, clocks are adjusted to the same time zone, UTC+8 (GMT+8.00). * January 13 – Air Florida Flight 90 crashes shortly after takeoff into the 14th Street Bridge in Washington, D.C. ...
). She also had a small role in the musical comedy, ''
Grease 2 ''Grease 2'' is a 1982 American Musical film, musical romantic comedy film, and a standalone sequel to the Grease (film), 1978 film ''Grease'', adapted from the 1971 Grease (musical), musical of the same name by Jim Jacobs and Warren Casey. Orig ...
'' (
1982 Events January * January 1 – In Malaysia and Singapore, clocks are adjusted to the same time zone, UTC+8 (GMT+8.00). * January 13 – Air Florida Flight 90 crashes shortly after takeoff into the 14th Street Bridge in Washington, D.C. ...
). On April 4, 1983, Jones was a contestant on the television game show ''
The Price Is Right ''The Price Is Right'' is an American television game show where contestants compete by guessing the prices of merchandise to win cash and prizes. A 1972 revival by Mark Goodson and Bill Todman of their The Price Is Right (1956 American game ...
''. Her big break came in '' The Flamingo Kid'' (
1984 Events January * January 1 – The Bornean Sultanate of Brunei gains full independence from the United Kingdom, having become a British protectorate in 1888. * January 7 – Brunei becomes the sixth member of the Association of Southeas ...
), which was followed by the film version of ''
A Chorus Line ''A Chorus Line'' is a 1975 musical conceived by Michael Bennett with music by Marvin Hamlisch, lyrics by Edward Kleban, and a book by James Kirkwood Jr. and Nicholas Dante. Set on the bare stage of a Broadway theater, the musical is cent ...
'' (
1985 The year 1985 was designated as the International Youth Year by the United Nations. Events January * January 1 ** The Internet's Domain Name System is created. ** Greenland withdraws from the European Economic Community as a result of a n ...
). In 1986, she appeared in '' American Anthem'', co-starring gymnast Mitch Gaylord and, in 1987, she appeared on the cover and in a semi-nude pictorial in the March issue of ''
Playboy ''Playboy'' (stylized in all caps) is an American men's Lifestyle journalism, lifestyle and entertainment magazine, available both online and in print. It was founded in Chicago in 1953 by Hugh Hefner and his associates, funded in part by a $ ...
''. Other credits include 1988's '' Police Academy 5: Assignment Miami Beach'' and the baseball film ''
A League of Their Own ''A League of Their Own'' is a 1992 American sports comedy drama film directed by Penny Marshall that tells a fictionalized account of the real-life All-American Girls Professional Baseball League (AAGPBL). It stars Tom Hanks, Geena Davis, Ma ...
'' (
1992 1992 was designated as International Space Year by the United Nations. Events January * January 1 – Boutros Boutros-Ghali of Egypt replaces Javier Pérez de Cuéllar of Peru as United Nations Secretary-General. * January 6 ** The Republ ...
) with
Geena Davis Virginia Elizabeth "Geena" Davis (born January 21, 1956) is an American actor. She is the recipient of various accolades, including an Academy Award and a Golden Globe Award. Davis made her acting debut in the satirical romantic comedy ''Toots ...
,
Rosie O'Donnell Roseann O'Donnell (born March 21, 1962) is an American talk show host, comedian, and actress. She began her comedy career as a teenager and received her breakthrough on the television series ''Star Search'' in 1984. After a series of television ...
, and
Madonna Madonna Louise Ciccone ( ; born August 16, 1958) is an American singer, songwriter, record producer, and actress. Referred to as the "Queen of Pop", she has been recognized for her continual reinvention and versatility in music production, ...
. Jones served as host of an
infomercial An infomercial is a form of television commercial that resembles regular TV programming yet is intended to promote or sell a product, service or idea. It generally includes a toll-free telephone number or website. Most often used as a form of di ...
for
Jackie Chan Fang Shilong (born Chan Kong-sang; 7 April 1954), known professionally as Jackie Chan,; is a Hong Kong actor and filmmaker, known for his slapstick, acrobatic fighting style, comic timing, and innovative stunts, which he typically perf ...
and as the "master instructor" for a workout video produced by The FIRM. She and daughter Paulina were featured in the movie ''
Alpha Dog ''Alpha Dog'' is a 2006 American crime drama film written and directed by Nick Cassavetes. It is based on the true story of the kidnapping and murder of Nicholas Markowitz in 2000. The film features an ensemble cast that includes Ben Foste ...
''. Playing on her surname, she appeared in a 1986 TV commercial endorsing Jones Sausage along with other people who shared her last name.


Personal life

Jones, who was engaged to
Vitas Gerulaitis Vytautas "Vitas" Kevin Gerulaitis (July 26, 1954 – September 17, 1994) was an American professional tennis player. He was ranked world No. 3 in men's singles by the Association of Tennis Professionals (ATP) in 1978. Gerulaitis won the men's si ...
from 1985 to 1987, first met Gretzky when he was a judge on ''Dance Fever'' in 1984. They met again at a
Los Angeles Lakers The Los Angeles Lakers are an American professional basketball team based in Los Angeles. The Lakers compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the Pacific Division (NBA), Pacific Division of the Western Conference (NBA ...
game in 1987, and on July 16, 1988, married in a lavish ceremony at St. Joseph's Basilica in Edmonton that was broadcast live across Canada. That August 9, Gretzky was traded to the
Los Angeles Kings The Los Angeles Kings are a professional ice hockey team based in Los Angeles. The Kings compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Pacific Division (NHL), Pacific Division in the Western Conference (NHL), Western Conference. ...
. One of the motivations behind the deal was rumored to be furthering Jones' career. Jones refuted this in the 2009 documentary '' Kings Ransom'', stating that she would not have allowed herself to become "barefoot and pregnant for the next eight years" were she intent on pursuing her career. She and Gretzky have five children: Paulina, Ty Robert, Trevor Douglas, Tristan Wayne, and Emma Marie. Her daughter Paulina was on the Canadian cover of the
Flare (magazine) ''Flare'' was a Canadian online fashion magazine in print until 2016. Owned by St. Joseph Communications, it was an online brand until 2021 and was folded into ''Fashion magazine'' in early 2023. History ''Flare'' was created by Maclean-Hunter ...
August 2005, seventeen years after Janet appeared on the cover, making them the first mother-daughter pair to appear on the cover of Flare Magazine. Paulina and
Dustin Johnson Dustin Hunter Johnson (born June 22, 1984) is an American professional golfer. He has won two Men's major golf championships, major championships, the 2016 U.S. Open (golf), 2016 U.S. Open at Oakmont Country Club with a 4-under-par score of 276 ...
announced their engagement on August 18, 2013. Ty played hockey at
Shattuck-Saint Mary's Shattuck-St. Mary's (also known as Shattuck-St. Mary's School, Shattuck, or simply SSM) is a coeducational Episcopal-affiliated boarding school in the city of Faribault, Minnesota. History Established in 1858 as an Episcopal mission scho ...
. Trevor was drafted by the
Chicago Cubs The Chicago Cubs are an American professional baseball team based in Chicago. The Cubs compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (baseball), National League (NL) National League Central, Central Division. Th ...
in the 2011 MLB draft. He was traded on March 20, 2014, to the
Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim The Los Angeles Angels are an American professional baseball team based in the Greater Los Angeles area. The Angels compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) West Division. Since 1966, the team has pl ...
for Matt Scioscia, son of Angels' manager
Mike Scioscia Michael Lorri Scioscia ( ; born November 27, 1958), nicknamed "Sosh" and "El Jefe" (Spanish for "The Boss"), is an American former Major League Baseball catcher and manager (baseball), manager in Major League Baseball (MLB). He managed the Los A ...
. In June 2014, he was named to the roster of the Orem Owlz. Jones introduced
Vanna White Vanna Marie White (née Rosich; born February 18, 1957) is an American television personality and game-show hostess, best known as the co-host of the game show '' Wheel of Fortune'', a position she has held since 1982. She began her career as a ...
to
Merv Griffin Mervyn Edward Griffin Jr. (July 6, 1925 – August 12, 2007) was an American television show host and media mogul. He began his career as a radio and big band singer, later appearing in film and on Broadway theatre, Broadway. From 1962 to 1986, G ...
while appearing on ''Dance Fever'', leading White to her long-term engagement as a presenter on '' Wheel of Fortune''.


Gambling-ring controversy

On February 7, 2006, Jones and a half-dozen NHL players were among those implicated in a
New Jersey New Jersey is a U.S. state, state located in both the Mid-Atlantic States, Mid-Atlantic and Northeastern United States, Northeastern regions of the United States. Located at the geographic hub of the urban area, heavily urbanized Northeas ...
–based sports gambling ring allegedly financed by
Phoenix Coyotes The Arizona Coyotes are an inactive professional ice hockey team based in the Phoenix metropolitan area. They competed in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Central Division (NHL), Central Division (1996–1998, 2021–2024) and ...
assistant coach Rick Tocchet. Then-Coyotes' general manager and Gretzky's former agent, Michael Barnett, admitted to placing a bet on
Super Bowl XL Super Bowl XL was an American football game between the National Football Conference (NFC) champion 2005 Seattle Seahawks season, Seattle Seahawks and the American Football Conference (AFC) champion 2005 Pittsburgh Steelers season, Pittsburgh S ...
through Tocchet. Gretzky told reporters that Jones "would sit down at some point and answer questions that everybody has for her and be her own person" while denying any involvement. Jones released a statement through the Coyotes: "At no time did I ever place a wager on my husband's behalf. Other than the occasional horse race, my husband does not bet on any sports." The ''
Newark Star-Ledger ''The Star-Ledger'' was the largest circulation newspaper in New Jersey. It is based in Newark, New Jersey. The newspaper ceased print publication on February 2, 2025, but continues to publish a digital edition. In 2007, ''The Star-Ledger''s ...
'' revealed that
New Jersey State Police The New Jersey State Police (NJSP) is the official state police force of the U.S. state of New Jersey. It is a general-powers police agency with statewide jurisdiction, designated by troop sectors. History The legislation for the creation o ...
wiretaps have Gretzky speaking about the ring. Lawyers for the couple later announced that there was no evidence of any betting on their part, and neither would face criminal charges. "They were trying to paint something that just wasn't true," Jones later told ''Chatelaine Magazine''. "It's unfair that Wayne and I have had a great marriage for 20 years and a nice family, and the people in the media could care less icif they are trying to cause friction in your marriage, trouble in your family, and make your kids feel a certain way. That was a little hurtful because it was like, 'Why? What have we ever done to you?'" In 2007, she took part in a high-stakes
golf Golf is a club-and-ball sport in which players use various Golf club, clubs to hit a Golf ball, ball into a series of holes on a golf course, course in as few strokes as possible. Golf, unlike most ball games, cannot and does not use a standa ...
tournament broadcast by
ESPN ESPN (an initialism of their original name, which was the Entertainment and Sports Programming Network) is an American international basic cable sports channel owned by the Walt Disney Company (80% and operational control) and Hearst Commu ...
. The NHL prohibits personnel from betting on its own games, but does not have a policy against other sports betting. On March 15, 2006, the New Jersey Attorney General's Office announced that it would
subpoena A subpoena (; also subpœna, supenna or subpena) or witness summons is a writ issued by a government agency, most often a court, to compel testimony by a witness or production of evidence under a penalty for failure. There are two common types of ...
Jones to testify about the alleged ring as soon as a grand jury convened. On May 8, Tocchet and Jones filed notices in
New Jersey New Jersey is a U.S. state, state located in both the Mid-Atlantic States, Mid-Atlantic and Northeastern United States, Northeastern regions of the United States. Located at the geographic hub of the urban area, heavily urbanized Northeas ...
that they intend to sue the state for defamation, claiming that each lost business opportunities in the wake of the investigation.Tocchet, Gretzky's wife start suits
/ref> On May 25, 2007, Tocchet pleaded guilty to conspiracy and promoting gambling. New Jersey Attorney General
Anne Milgram Anne Melissa Milgram (born December 1, 1970) is an American attorney and academic who served as the 11th Administrator of the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) from 2021 to 2025. She previously served as the 57th Attorney General of New Jer ...
announced on August 17, 2007, that Tocchet had been sentenced to two years probation in exchange for his plea. He could have received up to five years in New Jersey state prison, but there is a presumption against incarceration for first-time offenders who plead guilty to such crimes.


References


External links

*
Gambling bust involves Tocchet, Gretzky's wife

''Chatelaine Magazine'' interview
{{DEFAULTSORT:Jones, Janet 1961 births Actresses from Missouri American film actresses Contestants on American game shows Gretzky family Living people Actors from St. Louis County, Missouri 20th-century American actresses 21st-century American actresses