Janet Jones

Infobox actor
name = Janet Jones


caption =
birthdate = January 10 1961
birthplace = Bridgeton, Missouri:"For other persons of a similar name Janet Jones (disambiguation)."

Janet-Marie Jones (born January 10 1961 in Bridgeton, Missouri) is an American actress, dancer and aerobics instructor. She is married to ice hockey icon Wayne Gretzky.

Biography

Entertainment career

Jones performed as a dancer in "Annie" (1982), "Staying Alive" (1983) and "Snow White Live" (1980), and had a bit part in "The Beastmaster" (1982). Her big break came in "The Flamingo Kid" (1984), which was followed by the film version of "A Chorus Line" (1985). Later in 1986, she appeared in "American Anthem", co-starring gymnast Mitch Gaylord. In 1987, she appeared in a semi-nude pictorial in the March issue of "Playboy".

Other credits include 1988's "" and the baseball film "A League of Their Own" with Geena Davis and Madonna (1992).

Jones served as host of an infomercial for Jackie Chan and as the "master instructor" for a workout video produced by The Firm. She and daughter Paulina were featured in the movie "Alpha Dog".

Playing on her surname, Jones appeared in a 1986 TV commercial endorsing Jones sausage along with other people who shared her last name.

Personal life

Jones was engaged to tennis star Vitas Gerulaitis for three years, before he broke the engagement. She also dated actors Bruce Willis and Nels Van Patten, son of Dick Van Patten.

Jones met Gretzky when he was a judge on Merv Griffin's show "Dance Fever" in 1984. They ran into each other at a Los Angeles Lakers game in 1987, and on 17 July 1988 they were married in a ceremony at St. Joseph's Basilica that was broadcast live across Canada. The fairy tale atmosphere and widespread publicity of their wedding has been compared to the famous wedding of Princess Diana and Prince Charles. At the time of the wedding, Jones was four months pregnant with their daughter Paulina. They have four other children: Ty, Trevor, Tristan, and Emma.

After Jones was knocked unconscious by a pane of Plexiglas during a 22 October 1997 New York Rangers-Chicago Blackhawks game, Gretzky continued to play while she was taken to the hospital.

Gambling ring controversy

On 7 February 2006, Jones and a half-dozen NHL players were among those implicated in a New Jersey-based sports gambling ring allegedly financed by Phoenix Coyotes assistant coach Rick Tocchet. Then-Coyotes' general manager and Gretzky's former agent, Michael Barnett, admitted to placing a bet on Super Bowl XL 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 "New York Daily News" reported that Gretzky took part in a private poker party at the Wynn Las Vegas with Pete Sampras and Matt Damon in June 2005. [ [http://www.nydailynews.com/sports/2006/02/14/2006-02-14_the_great_gamble_gretzky_betting_he_wont.html The Great Gamble: Gretzky Betting He Won't Distract Team Canada] "New York Daily News" 14 February 2006. Retrieved 31 July 2008] The NHL forbids its employess and those employed by its teams to gamble or make wagers of any kind.

The "Newark Star-Ledger" revealed that New Jersey State Police wiretaps have Gretzky speaking about the ring. Lawyers for the couple later announced that neither would face criminal charges. [ [http://nbcsports.msnbc.com/id/11219916/from/RSS/ 'I didn't bet,' Gretzky repeats after allegations] Associated Press via NBC Sports 10 February 2006. Retrieved 31 July 2008.] "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 if 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?'" [ [http://en.chatelaine.com/english/life/article.jsp?content=20070213_095916_6172 Growing Up Gretzky "Chatelaine Magazine"] May 2007. Retrieved 31 July 2008] . In 2007, she took part in a high-stakes golf tournament broadcast by ESPN [ [http://www.pokernews.com/news/2007/8/sextons-corner-six-high-stakes-golf-gretzky.htm High Stakes Golf and Janet Jones-Gretzky] "PokerNews.com" 20 August 2007. Retrieved 31 July 2008] .

On 15 March 2006, the New Jersey attorney general's office announced it would subpoena Jones to testify about the alleged ring as soon as a grand jury convenes. On 8 May, Tocchet and Jones filed notices in New Jersey that they intend to sue the state for defamation, claiming each lost business opportunities in the wake of the investigation. [ [http://www.azcentral.com/sports/coyotes/articles/0526gretzky0526.html Tocchet, Gretzky's wife start suits ] ]

See also

* Gretzky family

References

External links

*
* [http://msn.foxsports.com/nhl/story/5313610 Gambling bust involves Tocchet, Gretzky's wife]
* [http://en.chatelaine.com/english/life/article.jsp?content=20070213_095916_6172 "Chatelaine Magazine" interview]