Helen Hayes

Synopsis

Helen Hayes, born on October 10, 1900, in Washington, D.C., was an esteemed American actress whose career spanned eight decades, from age 5 to 85. A versatile performer, she made her Broadway debut at the age of 8, earning critical acclaim throughout her career. Hayes transitioned to Hollywood with the rise of film and won the Academy Award for Best Actress in 1931 for her role in The Sin of Madelon Claudet. She also gained recognition for her Broadway performances in Mary of Scotland (1933) and Victoria Regina (1935). Hayes was the first woman to achieve the prestigious distinction of winning all four major entertainment awards: an Emmy, Grammy, Oscar, and Tony (EGOT). She passed away on March 17, 1993, in Nyack, New York.

Early Life and Career

Helen Hayes was born on October 10, 1900, in Washington, D.C., and became known as the “First Lady of the American Theater.” Encouraged by her mother, a former aspiring actress, Hayes began acting at the age of 5, making her professional debut in The Prince Chap. By the age of 9, she was already appearing on Broadway, performing in Old Dutch in 1909. Hayes quickly established herself as a talented comedic actress, taking on her first leading role in Bab in 1920.

Rise to Prominence

Hayes’ career breakthrough came in 1927 with her performance in Coquette, a tragic play that demonstrated her skill in handling dramatic roles. She further proved her talent in cinema with her 1931 performance in The Sin of Madelon Claudet, for which she won her first Academy Award. Hayes continued to shine in dramatic roles, notably portraying Mary, Queen of Scots, in Mary of Scotland (1933), and Queen Victoria in Victoria Regina (1935). In Victoria Regina, one of her most famous roles, Hayes impressed audiences by portraying Queen Victoria throughout various stages of her life, from youth to old age.

Personal Life

In addition to her illustrious stage and screen career, Hayes was devoted to her family. She married playwright Charles MacArthur in 1928, and the couple had a daughter, Mary, two years later. In 1939, they adopted a son, James. The family settled in Nyack, New York, where Hayes spent her later years.

Triumphs and Tragedies

After decades in the theater, Helen Hayes earned her first Tony Award in 1947 for her performance in Happy Birthday. Around the same time, she had the opportunity to share the stage with her daughter, Mary, in Alice Sit-By-The-Fire (1946) and Good Housekeeping (1949). Sadly, during the latter production, Mary fell ill and was diagnosed with polio. Despite efforts to save her, Mary tragically succumbed to the disease shortly thereafter. This devastating loss profoundly affected both Hayes and her husband. While Hayes channeled her grief into fundraising for polio research, her husband turned to alcohol as a means of coping.

In 1956, Hayes faced another heart-wrenching loss with the death of her husband. Yet again, she found solace in her work, performing alongside Ingrid Bergman in Anastasia. A few years later, Hayes secured her second Tony Award for her portrayal of another regal character in Time Remembered opposite Richard Burton.

Later Career

Hayes retired from the stage in the early 1970s after discovering she was allergic to the dust commonly found in theaters, but her passion for acting continued. In 1970, she won her second Academy Award for her role in the film Airport. Her talents extended to television as well, where she made numerous guest appearances on popular shows like The Love Boat, Highway to Heaven, and Hawaii Five-O, where her son, James, starred. In 1976, Hayes won a Grammy Award for her narration on the album Great American Documents, alongside Henry Fonda, Orson Welles, and James Earl Jones. This victory made her one of the few entertainers to achieve the prestigious EGOT status, having won an Academy Award, Tony Award, Grammy Award, and Emmy Award.

Hayes’s contributions to the arts continued to be recognized throughout her later years. In 1988, President Ronald Reagan awarded her the National Medal of Arts. Additionally, the Helen Hayes Awards were established to honor exceptional talent in the Washington, D.C. theater community, further solidifying her legacy.

Beyond her artistic pursuits, Hayes was a passionate gardener. She collaborated with Lady Bird Johnson to establish the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center in the early 1980s and worked to raise funds to support the center’s mission.

Final Years

One of Helen Hayes’s final achievements came in 1990 with the publication of her autobiography, My Life in Three Acts. The memoir became a bestseller and offered a poignant reflection on her extraordinary life and career. However, by early 1993, her health began to decline. She was admitted to a hospital in Nyack, New York, where she passed away from congestive heart failure on March 17, 1993, at the age of 92.

In June of that year, her son, James, led a tribute to her at a New York theater, attended by over 1,500 people, including notable figures such as Douglas Fairbanks Jr., Tony Randall, Lynn Redgrave, and Jason Robards. Hayes was remembered for her illustrious career and her warmth and kindness. Reflecting on her success, she once attributed it to her relatable, “everywoman” appeal, saying, “I was once the typical daughter, then the easily recognizable wife, and then the quintessential mother… Perhaps I am the triumph of ‘Plain Jane.’”