Actress. She was known as the "First Lady of American Theater." She started acting at the age of five when her mother, Catherine "Essie" Brown, an aspiring actress herself, had her try out for a part. By age eight, she was in her first Broadway play as 'Prince Charles' in "The Royal Family" after being given her big break by Lew Fields. She was in theater off and on until she was diagnosed as being allergic to backstage dust in 1971 and retired from the stage, but not from films and TV. She is one of the few people who can claim to have won all of the major awards (EGOT): two Tony Awards (for "Happy Birthday" in 1947, and for "Time Remembered" in 1958), two Academy Awards (one for Best Actress in her first major movie, "The Sin of Madelon Claudot" in 1931, and one for Supporting Actress for "Airport" in 1971), as well as an Emmy in 1952 for her TV acting and a Grammy Award in 1976 for her recording of "The Bill of Rights." She married playwright Charles MacArthur in 1928, and they had a daughter, Mary, born in 1930. In 1949, Mary suddenly died from polio. Helen went on to establish the Mary MacArthur Fund, which helps children with polio, along with the March of Dimes. They also adopted a son, James MacArthur, who is an actor ("Hawaii Five-O"). Hayes authored several books, including her autobiography, "On Reflection," and "My Life in 3 Acts." She hosted the Helen Hayes Theatre radio show. She was admitted to the Women's Hall of Fame in 1973. She died in Nyack, New York, aged 92.
Actress. She was known as the "First Lady of American Theater." She started acting at the age of five when her mother, Catherine "Essie" Brown, an aspiring actress herself, had her try out for a part. By age eight, she was in her first Broadway play as 'Prince Charles' in "The Royal Family" after being given her big break by Lew Fields. She was in theater off and on until she was diagnosed as being allergic to backstage dust in 1971 and retired from the stage, but not from films and TV. She is one of the few people who can claim to have won all of the major awards (EGOT): two Tony Awards (for "Happy Birthday" in 1947, and for "Time Remembered" in 1958), two Academy Awards (one for Best Actress in her first major movie, "The Sin of Madelon Claudot" in 1931, and one for Supporting Actress for "Airport" in 1971), as well as an Emmy in 1952 for her TV acting and a Grammy Award in 1976 for her recording of "The Bill of Rights." She married playwright Charles MacArthur in 1928, and they had a daughter, Mary, born in 1930. In 1949, Mary suddenly died from polio. Helen went on to establish the Mary MacArthur Fund, which helps children with polio, along with the March of Dimes. They also adopted a son, James MacArthur, who is an actor ("Hawaii Five-O"). Hayes authored several books, including her autobiography, "On Reflection," and "My Life in 3 Acts." She hosted the Helen Hayes Theatre radio show. She was admitted to the Women's Hall of Fame in 1973. She died in Nyack, New York, aged 92.
Bio by: Rhonda Golden Cowan
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HELEN HAYES MACARTHUR
1900 - 1993
