← Home
Helen Hayes

Helen Hayes

Acting

Born: October 9, 1900Washington, District of Columbia, USA

Helen Hayes was an American actress whose career spanned almost 70 years. She eventually garnered the nickname "First Lady of the American Theatre" and was one of twelve people who have won an Emmy, a Grammy, an Oscar and a Tony Award. Hayes also received the Presidential Medal of Freedom, America's highest civilian honor, from President Ronald Reagan in 1986. In 1988 she was awarded the National Medal of Arts. She is the namesake of the annual Helen Hayes Awards, which have recognized excellence in professional theatre in the greater Washington, D.C. area since 1984. Perhaps the ultimate respect to be paid to any actor by a producer - of having a theater christened in their name - became a reality for Ms. Hayes in 1955 when the former Fulton Theatre on 46th Street in New York City's Broadway theater district was renamed the Helen Hayes Theatre. When that venue was torn down in 1982 (along with five other neighboring theaters), the operators of the Little Theatre, another standing theater two blocks away on 44th Street, renamed that house in her name, which it has retained ever since. Description above from the Wikipedia article Helen Hayes, licensed under CC-BY-SA, full list of contributors on Wikipedia.​

Known For
Filmography
Airports

Airports

2025
Bill Cosby: Walking Free

Bill Cosby: Walking Free

Self (archive footage)

2022
Gary Cooper: The Face of a Hero

Gary Cooper: The Face of a Hero

Self (archive footage)

1998
Divine Mercy No Escape

Divine Mercy No Escape

1994
Night of 100 Stars III

Night of 100 Stars III

Self

1990
The Ten-Year Lunch

The Ten-Year Lunch

Herself - Participant

1987
Murder with Mirrors

Murder with Mirrors

Miss Jane Marple

1985
A Caribbean Mystery

A Caribbean Mystery

Miss Jane Marple

1983
Night of 100 Stars

Night of 100 Stars

Self

1982
Murder Is Easy

Murder Is Easy

Lavinia Fullerton

1982
Hopper's Silence

Hopper's Silence

Herself

1981
All Star Tribute to Ingrid Bergman

All Star Tribute to Ingrid Bergman

Self

1979
A Family Upside Down

A Family Upside Down

Emma Long

1978
Candleshoe

Candleshoe

Lady St. Edmund

1977
Victory at Entebbe

Victory at Entebbe

Etta Grossman-Wise

1976
One of Our Dinosaurs Is Missing

One of Our Dinosaurs Is Missing

Hettie

1975
Herbie Rides Again

Herbie Rides Again

Mrs. Steinmetz

1974
The Female Instinct

The Female Instinct

Ernesta Snoop

1972
Harvey

Harvey

Veta Louise Simmons

1972
Do Not Fold, Spindle, or Mutilate

Do Not Fold, Spindle, or Mutilate

Sophie Tate Curtis

1971
Airport

Airport

Ada Quonsett

1970
Arsenic and Old Lace

Arsenic and Old Lace

Abby Brewster

1969

The Challenge of Ideas

Narrator

1961
The Bat

The Bat

Cornelia Van Gorder

1960
Third Man on the Mountain

Third Man on the Mountain

Hotel guest (uncredited)

1959
Four Women in Black

Four Women in Black

Sister Theresa

1957
Anastasia

Anastasia

Dowager Empress Maria Feodorovna

1956
A.N.T.A. Album of 1955

A.N.T.A. Album of 1955

Self

1955
Main Street to Broadway

Main Street to Broadway

Self

1953
My Son John

My Son John

Lucille Jefferson

1952
Stage Door Canteen

Stage Door Canteen

Helen Hayes

1943
Cavalcade of the Academy Awards

Cavalcade of the Academy Awards

Self (archive footage)

1940
Hollywood Goes to Town

Hollywood Goes to Town

Self

1938
Vanessa: Her Love Story

Vanessa: Her Love Story

Vanessa Paris

1935
What Every Woman Knows

What Every Woman Knows

Maggie Wylie

1934
Crime Without Passion

Crime Without Passion

Woman in Hotel Lobby (uncredited)

1934
Night Flight

Night Flight

Madame Fabian

1933
Another Language

Another Language

Stella Hallam

1933
The White Sister

The White Sister

Angela Chiaromonte

1933
The Son-Daughter

The Son-Daughter

Lian Wha

1932
A Farewell to Arms

A Farewell to Arms

Catherine Barkley

1932
Arrowsmith

Arrowsmith

Leora Tozer Arrowsmith

1931
The Sin of Madelon Claudet

The Sin of Madelon Claudet

Madelon Claudet

1931
The Dancing Town

The Dancing Town

Olive Pepperall

1928

Riders of the Range

Inez

1923
The Weavers of Life

The Weavers of Life

Peggy

1917