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Helen Hayes MacArthur was an American actress whose career spanned 80 years. She eventually received the nickname "First Lady of American Theatre" and was one of 15 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.
Birth Name
Helen Hayes Brown
Born
Wednesday, 10 October 1900
Died
Wednesday, 17 March 1993
Actress Filmography
| Title | Character | Year |
|---|
| Hollywood Insider | Self | 2018 |
| Irving Thalberg: Prince of Hollywood | Self | 2005 |
| The 50th Annual Tony Awards | Self | 1996 |
| The First 100 Years: A Celebration of American Movies | Self | 1995 |
| The 66th Annual Academy Awards | Self - Memorial Tribute | 1994 |
| MGM: When the Lion Roars | Herself | 1992 |
| The Kennedy Center Honors: A Celebration of the Performing Arts | Self | 1988 |
| Talking Pictures | Self | 1988 |
| The 41st Annual Tony Awards | Self - Presenter | 1987 |
| Liberty Weekend | Self | 1986 |
Actress Filmography
| Title | Character | Year |
|---|
| Hollywood Insider | Self | 2018 |
| Irving Thalberg: Prince of Hollywood | Self | 2005 |
| The 50th Annual Tony Awards | Self | 1996 |
| The First 100 Years: A Celebration of American Movies | Self | 1995 |
| The 66th Annual Academy Awards | Self - Memorial Tribute | 1994 |
| MGM: When the Lion Roars | Herself | 1992 |
| The Kennedy Center Honors: A Celebration of the Performing Arts | Self | 1988 |
| Talking Pictures | Self | 1988 |
| The 41st Annual Tony Awards | Self - Presenter | 1987 |
| Liberty Weekend | Self | 1986 |
| American Masters | Self | 1986 |
| The 40th Annual Tony Awards | Self - Previous Winner | 1986 |
| All-Star Party for 'Dutch' Reagan | Self | 1985 |
| Murder with Mirrors | Miss Jane Marple | 1985 |
| Highway to Heaven | Estelle Wicks | 1984 |
| Glitter | Betsy | 1984 |
| A Caribbean Mystery | Miss Jane Marple | 1983 |
| Night of 100 Stars | Self | 1982 |
| Murder Is Easy | Lavinia Fullerton | 1982 |
| The Kennedy Center Honors: A Celebration of the Performing Arts | Self - Honoree | 1981 |
| Love, Sidney | Mrs. Clovis | 1981 |
| Hopper's Silence | Herself / Self | 1981 |
| The 35th Annual Tony Awards | Self - Presenter | 1981 |
| The 34th Annual Tony Awards | Self - Winner | 1980 |
| The 32nd Annual Tony Awards | Self - Presenter | 1978 |
| A Family Upside Down | Emma Long | 1978 |
| Old Friends... New Friends | Self | 1978 |
| Candleshoe | Lady St. Edmund | 1977 |
| The Love Boat | Agatha Winslow | 1977 |
| Victory at Entebbe | Etta Grossman-Wise | 1976 |
| Arthur Hailey's the Moneychangers | Dr. McCartney | 1976 |
| One of Our Dinosaurs Is Missing | Hettie | 1975 |
| Hearts and Minds | Self | 1974 |
| Herbie Rides Again | Mrs. Steinmetz | 1974 |
| The Snoop Sisters | Ernesta Snoop | 1972 |
| Joanne Carson's VIPs | Self | 1972 |
| The 44th Annual Academy Awards | Self - Co-Host | 1972 |
| Harvey | Veta Louise Simmons | 1972 |
| Circle of Fear | Miss Gilden | 1972 |
| Do Not Fold, Spindle or Mutilate | Sophie Tate Curtis | 1971 |
| Airport | Ada Quonsett | 1970 |
| The David Frost Show | Self - Guest | 1969 |
| Arsenic and Old Lace | Abby Brewster | 1969 |
| Here's Lucy | Mrs. Kathleen Brady | 1968 |
| Hawaii Five-O | Aunt Clara | 1968 |
| The 22nd Annual Tony Awards | Self - Accepting Award for Apa-Phoenix | 1968 |
| The Dick Cavett Show | Self - Guest | 1968 |
| NET Playhouse | Multiple Roles | 1966 |
| Tarzan | Mrs. Wilson | 1966 |
| The Jack Barry Show | Self - Guest | 1963 |
| The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson | Herself / Herself - Guest | 1962 |
| The Mike Douglas Show | Herself - Actress / Self - Guest | 1961 |
| The Challenge of Ideas | Self - Narrator | 1961 |
| Directions | Self | 1960 |
| Dow Hour of Great Mysteries | Cornelia Van Gorder | 1960 |
| Third Man on the Mountain | Tourist / Hotel guest | 1959 |
| Play of the Week | Madame Ranevskaya / Mother Hildebrand | 1959 |
| Sunday Showcase | Self | 1959 |
| The Bell Telephone Hour | Baroness Nadedja von Meck | 1959 |
| The Tonight Show Starring Jack Paar | Herself | 1957 |
| Anastasia | Dowager Empress Maria Feodorovna | 1956 |
| The Walter Winchell Show | Self | 1956 |
| Playhouse 90 | Sister Theresa | 1956 |
| The Alcoa Hour | Mrs. Gilling | 1955 |
| The Magical World of Disney | Mrs. Steinmetz | 1954 |
| Producers' Showcase | Mrs. Antrobus | 1954 |
| The Best of Broadway | Abby Brewster / Fanny Cavendish | 1954 |
| The Motorola Television Hour | Frances Parry | 1953 |
| The United States Steel Hour | Mother Seraphim / Mrs. Austin | 1953 |
| Main Street to Broadway | Helen Hayes / Self | 1953 |
| Person to Person | Self | 1953 |
| Medallion Theatre | Harriet Beecher Stowe | 1953 |
| Omnibus | (segment "The Twelve Pound Look") / Bessie Arlington (segment "A Christmas Tie") / Bessie Arlington (segment "The Christmas Tie") / (segment "Drug Store, Sunday Noon") / Mom (segment "Mom and Leo" / (segment "Irish Linen") / Self - Reader (segment "Mary's Baby") / Mrs. Dearth (segment) / Mrs. Howard V. Larue III / Mrs. Kirby (segment "The Happy Journey") / Self - Storyteller (segment "Mother Goose") | 1952 |
| This Is Your Life | Self | 1952 |
| My Son John | Lucille Jefferson | 1952 |
| The Ezio Pinza Show | Self - Guest | 1951 |
| Schlitz Playhouse | Honora Canderay (woman) | 1951 |
| The Jack Benny Program | Self | 1950 |
| Showtime, U.S.A. | Self | 1950 |
| The Prudential Family Playhouse | Elizabeth Moulton-Barrett | 1950 |
| Pulitzer Prize Playhouse | Mary Stuart, Queen of Scots / Gwenny Bean | 1950 |
| The Colgate Comedy Hour | Self - Actress | 1950 |
| The Arthur Murray Party | Self - Guest | 1950 |
| What's My Line? | Herself - Mystery Guest | 1950 |
| Robert Montgomery Presents | Queen Victoria | 1950 |
| The Ed Sullivan Show | Self / Harriet Breecher Stowe | 1948 |
| Kraft Theatre | Self - Host | 1947 |
| Some of the Best | Madelon | 1944 |
| Stage Door Canteen | Helen Hayes | 1943 |
| Cavalcade of the Academy Awards | (archive footage) | 1940 |
| Hollywood Goes to Town | Self | 1938 |
| Vanessa, Her Love Story | Vanessa Paris | 1935 |
| What Every Woman Knows | Maggie Wylie | 1934 |
| Crime Without Passion | Extra in hotel lobby | 1934 |
| This Side of Heaven | Stella | 1934 |
| Night Flight | Simone Fabian / Madame Fabian | 1933 |
| Another Language | Stella / Stella Hallam | 1933 |
| The White Sister | Angela Chiaromonte | 1933 |
| The Son-Daughter | Lien Wha / Lian Wha | 1932 |
| A Farewell to Arms | Catherine / Catherine Barkley | 1932 |
| Farewell to Arms, A | Catherine / Catherine Barkley | 1932 |
| Arrowsmith | Leora Tozer Arrowsmith / Leora Arrowsmith | 1931 |
| The Sin of Madelon Claudet | Madelon / Madelon Claudet | 1931 |
| The Dancing Town | Olive Pepperall | 1928 |
| Year | Type | Category | Won |
|---|
| 1978 | Emmy | Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama or Comedy Special | Nominated |
| 1976 | Emmy | Outstanding Lead Actress for a Single Appearance in a Drama or Comedy Series | Nominated |
| 1975 | Golden Globe | Best Actress in a Motion Picture - Comedy or Musical | Nominated |
| 1974 | Emmy | Best Lead Actress in a Limited Series | Nominated |
| 1972 | Emmy | Outstanding Single Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role | Nominated |
| 1971 | Oscar | Best Actress in a Supporting Role | Won |
| 1959 | Emmy | Best Single Performance by an Actress | Nominated |
| 1958 | Emmy | Actress - Best Single Performance - Lead or Support | Nominated |
| 1957 | Golden Globe | Best Actress - Drama | Nominated |
| 1932 | Oscar | Best Actress in a Leading Role | Won |
