Eva Marie Saint facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Eva Marie Saint
Saint in 1951
Born	(1924-07-04)July 4, 1924 Newark, New Jersey, U.S.
Died	October 6, 2026(2026-10-06) (aged 102) Los Angeles, California, U.S.
Education	Bowling Green State University
Occupation	Actress
Years active	1944–2021
Works	Full list
Spouse(s)	Jeffrey Hayden ​ ​ (m. 1951; died 2016)​
Children	2

Eva Marie Saint was an American actress whose career lasted for nine decades. She became famous during the Golden Age of Hollywood. Over her long life, she won an Academy Award and a Primetime Emmy Award. She also earned nominations for two BAFTAs and a Golden Globe. Saint was famous for playing smart, brave characters on television, in major movies, and on the theater stage.

Saint got her start in live television and theater during the late 1940s. She made a huge splash in her very first movie, On the Waterfront (1954), acting opposite Marlon Brando. She later starred in the classic adventure movie North by Northwest (1959), directed by Alfred Hitchcock. Saint continued acting into her nineties, even voicing characters in animated series like The Legend of Korra. For her wonderful contributions, she earned two separate stars on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.

Early Life and College Education

Saint in her high school cheerleader uniform in 1942

Eva Marie Saint was born on July 4, 1924, in Newark, New Jersey. Her parents were John Merle Saint and Eva Marie Saint. Her family members were Quakers, who valued peace, honesty, and simple living. As a young girl, she grew up loving stories and performance. She attended Bethlehem Central High School in Delmar, New York, and graduated in 1942.

After high school, Saint went to college at Bowling Green State University in Ohio. While there, she joined the Delta Gamma group and discovered a strong passion for theater. She acted in student plays, including a production called Personal Appearance. She joined the honorary theater society Theta Alpha Phi and helped lead student council activities. She graduated with her college degree in 1946. Later in life, the university honored her by naming an on-campus theater after her.

Early Acting Career on Television and Stage

Saint moved to New York City to become a professional actress. At first, she worked as an NBC page, greeting studio visitors and giving tours. Soon she was performing on live television broadcasts like Campus Hoopla for NBC from 1946 to 1947. She also appeared in Bonnie Maid's Versa-Tile Varieties in 1949, singing in early commercials.

The famous magazine LIFE wrote stories about her twice before she became a household name. One article showed how hard she worked to earn a living in early television. She spent many hours studying the craft of acting at the famous Actors Studio. Soon, she earned major roles on Broadway.

In 1953, Saint appeared in Horton Foote's hit play The Trip to Bountiful alongside legendary star Lillian Gish and Jo Van Fleet. Her performance was praised by critics, earning her a Theatre World Award and an Outer Critics Circle Special Award. In 1955, she earned nominations for an Emmy award for television dramas like The Philco Television Playhouse and a television musical based on the classic story Our Town by Thornton Wilder.

Movie Stardom and Major Hollywood Success

Breakthrough in On the Waterfront

Saint and Marlon Brando in On the Waterfront, 1954

Saint made her first movie appearance in the dramatic film On the Waterfront (1954). The film was directed by Elia Kazan and starred top movie star Marlon Brando. Saint played the caring and brave character Edie Doyle. The movie was a huge success with critics and audiences, winning eight Oscars including Best Picture.

Saint won the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress for her performance. She also earned a nomination from the British Academy of Film and Television Arts (BAFTA) for Most Promising Newcomer. A critic for The New York Times named A. H. Weiler praised her gentle, believable style. This Oscar win made Saint an instant star in American cinema.

After this movie, Saint took on many new acting challenges. In 1956, she made a light comedy called That Certain Feeling with famous comedian Bob Hope. She then starred in a historical drama set during the American Civil War called Raintree County (1957) alongside Elizabeth Taylor and Montgomery Clift. She also co-starred with Don Murray in A Hatful of Rain (1957). For that role, she earned a nomination for a Golden Globe Award and another BAFTA Award.

Classic Suspense in North by Northwest

Cary Grant and Saint in North by Northwest, 1959

In 1959, famous director Alfred Hitchcock cast Saint in the landmark adventure movie North by Northwest. Hitchcock gave her a stylish new look, shopping with her at the upscale store Bergdorf Goodman. In the movie, Saint played Eve Kendall, a clever secret agent who helps an advertising man played by Cary Grant.

North by Northwest became one of Hitchcock's most famous movies of all time. It was celebrated for its humor, clever script, and thrilling action scenes. The American Film Institute ranks it on its famous list of 100 Greatest American Movies of All Time. A famous scene features Saint and Cary Grant escaping danger on the stone faces of Mount Rushmore. Critic Roger Ebert called this moment one of cinema's finest achievements.

Later Roles in Movies and Television

Saint with Don Murray in A Hatful of Rain, 1957

Saint chose her roles carefully so she could spend lots of time with her family. In 1960, she starred alongside movie legend Paul Newman in Exodus, directed by Otto Preminger. She joined stars like Warren Beatty and Angela Lansbury in All Fall Down (1962). She also appeared in the thrilling World War II film 36 Hours with James Garner, directed by George Seaton.

Saint liked trying different genres. In 1966, she starred in the comedy film The Russians Are Coming, the Russians Are Coming with director Norman Jewison. That same year, she starred in the fast-paced car racing drama Grand Prix, directed by John Frankenheimer and filmed in widescreen Cinerama. In 1970, she co-starred with George Segal in the family drama Loving.

Saint with Jennifer Jason Leigh in The Best Little Girl in the World (1981)

In the late 1970s and 1980s, Saint returned to television. She earned Emmy nominations for the popular western adventure series How the West Was Won and the television movie Taxi!!!. She teamed up again with her old co-star Karl Malden in the television movie Fatal Vision. She also played the mother of Cybill Shepherd's character in the fun detective show Moonlighting.

In 1986, Saint acted with Tom Hanks in the family comedy Nothing in Common, directed by Garry Marshall. In 1990, she won a Primetime Emmy Award for the miniseries People Like Us. Later on, she made a guest appearance on the popular television comedy series Frasier.

Voice Work and Modern Roles

Saint continued acting into the 21st century. She appeared in I Dreamed of Africa (2000) alongside Kim Basinger, and in Don't Come Knocking (2005) with Jessica Lange. Young viewers might recognize her from the warm family movie Because of Winn-Dixie (2005), co-starring AnnaSophia Robb, Jeff Daniels, and Cicely Tyson.

In 2006, she played Martha Kent, the superhero's kind adoptive mother, in the big-screen comic book movie Superman Returns with actor Brandon Routh. In 2012, Saint gave her voice to an older version of the beloved character Katara in the Nickelodeon animated fantasy series The Legend of Korra, which was a sequel to the popular show Avatar: The Last Airbender.

Saint took on another movie role in Winter's Tale (2014), based on the fantasy novel by Mark Helprin. In 2018, at age 93, she walked out onto the stage at the 90th Academy Awards ceremony to present an award, earning loud cheers and a standing ovation from the crowd.

Personal Life and Legacy

Saint and her husband, Jeffrey Hayden, at the 1990 Emmy Awards

Eva Marie Saint married director Jeffrey Hayden on October 28, 1951. They shared a loving marriage for 65 years until Hayden passed away in 2016. Together they had two children, a son and a daughter, and later enjoyed time with four grandchildren. Remarkably, their son was born just two days after Saint accepted her Academy Award for On the Waterfront.

On July 4, 2024, Saint became a centenarian when she celebrated her 100th birthday with four generations of family members in Los Angeles. She lived a long and healthy life, passing away peacefully at her home on October 6, 2026, at the age of 102.

Film historians remember Saint as a shining example of Hollywood elegance and talent. Publications like The Hollywood Reporter and the Los Angeles Times praised her graceful acting. The British Film Institute and Associated Press highlighted how her acting debut changed cinema history. Through famous films like On the Waterfront and North by Northwest, Eva Marie Saint left behind an unforgettable legacy for generations of movie fans to enjoy.

Awards and nominations

See also

In Spanish: Eva Marie Saint para niños

• Lists of American actors
• List of Bowling Green State University alumni
• List of centenarians (actors, filmmakers and entertainers)