Eva Marie Saint facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Eva Marie Saint
Saint in an early 1950s studio portrait
Born	(1924-07-04) July 4, 1924 (age 100) Newark, New Jersey, U.S.
Alma mater	Bowling Green State University
Occupation	Actress
Years active	1944–2021
Spouse(s)	Jeffrey Hayden ​ ​ (m. 1951; died 2016)​
Children	2

Eva Marie Saint, born on July 4, 1924, is a famous American actress who has now retired. She had an amazing career that lasted almost 80 years! During this time, she won an Academy Award (also known as an Oscar) and a Primetime Emmy Award. She was also nominated for other big awards like a Golden Globe Award. Eva Marie Saint is currently the oldest living Oscar winner and one of the last famous actors from the "Golden Age of Hollywood". This was a special time when many classic movies were made.

She went to Bowling Green State University and started acting on TV and radio in the late 1940s. One of her first important roles was playing Thelma in the play The Trip to Bountiful in 1953. This play won a Tony Award. Her acting in it earned her an Outer Critics Circle Award. She then made her first movie, On the Waterfront (1954), where she starred with Marlon Brando. This movie won eight Oscars, including Best Picture. Eva Marie Saint won the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress for her role, which made her an instant star!

After that, Eva Marie Saint appeared in many different types of movies. These included Raintree County (1957) with Elizabeth Taylor, and A Hatful of Rain (1957). For A Hatful of Rain, she was nominated for a Golden Globe Award. She also played Eve Kendall in Alfred Hitchcock's famous spy movie North by Northwest (1959) with Cary Grant. In the 1960s, she acted in movies like Exodus (1960) with Paul Newman, and The Russians Are Coming, the Russians Are Coming (1965). She also starred in The Sandpiper (1965) and Grand Prix (1966). From the 1970s onwards, she mostly worked in television, appearing in a few movies too.

Early Life and Education

Eva Marie Saint as a cheerleader in high school, 1942

Eva Marie Saint was born on July 4, 1924, in Newark, New Jersey. Her parents were Quakers. She went to Bethlehem Central High School in Delmar, New York, and finished school in 1942. In 2006, she was honored by being added to her high school's hall of fame.

She studied acting at Bowling Green State University. She was part of the Delta Gamma Sorority. While there, she played the main character in a play called Personal Appearance. There's even a theater on the university campus named after her! She was also active in the theater club, Theta Alpha Phi.

Starting Her Acting Career

Early Television Work

Eva Marie Saint started her journey in television as an assistant for the NBC network. She appeared on a live TV show called Campus Hoopla from 1946 to 1947. Some of her performances from this show are still saved today. She also appeared in other early TV shows like Bonnie Maid's Versa-Tile Varieties in 1949.

In the late 1940s, Eva Marie Saint worked a lot in radio and television to earn a living. In 1953, she won the Drama Critics Award for her role in the Broadway play The Trip to Bountiful. She acted alongside famous stars like Lillian Gish.

In 1955, she was nominated for her first Emmy Award for her acting in The Philco Television Playhouse. She was nominated again for an Emmy for the TV musical version of Our Town in 1955. In this show, she acted with Paul Newman and Frank Sinatra. Her TV performances were so good that one TV critic called her "the Helen Hayes of television."

On the Waterfront Success

Eva Marie Saint and Marlon Brando in On the Waterfront, 1954

Eva Marie Saint made her first big movie in On the Waterfront (1954). She starred with Marlon Brando, and Elia Kazan directed the film. For her role as Edie Doyle, she won the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress. She was also nominated for a BAFTA Award for "Most Promising Newcomer."

A film critic from The New York Times said that Eva Marie Saint was a talented new actress who didn't just rely on her looks. The movie was a huge hit and really launched her film career.

In an interview, Eva Marie Saint shared a fun story about making the movie. Director Elia Kazan put her in a room with Marlon Brando. He told her, "Brando is your sister's boyfriend. You're not used to being with a young man. Don't let him in the door!" She said Brando started teasing her, which made her feel a bit off-balance during the whole filming.

She later appeared with Bob Hope in That Certain Feeling (1956). Then she starred in the big Civil War movie Raintree County (1957) with Elizabeth Taylor. After that, she acted in A Hatful of Rain (1957). For this role, she was nominated for the "Best Foreign Actress" award by the British Academy.

North by Northwest Thriller

Cary Grant and Eva Marie Saint in North by Northwest, 1959

Director Alfred Hitchcock chose Eva Marie Saint for a mysterious female lead role in his suspense classic North by Northwest (1959). She starred alongside Cary Grant and James Mason. This movie was a big success and influenced many spy films that came after it. It is considered one of the greatest American movies of all time.

Hitchcock helped Eva Marie Saint make her voice sound lower and more husky for the role. He also personally picked out her costumes. Her performance as a mysterious woman who keeps Cary Grant (and the audience) guessing was highly praised. A critic from The New York Times wrote that she showed new talents in the movie.

Eva Marie Saint remembered working with Cary Grant and Hitchcock. Grant told her, "You don't have to cry in a movie to have a good time. Just have fun!" Hitchcock also advised her not to do "sink-to-sink" movies anymore, meaning movies about everyday struggles. He wanted her to be glamorous. But Eva Marie Saint said she loved those dramas too!

Later Career Highlights

Eva Marie Saint with Don Murray in A Hatful of Rain (1957)

Even though North by Northwest could have made her a huge star, Eva Marie Saint chose to work less in movies. She wanted to spend more time with her husband, director Jeffrey Hayden, and their two children. In the 1960s, she continued to act in both popular and unique films. She starred with Paul Newman in Exodus (1960), a historical movie about the creation of Israel. She also appeared in All Fall Down (1962) with Warren Beatty.

Eva Marie Saint acted with Elizabeth Taylor and Richard Burton in The Sandpiper. She also joined James Garner in the World War II thriller 36 Hours (1965). She was part of an all-star cast in the comedy The Russians Are Coming, the Russians Are Coming (1966) and the racing drama Grand Prix (1966).

She received great reviews for her role in Loving (1970), where she played the wife of George Segal. The movie was well-liked by critics.

Because she wasn't getting many exciting movie roles in the 1970s, Eva Marie Saint returned to television and stage acting in the 1980s. She was nominated for an Emmy Award for the miniseries How The West Was Won in 1977. She also played the mother of Cybill Shepherd's character in the TV series Moonlighting.

Recent Work and Awards

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

Eva Marie Saint returned to the big screen in Nothing in Common (1986), playing the mother of Tom Hanks's character. Critics were happy to see her back in movies. She then appeared in many TV projects. After five nominations, she finally won her first Emmy Award for the miniseries People Like Us in 1990. She also played the mother of Roz Doyle in an episode of the comedy series Frasier in 1999.

In 2000, Eva Marie Saint was in the movie I Dreamed of Africa with Kim Basinger. In 2005, she co-starred in Don't Come Knocking and the family film Because of Winn-Dixie.

In 2006, she appeared in Superman Returns as Martha Kent, Superman's adoptive mother. She received a Golden Boot Awards in 2007 for her work in western films.

Eva Marie Saint also lent her voice to the animated TV series The Legend of Korra (2012), playing the older version of Katara. In 2012, she was cast in the movie Winter's Tale.

At 93 years old, Eva Marie Saint appeared at the 2018 Academy Award ceremony to present an award. She received a standing ovation from everyone there. In 2021, she was part of a podcast play series called "The Pack Podcast."

Eva Marie Saint has two stars on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. One is for her movies and the other for her television work.

Personal Life

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

Eva Marie Saint married producer and director Jeffrey Hayden on October 28, 1951. They had two children: a son named Darrell, born in 1955, and a daughter named Laurette, born in 1958. Interestingly, their first child, Darrell, was born just two days after she won her Academy Award for On the Waterfront. Eva Marie Saint and Jeffrey Hayden also have four grandchildren. They were married for 65 years until Jeffrey's death in 2016.

On July 4, 2024, Eva Marie Saint turned 100 years old! She celebrated this special birthday with four generations of her family in Los Angeles.

Filmography

Film

Television

Stage Credits

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)