What's my Line? Helen Hayes

[whalleyPE]

A lovely old lady even when she was young. She looks so much like my grandmother but I dislike that she spoke out against Crawford after Mommy Dearest was published. It was low class to speak ill of a dead woman who couldn't defend herself and history has born out as innocent of the charges.

[2legit64]

Helen Hayes was a true beauty her whole life. She and Lillian Gish obviously came from a fantastic gene pool.

[TheTubePortal]

I would have loved to even been in the audience for this taping. Almost all of the true legends are gone. The only ones left are the legendary comedians (Mickey Rooney is the last 30's Hollywood star still living) Jerry Lewis and Sid Ceasar.

[calihartley2010]

The whole panel stood for her when she appeared for the second time.

[okonh0wp]

all i know about her is she won an oscar very very early like early 1930's and then another in the 70s

[LoudCitizen]

It's interesting that they ask whether the stars' pictures are appearing "on Broadway." We never categorize films today as being on Broadway.

[imnotdonepacking]

you gave them a run for their money, Helen.

[norfolk03]

Such a delightful lady! Many thanks!

[Tellgryn]

James Gordon MacArthur Helen's son passed away on October 28 2010.

I enjoyed both of theirs works on sceen and will miss them.

Helen was all about class and charm and did some fine work on stage and in the movies.

James will be remembered for his work at Disney and on Hawaii 5-0.

[superdavid002]

I mention Hayes in The Celebrity Song.

[nocount1]

This may be myth but I heard that when she was in a play on Broadway she used to drive her own motor boat from Nyack to a pier on the west side of Manhattan to get to the performance every night. Pretty cool if it's true.

[Countrygirltori24]

my mom worked as a teenager at a bank in Nyack...she just recently told me that she knew Helen Hayes, but as Mrs. MacArthur (her married name)...it wasn't until a couple of years before someone mentioned to her that Mrs. MacArthur was actually Helen Hayes. My mom has nothing but good things to say about her and she tells me little quirks and rituals Helen Hayes had.

[etraig]

i'll always remember her as Adda Quanset in "airport" (oscar for that), and Mrs. Steinmets in "herbie the lovebug rides again", and "Candleshoe". those were the first films i'd seen her in.

[thebassetthound]

Those were the films I first saw her in - loved Herbie Rides Again & Candleshoe growing up - and as Miss Marple in a version of "The Mirror Cracked"

[etraig]

she played marple in two tv movies (according to IMDB), "Murder with Mirrors", and "A Caribbean Mystery", but not "the Mirror cracked".

If you're thinking of the version with rock hudson, liz taylor, kim novak, and tony curtis, that film had Angela landsbury as marple.

[thebassetthound]

True! I meant "Murder with Mirrors". The version the version of "The Mirror Crack'd" with Angela Lansbury is another favourite though!

[chucknyc123]

After her husband died she lived a quiet life in Nyack, New York, other than when she was working. People say the character of Margo Channing is based on her, but I simply can't imagine it. Bennett Cerf was the quintessential New Yorker.

[jmuslvr]

Margo Channing was based on a famous Broadway actress named Elizabeth Bergner. She took a young aspiring actress into her home and the girl betrayed her. Mary Orr heard this story and wrote the short story which was later adapted as the movie "All About Eve".

[1borito]

The answer was just plain wrong to the "leading lady" question.

[leeinvegas]

Her  son was on TV in Hawaii Five O and the movie "Swiss Family Robinson"

[smokelean]

very very funny a true glimpse of her technique and method of delivery. it is understandable why she, like olivie, stood apart

[erzbet07]

Isn't it refreshing to see a truly legendary actress of great refinement and graciousness?! Simply gowned, beautifully coiffed, well spoken..she commands respect. No wonder the audience was so enthusiastic. There are very few actresses in this day and age that can match her illustrious career. Thanks for sharing this great clip of a truly great lady.

[RichardOliverWY]

@erzbet07 yes yes yes

[EDH1712]

Ms. Hayes was in "A Farewell to Arms" with Gary Cooper and it's a wonderful movie. I find her to be a more natural actress than many of her contemporaries. Unfortunate that she didn't star in more movies.

Didn't think too much about the handshakes, but my impression of her is that she didn't portray herself as a STAR. Seemingly a very down to earth woman.

[meanwiddlekid]

This is the first time I've seen her when she was under 70.

[bigred997]

I think she was in For Whom A Bell Tolls with Gary Cooper made in 1932 where she plays a nurse in WWI. I think that was the movie title.

You will see that she was a lovely ingenue.

[checkoutmyprofile]

Happy Birthday Helen Hayes:)

[HowardOfOz]

the personification of class and elegance.....

[Tikilizzy]

Lovely, talented woman.

[khela2065]

"great leading woman of all time" --- so so true!!!

[HowardOfOz]

agreed!!

[1940spianoman]

But look at the quick way she made her exit: compared to most other guest stars, she barely shook the players' hands, acting as if she worked at McDonald's?

[HowardOfOz]

i disagree, considering the mystery guest was the last segment of the show, it is likely time was out....

[cycleman7]

I took her quick exit to be good manners and humiliity - her part of the show was over, and she did not dawdle.

[1940spianoman]

...so I've already been told. ok, ok...

[MalubaySyecado]

Though she did about a dozens films in the early 1930's, Helen Hayes did no film or TV from 1935 to 1950 and concentrated solely on her stage career. She began doing TV in 1950 and Queen Victoria (as mentioned by Bennett Cerf) was her third role for TV. By 1952 she would start doing film again. She would do tons of work in TV and film until 1985 and died in 1993 at the age of 92.

[rickram1961]

Wow the First Lady of Broadway on Whats my Line. Even though Miss Hayes made a few movies in her time her movie roles were very memorable.

[yarwood1935]

This is amazing - the First Lady of the American Theatre!

[mca1218]

The true definition of a 'grand dame.' Thank you.

[HowardOfOz]

agree....she was an exceptional woman

[26mae1987]

imsorry daley dah! melol

[26mae1987]

ooooo i lovesssssssssss her and shes so funny! allen makes it to or made it and the pannel! love it

[soulierinvestments]

1:54 -- John Daly let this episode get more complicated than it needed to be. Mary -- daughter of Helen Hayes and Charles MacArthur (who died the year before this appearance) died in 1949 of polio. Miss Hayes suffered from allergies herself.