Early life and education

Saint was born in Newark, New Jersey, to Eva Marie (née Rice) and John Merle Saint. She attended Bethlehem Central High School in Delmar, New York, near Albany, graduating in 1942. (She was inducted into the high school's hall of fame in 2006.)

She studied acting at Bowling Green State University and joined Delta Gamma Sorority. A theater on Bowling Green's campus is named after her. She was an active member in the theater honorary fraternity, Theta Alpha Phi, and served as Secretary of the Bowling Green Student Government in 1944.

Career

Early television career

Saint's introduction to television began as an NBC page. She appeared in the very early live NBC TV show Campus Hoopla in 1946-47. Her performances on this program are recorded on rare kinescope, and audio recordings of these telecasts are preserved in the Library of Congress. She also appeared in the Bonnie Maid's Versa-Tile Varieties on NBC in 1949 as one of the original singing "Bonnie Maids" used in the live commercials.

She appeared in a 1947 Life Magazine special about television, and also in a 1949 feature Life article about her as a struggling actress earning minimum amounts from early TV while trying to make ends meet in New York City.

In the late 1940s, Saint continued to make her living by extensive work in radio and television. In 1953 she won the Drama Critics Award for her Broadway stage role in the Horton Foote play, The Trip to Bountiful (1953), in which she co-starred with such formidable actors as Lillian Gish and Jo Van Fleet.

In 1955, Saint was nominated for her first Emmy for "Best Actress In A Single Performance" on The Philco Television Playhouse, for playing the young mistress of middle-aged E. G. Marshall in Middle of the Night by Paddy Chayefsky. She won another Emmy nomination for the 1955 television musical version of Our Town, adapted from the Thornton Wilder play of the same name. Co-stars were Paul Newman and Frank Sinatra. Her success and acclaim in TV productions were of such a high level that the young Saint earned the nickname "the Helen Hayes of television."

On the Waterfront

Saint made her feature film debut in On the Waterfront (1954), starring Marlon Brando and directed by Elia Kazan - a performance for which she won the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress. Her performance as Edie Doyle (whose brother's death sets the film's drama in motion), which she won over such leading contenders as Claire Trevor, Nina Foch, Katy Jurado, and Jan Sterling, also earned her a British Academy of Film and Television Award nomination for "Most Promising Newcomer." In his New York Times review, film critic A. H. Weiler wrote:

"In casting Eva Marie Saint - a newcomer to movies from TV and Broadway - Mr. Kazan has come up with a pretty and blond artisan who does not have to depend on these attributes. Her parochial school training is no bar to love with the proper stranger. Amid scenes of carnage, she gives tenderness and sensitivity to genuine romance."

In a 2000 interview in Premiere magazine, Saint recalled making the film, which has been highly influential:

“

Kazan put me in a room with Marlon Brando. He said 'Brando is the boyfriend of your sister. You're not used to being with a young man. Don't let him in the door under any circumstances'. I don't know what he told Marlon; you'll have to ask him - good luck! came in and started teasing me. He put me off balance. And I remained off balance for the whole shoot.

”

The film was a major success and launched Saint's movie career. She starred with Don Murray in A Hatful of Rain (1957), the pioneering drug-addiction drama, for which she received a nomination for the "Best Foreign Actress" award from the British Academy of Film and Television. She also starred in the lavish Civil War epic Raintree County (also 1957) with Elizabeth Taylor and Montgomery Clift.

North by Northwest

Director Alfred Hitchcock surprised many by choosing Saint over dozens of other candidates for the femme fatale role in what was to become a suspense classic North by Northwest (1959) with Cary Grant and James Mason. Written by Ernest Lehman, the film updated and expanded upon the director's early "wrong man" spy adventures of the 1930s, 1940s, and 1950s, including The 39 Steps, Young and Innocent, and Saboteur. North by Northwest became a box-office hit and an influence on spy films for decades. The film ranks number forty on the American Film Institute's list of the 100 Greatest American Movies of All Time.

At the time of the film's production, much publicity was gained by Hitchcock's decision to cut Saint's waist-length blonde hair for the first time in her career. Hitchcock explained at the time, "Short hair gives Eva a more exotic look, in keeping with her role of the glamorous woman of my story. I wanted her dressed like a kept woman - smart, simple, subtle and quiet. In other words, anything but the bangles and beads type." The director also worked with Saint to make her voice lower and huskier, and personally chose costumes for her during a shopping trip to Bergdorf Goodman in New York City.

The change in Saint's screen persona, coupled with her adroit performance as a seductive woman of mystery who keeps Cary Grant (and the audience) off balance, was widely heralded. In his New York Times review of August 7, 1959, critic Bosley Crowther wrote:

"In casting Eva Marie Saint as romantic vis-a-vis, Mr. Hitchcock has plumbed some talents not shown by the actress heretofore. Although she is seemingly a hard, designing type, she also emerges both the sweet heroine and a glamorous charmer."

In 2000, recalling her experience making the picture with Cary Grant and Hitchcock, Saint said:

" would say, 'See, Eva Marie, you don't have to cry in a movie to have a good time. Just kick up your heels and have fun.' Hitchcock said, 'I don't want you to do a sink-to-sink movie again, ever. You've done these black-and-white movies like On the Waterfront. It's drab in that tenement house. Women go to the movies, and they've just left the sink at home. They don't want to see you at the sink.' I said, 'I can't promise you that, Hitch, because I love those dramas.'"

Mid-career

Although North by Northwest might have propelled her to the top ranks of stardom, Saint chose to limit her film work in order to spend time with her husband since 1951, director Jeffrey Hayden, and their two children. In the 1960s, Saint continued to distinguish herself in both high-profile and offbeat pictures. She co-starred again with Paul Newman in Exodus (1960), a historical drama about the founding of the state of Israel adapted from the novel of the same name by Leon Uris. It was directed by Otto Preminger. She also co-starred with Warren Beatty, Karl Malden and Angela Lansbury as a tragic beauty in the drama All Fall Down (1962). Based upon a novel by James Leo Herlihy and a screenplay by William Inge, the film was directed by John Frankenheimer.

She appeared with Elizabeth Taylor and Richard Burton in the melodrama The Sandpiper for Vincente Minnelli, and with James Garner in the World War II thriller 36 Hours (1965), directed by George Seaton. Saint joined an all-star cast in the comedic satire, The Russians Are Coming, directed by Norman Jewison, and the international racing drama, Grand Prix (1966) directed by Frankenheimer and presented in Cinerama.

Saint received some of her best reviews for her performance in Loving (1970), co-starring as the wife of George Segal. The movie was about a commercial artist's relationship with his wife and other women; it was critically acclaimed but did not have wide viewership.

Because of the mostly second-rate film roles that came her way in the 1970s, Saint returned to television and the stage in the 1980s. She appeared in a number of made-for-television films; she played the mother of Cybill Shepherd on the television series, Moonlighting, which lasted three years. She received an Emmy nomination for the 1977 miniseries, How The West Was Won, and a 1978 Emmy nomination for Taxi!!! She was reunited with On the Waterfront co-star Karl Malden in the television film Fatal Vision, this time as the wife of his character, as he investigated the murder of his daughter and granddaughters.

Later career

Saint returned to the big screen for the first time in over a decade in Nothing in Common (1986), in which she played the mother of Tom Hanks' character; it was directed by Garry Marshall. Critics applauded her return to features.

Saint was soon back on the small screen in numerous projects. After receiving five nominations, Saint won her first Emmy Award for the 1990 miniseries People Like Us. She appeared in a number of television productions in the 1990s and was cast as the mother of radio producer, Roz Doyle, in a 1999 episode of the comedy series Frasier.

In 2000, she returned to feature films in I Dreamed of Africa, with Kim Basinger. In 2005 she co-starred with Jessica Lange and Sam Shepard in Don't Come Knocking. Also in 2005, she appeared in the family film, Because of Winn-Dixie, co-starring AnnaSophia Robb, Jeff Daniels and Cicely Tyson.

In 2006, Saint appeared in Superman Returns, as Martha Kent, the adoptive mother of Superman, alongside Brandon Routh and a computer-generated performance from her On the Waterfront co-star Marlon Brando.

She was presented one of the Golden Boot Awards in 2007 for her contributions to western cinema.

Saint has appeared in a number of television specials and documentaries, particularly since 2000. These included The Making of North by Northwest, which she narrated and hosted. In 2009, she made a rare public appearance at the 81st Academy Awards ceremony as a Best Supporting Actress presenter. In 2011, Saint participated in two screenings of North by Northwest with Robert Osborne. The films were shown in Seattle and Cleveland. Saint and Osborne participated in meet-and-greet sessions as well as a pre-movie question and answer session.

Saint has lent her voice to the 2012 Nickelodeon animated series The Legend of Korra, a sequel to the hit TV show Avatar: The Last Airbender, playing the now-elderly Katara, a main character from the original series.

In September 2012, she was cast as the adult version of Willa in the film adaptation of the novel Winter's Tale by Mark Helprin. The film was released on Valentine's Day 2014.

She has two stars on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, one for motion pictures at 6624 Hollywood Boulevard, and one for television at 6730 Hollywood Boulevard.

Personal life

Saint has been married to producer/director Jeffrey Hayden since October 28, 1951. They have two children together. She is a registered Democrat.

Filmography

Film

Year	Title	Role	Notes
1954	On the Waterfront	Edie Doyle
1956	That Certain Feeling	Dunreath Henry
1957	Hatful of Rain, AA Hatful of Rain	Celia Pope
1957	Raintree County	Nell Gaither
1959	North by Northwest	Eve Kendall
1960	Exodus	Kitty Fremont
1962	All Fall Down	Echo O'Brien
1965	36 Hours	Anna Hedler
1965	Sandpiper, TheThe Sandpiper	Claire Hewitt
1966	Russians Are Coming, the Russians Are Coming, TheThe Russians Are Coming, the Russians Are Coming	Elspeth Whittaker
1966	Grand Prix	Louise Frederickson
1968	Stalking Moon, TheThe Stalking Moon	Sarah Carver
1970	Loving	Selma Wilson
1972	Cancel My Reservation	Sheila Bartlett
1986	Nothing in Common	Lorraine Basner
1997	Time to Say Goodbye?	Ruth Klooster
2000	I Dreamed of Africa	Franca
2005	Don't Come Knocking	Howard's mother
2005	Because of Winn-Dixie	Miss Franny
2006	Superman Returns	Martha Kent
2014	Winter's Tale	Adult Willa

Television

Year	Title	Role	Notes
1946	Campus Hoopla	Commercial spokeswoman	TV series
1947	A Christmas Carol	N/A	TV film
1949	Suspense	Francie	Episode: "The Comic Strip Murder"
1949	Studio One	Edna Baker	Episode: "June Moon"
1950-1952	One Man's Family	Claudia Barbour Roberts	TV series
1950	Prudential Family Playhouse	Edith Cortwright	Episodes: "Dodsworth", "Three Men on a Horse"
1953	Trip to Bountiful, TheThe Trip to Bountiful	Thelma	TV film
1953	Plymouth Playhouse, TheThe Plymouth Playhouse	Cousin Liz	Episode: "Jamie"
1953	Martin Kane, Private Eye	Sheila Dixon	Episode: "Trip to Bermuda"
1953	Goodyear Television Playhouse	Frances Barclay	Episode: "Wish on the Moon"
1954	Ponds Theater	Tina	Episode: "The Old Maid"
1954	Philco Television Playhouse, TheThe Philco Television Playhouse	Dorie Wilson / Betty	Episodes: "The Joker", "Middle of the Night"
1954	G.E. True Theater	Maudle Applegate	Episode: "The Rider on the Pale Horse"
1955	Producers' Showcase	Miss Blake / Emily Webb	Episodes: "Yellow Jack", "Our Town"
1964	Bob Hope Presents the Chrysler Theatre	Diane Wescott	Episode: "Her School for Bachelors"
1964	Carol for Another Christmas, AA Carol for Another Christmas	WAVE Lt. Gibson	TV film
1976	Macahans, TheThe Macahans	Kate Macahan	TV film
1977	How the West Was Won	Katherine "Kate" Macahan	TV miniseries
1978	Christmas to Remember, AA Christmas to Remember	Emma Larson	TV film
1979	When Hell Was in Session	Jane Denton	TV film
1980	Curse of King Tut's Tomb, TheThe Curse of King Tut's Tomb	Sarah Morrissey	TV film
1981	Best Little Girl in the World, TheThe Best Little Girl in the World	Joanne Powell	TV film
1981	Splendor in the Grass	Mrs. Loomis	TV film
1983	Malibu	Mary Wharton	TV film
1983	Jane Doe	Dr. Addie Coleman	TV film
1983	Love Boat, TheThe Love Boat	Aunt Helena Georgelos	2 episodes
1984	Fatal Vision	Mildred Kassab	TV film
1986	Last Days of Patton, TheThe Last Days of Patton	Beatrice Ayer Patton	TV film
1986	Year in the Life, AA Year in the Life	Ruth Gardner	TV miniseries
1987	Breaking Home Ties	Emma	TV film
1986-1988	Moonlighting	Virginia Hayes	Recurring role (6 episodes)
1988	I'll Be Home for Christmas	Martha Bundy	TV film
1990	Voyage of Terror: The Achille Lauro Affair	Marilyn Klinghoffer	TV film
1990	People Like Us	Lil Van Degan Altemus	TV film
1991	Danielle Steel's 'Palomino'	Caroline Lord	TV film
1993	Kiss of a Killer	Mrs. Wilson	TV film
1995	My Antonia	Emmaline Burden	TV film
1996	After Jimmy	Liz	TV film
1996	Titanic	Hazel Foley	TV film
1999	Frasier	Joanna Doyle	Episode: "Our Parents, Ourselves"
2000	Papa's Angels	Dori "Grammy" Jenkins	TV film
2003	Open House	Veronica Reynolds	TV film
2012-2014	Legend of Korra, TheThe Legend of Korra	Katara (voice)	Recurring role (6 episodes)

Awards and nominations

Year	Group	Award	Film or series	Result
1955	Academy Award	Best Actress in a Supporting Role	On the Waterfront	Won
1955	BAFTA Award	Most Promising Newcomer to Film	On the Waterfront	Nominated
1955	Emmy Award	Best Actress in a Single Performance	The Philco Television Playhouse (Episode: "Middle of the Night")	Nominated
1956	Emmy Award	Best Actress - Single Performance	Producers' Showcase (Episode: "Our Town")	Nominated
1958	BAFTA Award	Best Foreign Actress	Hatful of Rain	Nominated
1958	Golden Globe Award	Best Motion Picture Actress - Drama	A Hatful of Rain	Nominated
1958	Laurel Awards	Top Female Dramatic Performance	A Hatful of Rain	3rd Place
1977	Emmy Award	Outstanding Lead Actress in a Limited Series	How the West Was Won	Nominated
1978	Emmy Award	Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama or Comedy Special	Taxi!!!	Nominated
1990	Emmy Award	Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Miniseries or a Special	People Like Us	Won
1999	Ft. Lauderdale International Film Festival	Lifetime Achievement Award	-	Won
2000	Savannah Film and Video Festival	Lifetime Achievement Award	-	Won
2004	San Luis Obispo International Film Festival	King Vidor Memorial Award	-	Won
2007	Golden Boot Awards	-	-	Won
2012	2nd Annual BTVA Voice Acting Awards	Best Female Vocal Performance in a Television Series in a Guest Role	The Legend of Korra (Episodes: "Welcome to Republic City"; "Endgame")	Won

[ Source: Wikipedia ]