My Life in Three Acts

by Helen Hayes, Katherine Hatch

The legendary star of stage and screen reflects on her life and career. With wit, wisdom and candor, Hayes introduces us to the extraordinary cast of characters she has known throughout her long life and career. 2 cassettes.

Genres: Biography, Nonfiction, Theatre, Autobiography, Memoir

266 pages, Hardcover

First published December 1, 1990

About the author

Helen Hayes Brown (October 10, 1900 – March 17, 1993) was an American actress whose career spanned almost 70 years. She eventually garnered the nickname "First Lady of the American Theatre" and was one of eleven 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. The annual Helen Hayes Awards, which have recognized excellence in professional theatre in the greater Washington, D.C. area since 1984, are her namesake. In 1955 the former Fulton Theatre on 46th Street in New York City's Broadway theater district was renamed the Helen Hayes Theatre. When that venue was torn down in 1982, the nearby Little Theatre was renamed in her honor.

Hayes wrote three memoirs.

"We rely upon the poets, the philosophers, and the playwrights to articulate what most of us can only feel, in joy or sorrow. They illuminate the thoughts for which we only grope; they give us the strength and balm we cannot find in ourselves. Whenever I feel my courage wavering, I rush to them. They give me the wisdom of acceptance, the will and resiliance to push on." - Helen Hayes

Reviews

[Patricia · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very well written and interesting. It is narrated by James MacArthur, the author's son. While I think it's awesome when a close family member can narrate when the author has passed on before recording the audiobook, it was kind of weird listening to a male voice reading a woman's memoir.

[Stephanie Lutman · Rating 4 out of 5]

An easy read and very informative. I didn’t know much about Helen Hays and was definitely to young to ever see her on the stage. The only problems are she jumps around a bit. She talks about her husband’s death then a few chapters later she tells a story and her husband is alive. Kinda hard to tell where in the narrative she’s talking about. She doesn’t talk much about her children and after she gets married her mother just disappears no mention of her or when she died. But otherwise I enjoyed it.

[Lisa · Rating 4 out of 5]

Not a completely chronological memoir, exactly, but compelling nonetheless. Loved her insights into the theatre world. I just wish there'd been more about her relationships with her husband and children.

P.S. This wasn't large print; for some reason, Goodreads doesn't have the HBJ version listed.

[Allyson · Rating 5 out of 5]

A must for theater majors! Her stories of various actors and actresses from the stage and screen make that time of theater really come to life. A delightful woman. I hated for the book to end.

[Donnell · Rating 3 out of 5]

A pleasant drift through a life well-lived and long, that ended fifteen years before the release of the iPhone.

I would have thought there would have been more about her beloved daughter who died at age 19. A taking of the opportunity to revisit her time with the girl as she was writing, the opportunity to tell others what a wondrous personality the child was--but there is almost nothing beyond a brief retelling of the girl becoming sick and then dying.

An example of how a mind set can hold on so strongly, yet be so out of step with the changing world, that death may be a necessity for our mental progress as a society: One of Helen's most important, to her, plays is called "what Every Woman Knows." Apparently what every woman knows is that it is her job to be the woman behind her man. So when the movie studio wants to jazz up the heroine's role--to free her from staying home with her knitting and send her into the thick of things--Helen is aghast!

[Christy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Helen Hayes has been on stage, screen and television for more than fifty years. In that time she moved among the world s most famous and talented people. She speaks with wit, wisdom, and candor on topics both public and private, offering behind-the-sceens portraits of great personalities, telling of the advice older actors gave her and how she in turn gave advice. She

[Elaine · Rating 4 out of 5]

Helen Hayes knew many people including Joan Crawford. She saw first hand Crawford's abuse of her two oldest adopted children. They did indeed have to call her mommy dearest and before they could say anything, they were required to ask, "Mommy Dearest, may I speak?" Most of Hollywood knew all about the abuse, both physical and mental.

[Diane S · Rating 4 out of 5]

I loved this book. Another one from the Estate of Aunt Kathy. HH was a very interesting character, a true actress. Loved the stage and talked a lot about the good old days of theatre. I enjoy reading things like this. Always opens up my mind to things I never had the occasion to learn before... ;)

[Kim Martin · Rating 3 out of 5]

Nice memoir, and some enticing behind-the-scenes tidbits. But let's face it, she was just too nice and normal a person to write anything very eye-opening. But it was worth the read, and her love for her husband Charles MacArthur was genuine. It made me want to read more about him, for sure.

[Donna · Rating 3 out of 5]

A gentle little autobiography, low on drama and backstage gossip but high on the value of family and sacrifices for true love. Hayes doesn't really reveal much, but then again, she was a tremendously ladylike actress - very old school.

[Amy Sawyer · Rating 3 out of 5]

Very interesting. This is a book I think avid theater lovers, especially those interested in theater history, would relish. For an autobiography there didn't seem much that was highly personal, but rather more of an autobiography of her career.

[Margaret · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a fun slice of life from that era. Worth it to read about all the artists she and her hubby hung with.

[Lorraine Wille · Rating 3 out of 5]

Good bedtime listening