Actress Eva Marie Saint, the Oscar-winning actress and star of the classic films "On the Pier" and "North by Northwest," has died at the age of 102. Her death occurred on October 6 at her home in Los Angeles and was confirmed by family representative Jeff Sanderson. Variety reported the news, and the "Washington Post" noted that the statement did not specify a specific cause of death. CBS reports that it was a natural death.
A Debut That Won Her an „Oscar“
Eva Marie Saint was born on July 4, 1924, in Newark, New Jersey. After working in radio, television, and theater, she landed her first film role in the drama „On the Pier“ directed by Elia Kazan. She played Eddie Doyle, the love interest of Marlon Brando's character.
Her performance won her the „Oscar“ for Best Supporting Actress in 1955. Saint was the fourth actor to receive the statuette for a supporting role in her film debut. At the ceremony, she was pregnant with her first child and, accepting her award from Frank Sinatra, said: “I think the baby is right here.“ Her son Darrell was born two days later.
From Elia Kazan to Alfred Hitchcock
Five years after “On the Pier“ Saint appeared in Alfred Hitchcock“North by Northwest“. She played Eve Kendall, a mysterious woman involved in a spy story with Cary Grant’s character. The film became one of the director’s most recognizable productions, and the role established Saint as one of the leading actresses of American cinema in the 1950s.
Her career continued with appearances in films such as “Raintree County“ with Montgomery Clift and Elizabeth Taylor, "Exodus" with Paul Newman, "Grand Prix" with Yves Montand, "Nothing in Common" with Tom Hanks, and "Superman Returns," where she played Martha Kent.
Six Decades on Screen
In the 1970s, Saint turned a significant portion of her work to television. She had roles in "Moonlight," "Fraser," and a number of television movies, and in 1990 she won an "Emmy" award for her role in "The Last Stand." for the miniseries “People Like Us“.
The actress was married to television director and producer Jeffrey Hayden from 1951 until his death in 2016. The couple have two children, four grandchildren and two great-grandchildren. Saint continued to take on professional commitments well into her old age, becoming one of the last major figures of Hollywood's golden age.
Sources: variety.com, apnews.com, washingtonpost.com