HELEN HAYES - TYPED LETTER SIGNED 06/29/1945 - HFSID 274624

HELEN HAYES
Helen Hayes writes to her agent declining an invitation to appear with Hildegarde in her farewell performance.
Typed Letter signed: "Helen Hayes", 1p, 6x7¾. No place, 1945 June 29. On personal letterhead to "Dear Arnold" [agent Arnold Weissberger]. In full: "You are very sweet to invite me to Hildegarde's farewell performances. As usual, I'm tied up in righteous, and dull dates. Have to go to Boston for a war bond rally - but give my love to Hildegarde, who will I know be the GI's favorite. What fun it's going to be both for her, and for them. See you soon - love to your Mother. Fondly". Hayes (1900-1993) won the 1931-1932 Academy Award for Best Actress for the title role in The Sin of Madelon Claudet, her first film. After starring in Vanessa, Her Love Story in 1935 for M-G-M, Hayes returned to Broadway and enjoyed the greatest triumph of her stage career in the title role of Victoria Regina (1935-1938). She earned the sobriquet, First Lady of the American Stage, winning Tonys for Happy Birthday (1947), the first year the award was given, and for Time Remembered (1958). A frequent TV guest star from the 1950s to the 1980s, Hayes made occasional films, such as Anastasia (1956) and Airport (1970), winning a Best Supporting Actress Oscar for the latter. Loretta Sill Hildegarde (1906-2005) was a popular nightclub performer and recording artist. Whatever "farewell performance" she gave in 1945, it was a bit premature, since she continued performing to great acclaim up to age 89. She had much in common with Helen Hayes: time didn't much diminish the talent or popularity of either. Light mailing fold. Fine condition.