Bethlehem’s bright star
DELMAR—A screen icon interwoven into the very fabric of Bethlehem: as Eva Marie Saint celebrated her centennial birthday on July 4, her life and childhood tell the story of the place she calls home and the community that continues to recognize her lasting impact.
Saint’s memories of her hometown paint a vivid portrait of a community that is both different from and yet similar to the present-day landscape.
“It was still a small town. When we got into the Atomic Age of the 1950s and ’60s, it just started to boom,” explained Town Historian William Ketzer. “Your high school classes were small; you knew your neighbors,” he added. “Eva Marie Saint was a part of that; her family was absolutely part of this close-knit fabric of the community.”
Nature was an important part of her childhood in Bethlehem and has defined many of her memories. Saint recalled these early years in a 2023 interview with CBS producer John Yacobian on behalf of Spotlight News for the article ‘Eva Marie Saint, the Academy Award-winning actress, started her path to fame here.’
Saint remembers sitting by the Normans Kill Creek and spending days at Thacher Park, where her family would picnic and where she learned to play baseball—a sport she continues to love—with her father and sister Adelaide.
“The seasons had a way of marking time,” she said, reflecting on her love of New York weather, from ice skating to reveling in the autumn colors.
“The thing that always strikes me about her time here is how much information we actually have,” noted Ketzer. “One of the stories people love most—and one I love to tell—is about her drama teacher.” He added, “Her teacher basically told Eva Marie that she wasn’t talented enough to act in the school play; she didn’t have what it took.” Decades later, the teacher joked that she’d “never live it down.” Despite the early setback, Saint described her teachers as “incredible” and recalled having a “wonderful time.” She was active in school, joining numerous clubs and serving as a class officer and cheerleader.
Saint also attended many school dances, often wearing dresses made by her mother. A cherished memory was going to the drug store at the Four Corners, where she and her schoolmates would enjoy sundaes together.
To honor Saint’s connection to Bethlehem, on Friday, Nov. 1, at 7 p.m., UAlbany Downtown Campus’ Page Hall will host a ‘Small Town Birthday Celebration and Screening’ in association with the New York State Writers Institute.
At the event, former teacher and freelance arts writer Jack Rightmyer will recount his experience interviewing Saint. His interview originally appeared in Spotlight News in 1990 across two articles. Along with the discussion of her life and work, there will be a screening of the film On the Waterfront.
Saint won an Academy Award for her riveting portrayal of morality in the face of injustice in this seminal 1954 film and remained a prolific actress over the decades. Her filmography includes That Certain Feeling, Raintree County, North by Northwest, 36 Hours, The Sandpiper, Grand Prix, and numerous stage and television performances.
“On the Waterfront is one of the great films of all time,” said Rightmyer. “If people come that night who have never seen it, I think they’ll find it’s still very timely. It’s about inequality and unions, and I think it will connect with a lot of people.”
The film holds particular meaning for Rightmyer, who taught a film class at a New Hampshire school where he often screened it for students. Saint’s life and work were familiar to him even before his interview with her.
In a coincidental encounter, Rightmyer once briefly met Saint at Bethlehem Middle School, where he was a teacher. Late one afternoon, as he was leaving, he noticed a “well-dressed, elegant
couple” walking down the hallway. The next day, the school buzzed with talk about Saint’s visit, and Rightmyer realized the couple he had seen was Saint and her husband, Jeffrey Hayden.
“She would occasionally come back to Delmar; she still had friends and connections here,” said Rightmyer. As a writer, he was immediately captivated by her story. “I thought there was a good local story here,” he said, laughing at his first, excited thought, “Oh, I want to interview her!”
After coordinating with her publicist, he arranged a phone interview with her. During their 45-minute conversation, they discussed everything from working with directors like Alfred Hitchcock on North by Northwest to performing alongside Paul Newman and Cary Grant.
“She answered every question; she was very warm and friendly,” he said. “She mentioned that one of the great things about being an actress in the 1950s was being able to bring her children with her, especially when filming on location for several months. I could tell right away that her family mattered more than anything. I just came away with a really wonderful feeling about her.”
Saint’s legacy remains an integral part of Bethlehem’s culture, reflecting the support her community has given her through the years. “Her success is our success,” noted Ketzer. “We’re proud of many accomplished Bethlehem graduates, and she’s certainly one of the most distinguished.”
“She made it, and the fact that she would come back to the community and maintain friendships here shows she wasn’t an actress who forgot where she came from. I think that’s a good lesson,” added Rightmyer.
