1. Overview
Roberta Haynes (born Roberta Arline Schack; August 19, 1927 - April 4, 2019) was an American actress active from 1947 to 1989. Known for her distinctive "Latin" looks and often cast in "ethnic type" roles, Haynes navigated a complex Hollywood landscape, rising to prominence in the 1950s despite facing industry scrutiny and challenging conventional expectations. Her career spanned numerous stage performances, major film roles, and extensive television work, punctuated by periods of international engagement and personal struggles. Haynes' life was marked by both professional breakthroughs, such as her starring role alongside Gary Cooper in Return to Paradise, and personal resilience, including overcoming a severe eye injury and actively engaging in humanitarian efforts through USO tours. Beyond acting, she also contributed as a co-author and television producer, demonstrating a versatile engagement with the entertainment industry. Her journey reflects a determined individual who often prioritized authenticity over industry pressure, culminating in a unique final resting place in Samoa.
2. Early Life and Education
Roberta Arline Schack was born on August 19, 1927, in Wichita Falls, Texas, to William Schack and Jewel Eichel Schack. Her parents, both originally from New York City, had ties to the entertainment world; her mother was a dancer who performed with a Shubert road company and an Eddie Cantor revue. Her father worked as an electrical engineer and took a job with the Canada Electric Company in Toronto in 1930. Canadian border control records from that period identified the family as being of "Hebrew" race. By 1935, the family had relocated to Los Angeles, California.
Haynes attended John Burroughs Junior High School until 1942, where her yearbook notably listed "actress" as her desired occupation. From an early age, she pursued dancing lessons and studied with drama coach Grace Bowman, participating in various charity variety shows. She later enrolled at North Hollywood High School, where, as a senior, she performed in a student stage production playing a 19th-century California senorita. This early experience foreshadowed two recurring elements in her long career: gaining public attention through newspaper photos and frequently being cast in ethnic "type" roles.
3. Early Career Breakthroughs
Roberta Haynes' early career was characterized by significant stage debuts, a challenging transition to film and television, and notable successes both on Broadway and in touring productions, establishing her presence in the acting world.
3.1. Stage Debut and Early Recognition
After graduating from high school in June 1945, Roberta Schack married John E. Freund, who had just earned a master's degree at UCLA. The couple moved to New York City, where Freund pursued a Ph.D. at Columbia University, while Haynes studied drama with Herbert Berghof and took modern dance classes from Martha Graham. Her marriage ended by January 1946, prompting her return to Los Angeles, where she enrolled at UCLA, majoring in Drama and French.
Her first professional acting credit as "Roberta Haynes" occurred in February 1947, when she was cast in a production of Charley's Aunt at the Musart Theater in Los Angeles. Despite what critics felt was weak staging, Haynes received favorable reviews, and her photo appeared in several local newspapers. This engagement was also significant for securing her Actors' Equity card.
Her subsequent notable performance was in an original play by John Bright titled City of Angels, which premiered at the Musart Theater in June 1948. Directed by Anthony Quinn, Haynes played a minor role as a pachuca in East Los Angeles who becomes entangled in riots following a policeman's murder. The play itself was fraught with controversy; 14 cast members walked out on opening night due to poor production values. When it finally opened a week later, it was shut down after two nights by the Los Angeles Police, ostensibly for lacking a permit. The police refused to issue a permit until the playwright and producer agreed to remove certain "objectionable lines" from the script, highlighting the social tensions and censorship prevalent at the time. The play eventually reopened for another two weeks.
3.2. Transition to Film and Early Television
The notoriety surrounding City of Angels, coupled with newspaper coverage featuring Haynes, likely contributed to her securing uncredited parts in two films, Knock on Any Door and We Were Strangers, both filmed in 1948 and released the following year.
In September 1949, Haynes traveled to New York City for her first experience with television, appearing in an episode of the combined radio and TV show, Starring Boris Karloff. This marked a pivotal moment as television would become her primary performing medium in later years.
3.3. Broadway and Touring Success
While in New York, Haynes was offered a role in the touring company of The Madwoman of Chaillot, which she joined in late December 1949. Replacing Leora Dana, Haynes played "Irma the Waitress," whose character shared the only romance in the story with "Pierre the Architect" (played by Alan Shayne). The extensive tour included stops in Philadelphia, Detroit, Boston, and Baltimore, where local papers featured photos and favorable mentions of Haynes. By March 1950, the production was in Chicago, staying for six weeks at the Erlanger Theater before moving to smaller cities. The production returned to Broadway for a three-week run at the New York City Center in June 1950, solidifying Haynes' reputation as a stage actress.
3.4. Return to West Coast Stage and Screen
Upon returning to the West Coast in February 1951, Haynes participated in a radio quiz show, Managing Editor, broadcast on KGIL, alongside her mother. In the remaining months of 1950, she also appeared in episodes of New York-based television shows such as Somerset Maugham TV Theatre and Pulitzer Prize Playhouse, and served as an understudy in The House of Bernarda Alba for the American National Theater and Academy.
In May 1951, Haynes starred as the daughter in a concise version of Tartuffe, the Imposter at the Ivar Theater in Los Angeles. While most reviewers praised her performance in the production, which featured Sam Jaffe in the title role, one critic found her "competent but not overly inspired."
Later that year, in early September 1951, Haynes was cast in the film High Noon. Despite being described by a columnist as "slender, dark-skinned, Latin in looks and not at all a Hollywood 'cover girl' type," her part in the acclaimed Western classic was ultimately cut during editing, marking an early setback in her film career. However, in December 1951 and January 1952, Haynes filmed a brief but crucial role in The Fighter, playing Richard Conte's doomed fiancé, a role central to the film's plot. In March and May 1952, she also appeared in two episodes of the television series Rebound.
4. Major Film Roles and Studio Contract
The 1950s marked Roberta Haynes' ascent in Hollywood, highlighted by her breakthrough film roles and the significant challenges she encountered, particularly regarding studio expectations and public image.
4.1. Breakthrough with "Return to Paradise"
Following the disappointment of her role being cut from High Noon, Haynes was given a second opportunity to work with Gary Cooper. Producer Theron Warth and director Mark Robson selected her for one of the two female leads in Return to Paradise. Based on James Michener's short story Mr. Morgan, the film was shot entirely on location on the island of Upolu in Western Samoa.
Haynes and director Robson arrived in Samoa on May 9, 1952, a month before the rest of the Hollywood cast and crew. This early arrival allowed her to immerse herself in local customs, speech patterns, and movements within the village of Matautu, Lefaga, aiming for a more authentic portrayal of her character. Her selection as Cooper's romantic lead, especially after her uncredited role in High Noon, generated a "Cinderella" narrative in the press, framing her as a new Hollywood sensation. She spent four and a half months filming in Samoa, during which she regularly corresponded with her parents and even wrote an article for Jimmie Fidler's syndicated column about her experiences and the production's progress.
Upon the completion of location filming in late September 1952, Haynes returned to Los Angeles. Although her character would die midway through the film, her performance transitioned her from ingenue roles to a leading woman status. Return to Paradise was released in late July 1953 to generally favorable critical reception. Edwin Schallert of the Los Angeles Times praised her portrayal, stating, "Haynes depicts the native girl Maeva like a native, one of the most convincing portrayals in the picture." Howard McClay of the Daily News added that Haynes "brings a warm, almost childlike quality to a role that could easily have been overdone in less understanding hands," highlighting her nuanced performance.
4.2. The Controversial Photo Incident
In October 1952, a full-page photo of Haynes published on the back cover of a trade magazine caused a significant stir in Hollywood. While the photo's content led the Breen Office-a self-censorship body for Hollywood studios-to object strongly and industry figures like Louella O. Parsons and Y. Frank Freeman to denounce "salacious" photos, it paradoxically ignited her career. Hedda Hopper reported that three studios immediately requested interviews with Haynes.
This incident exposed the contradictory nature of Hollywood's public morality versus its commercial interests. While official bodies condemned the image, the ensuing publicity unexpectedly boosted Haynes' visibility and marketability. Columnists Erskine Johnson and Sheilah Graham publicly defended Haynes and praised her career prospects, with Parsons quickly retracting her denouncement when it became known that Columbia Pictures had signed Haynes to a contract, stating the photo was not Haynes' fault. Haynes herself later shared her side of the story with journalist Aline Mosby in a UPI interview, allowing the public to judge the photo for themselves and highlighting her willingness to address controversies head-on.
4.3. Columbia Pictures Contract and Career Decisions
Shortly after her return to the U.S. and the photo controversy, Haynes' option with Aspen Productions was picked up. In December 1952, Columbia Pictures signed Haynes to a long-term contract, amidst rumors that she would be cast in From Here to Eternity. She underwent five screen tests for the role, which ultimately went to Donna Reed. According to columnist Sheilah Graham, producer Jerry Wald favored Haynes, but director Fred Zinneman did not, with Harry Cohn making the final decision in favor of Reed. This casting choice underscored the intense rivalries and power dynamics within Hollywood studios.
Haynes was then slated for a 3-D remake of Golden Boy titled Strong Arm, co-starring Broderick Crawford and John Derek, but the project was abandoned. While on an East Coast promotional tour for Return to Paradise, Haynes alarmed her new bosses at Columbia with her candid remarks about her experiences abroad. She openly commented on the Samoan people's pronunciation difficulties and the legacy of the "U.S. Malines" (Marines) leaving "about 1800 children there," as well as the absence of segregation in Samoa compared to American Samoa. These frank observations, while truthful, were seen as problematic by a studio keen on maintaining a pristine image.
Haynes learned from newspapers that she had been assigned a role with Rock Hudson in the 3-D Western Gun Fury, which also ironically starred Donna Reed. The film completed two weeks of location shooting in Sedona, Arizona, before moving to the Columbia ranch in California. While still working on Gun Fury, Columbia announced her starring role in another 3-D Western, The Nebraskan, where she would share top billing with Philip Carey.
After completing both Gun Fury and The Nebraskan, Haynes was asked to do a third Western, Massacre at Moccasin Pass, again as a secondary female lead playing an Apache girl. However, she declined the role, which ultimately went to Charlita (and the film was renamed Massacre Canyon). Her Columbia contract was set to run through December 1953, but Haynes, disillusioned by the "quickie" Westerns and her recurring secondary roles, chose to terminate her contract early. She forwent a settlement and was released at the end of September 1953, demonstrating her independent spirit and refusal to be pigeonholed by the studio system.
5. International Engagements
Roberta Haynes' career also extended beyond Hollywood, including significant periods working on film and television projects abroad and contributing to morale-boosting efforts for U.S. military personnel.
5.1. European Film and Television Work
After her departure from Columbia Pictures, Haynes spent a year abroad, sailing from New York City to Le Havre in late May 1954. Her parents informed local papers that she would be involved in television projects in Paris and later a new film in Rome. She was reported to have signed for a role in Garden of the Semiramis in Rome, set to begin filming in October, and in February 1955, for a film titled Bombay Flight. While her specific involvement in these projects remains somewhat unclear (with Bombay Flight possibly being the Anglo-Indian film Three Headed Cobra, where she is not credited), she is listed on IMDb for a 1955 Franco-Italian film, Tua per la vita, where she may have had a minor role or provided English dialogue. She also completed an episode of the syndicated series Captain Gallant of the Foreign Legion while in Italy.
In June 1955, Haynes returned to Paris to film an episode of the television series Sherlock Holmes. While there, producer-director Sheldon Reynolds persuaded her to make a cameo appearance in his film Foreign Intrigue, alongside other notable actresses like Paulette Goddard and Dawn Addams. She returned to the U.S. in late July 1955.
5.2. USO Tours for Military Personnel
Haynes dedicated time to entertaining U.S. servicemen stationed abroad, participating in USO tours during the holiday seasons. In December 1953, she joined Johnny Grant, Merry Anders, Terry Moore, and others on a tour to Korea to entertain U.S. military personnel for Christmas and New Year's. Upon her return in January 1954, she gave a candid interview, noting that GIs in Korea preferred a less "sexy" approach from entertainers, favoring humor and authenticity. This frank assessment highlighted her pragmatic view of entertainment and connection with the troops.
She volunteered for another tour during the 1956-57 holiday season, leading a unit of entertainers visiting European military posts, further demonstrating her commitment to supporting the troops.
6. Extensive Television Work (1956-1960)
Between 1956 and 1960, Roberta Haynes was a prolific presence on television. In December 1955, Jon Hall cast her in two half-hour pilot episodes for a new series, Knight of the South Seas. Although the pilots never sold, Hall combined them with additional footage to create the 1957 film Hell Ship Mutiny, which would be Haynes' last film appearance for a decade. During a promotional visit for the series in March 1956, Haynes humorously pretended not to know English, with Hall introducing her as a Parisian starlet and translating, a playful act possibly influenced by a recent column questioning her whereabouts.
Her television work became extensive. In January 1956, she appeared on the local primetime quiz show Mr. Genius. The following month, she featured in an episode of Warner Bros. Presents for its Casablanca series, and in March, on an episode of Crusader. In October 1956, she made another appearance for Warner Bros. Presents, this time for its Conflict series, portraying the mother of a deaf-mute Mexican boy in a storyline focused on cultural and communication barriers.
In February 1957, after returning from her European USO tour, Haynes performed in a live color broadcast of Matinee Theater for The Importance of Being Earnest. She returned to Matinee Theater in April for an adaptation of the Old Testament story of Joseph. She also had roles in an episode of Climax! in June and M Squad in October 1957. Her appearances continued in March 1958 with another Matinee Theater episode, and in early June, on United States Steel Hour. In September, she performed in a Studio One story, portraying the wife of a blackmailer.
The year 1959 marked the peak of Haynes' television career, with appearances in six different series: Behind Closed Doors, The Lawless Years, Not For Hire, One Step Beyond, Black Saddle, and Richard Diamond, Private Detective. During this busy period, she also filmed pilot episodes for a new MGM series titled Provost Marshall, co-starring Ralph Meeker and Mari Blanchard.
July 1959 saw her return to the stage for the first time in eight years, performing in Look Back in Anger at the Laguna Beach Playhouse. Directed by Patrick Macnee, the production earned Haynes "a very good performance" credit from reviewer Velma Dunlap, showcasing her continued versatility.
In the first three months of 1960, Haynes appeared in episodes of five television series: The Man and the Challenge, Lawman, The Rebel, Hawaiian Eye, and Johnny Staccato. Her role in Johnny Staccato, where she played a woman blinded in an accident, eerily foreshadowed a personal injury she would later experience.
7. Later Career and Off-Screen Ventures
Following her prolific television period, Roberta Haynes continued to evolve her career, navigating a significant personal challenge before returning to acting and diversifying her professional life as an author and producer.
7.1. Recovery from Eye Injury and Return to Acting
From 1960 to 1967, Roberta Haynes experienced an eight-year hiatus from acting due to severe eye injuries sustained from explosions and gunfire during the making of an unidentified Western film. This accident resulted in the loss of virtually all her vision, presenting the daunting prospect of permanent blindness. Despite the severity of her condition, two operations successfully restored her sight, a testament to her resilience and determination.
Her first credited performing role after this recovery was a cameo in the film Point Blank, released in October 1967, marking her return to the screen. In 1969, she served as a dialogue coach for the Franco-Italian film The Thirteen Chairs. Over the next three years, she took minor roles in four films: The Adventurers (1970), The Martlet's Tale (1970), Valdez Is Coming (1971), and Pete 'n' Tillie (1972).
Haynes resumed more consistent television acting in 1973 with a part in an episode of The F.B.I.. Subsequently, she alternated between acting and producing for television.
7.2. Author and Producer
Beyond her acting career, Roberta Haynes made significant contributions as a co-author and television producer. In 1975, she co-authored the book How to Make It in Hollywood with Wende Hyland. This compilation featured interviews with various Hollywood professionals, including producers, directors, agents, casting directors, and performers such as Jack Lemmon and Walter Matthau. The book was well-received by critics and recommended by Joseph Bernard, executive director of the Lee Strasberg Theatre and Film Institute.
As a television producer, Haynes contributed to two TV movies: Summer Girl (1978) and Nowhere to Hide (1983). Her final acting roles on television were minor parts, including the TV movie The Rules of Marriage and the series Falcon Crest in 1982, and episodes of Knots Landing and Knight Rider in 1986. Her ultimate performing credit was for the 1989 film Police Academy 6: City Under Siege.
8. Personal Life
Roberta Haynes' personal life included multiple marriages and notable associations within the entertainment industry. In late September 1947, as Roberta Schack, she obtained a marriage license with talent agent Jay Kanter. Their wedding ceremony took place in late November at her parents' home in North Hollywood. However, this marriage was brief, reportedly lasting only six months.
During the early 1950s, Haynes had an intermittent romantic relationship with acclaimed actor Marlon Brando.
In an interview, columnist Lee Berg described Haynes as "a tense, enigmatic young lady, who conceals her drive behind a placid exterior and a gentle voice that is almost a whisper." Sidney Skolsky observed that she "always looks sad, as if she had just finished singing a torch song." He noted that she lived modestly in a Hollywood apartment, handled her own housekeeping and cooking, loved coffee, and preferred comfort over style in her attire. At 24, Haynes was described as having brown hair, dark brown eyes, standing 5 ft 3.5 in tall, and weighing 114 lb (51.71 kg).
In August 1962, as Roberta Schack, she married actor Larry M. Ward in Las Vegas, Nevada. They had one son, her only child. Their partnership extended beyond their personal relationship, as they collaborated creatively on screenplays such as A Free Trip to Naples and French Leave, and also worked together on a novel. Their marriage concluded with a divorce in Los Angeles in February 1973.
Haynes had a severe allergy to nuts. In September 1952, upon her return from Samoa, she suffered an acute allergic reaction after unknowingly consuming finely chopped nuts in a dish at a Chinese restaurant in Waikiki. She experienced convulsions and had to spend the night in a hospital emergency room, though she recovered quickly and was able to fly to Los Angeles the next day. Haynes also attended LSD therapy sessions, reflecting a period of exploring alternative psychological treatments.
9. Death and Commemoration
Roberta Haynes died on April 4, 2019, at the age of 91, in Delray Beach, Florida. She was cremated, and in a unique act of commemoration, her family transported her ashes to Samoa the following July. A public ceremony was held there, and her ashes were interred at the Return to Paradise Resort, a location deeply significant to her career due to her breakthrough role in the film Return to Paradise, which was filmed in the very area. This final resting place reflects a profound connection to the island that played such a pivotal role in her life and career.
10. Filmography
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1949 | Knock on Any Door | Woman | Uncredited |
| We Were Strangers | Lolita Valdés | Uncredited | |
| 1952 | High Noon | Haynes' part in this classic film was cut during editing | |
| The Fighter | Nevis | The death of Haynes' character early in the film drives the plot | |
| 1953 | Return to Paradise | Maeva | Filmed on location in Samoa; playing Gary Cooper's love interest was the high point of her film career |
| Gun Fury | Estella Morales | ||
| The Nebraskan | Mrs. Paris Elliott | ||
| 1955 | Tua per la vita | Franco-Italian production filmed in Italy | |
| 1956 | Foreign Intrigue | Haynes, Paulette Goddard, Dawn Addams, and Mary Sinclair had cameos in this | |
| 1957 | Hell Ship Mutiny | Princess Mareva | Spliced together from two unsold TV pilots and location footage |
| 1967 | Point Blank | Mrs. Carter | Cameo appearance marked her return to acting after eight years |
| 1969 | The Thirteen Chairs | (Dialogue Coach) | Franco-Italian production with Orson Welles and Sharon Tate |
| 1970 | The Adventurers | Dax's Mother | Uncredited |
| The Martlet's Tale | Italian-made film | ||
| 1971 | Valdez Is Coming | Polly | Uncredited |
| 1972 | Pete 'n' Tillie | Woman at Party | Uncredited |
| 1989 | Police Academy 6: City Under Siege | Bus Passenger | |
| 2004 | The Copper Scroll of Mary Magdalene | Mary the Mother | Filmed in Tunisia during 1970s but only released after death of director Larry Buchanan |
11. Television Roles
| Year | Series | Episode | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1949 | Starring Boris Karloff | Mad Illusion | ABC show from New York may have been filmed rather than a live broadcast | |
| 1950 | Somerset Maugham TV Theatre | (Unknown Episode) | Her first appearance on this show is known only from a newspaper column | |
| Pulitzer Prize Playhouse | The Ponzi Story | Her appearance on this show is known only from a newspaper column | ||
| 1951 | Somerset Maugham TV Theatre | Honolulu | Island Girl | With Luther Adler |
| 1952 | Rebound | The Prize | Janie | Lawyer (John Ridgely) and wife (Haynes) hide fugitive |
| The Henchman | ||||
| Invitation Playhouse | Lucky Money | Taxi driver is given fake 20 USD bill. With Tom D'Andrea and Jimmy Cross | ||
| 1953 | Juke Box Jury | (1953-06-27) | Herself | Fellow judges were Mickey Rooney, Tom Drake, Coleen Gray, and Richard Jaeckel |
| (1953-10-31) | Herself | Fellow judges were Jan Clayton, Katy Jurado, Norm Van Brocklin, and Herb Jeffries | ||
| 1955 | Sherlock Holmes | The Case of the Night Train Riddle | Lydia | Filmed in Paris |
| Captain Gallant of the Foreign Legion | Pipeline | Kelly Mitchell | Filmed in Italy | |
| Paris Precinct | Another show filmed in Paris, known only from a later interview | |||
| 1956 | Mr. Genius | (1956-01-25) | Herself | Quiz show in which panellists try to beat Mr. Genius in answering questions |
| Crusader | The Threshold | Anya | Set in Berlin, with Brian Keith, Corey Allen, and Nan Boardman | |
| Casablanca | Siren Song | Maria Valenti | This was part of the wheel series Warner Bros. Presents | |
| Conflict | Silent Journey | Maria | Haynes plays mother of deaf-mute Mexican boy | |
| 1957 | Matinee Theater | The Importance of Being Earnest | Gwendolyn Fairfax | With Hermione Gingold, Roger Moore, and Philip Tonge |
| The Story of Joseph | Potiphar's Wife | Stars Brett Halsey, with Nan Boardman, Forrest Taylor, and Paul Lambert | ||
| Climax! | The Man Who Stole the Bible | |||
| M Squad | Pete Loves Mary | Mary Kearney | Haynes plays girl of escaped con (Mike Connors) | |
| 1958 | Matinee Theater | The Prophet Hosea | Gomer | Haynes deserts Hosea (Joseph Wiseman) for a priest (Robert Loggia) |
| The United States Steel Hour | A Family Alliance | Dorie Schaeffer | Small town boy (Bill Hayes) and girl (Florence Henderson) meet in New York | |
| Studio One | No Place to Run | Amy Garnet | Haynes plays wife of blackmailer (Barry Atwater); with Harry Townes and Rosemary DeCamp | |
| 1959 | Behind Closed Doors | The Quemoy Story | Anna Sung | Haynes is Eurasian agent for US, kidnapped in Macau |
| The Lawless Years | Lucky Silva | Petrina Nuccio | ||
| Not For Hire | The Soldier's Story | Cleo | ||
| One Step Beyond | Forked Lightning | Ellen Chambers | Bank employee (Ralph Nelson) defies wife's premonition | |
| Black Saddle | Apache Trail | Chata | Haynes plays an Apache woman seeking vengeance | |
| Richard Diamond, Private Detective | The Caller | Audry Billings | Diamond (David Janssen) gets mysterious phone calls while romancing Haynes | |
| 1960 | The Man and the Challenge | The Storm | Patricia Halakua | |
| Lawman | The Showdown | Mattie Creedy | ||
| The Rebel | Gold Seeker | Destarte | Once again Haynes is an Apache woman who gets killed | |
| Hawaiian Eye | A Cut of Ice | Alice Thomas | Haynes plays a doubly treacherous receptionist | |
| Johnny Staccato | The Mask of Jason | Betty Bryn | Foreshadowing... Haynes plays a woman blinded by accident | |
| 1973 | The F.B.I. | The Big Job | Landlady | |
| 1977 | Nowhere to Hide | (TV Movie) | (Associate Producer) | |
| 1982 | The Rules of Marriage | (TV Movie) | Elaine Fine | |
| Knots Landing | Abby's Choice | Anesthesiologist #2 | ||
| 1983 | Summer Girl | (TV Movie) | (Producer) | |
| 1986 | Falcon Crest | Conundrum | Donna Nettles | |
| Knight Rider | Deadly Knightshade | Maid | ||
| 1988 | The Secret Life of Kathy McCormick | (TV Movie) | Woman #2 | |
12. Stage Performances
| Year | Play | Role | Venue | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1946 | Charley's Aunt | Amy Spettigue | Musart Theater | Three-week run drew praise for Haynes but not the production |
| 1948 | City of Angels | Musart Theater | Drama about ethnic tensions in East L.A. suffered through a cast revolt and later provoked a police shutdown | |
| 1949 | Now I Lay Me Down To Sleep | Memorial Theatre | Hume Cronyn was artist-in-residence at Stanford when he directed this play | |
| The Madwoman of Chaillot | Irma | Touring Company | Twenty-week tour saw Haynes join in late December 1949 through May 1950 | |
| 1950 | Madwoman of Chaillot | Irma | City Center | Production returned to Broadway for 17 performances after tour finished |
| House of Bernarda Alba | (Understudy) | ANTA Theatre | ||
| 1951 | Tartuffe, the Imposter | Marianne | Ivar Theater | This was the Old Vic version, cut down to two acts with long speeches omitted |
| 1959 | Look Back in Anger | Helena Charles | Laguna Beach Playhouse | Two-week run for this Irish Players/Michael Gibson production |