James MacArthur(1937-2010)

MacArthur was the adopted son of actress Helen Hayes and playwright Charles MacArthur. His elder sister, the couple's biological daughter, Mary (for whom he named his own elder daughter), died in 1949 of polio. Hayes established the Mary MacArthur Fund, which helps children with polio along with the March of Dimes. Actress Lillian Gish was his godmother.

Among certain stratas of the population, there could be a backlash, but I don't think that actors getting into the political arena affects their careers. Just because one's an actor doesn't mean we should be penalized because we have a broader forum due to the nature of our business. Besides, I'm not so sure how much influence actors really have. And anyone who votes for a candidate solely on the advice of his favorite actor isn't too bright in my book. [discussing Hollywood's involvement with politics in the October 1980 issue of Boxoffice magazine]