Raymond DeVeau Hagen

Raymond DeVeau Hagen, a narrator for 42 years at The Library of Congress’ National Library Service for the Blind and Print Disabled, died at his home in Washington, D.C., at the age of 88 on August 28th, 2024. Over the course of his 42-year narration career, he recorded some 550 books for the “Talking Books” program, retiring in 2015. He received an Alexander Scourby Lifetime Achievement Award in 2000 from the American Foundation for the Blind for his body of audio book work. Earlier in life, he was an actor/dancer in NY in the 1950s and 60s. Among a lot of other off- and off-off Broadway roles, he worked with LaMama, and appeared as “The Stripping Nun” in Gloria and Esperanza, directed by Julie Bovasso. He landed the cherished role of Riff in a national tour of West Side Story. For a number of years, he wrote for movie magazines, interviewing stars as varied as Jane Russell, with whom he became friends, and Henry Fonda. Mr. Hagen co-authored two off-Broadway plays, including Miss Stanwyck is Still in Hiding. He became involved in several gay rights groups in Washington, D.C. after moving to the city in 1972. During the AIDS crisis in the 1980s, he was proud to have been an AIDS “Buddy,” helping those with AIDS during their final months. After moving to DC, he continued to act on occasion, including in a well-received production of Killing Real Estate Women in the 1990s, in which he performed in drag. He is the co-author (with Laura Wagner) of Killer Tomatoes: Fifteen Tough Film Dames. While at the Library of Congress, Mr. Hagen counted among his greatest achievements his conception and publication of Say How?, a pronunciation guide that is still one of the most popular items on the NLS website. He had a wealth of stories to share about his long and varied life, was a great raconteur, a mentor to many an audio book narrator at NLS, and an excellent writer. He will be missed by friends and colleagues.