Katharine Hepburn

 

Photo James Stewart + Cary Grant + Katharine Hepburn in The Philadelphia storyHenry Fonda + Katharine Hepburn in On golden pondCary Grant + Katharine Hepburn in bringing up baby

Biography

Katharine Hepburn

Katharine Hepburn
I find a woman's point of view much grander and finer than a man's

Remarkable:

Katharine was nominated 12 times for the Best Actress Oscar.

Born:

May 12, 1907

Born as:

Katharine Houghton Hepburn

Died

June 29, 2003

Hepburn spent a privileged childhood in the wealthy town of Hartford in complete spiritual freedom and Spartan physical discipline. In 1928 she was playing on Broadway in in 1932 in Hollywood. Her screen debut Bill of divorcement (1932) was an unqualified hit but stories were beginning to leak out of her haughty behavior off- screen and her refusal to play the Hollywood Game, never posing for pictures or giving interviews.

In 1938 she made the classic screwball comedy Bringing Up Baby (1938) and the comedy-drama Holiday (1938) and her film career was on the skids. In the same year Katharine collaborated with screenwriter Philip Barry to create the play The Philadelphia Story . The broadway production became a hit and two years later, she reprised the role in the film adaptation, which costarred Cary Grant and James Stewart.

Her next film Woman of the year (1942) brought Spencer Tracy into her life, who was to become a lifelong friend. They would star opposite each other in eight more films. With The African Queen (1951) Hepburn moved into middle-aged roles. And in 1981, the 74-year-old actress earned an unprecedented fourth Academy Award for her performance in On Golden Pond.

Academy awards

1982 Won Best Actress for: On golden pond (1981)
1969 Won Best Actress for: The lion in winter (1968)
1968 Won Best Actress for: Guess who's coming to dinner (1967)
1963 Nominated Best Actress for: Long day's journey into night (1962)
1960 Nominated Best Actress for: Suddenly, Last summer (1959)
1957 Nominated Best Actress for: The rainmaker (1956)
1956 Nominated Best Actress for: Summertime (1955)
1952 Nominated Best Actress for: The African Queen (1951)
1943 Nominated Best Actress for: Woman of the year (1942)
1941 Nominated Best Actress for: The Philadelphia story (1940)
1936 Nominated Best Actress for: Alice Adams (1935)
1934 Won Oscar Best Actress for: Morning glory (1933)

Selected Movies:

Books:

Homer Dickens -> The Films of Katharine Hepburn (1990)
Gary Carey -> Katharine Hepburn: A Biography (1975)
Barbara Leaming -> Katharine Hepburn (1995/2000)

 

Katharine Hepburn + Humphrey Bogart in The African Queen

Trivia

Meryl Streep was Katharine’s least favorite modern actress.

Katharine was nominated 12 times for the Best Actress Oscar.

Audrey Hepburn and Katharine are not related.

Kate did have a relationship with Spencer Tracy from 1942 until his death in 1967. Tracy was already married (but separated) to Louise Treadwell. Being a devout Catholic, Spence never did get a divorce. Source / More (Book)

Katharine has a star on Hollywood Boulevard.
It’s located between Argyle Avenue & Vine Street.

Katharine has got 12 Academy award nominations.

Katharine about Vivien Leigh who played the role Katharine wanted so badly: Scarlett O’Hara in Gone with the wind.
Hepburn: “I felt a lot of jealousy and little bit of hostility” Source / More (Book)

Bibliography