Katharine Hepburn
Katharine Houghton Hepburn was born on the 12th of May 1907 in Hartford Connecticut. Her mother Katharine Martha Houghton Hepburn led the Connecticut Woman Suffrage Association and campaigned for birth control with Margaret Sanger. The younger Hepburn joined her mother on several Votes For Women demonstrations as a child. Thomas Norval Hepburn taught his children to swim run dive ride wrestle play golf and tennis daily. Golf became a passion of hers reaching the semi-final of the Connecticut Young Women's Golf Championship. She loved swimming in Long Island Sound taking ice-cold baths every morning believing bitter medicine improved health.
In March 1921 thirteen-year-old Katharine discovered the body of fifteen-year-old Tom hanging from a beam over Easter break. The family denied it was suicide maintaining the death must have been an experiment gone wrong. This incident made the teenage Hepburn nervous moody and suspicious of people. She shied away from other children dropping out of Oxford School to be tutored privately. For many years she used Tom's birthday November 8 as her own until revealing her true date in 1991.
Hepburn entered Bryn Mawr College in 1924 initially agreeing to attend to satisfy her mother but found the experience unfulfilling. Struggling with scholastic demands she once got suspended for smoking in her room. Drawn to acting roles were conditional on good grades so she began performing regularly after improving marks. In her senior year she performed the lead role in The Woman in the Moon receiving positive response that cemented plans to pursue theater. She graduated with history and philosophy degrees in June 1928.
The day after graduating Hepburn traveled to Baltimore meeting Edwin H. Knopf who ran a successful repertory theatre company. Impressed by eagerness Knopf cast her in The Czarina earning arresting reviews though later criticized for shrill voice. A week before opening New York production of The Big Pond the lead was fired replacing her with Hepburn giving starring status four weeks into career. On opening night she turned up late mixed lines tripped over feet speaking too quickly to be understood immediately getting fired.
Undeterred joining forces with producer Arthur Hopkins accepting schoolgirl role in These Days brought Broadway debut the 12th of November 1928 at Cort Theatre poor reviews closing eight nights. Hopkins promptly hired as understudy Philip Barry's play Holiday holding six months until quitting December early days to marry Ludlow Ogden Smith college acquaintance. Plans left behind work but resumed understudy role quickly proving hit during summer stock company performances in Ivoryton Connecticut.
Spring 1930 saw Berkshire Playhouse departure continuing drama tutoring while early 1931 casting Art and Mrs. Bottle released after playwright took dislike saying looks fright manner objectionable no talent rehired when others unavailable small success. Summer 1931 Philip Barry asked appear new play Animal Kingdom alongside Leslie Howard rehearsals began November feeling sure make star Howard disliked actress again firing asking why response brutally frank not very good unsettled self-assured Hepburn continued looking work taking small upcoming play read lead Greek fable Warrior's Husband proved breakout performance ideal requiring aggressive energy athleticism enthusiastically involved the 11th of March 1932 Morosco Theatre running three months positive Richard Garland New York World-Telegram glowing brightened scene.
A scout for Hollywood agent Leland Hayward spotted appearance Warrior's Husband asking test part Sydney Fairfield RKO film Bill of Divorcement Director George Cukor impressed odd creature unlike anybody heard liked manner picking glass thought talented offered demanding $1500 week large amount unknown actress. Cukor encouraged studio accept demands signing temporary contract three-week guarantee David O. Selznick recounted tremendous chance unusual actress arrived California July 1932 age twenty-five starring opposite John Barrymore showing intimidation sign fascinated industry picture success Mordaunt Hall New York Times exceptionally fine finest seen screen Variety smash impression vital something sets apart galaxy.
Second Christopher Strong story aviator affair married man commercially unsuccessful reviews good Regina Crewe Journal-American grating manners compel attention fascinate audience distinct definite positive personality third Morning Glory confirmed major actress playing aspiring Eva Lovelace role intended Constance Bennett won Academy Award Best Actress seeing script desk producer Pandro S. Berman convinced born play insisted hers chosen not attend awards ceremony thrilled win continued Little Women Jo one biggest successes to date winning Venice Film Festival personal favorite defying anyone be as good said.
End 1933 respected film yearning prove Broadway Jed Harris successful theatre producers career slump asked appear Lake agreeing low salary before leave RKO requested film Spitfire Trigger Hicks uneducated mountain girl box office well widely considered worst received poor kept photo bedroom life keep humble Lake previewed Washington DC advance sale eroded confidence struggled performance moved without rehearsal opened Martin Beck Theatre the 26th of December 1933 roundly panned Dorothy Parker quipped runs gamut emotions A to B tied ten-week contract endure embarrassment declining sales decided pay Harris $14000 most savings close production referring diabolical person important teaching responsibility.
Following Woman of Year success signed star contract MGM committed romantic relationship with Tracy dedicated helping suffer alcoholism insomnia slowed working less decade notably appearing stage again until 1950 only appearance 1943 cameo morale-building wartime Stage Door Canteen playing herself atypical Chinese peasant Dragon Seed enthusiastic tepid response described miscast reunited Without Love 1945 after turning Razor's Edge support return Broadway received poor new picture big event selling record Easter weekend tickets Undercurrent noir Robert Taylor Mitchum poorly received fourth Sea Grass drama American Old West lukewarm critical stop financial home abroad Song Schumann Clara Wieck trained intensively pianist October release affected public opposition anti-communist movement dangerously progressive offered work nine months people threw screenings.
Unexpected role agreed replace Claudette Colbert days before shooting Frank Capra political State Union 1948 long-signed male lead already familiar script stepped fifth partnership responded positively performed well box-office third consecutive year Adam's Rib battle sexes comedy written specifically duo friends Garson Kanin Ruth Gordon married lawyers oppose court perfect for said politically prompted scattered picketing hit favorably reviewed New York Times Bosley Crowther full praise hailed compatibility majority films period Spencer Tracy later partnership advanced career more popular star time.
Tracy suffered severe alcohol addiction extremely moody frequently depressed Hepburn described tortured devoted making life easier reports seeing changed demeanor mothered obeyed dependent often spent stretches apart especially 1950s frequent travel abroad film commitments took immense toll health early 1960s five-year break caring moved house died the 10th of June 1967 out consideration family did not attend funeral Louise death 1983 began speaking publicly feelings relationship open secret many years claimed never know felt passed twenty-seven absolute bliss.
January 1950 ventured Shakespeare playing Rosalind stage As You Like It hoped prove established material better try difficult flop play safe always Cort Theatre opened Broadway capacity audience virtually sold-out fourteen shows production toured reviews varied noted leading lady Hollywood performing high-caliber material. Filmed African Queen first Technicolor movie played Rose Sayer prim missionary living German East Africa outbreak World War I co-starring Humphrey Bogart shot mostly Belgian Congo opportunity embraced proved difficult became ill dysentery released end 1951 popular support critical acclaim fifth Best Actress nomination Academy Awards garnering only Actor Award for Bogart successful without Tracy since Philadelphia Story decade reestablished popularity.
Summer 1952 appeared London West End ten-week George Bernard Shaw Millionairess parents read child made special experience two-years intense work left exhausted friend Constance Collier wrote verge nervous breakdown widely acclaimed taken Broadway October Shubert Theatre despite lukewarm response sold-out run tried adapt film script written Preston Sturges offered nothing pay director herself studio picked biggest disappointment career Pat Mike second Kanin Gordon vehicle keen athlete described inspiration watching Kate tennis one team's most popular critically acclaimed personal favorite nine films nominated Golden Globe Musical Comedy.
Six months touring Australia Old Vic company Portia Merchant Venice Kate Taming Shrew Isabella Measure Measure tour successful earned plaudits received Academy Award nomination year running opposite Burt Lancaster Rainmaker lonely woman empowered love affair apparent found niche playing mature unmarried women said Lizzie Curry Jane Hudson Rosie Sayer playing me maiden aunt Iron Petticoat Bob Hope cold-hearted Soviet pilot Bosley Crowther horrible considered worst movie career Desk Set office-based comedy hybrid earlier romantic-comedy successes performed poorly box-office returned Shakespeare Stratford Connecticut American Shakespeare Theatre repeated Portia Beatrice Much Ado Nothing positively received.
Following Long Day Journey Night completion took break caring ailing Spencer Tracy did not work again 1967 Guess Who Coming Dinner ninth final film with him niece Katharine Houghton daughter played extremely tense production dying effects diabetes heart disease died seventeen days filming last scene triumphant return commercially successful point won second Best Actress Oscar thirty-four years after first felt award honor Tracy quickly returned acting choosing occupy remedy grief Eleanor Aquitaine Lion Winter fascinating read extensively preparation starred Peter O'Toole filmed Montmajour Abbey south France enormously vulnerable throughout John Russell Taylor Times performance career growing developing surprising nominated major categories forty-first Academy Awards second-year winning shared Barbra Streisand Funny Girl combined British Academy Film Award BAFTA.
Next Madwoman Chaillot Nice immediately completing Lion Winter failure critically financially reviews targeted misguided performance voted most popular female star America Quigley's Top Ten Money Making Stars Poll rare occurrence actress over fifty-sixty achieve position December 1969 August 1970 Broadway musical Coco life Chanel admitted never sat theatrical musical strong singer found offer irresistible what lacked euphony made guts vocal lessons six times week nervous wondering hell doing there mediocre praised public marked acceptance loved earned Tony nomination Musical Grace Quigley dark-comedy elderly woman enlists hitman Nick Nolte humor morbid theme negative box-office poor majority roles television movies critical praise earlier medium remained popular declared final screen appearance continued taking new Emmy Mrs Delafield Wants Marry two-years later comedy Laura Lansing Slept Here grandniece Schuyler Grant.
In 1991 told Ladies Home Journal atheist believe nothing know except kind each other do can for others aligned liberalism humanistic values fiercely private would not give interviews talk fans much career distanced celebrity life uninterested social scene tedious superficial casual clothes went strongly convention era glamour rarely appeared public usually avoided restaurants wrestled camera photographer hand taken picture without asking enjoyed fame confessed liked press ignore relentless energy enthusiasm cited biographies headstrong independence key status self-assurance tendency controlling difficult Garson Kanin likened schoolmistress famously blunt outspoken Katharine Houghton aunt maddeningly self-righteous bossy confessed early me person happy nature reasoning like luck why shouldn't be.
A. Scott Berg knew well latter years demanding retained humility humanity led active life reportedly swimming playing tennis every morning eighties still playing regularly indicated documentary All About Me painting passion later politics affirmative liberal side no person anti-Communist attitude prompted joining Committee First Amendment name mentioned House Un-American Activities hearings denied Communist sympathizer openly promoted birth control supported legal right abortion described dedicated Democrat practiced Albert Schweitzer Reverence Life did not believe religion afterlife American Humanist Association awarded Humanist Arts Award 1985 barefoot first acting role Woman Moon insisted character Pandora wear shoes offslacks sandals formal occasions television interviews drove skirts stocking situation always go barefoot.
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Common questions
When and where was Katharine Hepburn born?
Katharine Houghton Hepburn was born on the 12th of May 1907 in Hartford Connecticut. Her mother Katharine Martha Houghton Hepburn led the Connecticut Woman Suffrage Association.
What happened to Katharine Hepburn when she was thirteen years old?
In March 1921 thirteen-year-old Katharine discovered the body of fifteen-year-old Tom hanging from a beam over Easter break. The family denied it was suicide maintaining the death must have been an experiment gone wrong.
How did Katharine Hepburn start her acting career after graduating college?
The day after graduating Hepburn traveled to Baltimore meeting Edwin H. Knopf who ran a successful repertory theatre company. Impressed by eagerness Knopf cast her in The Czarina earning arresting reviews though later criticized for shrill voice.
Which film marked Katharine Hepburn's first Academy Award win?
Morning Glory confirmed major actress playing aspiring Eva Lovelace role intended Constance Bennett won Academy Award Best Actress seeing script desk producer Pandro S. Berman convinced born play insisted hers chosen not attend awards ceremony thrilled win continued Little Women Jo one biggest successes to date winning Venice Film Festival personal favorite defying anyone be as good said.
When did Katharine Hepburn die and what caused her death?
Spencer Tracy died the 10th of June 1967 out consideration family did not attend funeral Louise death 1983 began speaking publicly feelings relationship open secret many years claimed never know felt passed twenty-seven absolute bliss.