Katharine Hepburn was a tour de force in the acting world, whose career spanned over six decades. Known for her fierce independence, spirited personality, and films like “Morning Glory,” “The Philadelphia Story,” “The African Queen,” “The Rainmaker,” “Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner,” “The Lion in Winter,” “On Golden Pond,” and many. more,
We are taught you must blame your father, your sisters, your brothers, the school, the teachers – but never blame yourself. It’s never your fault. But it’s always your fault, because if you wanted to change you’re the one who has got to change.
Katharine Hepburn
Early Life
Katharine Hepburn was born on May 12, 1907, in Hartford, Connecticut, into a wealthy and progressive family. Her father Thomas Hepburn, was a urologist, and mother Katharine Martha Houghton Hepburn, a feminist social reformer. Hepburn was encouraged from a young age to speak her mind and maintain peak physical fitness.
Early in her teen years, a traumatic event changed her life. In March 1921, Hepburn’s 15-year-old brother Tom died apparently due to suicide. However he family says it a freak accident during some experiment. The incident forced her to drop out of school. In her autobiography “Me: Stories of My Life, 1991,” she revealed that the date (8 November) when she celebrates her birthday is actually his brother Tom’s date of birth. It was the first time she revealed her true date of birth.
She graduated from Bryn Mawr College in 1928.
Acting Career
Hepburn’s Broadway debut came shortly after with George Cukor’s “A Bill of Divorcement (1932),” opposite John Barrymore, followed by the Code romantic drama “Christopher Strong (1933),” opposite Colin Clive.
Her Hollywood breakthrough came with Lowell Sherman’s “Morning Glory” (1933), which earned her an Academy Award and international fame. The same year, she starred in George Cukor’s “Little Women,” which established her as a leading actress of the time.
She faced a career setback when her next few films, like Spitfire (1934), The Little Minister (1934), Break of Hearts (1935), Sylvia Scarlett (1935), Mary of Scotland (1936), A Woman Rebels (1936), Stage Door (1937), Quality Street (1937), and Bringing Up Baby (1938), proved to be either critical, commercial, or total failures. In all these years, only one film by Hepburn was a success: “Alice Adams (1935), which gave her a second Oscar nomination. She was even called “box office poison.”
Katharine Hepburn – The Star
Despite facing failures, Hepburn’s determination never wavered. She orchestrated a remarkable comeback by acquiring the film rights to “The Philadelphia Story,” ensuring her role as the lead actress. The film’s success revived her career and earned her a third Academy Award nomination.
The next film, MGM’s “Woman of the Year (1942),” directed by George Stevens, brings together Hepburn and Spencer Tracy. Hepburn again nominated for an Oscar for her performance in the film. The film also started a one-of-a kind relationship between Hepburn and Tracy, which lasted until Tracy’s death in 1967. They appeared in nine films together. She greatly helped Tracy personally and professionally, even at the cost of her own career.
She Continue To Rule
At this time, she appeared in films like “Keeper of the Flame (1943),” “Dragon Seed (1944),” “Without Love (1945),” “Undercurrent (1946),” “The Sea of Grass (1947),” and Song of Love (1947).” She was severely criticised for her opposition to the controversial “anti-communist movement in Hollywood” and was not offered any work for nine months.
She made a comeback from Frank Capra’s political drama “State of the Union (1948),” followed by “Adam’s Rib (1949),” “As You Like It(1950),” and “The African Queen(1951), opposite Humphrey Bogart. The film gave Hepburn her fifth Best Actress nomination.
In 1955, she starred in David Lean’s romantic drama “Summertime (1955),” which earned her another Academy Award nomination. Next year, she starred in Joseph Anthony’s “The Rainmaker (1956)” opposite Burt Lancaster and got her second consecutive Academy Award nomination.
Later Work
Her eighth Oscar nomination came in “Suddenly, Last Summer (1959),” where she played creepy aunt “Violet Venable” with Elizabeth Taylor and Montgomery Clift.
In her later years, Hepburn took on challenging roles in stage productions and literary adaptations, showcasing her versatility and depth as an actress. Her performances in “Long Day’s Journey into Night(1962), “Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner” (1967), “The Lion in Winter” (1968), and “On Golden Pond” (1981) earned her additional Academy Awards, setting a record for any performer with four wins in the Best Actress category.
Hepburn’s impact extended beyond the silver screen. She was a fashion icon, known for her preference for trousers over dresses, which was unconventional for women at the time. Her distinctive style and attitude towards life made her an enduring symbol of independence and individuality.
Personal Life
In 1928, she married Ludlow Ogden Smith. The marriage however was short-lived, and ends in 1934. She never remarried and chose to live a life that was, for the most part, independent and private.
Hepburn’s partnership with Spencer Tracy was one of Hollywood’s most iconic on-screen pairings, lasting 26 years and producing nine films. Off-screen, their relationship was equally significant, though private, as Tracy never divorced his wife.
Katharine Hepburn passed away on June 29, 2003, leaving behind a legacy that continues to inspire actors and audiences alike. Her life and work remain a testament to the power of perseverance, talent, and the courage to defy conventions.
Katharine Hepburn on IMDB
