Katharine Hepburn
“Spirited, independent, and unbowed, she rewrote the rules for women on the American screen.”
After two early films, Hepburn won the Academy Award for Best Actress for only her third picture, 'Morning Glory' (1933), playing aspiring actress Eva Lovelace. The triumph cemented her as a major star and launched a screen career that would span six decades.
Connecticut Upbringing
Born in Hartford to progressive, well-to-do parents, Hepburn was raised to be outspoken and independent. She began acting at Bryn Mawr College, then earned strong notices on Broadway that drew Hollywood's attention.
Stardom and Setback
Her third film, 'Morning Glory,' won her a first Oscar in 1933. After a string of flops late in the decade saw her labeled 'box office poison,' she reclaimed her career by securing 'The Philadelphia Story.'
Tracy and Late Triumphs
Her decades-long partnership with Spencer Tracy produced nine films and a famously discreet off-screen romance. She kept winning into old age, taking Oscars for 'Guess Who's Coming to Dinner,' 'The Lion in Winter,' and 'On Golden Pond.'
Career Timeline
- 1907Born in Hartford, Connecticut
- 1928Graduates Bryn Mawr; begins stage acting
- 1932Film debut in 'A Bill of Divorcement'
- 1933Wins first Oscar for 'Morning Glory'
- 1938Labeled 'box office poison' by exhibitors
- 1940Comeback with 'The Philadelphia Story'
- 1942First film with Spencer Tracy, 'Woman of the Year'
- 1951Stars in 'The African Queen' with Bogart
- 1967Wins second Oscar for 'Guess Who's Coming to Dinner'
- 1968Wins third Oscar for 'The Lion in Winter'
- 1981Wins record fourth Oscar for 'On Golden Pond'
- 2003Dies in Old Saybrook, Connecticut, age 96
Biggest Hits
- Hepburn holds the record for the most Best Actress Oscars (four) and never once attended the ceremony to accept in person.
- Exhibitors branded her 'box office poison' in 1938, but she bought the rights to 'The Philadelphia Story' and engineered her own comeback.
The Moment You Remember
Sparring with Humphrey Bogart aboard a battered riverboat in The African Queen, her prim missionary thawing into grit and tenderness, she showed how completely she could blend comedy, romance, and steel.
Portrait: Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studios; restored by Adam Cuerden · Public domain · via Wikimedia Commons