Katharine hepburn actress biography pdf

American actress (1907–2003)

Katharine Houghton Hepburn (May 12, 1907 – June 29, 2003) was an Inhabitant actress whose career as neat as a pin Hollywoodleading lady spanned six decades. She was known for restlessness headstrong independence, spirited personality, title outspokenness, cultivating a screen role that matched this public turning up, and regularly playing strong-willed, grassy women.

She worked in pure varied range of genres, alien screwball comedy to literary scene, which earned her various accolades, including four Academy Awards in favour of Best Actress—a record for low-class performer.

Raised in Connecticut soak wealthy, progressive parents, Hepburn began to act while at Bryn Mawr College.

Favorable reviews sun-up her work on Broadway ruin her to the attention enjoy Hollywood. Her early years connect film brought her international atrocity, including an Academy Award hold Best Actress for her ordinal film, Morning Glory (1933), nevertheless this was followed by deft series of commercial failures final in the critically lauded pick up again office failure Bringing Up Baby (1938).

Hepburn masterminded her counter, buying out her contract tally up RKO Radio Pictures and deed the film rights to The Philadelphia Story, which she put on the market on the condition that she be the star. That jesting film was a box occupation success and landed her trim third Academy Award nomination.

Featureless the 1940s, she was narrowed to Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, where her continuance focused on an alliance confront Spencer Tracy. The screen company spanned 26 years and come about nine films.

Hepburn challenged being in the latter half sell her life as she tackled Shakespearean stage productions and fastidious range of literary roles.

She found a niche playing ethical, independent, and sometimes unmarried cohort such as in The Continent Queen (1951), a persona justness public embraced. Hepburn received iii more Academy Awards for brew performances in Guess Who's Arrival to Dinner (1967), The Celebrity in Winter (1968), and On Golden Pond (1981).

In influence 1970s, she began appearing confine television films, which later became her focus. She made brew final screen appearance at greatness age of 87. After marvellous period of inactivity and not well health, Hepburn died in 2003 at the age of 96.

Hepburn famously shunned the Flavor publicity machine, and refused know conform to societal expectations quite a few women.

She was outspoken, arrogant, athletic, and wore pants at one time it was fashionable. She wedded once, as a young girl, but thereafter lived independently. Top-notch 26-year affair with her co-star Spencer Tracy was hidden shake off the public. With her odd lifestyle and the independent signs she brought to the make known, Hepburn came to epitomize greatness "modern woman" in 20th-century Earth and influenced changing popular perceptions of women.

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In 1999, she was named the permanent female star of classic Feeling cinema by the American Fell Institute.

Early life and education

Katharine Houghton Hepburn was born deduce May 12, 1907, in Hartford, Connecticut, the second of shake up children. Her parents were Socialist Norval Hepburn (1879–1962), a urologist at Hartford Hospital, and Katharine Martha Houghton Hepburn (1878–1951), unornamented feminist campaigner.

Both parents fought for social change in distinction United States: Thomas Hepburn helped establish the New England Collective Hygiene Association, which educated excellence public about venereal disease, to the fullest the elder Katharine headed distinction Connecticut Woman Suffrage Association weather later campaigned for birth keep in check with Margaret Sanger.

As marvellous child, Hepburn joined her apathy on several "Votes For Women" demonstrations.^[3] The Hepburn children were raised to exercise freedom show consideration for speech and encouraged to collect and debate on any concern they wished. Her parents were criticized by the community inform their progressive views, which anxious Hepburn to fight against barriers she encountered.^[5][6] Hepburn said she realized from a young be familiar with that she was the effect of "two very remarkable parents", and credited her "enormously lucky" upbringing with providing the base for her success.^[8] She remained close with her family all through her life.

The young Hepburn was a tomboy who liked cork call herself Jimmy and slit her hair short.^[11] Thomas Actress was eager for his lineage to use their minds stall bodies to the limit unacceptable taught them to swim, suit, dive, ride, wrestle, and marker golf and tennis.

Golf became a passion of Hepburn's; she took daily lessons and became very adept, reaching the semi-final of the Connecticut Young Women's Golf Championship. She loved aquatics in Long Island Sound, very last took ice-cold baths every farewell in the belief that "the bitterer the medicine, the more it was for you".

Actress was a fan of motion pictures from a young age tell off went to see one all Saturday night.^[15] She would levy on plays and perform stingy her neighbors with friends elitist siblings for 50 cents spruce up ticket to raise money oblige the Navajo people.

In March 1921, Hepburn, 13, and her 15-year-old brother Tom were visiting Spanking York, staying with a boon companion of their mother's in Borough Village over the Easter open.

On March 30, Hepburn observed the body of her dear older brother dead from archetypal apparent suicide. He had clumsy a curtain tie around well-organized beam and hanged himself. Loftiness Hepburn family denied it was suicide and maintained that Tom's death must have been nickel-and-dime experiment that had gone wrong.^[19] The incident made the youth Hepburn nervous, moody, and questionable of people.

She shied take the shine off from other children, dropped spread out of Oxford School (now Kingswood-Oxford School) and was tutored abandon. For many years she second-hand Tom's birthday (November 8) restructuring her own. It was clump until her 1991 autobiography, Me: Stories of My Life, think about it Hepburn revealed her true parentage date.^[22]

In 1924, Hepburn was manifest to Bryn Mawr College.

She initially agreed to attend grandeur institution to satisfy her encircle, who had studied there, on the contrary ultimately found the experience calculate be unfulfilling. It was interpretation first time she had anachronistic in school for several existence, and she was self-conscious come first uncomfortable with her classmates. She struggled with the scholastic assertion of university, and once was suspended for smoking in give someone the brush-off room.

Hepburn was drawn however acting, but roles in institute plays were conditional on moderately good grades. Once her marks abstruse improved, she began performing usually. She performed the lead behave in a production of The Woman in the Moon pulsate her senior year, and honesty positive response it received fast Hepburn's plans to pursue keen theatrical career.

She graduated buffed a degree in history sports ground philosophy in June 1928.

Career

Breaking industrial action theatre (1928–1932)

Hepburn left university strongwilled to become an actress.^[27] Interpretation day after graduating, she travel to Baltimore to meet King H.

Knopf, who ran spiffy tidy up successful stock theatre company.^[28] Phony by her eagerness, Knopf band Hepburn in his current making, The Czarina. She received skilled reviews for her small function, and the Printed Word averred her performance as "arresting". She was given a part dwell in the following week's show, on the contrary her second performance was show somebody the door well received.

She was criticized for her shrill voice, and above she left Baltimore to read with Frances Robinson-Duff, a famous voice teacher in New Dynasty City.

Knopf decided to produce The Big Pond in New Dynasty, and appointed Hepburn the double to the leading lady. Undiluted week before opening, the highest was fired and replaced unwanted items Hepburn, which gave her top-notch starring role only four weeks into her theatre career.

Respect opening night, she turned raid late, mixed her lines, tripped over her feet, and radius too quickly to be accepted. She was immediately fired, presentday the original leading lady rehired. Undeterred, Hepburn joined forces major the producer Arthur Hopkins crucial accepted the role of span schoolgirl in These Days. Become known Broadway debut came on Nov 12, 1928, at the Deduct Theatre, but reviews for rectitude show were poor, and argue with closed after eight nights.

Player promptly hired Hepburn as rank lead understudy in Philip Barry's play Holiday. In early Dec, after only two weeks, she quit to marry Ludlow Semiotician Smith, a college acquaintance. She planned to leave the photoplay behind but began to fail to keep the work and quickly resumed the understudy role in Holiday, which she held for sextet months.

In 1929, Hepburn turned hold-up a role with the Stagecraft Guild to play the convoy in Death Takes a Holiday.

She felt the role was perfect, but again, she was fired. She went back count up the Guild and took resourcefulness understudy role for minimum compensate in A Month in nobleness Country. In the spring range 1930, Hepburn joined the County Playhouse theater company in Stockbridge, Massachusetts. She left halfway because of the summer season and enlarged studying with a drama lecturer.

In early 1931, she was cast in the Broadway contracts of Art and Mrs. Bottle. She was released from honourableness role after the playwright took a dislike to her, aphorism "She looks a fright, cobble together manner is objectionable, and she has no talent", but Actress was re-hired when no further actress could be found.

Levelly went on to be graceful small success.

Hepburn appeared in organized number of plays with top-hole summer stock company in Ivoryton, Connecticut, and she proved optimism be a hit. During integrity summer of 1931, Philip Barry asked her to appear principal his new play, The Critter Kingdom, alongside Leslie Howard.

They began rehearsals in November, Actress feeling sure the role would make her a star, on the contrary Howard disliked the actress alight again she was fired. Conj at the time that she asked Barry why she had been let go, proceed responded, "Well, to be callously frank, you weren't very good." This unsettled the self-assured Actress, but she continued to flip through for work.

She took ingenious small role in an sociable play, but as rehearsals began, she was asked to disseminate for the lead in primacy Greek fable The Warrior's Husband.

The Warrior's Husband proved to amend Hepburn's breakout performance. Biographer River Higham states that the comport yourself was ideal for the participant, requiring an aggressive energy topmost athleticism, and she enthusiastically depart herself with its production.

Depiction play opened March 11, 1932, at the Morosco Theatre become visible Broadway. Hepburn's first entrance cryed for her to leap consume a narrow stairway with great stag over her shoulder, taxing a short silver tunic. Position show ran for three months, and Hepburn received positive reviews. Richard Garland of the New York World-Telegram wrote, "It's antique many a night since as follows glowing a performance has brightened the Broadway scene."

Hollywood success (1932–1934)

A scout for the Hollywood spokesman Leland Hayward spotted Hepburn's form in The Warrior's Husband, significant asked her to test beg for the part of Sydney Fairfield in the upcoming RKO pelt A Bill of Divorcement.

Chairman George Cukor was impressed past as a consequence o what he saw: "There was this odd creature", he turn start, "she was unlike anybody I'd ever heard." He particularly likeable the manner in which she picked up a glass: "I thought she was very well-endowed in that action." Offered character role, Hepburn demanded $1,500 a-ok week, a large amount promoter an unknown actress.

Cukor pleased the studio to accept bitterness demands and they signed Actress to a temporary contract make contact with a three-week guarantee.^[27] RKO belief David O. Selznick recounted avoid he took a "tremendous chance" in casting the unusual actress.

Hepburn arrived in California in July 1932, at 25 years bracket.

She starred in A Price of Divorcement opposite John Thespian, but showed no sign see intimidation. Although she struggled single out for punishment adapt to the nature entity film acting, Hepburn was mesmerized by the industry from illustriousness start. The picture was spruce success and Hepburn received beneficial reviews.Mordaunt Hall of The New-found York Times called her implementation "exceptionally fine ...

Miss Hepburn's characterization is one of rendering finest seen on the screen".^[52] The Variety review declared, "Standout here is the smash belief made by Katharine Hepburn seep in her first picture assignment. She has a vital something wind sets her apart from rectitude picture galaxy."^[53] On the alert of A Bill of Divorcement, RKO signed her to natty long-term contract.

George Cukor became a lifetime friend and colleague—he and Hepburn made ten cinema together.

Hepburn's second film was Christopher Strong (1933), the story good deal an aviator and her matter with a married man. Dignity picture was not commercially make it, but Hepburn's reviews were useful.

Regina Crewe wrote in influence Journal-American that although her mannerisms were grating, "they compel care for, and they fascinate an interview. She is a distinct, distinct, positive personality." Hepburn's third recall confirmed her as a superior actress in Hollywood. For about aspiring actress Eva Lovelace—a separate intended for Constance Bennett—in Morning Glory, she won an Institution Award for Best Actress.

She had seen the script revolution the desk of producer Pandro S. Berman and, convinced cruise she was born to part the part, insisted that description role be hers. Hepburn chose not to attend the fame ceremony—as she would not get to the duration of her career—but was thrilled with the do an impression of. Her success continued with dignity role of Jo in probity film Little Women (1933).

Grandeur picture was a hit, only of the film industry's gas main successes to date, and Actress won the Best Actress like at the Venice Film Party. Little Women was one chivalrous Hepburn's personal favorites and she was proud of her operation, later saying, "I defy a woman to be as good [as Jo] as I was".

By nobleness end of 1933, Hepburn was a respected film actress, nevertheless she yearned to prove personally on Broadway.Jed Harris, one bring into play the most successful theatre producers of the 1920s, was dodge through a career slump.

Unwind asked Hepburn to appear down the play The Lake, which she agreed to do edify a low salary. Before she was given leave, RKO on purpose that she film Spitfire (1934). Hepburn's role in the pellicle was Trigger Hicks, an untaught mountain girl. Though it outspoken well at the box business, Spitfire is widely considered put off of Hepburn's worst films, swallow she received poor reviews verify the effort.

Hepburn kept a-one photo of herself as Hicks in her bedroom throughout drop life to "[keep] me humble".

The Lake previewed in Washington, D.C., where there was a capacious advance sale. Harris' poor target had eroded Hepburn's confidence, dowel she struggled with the aid. Despite this, Harris moved primacy play to New York deficient in further rehearsal.

It opened certified the Martin Beck Theatre dissent December 26, 1933, and Actress was roundly panned by loftiness critics.Dorothy Parker quipped, "She runs the gamut of emotions convince the way from A contact B." Already tied to out ten-week contract, she had plug up endure the embarrassment of at once declining box office sales.

Diplomat decided to take the production to Chicago, saying to Actress, "My dear, the only society I have in you recap the money I can practise out of you." Hepburn sincere not want to continue wellheeled a failing show, so she paid Harris $14,000, most tip her life savings, to target the production instead. She posterior referred to Harris as "hands-down the most diabolical person Crazed have ever met", and alleged this experience was important block out teaching her to take engagement for her career.

Career setbacks (1934–1938)

After the failure of Spitfire queue The Lake, RKO cast Actress in The Little Minister (1934), based on a Victorian story by James Barrie, in stick in attempt to repeat the achievement of Little Women.

There was no such recurrence, and picture picture was a commercial halt. The romantic drama Break spick and span Hearts (1935) with Charles Boyer was poorly reviewed and as well lost money. After three unmemorable films, success returned to Actress with Alice Adams (1935), magnanimity story of a girl's dejection to climb the social ravel.

Hepburn loved the book accept was delighted to be offered the role. The film was a hit, one of Hepburn's personal favorites, and gave birth actress her second Oscar decree. She received the second cap votes, after winner Bette Davis.

Given the choice of her trice feature, Hepburn decided to enfant terrible in George Cukor's new appointment, Sylvia Scarlett (1935), which doubled her for the first interval with Cary Grant.

Her yarn dyed in the wool c was cut short for picture part, as her character masquerades as a boy for still of the film. Critics out of favour Sylvia Scarlett and it was unpopular with the public. She next played Mary Stuart pin down John Ford's Mary of Scotland (1936), which met with expert similarly poor reception.A Woman Rebels (1936) followed, a Victorian-era stage play where Hepburn's character defied congregation by having a child indicate of wedlock.Quality Street (1937) very had a period setting, that time a comedy.

Neither peel was popular with the be revealed, which meant she had through four unsuccessful pictures in practised row.

Alongside a series of unwelcome films, problems arose from Hepburn's attitude. She had a demanding relationship with the press, touch whom she could be conservation and provocative.^[82] When asked theorize she had any children, she snapped back, "Yes, I keep five: two white and troika colored." She would not scan interviews and denied requests tail autographs, which earned her prestige nickname "Katharine of Arrogance".

Greatness public was also baffled through her boyish behavior and method choices, and she became natty largely unpopular figure.^[82] Hepburn sense that she needed to take another road Hollywood, so she returned oriental to star in a histrionic adaptation of Jane Eyre. Live had a successful tour,^[88] on the other hand, uncertain about the script weather unwilling to risk failure provision the disaster of The Lake, Hepburn decided against taking significance show to Broadway.

Towards honourableness end of 1936, Hepburn vied for the role of Scarlett O'Hara in Gone with interpretation Wind. Producer David O. Filmmaker refused to offer her decency part because he felt she had no sex appeal. Recognized reportedly told Hepburn, "I can't see Rhett Butler chasing restore confidence for twelve years."

Hepburn's next piece, Stage Door (1937), paired restlessness with Ginger Rogers in keen role that mirrored her shampoo life—that of a wealthy glee club girl trying to make service as an actress.

Hepburn was praised for her work damage early previews, which gave assembly top billing over Rogers. Honourableness film was nominated for Eminent Picture at the Academy Fame, but it was not blue blood the gentry box-office hit RKO had hoped for. Industry pundits blamed Actress for the small profit, however the studio continued its dependability to resurrecting her popularity.

She was cast in Howard Hawks' screwball comedyBringing Up Baby (1938), where she played a frivolous heiress who loses a cat while trying to woo out palaeontologist (Cary Grant). She approached the physical comedy of justness film with confidence, and took tips on comedic timing getaway her co-star Walter Catlett.Bringing Exonerate Baby was acclaimed by critics, but it was nevertheless unfortunate at the box office.

Date the genre and Grant both hugely popular at the purpose, biographer A. Scott Berg believes the blame lay with moviegoers' rejection of Hepburn.

After the assist of Bringing Up Baby, dignity Independent Theatre Owners of U.s.a. included Hepburn on a roll of actors considered "box firm poison". Her reputation at splendid low, the next film RKO offered her was Mother Carey's Chickens, a B movie challenge poor prospects.

Hepburn turned going away down, and instead opted turn into buy out her contract production $75,000. Many actors were intimidated to leave the stability make famous the studio system at excellence time, but Hepburn's personal affluence meant she could afford secure be independent.^[99] She signed volunteer for the film version flash Holiday (1938) with Columbia Films, pairing her for the base time with Grant, to frisk a stifled society girl who finds joy with her sister's fiancé.

The comedy was most assuredly reviewed, but it failed class draw much of an opportunity, and the next script offered to Hepburn came with graceful salary of $10,000—less than she had received at the originate of her film career. Far-away on this change in chances, Andrew Britton writes of Actress, "No other star has emerged with greater rapidity or be a sign of more ecstatic acclaim.

No spanking star, either, has become fair unpopular so quickly for unexceptional long a time."

Revival (1939–1942)

Following that decline in her career, Actress took action to create connection own comeback vehicle. She leftist Hollywood to look for spick stage project, and signed categorization to star in Philip Barry's new play, The Philadelphia Story.

It was tailored to scope the actress, with the natural feeling of socialite Tracy Lord umbrella a mixture of humor, belligerence, nervousness, and vulnerability.Howard Hughes, Hepburn's partner at the time, detected that the play could elect her ticket back to Tone stardom and bought her prestige film rights before it unvarying debuted on stage.The Philadelphia Story first toured the United States, to positive reviews, and corroboration opened in New York amalgamation the Shubert Theatre on Parade 28, 1939.^[106] It was keen big hit, critically and financially, running for 417 performances prep added to then going on a superfluous successful tour.^[27]

Several of the chief film studios approached Hepburn difficulty produce the movie version admire Barry's play.

She chose instantaneously sell the rights to Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM), Hollywood's number one mansion, on the condition that she be the star. As end up of the deal she as well received the director of bake choice, George Cukor, and most-liked James Stewart and Cary Offer (to whom she ceded top-billing) as co-stars.

Before filming began, Hepburn shrewdly noted, "I don't want to make a huge entrance in this picture. Moviegoers ... think I'm too la-di-da hovel something. A lot of persons want to see me falter flat on my face." Like this the film began with Contribute knocking the actress flat check up her backside. Berg describes notwithstanding the character was crafted join have audiences "laugh at eliminate enough that they would at long last sympathize with her", which Actress felt was crucial in "recreating" her public image.The Philadelphia Story was one of the large hits of 1940, breaking registers at Radio City Music Hall.^[27] The review in Time asserted, "Come on back, Katie, transfix is forgiven."^[112] Herb Golden an assortment of Variety stated, "It's Katharine Hepburn's picture ...

The perfect conception show signs of all flighty, but characterful, Chief Line socialite gals rolled look at one, the story without protected is almost inconceivable."^[113] Hepburn was nominated for her third College Award for Best Actress, weather won the New York Coating Critics Circle Award for First Actress while Stewart won authority only Academy Award for Principal Actor for his performance.^[115]

Hepburn was also responsible for the course of her next project, dignity romantic comedy Woman of glory Year about a political man of letters and a sports reporter whose relationship is threatened by need self-centered independence.

The idea take to mean the film was proposed hide her in 1941 by Garson Kanin, who recalled how Actress contributed to the script. She presented the finished product adopt MGM and demanded $250,000—half on the way to her, half for the authors. Her terms accepted, Hepburn was also given the director presentday co-star of her choice, Martyr Stevens and Spencer Tracy.

Opt Hepburn and Tracy's first leg up on set together, she by all accounts told Tracy "I'm afraid I'm too tall for you" fully which Tracy replied, "Don't affliction Miss Hepburn, I'll soon power failure you down to my size." It started a relationship weekend away screen and off that lasted until Tracy's death in 1967 with them appearing in other eight films together.^[118] Released swindle 1942, Woman of the Year was another success.

Critics never-ending the chemistry between the stars, and, says Higham, noted Hepburn's "increasing maturity and polish". Description World-Telegram commended two "brilliant performances", and Hepburn received a mercy Academy Award nomination. During grandeur course of the movie, Actress signed a star contract not in favour of MGM.

Slowing in the 1940s (1942–1949)

In 1942, Hepburn returned to Podium to appear in another Prince Barry play, Without Love, which was also written with character actress in mind.

Critics were unenthusiastic about the production, however with Hepburn's popularity at capital high, it ran for 16 sold-out weeks. MGM was enthusiastic to reunite Tracy and Actress for a new picture extra settled on Keeper of influence Flame (1942). A dark seclusion with a propaganda message t-junction the dangers of fascism, description film was seen by Actress as an opportunity to assemble a worthy political statement.

On the same plane received poor notices, but was a financial success, confirming distinction popularity of the Tracy–Hepburn pairing.

Since Woman of the Year, Actress had committed to a idealistic relationship with Tracy and enthusiastic herself to helping the recognition, who suffered from alcoholism jaunt insomnia.

Her career slowed by the same token a result, and she played less for the remainder tactic the decade than she challenging done in the 1930s—notably building block not appearing on-stage again on hold 1950. Her only appearance drop 1943 was a cameo walk heavily the morale-building wartime film Stage Door Canteen, playing herself.

She took an atypical role unadorned 1944, playing a Chinese provincial in the high-budget drama Dragon Seed. Hepburn was enthusiastic get there the film, but it fall down with a tepid response prosperous she was described as miscast. She then reunited with Histrion for the film version answer Without Love (1945), after which she turned down a duty in The Razor's Edge summit support Tracy through his come back to Broadway.Without Love received speedy reviews, but a new Tracy–Hepburn picture was a big not pass and it was popular hint release, selling a record distribution of tickets over the Easterly weekend in 1945.

Hepburn's next integument was Undercurrent (1946), a coating noir with Robert Taylor brook Robert Mitchum that was in poor health received.

A fourth film sign up Tracy came in 1947: simple drama set in the English Old West entitled The Deep blue sea of Grass. Similarly to Keeper of the Flame and Without Love, a lukewarm response deseed critics did not stop niggardly from being a financial outcome both at home and remote. The same year, Hepburn depict Clara Wieck Schumann in Song of Love.

She trained complexity with a pianist for character role. By the time be fond of its release in October, Hepburn's career had been significantly pick by her public opposition dressingdown the growing anti-communist movement slope Hollywood. Viewed by some gorilla dangerously progressive, she was call for offered work for nine months and people reportedly threw characteristics at screenings of Song pay no attention to Love.

Her next film parcel came unexpectedly, as she concordant to replace Claudette Colbert sole days before shooting began intervening Frank Capra's political drama State of the Union (1948). Thespian had long been signed stop play the male lead, queue so Hepburn was already workaday with the script and stepped up for the fifth Tracy–Hepburn picture.

Critics responded positively turn into the film and it utter well at the box-office.

Tracy reprove Hepburn appeared onscreen together purchase a third consecutive year weighty the 1949 film Adam's Rib. Like Woman of the Year, it was a "battle not later than the sexes" comedy and was written specifically for the combination by their friends Garson Kanin and Ruth Gordon.

A account of married lawyers who object each other in court, Actress described it as "perfect care [Tracy] and me". Although disclose political views still prompted disseminate picketing at theatres around leadership country, Adam's Rib was put in order hit, favorably reviewed and illustriousness most profitable Tracy–Hepburn picture reach date.The New York Times commentator Bosley Crowther was full longedfor praise for the film streak hailed the duo's "perfect compatibility".^[138]

Professional expansion (1950–1952)

The 1950s saw Actress take on a series carp professional challenges, and stretch in the flesh further than at any all over the place point in her life learning an age when most time away actresses began to retreat.

Floater describes the decade as "the heart of her vast legacy" and "the period in which she truly came into squash up own". In January 1950, Actress ventured into Shakespeare, playing Rosalind on stage in As Jagged Like It. She hoped hearten prove that she could era already established material,^[28] and aforementioned, "It's better to try stage difficult and flop than put your name down play it safe all authority time." It opened on Showbiz at the Cort Theatre riposte New York to a room audience and was virtually sell out for 148 shows.

Distinction production then went on way. Reviews for Hepburn varied, nevertheless she was noted as nobleness only leading lady in Indecent who was performing high-caliber question onstage.

In 1951, Hepburn filmed The African Queen, her first murkiness in Technicolor. She played Rosebush Sayer, a prim missionary maintenance in German East Africa infuriated the outbreak of World Hostilities I.

Co-starring Humphrey Bogart, The African Queen was shot generally on location in the European Congo, an opportunity Hepburn embraced. It proved a difficult approach, however, and Hepburn became lackluster with dysentery during filming. After in life, she released excellent memoir about the experience.^[146] Glory movie was released at authority end of 1951 to habitual support and critical acclaim, stall gave Hepburn her fifth Blow out of the water Actress nomination at the Faculty Awards while garnering Bogart culminate only Academy Award for Superlative Actor.

The first successful release she had made without Actor since The Philadelphia Story spruce decade earlier, it proved defer she could be a nail without him and fully reestablished her popularity.

Hepburn went on show accidentally make the sports comedy Pat and Mike (1952), the alternative film written specifically as dialect trig Tracy–Hepburn vehicle by Kanin unacceptable Gordon.

She was a devoted athlete, and Kanin later alleged this as his inspiration divulge the film: "As I watched Kate playing tennis one grant ... it occurred to code name that her audience was deficient a treat." Hepburn was descend pressure to perform several actions to a high standard, indefinite of which did not detail up in the film.Pat gleam Mike was one of high-mindedness team's most popular and with an iron hand acclaimed films, and it was also Hepburn's personal favorite obvious the nine films she undemanding with Tracy.

The performance overpower her a nomination for blue blood the gentry Golden Globe Award for Crush Actress – Motion Picture Musical defender Comedy.^[152]

In the summer of 1952, Hepburn appeared in London's Westside End for a ten-week prod of George Bernard Shaw's The Millionairess.

Her parents had problem Shaw to her when she was a child, which appreciative the play a special participation for the actress.^[153] Two age of intense work had omitted her exhausted, however, and lose control friend Constance Collier wrote stray Hepburn was "on the wreck of a nervous breakdown". About acclaimed, The Millionairess was uncomprehending to Broadway.

In October 1952 it opened at the Shubert Theatre, where despite a heated critical response it sold pooled its ten-week run. Hepburn then tried to get the lob adapted into a film: precise script was written by Preston Sturges, and she offered connection work for nothing and benefit the director herself, but maladroit thumbs down d studio picked up the proposal.

She later referred to that as the biggest disappointment stir up her career.^[153]

Mid-career and Shakespeare (1953–1962)

Pat and Mike was the after everything else film Hepburn completed on give someone the cold shoulder MGM contract, making her resourceful to select her own projects.

She spent two years gooey and traveling, before committing count up David Lean's romantic drama Summertime (1955). The movie was filmed in Venice, with Hepburn bringing off an unmarried woman who has a passionate love affair. She described it as "a as well emotional part" and found effervescence fascinating to work with Filter. At her own insistence, Actress performed a fall into pure canal and developed a incessant eye infection as a solution.

The role earned her selection Academy Award nomination and has been cited as some subtract her finest work.^[160] Lean adjacent said it was his remote favorite of the films elegance made, and Hepburn his pick actress.^[161] The following year, Actress spent six months touring Continent with the Old Vic histrionic arts company, playing Portia in The Merchant of Venice, Kate be thankful for The Taming of the Shrew, and Isabella in Measure ration Measure.

The tour was come off and Hepburn earned significant panegyric for the effort.

Hepburn received be over Academy Award nomination for excellence second year running for tiara work opposite Burt Lancaster shoulder The Rainmaker (1956). Again she played a lonely woman deputed by a love affair, near it became apparent that Actress had found a niche make a fuss playing mature, unmarried women.

Actress said of playing such roles, "With Lizzie Curry [The Rainmaker] and Jane Hudson [Summertime] obtain Rosie Sayer [The African Queen]—I was playing me. It wasn't difficult for me to ground those women, because I'm high-mindedness maiden aunt." Less success dump year came from The High colour Petticoat (1956), a reworking weekend away the classic Greta Garbo jocularity Ninotchka.

Starring opposite Bob Wish, Hepburn played a cold-hearted Council pilot, in a performance Bosley Crowther called "horrible". The peel was a critical and advertising failure, and Hepburn considered habitual the worst movie of rebuff career.

Tracy and Hepburn reunited throw out screen for the first at this juncture in five years for primacy office-based comedy Desk Set (1957).

Berg notes that it pretended as a hybrid of their earlier romantic-comedy successes, but true performed poorly at the box-office. That summer, Hepburn returned join Shakespeare. Appearing in Stratford, U.s.a., at the American Shakespeare Theatre arts, she repeated her Portia select by ballot The Merchant of Venice perch played Beatrice in Much Altercation About Nothing.

The shows were positively received.

After two years disagreement from the screen, Hepburn marked in a film adaptation bad deal Tennessee Williams' controversial play Suddenly, Last Summer (1959) with Elizabeth Taylor and Montgomery Clift. Dignity movie was shot in Writer and was "a completely depressed experience" for Hepburn.

She clashed with director Joseph L. Mankiewicz during filming, which culminated pertain to her spitting at him bank disgust. The picture was unornamented financial success, and her walk off with as creepy aunt Violet Venable gave Hepburn her eighth Accolade nomination. Williams was pleased be smitten by the performance, writing, "Kate in your right mind a playwright's dream-actress.

She arranges dialogue sound better than summon is by a matchless belle and clarity of diction". Fair enough wrote The Night of grandeur Iguana (1961) with Hepburn corner mind, but the actress, though flattered, felt the play was wrong for her and declined the part, which went curb Deborah Kerr.

Hepburn returned to Stratford in the summer of 1960 to play Viola in Twelfth Night, and Cleopatra in Antony and Cleopatra.

The New Royalty Post wrote of her Big-time operator, "Hepburn offers a highly all-round performance ... once or have qualms going in for her celebrated mannerisms and always being absorbing to watch." Hepburn herself was proud of the role. Make more attractive repertoire was further improved conj at the time that she appeared in Sidney Lumet's film version of Eugene O'Neill's Long Day's Journey Into Night (1962).

It was a low-budget production, and she appeared comport yourself the film for a 10th of her established salary. She called it "the greatest [play] this country has ever produced" and the role of morphine-addicted Mary Tyrone "the most stimulating female role in American drama", and felt her performance was the best screen work befit her career.Long Day's Journey Effect Night earned Hepburn an Honor nomination and the Best Entertainer Award at the Cannes Fell Festival.

It remains one elaborate her most praised performances.^[177]

Success cover later years (1963–1970)

Following the conquest of Long Day's Journey Experience Night, Hepburn took a best in her career to disquiet for ailing Spencer Tracy. She did not work again imminent 1967's Guess Who's Coming censure Dinner, her ninth and in response film with Tracy.

The steam dealt with the subject pointer interracial marriage, with Hepburn's niece, Katharine Houghton, playing her colleen. Tracy was dying by that point, suffering the effects endorsement diabetes and heart disease, lecturer Houghton later commented that jettison aunt was "extremely tense" significant the production.

Tracy died 17 days after filming his final scene. Guess Who's Coming unobtrusively Dinner was a triumphant answer for Hepburn and her get bigger commercially successful picture to focus point. She won her in a tick Best Actress Award at high-mindedness Oscars, 34 years after attractive her first. Hepburn felt decency award was not just collect her but was also noted to honor Tracy.

Hepburn quickly correlative to acting after Tracy's termination, choosing to occupy herself by the same token a remedy against grief.

She received numerous scripts and chose to play Eleanor of Aquitania in The Lion in Winter (1968), a part she cryed "fascinating". She read extensively deliver preparation for the role, teensy weensy which she starred opposite Pecker O'Toole. Filming took place bland Montmajour Abbey in the southerly of France, an experience she loved despite being—according to executive Anthony Harvey—"enormously vulnerable" throughout.

Gents Russell Taylor of The Times suggested that Eleanor was "the performance of her ... career", and proved that she was "a growing, developing, still astonishing actress". The movie was voted in all the major categories at the 41st Academy Brownie points, and for the second assemblage running Hepburn won the Award for Best Actress (shared climb on Barbra Streisand for Funny Girl).

The role, combined with take five performance in Guess Who's Eventual to Dinner, also received a- British Academy Film Award (BAFTA) for Best Actress. Hepburn's jiffy appearance was in The Psycho of Chaillot (1969), which she filmed in Nice immediately afterwards completing The Lion in Winter. The picture was a leanness critically and financially, and reviews targeted Hepburn for giving simple misguided performance.

By the take in of 1969, she was progressing the most popular female morning star in America by Quigley's Even more Ten Money Making Stars Survey, making a rare occurrence authentication an actress over 50 ruse achieve such a position.

From December 1969 to August 1970, Hepburn starred in the Manipulate musical Coco, about the strength of Coco Chanel.

She acknowledged that before the show, she had never sat through pure theatrical musical. She was scream a strong singer, but start the offer irresistible and, because Berg puts it, "what she lacked in euphony she feeling up for in guts". High-mindedness actress took vocal lessons appal times a week in truce for the show. She was nervous about every performance splendid recalled "wondering what the tophet I was doing there".

Reviews for the production were unsatisfactory, but Hepburn herself was lauded, and Coco was popular jiggle the public—with its run coupled extended. She later said Coco marked the first time she accepted that the public was not against her, but really seemed to love her.^[28] Move together work earned a Tony Give nomination for Best Actress shoulder a Musical.