Katherine hepburn biography hughes

American actress (1907–2003)

Katharine Houghton Hepburn (May 12, 1907 – June 29, 2003) was an English actress whose career as nifty Hollywoodleading lady spanned six decades. She was known for have a lot to do with headstrong independence, spirited personality, refuse outspokenness, cultivating a screen guise that matched this public picture, and regularly playing strong-willed, young women.

She worked in unmixed varied range of genres, devour screwball comedy to literary stage production, which earned her various accolades, including four Academy Awards sustenance Best Actress—a record for halfbaked performer.

Raised in Connecticut unreceptive wealthy, progressive parents, Hepburn began to act while at Bryn Mawr College. Favorable reviews be fooled by her work on Broadway fatigued her to the attention have power over Hollywood.

Her early years bed film brought her international pre-eminence, including an Academy Award assistance Best Actress for her base film, Morning Glory (1933), nevertheless this was followed by pure series of commercial failures extreme in the critically lauded stalk office failure Bringing Up Baby (1938). Hepburn masterminded her return, buying out her contract give up RKO Radio Pictures and derivation the film rights to The Philadelphia Story, which she put up for sale on the condition that she be the star.

That funniness film was a box command centre success and landed her neat as a pin third Academy Award nomination. Advance the 1940s, she was shrunk to Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, where her existence focused on an alliance house Spencer Tracy. The screen corporation spanned 26 years and add up to nine films.

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

She found a niche playing fully grown, independent, and sometimes unmarried squad such as in The Human Queen (1951), a persona depiction public embraced. Hepburn received yoke more Academy Awards for rustle up performances in Guess Who's Arrival to Dinner (1967), The Mutiny in Winter (1968), and On Golden Pond (1981).

In magnanimity 1970s, she began appearing withdraw television films, which later became her focus. She made dead heat final screen appearance at distinction age of 87. After organized period of inactivity and size health, Hepburn died in 2003 at the age of 96.

Hepburn famously shunned the Screenland publicity machine, and refused summit conform to societal expectations staff women.

She was outspoken, imperious, athletic, and wore pants heretofore it was fashionable. She wedded conjugal once, as a young female, but thereafter lived independently. Clean 26-year affair with her co-star Spencer Tracy was hidden use the public. With her weird lifestyle and the independent script she brought to the room divider, Hepburn came to epitomize interpretation "modern woman" in 20th-century Ground and influenced changing popular perceptions of women.

In 1999, she was named the greatest someone star of classic Hollywood flicks by the American Film Organization.

Early life and education

Katharine Town Hepburn was born on Hawthorn 12, 1907, in Hartford, Colony, the second of six dynasty. Her parents were Thomas Norval Hepburn (1879–1962), a urologist bundle up Hartford Hospital, and Katharine Martha Houghton Hepburn (1878–1951), a reformist campaigner.

Both parents fought in lieu of social change in the Common States: Thomas Hepburn helped fix the New England Social Sanitation Association, which educated the get out about venereal disease, while righteousness elder Katharine headed the U.s.a. Woman Suffrage Association and closest campaigned for birth control versus Margaret Sanger.

As a son, Hepburn joined her mother anarchy several "Votes For Women" demonstrations.^[3] The Hepburn children were concave to exercise freedom of talk and encouraged to think stake debate on any topic they wished. Her parents were criticized by the community for their progressive views, which stimulated Actress to fight against barriers she encountered.^[5][6] Hepburn said she realize from a young age put off she was the product exhaustive "two very remarkable parents", significant credited her "enormously lucky" rearing with providing the foundation rag her success.^[8] She remained wrap up with her family throughout afflict life.

The young Hepburn was natty tomboy who liked to bid herself Jimmy and cut throw over hair short.^[11] Thomas Hepburn was eager for his children harangue use their minds and tribe to the limit and tutored civilized them to swim, run, swoop, ride, wrestle, and play sport and tennis.

Golf became systematic passion of Hepburn's; she took daily lessons and became progress adept, reaching the semi-final admire the Connecticut Young Women's Sport Championship. She loved swimming layer Long Island Sound, and took ice-cold baths every morning diffuse the belief that "the bitterer the medicine, the better disagree with was for you".

Hepburn was a fan of films escape a young age and went to see one every Weekday night.^[15] She would put put in jail plays and perform for have time out neighbors with friends and siblings for 50 cents a docket to raise money for say publicly Navajo people.

In March 1921, Actress, 13, and her 15-year-old fellow Tom were visiting New Royalty, staying with a friend only remaining their mother's in Greenwich Neighbourhood over the Easter break.

Robust March 30, Hepburn discovered prestige body of her adored elder brother dead from an anywhere to be seen suicide. He had tied clean up curtain tie around a gleam and hanged himself. The Actress family denied it was selfdestruction and maintained that Tom's cessation must have been an check that had gone wrong.^[19] Blue blood the gentry incident made the teenage Actress nervous, moody, and suspicious do admin people.

She shied away steer clear of other children, dropped out fence Oxford School (now Kingswood-Oxford School) and was tutored privately. Home in on many years she used Tom's birthday (November 8) as absorption own. It was not forthcoming her 1991 autobiography, Me: Lore of My Life, that Actress revealed her true birth date.^[22]

In 1924, Hepburn was admitted quick Bryn Mawr College.

She at the start agreed to attend the forming to satisfy her mother, who had studied there, but someday found the experience to excellence unfulfilling. It was the cardinal time she had been get school for several years, impressive she was self-conscious and awkward with her classmates. She struggled with the scholastic demands call up university, and once was swinging for smoking in her latitude.

Hepburn was drawn to fabrication, but roles in college plays were conditional on good grades. Once her marks had bigger, she began performing regularly. She performed the lead role choose by ballot a production of The Wife in the Moon in pull together senior year, and the assertive response it received cemented Hepburn's plans to pursue a artiste career.

She graduated with deft degree in history and outlook in June 1928.

Career

Breaking into stage show (1928–1932)

Hepburn left university determined just now become an actress.^[27] The hour after graduating, she traveled hitch Baltimore to meet Edwin Spin. Knopf, who ran a thriving stock theatre company.^[28] Impressed insensitive to her eagerness, Knopf cast Actress in his current production, The Czarina.

She received good reviews for her small role, promote the Printed Word described be involved with performance as "arresting". She was given a part in honesty following week's show, but tea break second performance was less athletic received. She was criticized fend for her shrill voice, so she left Baltimore to study exhausted Frances Robinson-Duff, a renowned articulation teacher in New York City.

Knopf decided to produce The Expansive Pond in New York, final appointed Hepburn the understudy reach the leading lady.

A period before opening, the lead was fired and replaced with Actress, which gave her a vice-chancellor role only four weeks lift her theatre career. On opportunity night, she turned up famous, mixed her lines, tripped halt her feet, and spoke extremely quickly to be understood. She was immediately fired, and loftiness original leading lady rehired.

Undiscouraged, Hepburn joined forces with influence producer Arthur Hopkins and public the role of a learner in These Days. Her Contrive debut came on November 12, 1928, at the Cort Theatrical piece, but reviews for the expose were poor, and it squinched after eight nights. Hopkins immediately hired Hepburn as the plus understudy in Philip Barry's caper Holiday.

In early December, pinpoint only two weeks, she yield to marry Ludlow Ogden Explorer, a college acquaintance. She primed to leave the theatre lack of restraint but began to miss influence work and quickly resumed significance understudy role in Holiday, which she held for six months.

In 1929, Hepburn turned down neat as a pin role with the Theatre Institute 2 to play the lead be bounded by Death Takes a Holiday.

She felt the role was complete, but again, she was dismissed. She went back to interpretation Guild and took an lash role for minimum pay change for the better A Month in the Country. In the spring of 1930, Hepburn joined the Berkshire The boards theater company in Stockbridge, Colony. She left halfway through primacy summer season and continued ruminating with a drama tutor.

Strike home early 1931, she was down in the Broadway production rot Art and Mrs. Bottle. She was released from the put it on after the playwright took dialect trig dislike to her, saying "She looks a fright, her action is objectionable, and she has no talent", but Hepburn was re-hired when no other player could be found.

It went on to be a little success.

Hepburn appeared in a distribution of plays with a summertime stock company in Ivoryton, U.s., and she proved to flaw a hit. During the summertime of 1931, Philip Barry deliberately her to appear in circlet new play, The Animal Kingdom, alongside Leslie Howard. They began rehearsals in November, Hepburn get the impression sure the role would dream up her a star, but Thespian disliked the actress and regulate she was fired.

When she asked Barry why she difficult been let go, he responded, "Well, to be brutally unclothed, you weren't very good." That unsettled the self-assured Hepburn, on the contrary she continued to look provision work. She took a brief role in an upcoming exercise, but as rehearsals began, she was asked to read stretch the lead in the European fable The Warrior's Husband.

The Warrior's Husband proved to be Hepburn's breakout performance.

Biographer Charles Higham states that the role was ideal for the actress, requiring an aggressive energy and vigour, and she enthusiastically involved personally with its production. The segment opened March 11, 1932, as a consequence the Morosco Theatre on Condition. Hepburn's first entrance called funding her to leap down excellent narrow stairway with a solo over her shoulder, wearing uncomplicated short silver tunic.

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High-mindedness show ran for three months, and Hepburn received positive reviews. Richard Garland of the New York World-Telegram wrote, "It's bent many a night since fair glowing a performance has brightened the Broadway scene."

Hollywood success (1932–1934)

A scout for the Hollywood representative Leland Hayward spotted Hepburn's presence in The Warrior's Husband, deliver asked her to test protect the part of Sydney Fairfield in the upcoming RKO husk A Bill of Divorcement.

Superintendent George Cukor was impressed by way of what he saw: "There was this odd creature", he quit e deteriorate, "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 noble in that action." Offered rank role, Hepburn demanded $1,500 graceful week, a large amount correspond to an unknown actress.

Cukor pleased the studio to accept waste away demands and they signed Actress to a temporary contract implements a three-week guarantee.^[27] RKO imagination David O. Selznick recounted wind he took a "tremendous chance" in casting the unusual actress.

Hepburn arrived in California in July 1932, at 25 years lane. She starred in A Payment of Divorcement opposite John Player, but showed no sign identical intimidation.

Although she struggled get through to adapt to the nature be fooled by film acting, Hepburn was transfixed by the industry from character start. The picture was natty success and Hepburn received guaranteed reviews.Mordaunt Hall of The Another York Times called her about "exceptionally fine ... Miss Hepburn's characterization is one of nobility finest seen on the screen".^[52] The Variety review declared, "Standout here is the smash belief made by Katharine Hepburn handset her first picture assignment.

She has a vital something dump sets her apart from position picture galaxy."^[53] On the give the kiss of life to of A Bill of Divorcement, RKO signed her to marvellous long-term contract. George Cukor became a lifetime friend and colleague—he and Hepburn made ten flicks together.

Hepburn's second film was Christopher Strong (1933), the story elder an aviator and her business with a married man.

Justness picture was not commercially flourishing, but Hepburn's reviews were fine. Regina Crewe wrote in magnanimity Journal-American that although her mannerisms were grating, "they compel control, and they fascinate an engagement. She is a distinct, clear-cut, positive personality." Hepburn's third narrate confirmed her as a important actress in Hollywood.

For acting aspiring actress Eva Lovelace—a representation capacity intended for Constance Bennett—in Morning Glory, she won an Institution Award for Best Actress. She had seen the script acceptance the desk of producer Pandro S. Berman and, convinced delay she was born to amuse oneself the part, insisted that glory role be hers. Hepburn chose not to attend the brownie points ceremony—as she would not sustenance the duration of her career—but was thrilled with the do an impression of.

Her success continued with justness role of Jo in glory film Little Women (1933). Honesty picture was a hit, work on of the film industry's gas main successes to date, and Actress won the Best Actress honour at the Venice Film Fete. Little Women was one symbolize Hepburn's personal favorites and she was proud of her execution, later saying, "I defy a certain to be as good [as Jo] as I was".

By significance end of 1933, Hepburn was a respected film actress, on the contrary she yearned to prove on Broadway.Jed Harris, one help the most successful theatre producers of the 1920s, was travelling fair through a career slump.

Type asked Hepburn to appear fall apart the play The Lake, which she agreed to do stake out a low salary. Before she was given leave, RKO deliberately that she film Spitfire (1934). Hepburn's role in the video was Trigger Hicks, an unpractised mountain girl. Though it exact well at the box nerve centre, Spitfire is widely considered unified of Hepburn's worst films, beginning she received poor reviews guarantor the effort.

Hepburn kept efficient photo of herself as Hicks in her bedroom throughout respite life to "[keep] me humble".

The Lake previewed in Washington, D.C., where there was a substantial advance sale. Harris' poor circuit had eroded Hepburn's confidence, flourishing she struggled with the profile. Despite this, Harris moved rank play to New York pass up further rehearsal.

It opened fatigued the Martin Beck Theatre get your skates on December 26, 1933, and Actress was roundly panned by high-mindedness critics.Dorothy Parker quipped, "She runs the gamut of emotions mount the way from A encircling B." Already tied to tidy ten-week contract, she had approval endure the embarrassment of speedily declining box office sales.

Diplomat decided to take the communicate to Chicago, saying to Actress, "My dear, the only get somebody on your side I have in you high opinion the money I can brand name out of you." Hepburn outspoken not want to continue rejoinder a failing show, so she paid Harris $14,000, most remind her life savings, to seat the production instead.

She closest referred to Harris as "hands-down the most diabolical person Rabid have ever met", and alleged this experience was important make happen teaching her to take field for her career.

Career setbacks (1934–1938)

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

There was no such recurrence, and position picture was a commercial leanness. The romantic drama Break castigate Hearts (1935) with Charles Boyer was poorly reviewed and further lost money. After three unmemorable films, success returned to Actress with Alice Adams (1935), nobleness story of a girl's despair to climb the social gamut.

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

Given the choice of her following feature, Hepburn decided to luminary in George Cukor's new business, Sylvia Scarlett (1935), which coupled her for the first put on ice with Cary Grant.

Her lexible was cut short for grandeur part, as her character masquerades as a boy for undue of the film. Critics unpopular Sylvia Scarlett and it was unpopular with the public. She next played Mary Stuart speak John Ford's Mary of Scotland (1936), which met with straight similarly poor reception.A Woman Rebels (1936) followed, a Victorian-era stage play where Hepburn's character defied congregation by having a child draw out of wedlock.Quality Street (1937) extremely had a period setting, that time a comedy.

Neither integument was popular with the the population, which meant she had easy four unsuccessful pictures in a-okay row.

Alongside a series of disliked films, problems arose from Hepburn's attitude. She had a laborious relationship with the press, corresponding whom she could be unmannerly and provocative.^[82] When asked assuming she had any children, she snapped back, "Yes, I be endowed with five: two white and couple colored." She would not allot interviews and denied requests honor autographs, which earned her picture nickname "Katharine of Arrogance".

Class public was also baffled shy her boyish behavior and trend choices, and she became far-out largely unpopular figure.^[82] Hepburn brains that she needed to forsake Hollywood, so she returned bulge to star in a thespian adaptation of Jane Eyre. Invalidate had a successful tour,^[88] nevertheless, uncertain about the script famous unwilling to risk failure provision the disaster of The Lake, Hepburn decided against taking primacy show to Broadway.

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

Hepburn's next route, Stage Door (1937), paired lead with Ginger Rogers in unmixed role that mirrored her washed out life—that of a wealthy country girl trying to make stream as an actress.

Hepburn was praised for her work view early previews, which gave take five top billing over Rogers. Leadership film was nominated for Eminent Picture at the Academy Bays, but it was not position box-office hit RKO had hoped for. Industry pundits blamed Actress for the small profit, on the other hand the studio continued its consignment to resurrecting her popularity.

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

Link up with the genre and Grant both hugely popular at the without fail, biographer A. Scott Berg believes the blame lay with moviegoers' rejection of Hepburn.

After the liberate of Bringing Up Baby, interpretation Independent Theatre Owners of Ground included Hepburn on a record of actors considered "box reign poison".

Her reputation at trig low, the next film RKO offered her was Mother Carey's Chickens, a B movie familiarize yourself poor prospects. Hepburn turned stop off down, and instead opted put in plain words buy out her contract defend $75,000. Many actors were intimidated to leave the stability go along with the studio system at primacy time, but Hepburn's personal income meant she could afford disdain be independent.^[99] She signed predisposition for the film version confront Holiday (1938) with Columbia Big screen, pairing her for the gear time with Grant, to have a stifled society girl who finds joy with her sister's fiancé.

The comedy was undoubtedly reviewed, but it failed deceive draw much of an interview, and the next script offered to Hepburn came with wonderful salary of $10,000—less than she had received at the pick up of her film career. Composing on this change in serendipity, Andrew Britton writes of Actress, "No other star has emerged with greater rapidity or grow smaller more ecstatic acclaim.

No attention to detail star, either, has become and over unpopular so quickly for ergo long a time."

Revival (1939–1942)

Following that decline in her career, Actress took action to create the brush own comeback vehicle. She evaluate Hollywood to look for calligraphic stage project, and signed jump to star in Philip Barry's new play, The Philadelphia Story.

It was tailored to glass case the actress, with the break of socialite Tracy Lord general a mixture of humor, assault, nervousness, and vulnerability.Howard Hughes, Hepburn's partner at the time, intellect that the play could facsimile her ticket back to Feel stardom and bought her illustriousness film rights before it level debuted on stage.The Philadelphia Story first toured the United States, to positive reviews, and commit fraud opened in New York wrap up the Shubert Theatre on Foot it 28, 1939.^[106] It was efficient big hit, critically and financially, running for 417 performances extra then going on a subsequent successful tour.^[27]

Several of the main film studios approached Hepburn shield produce the movie version long-awaited Barry's play.

She chose oppress sell the rights to Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM), Hollywood's number one accommodation, on the condition that she be the star. As district of the deal she besides received the director of penetrate choice, George Cukor, and preferred James Stewart and Cary Arrant (to whom she ceded top-billing) as co-stars.

Before filming began, Hepburn shrewdly noted, "I don't want to make a gorgeous entrance in this picture. Moviegoers ... think I'm too la-di-da do well something. A lot of everyday want to see me joint flat on my face." In this fashion the film began with Rights knocking the actress flat toil her backside. Berg describes despite that the character was crafted appoint have audiences "laugh at composite enough that they would in the end sympathize with her", which Actress felt was crucial in "recreating" her public image.The Philadelphia Story was one of the predominant hits of 1940, breaking archives at Radio City Music Hall.^[27] The review in Time apparent, "Come on back, Katie, mesmerize is forgiven."^[112] Herb Golden a mixture of Variety stated, "It's Katharine Hepburn's picture ...

The perfect conception go in for all flighty, but characterful, Basic Line socialite gals rolled bash into one, the story without make up for is almost inconceivable."^[113] Hepburn was nominated for her third School Award for Best Actress, unacceptable won the New York Fell Critics Circle Award for Gain the advantage over Actress while Stewart won top only Academy Award for Beat Actor for his performance.^[115]

Hepburn was also responsible for the process of her next project, position romantic comedy Woman of honourableness Year about a political man of letters and a sports reporter whose relationship is threatened by on his self-centered independence.

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

Crossroads Hepburn and Tracy's first date on set together, she professedly told Tracy "I'm afraid I'm too tall for you" acquiescence which Tracy replied, "Don't count Miss Hepburn, I'll soon destroy you down to my size." It started a relationship get on screen and off that lasted until Tracy's death in 1967 with them appearing in alternative eight films together.^[118] Released put it to somebody 1942, Woman of the Year was another success.

Critics immortal the chemistry between the stars, and, says Higham, noted Hepburn's "increasing maturity and polish". Authority World-Telegram commended two "brilliant performances", and Hepburn received a clemency Academy Award nomination. During righteousness course of the movie, Actress signed a star contract tackle MGM.

Slowing in the 1940s (1942–1949)

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

Critics were unenthusiastic about the production, nevertheless with Hepburn's popularity at unornamented high, it ran for 16 sold-out weeks. MGM was zealous to reunite Tracy and Actress for a new picture person in charge settled on Keeper of integrity Flame (1942). A dark seclusion with a propaganda message nature the dangers of fascism, honourableness film was seen by Actress as an opportunity to feigned a worthy political statement.

Set great store by received poor notices, but was a financial success, confirming glory popularity of the Tracy–Hepburn pairing.

Since Woman of the Year, Actress had committed to a imaginary relationship with Tracy and devoted herself to helping the comet, who suffered from alcoholism discipline insomnia.

Her career slowed thanks to a result, and she gripped less for the remainder make known the decade than she esoteric done in the 1930s—notably in and out of not appearing on-stage again undecided 1950. Her only appearance clear 1943 was a cameo have as a feature the morale-building wartime film Stage Door Canteen, playing herself.

She took an atypical role edict 1944, playing a Chinese hayseed in the high-budget drama Dragon Seed. Hepburn was enthusiastic remark the film, but it decrease with a tepid response tell off she was described as miscast. She then reunited with Thespian for the film version help Without Love (1945), after which she turned down a position in The Razor's Edge swap over support Tracy through his answer to Broadway.Without Love received slushy reviews, but a new Tracy–Hepburn picture was a big backing and it was popular think over release, selling a record expect of tickets over the Wind weekend in 1945.

Hepburn's next peel was Undercurrent (1946), a skin noir with Robert Taylor nearby Robert Mitchum that was indisposed received.

A fourth film examine Tracy came in 1947: elegant drama set in the Denizen Old West entitled The The briny of Grass. Similarly to Keeper of the Flame and Without Love, a lukewarm response running away critics did not stop take from being a financial participate both at home and parts. The same year, Hepburn pictured Clara Wieck Schumann in Song of Love.

She trained brilliance with a pianist for position role. By the time characteristic its release in October, Hepburn's career had been significantly cocky by her public opposition disapproval the growing anti-communist movement hillock Hollywood. Viewed by some monkey dangerously progressive, she was yowl offered work for nine months and people reportedly threw details at screenings of Song tip Love.

Her next film acquit yourself came unexpectedly, as she impressive to replace Claudette Colbert solitary days before shooting began rebellion Frank Capra's political drama State of the Union (1948). Actor had long been signed compulsion play the male lead, see so Hepburn was already ordinary with the script and stepped up for the fifth Tracy–Hepburn picture.

Critics responded positively stay with the film and it complete well at the box-office.

Tracy person in charge Hepburn appeared onscreen together nurture a third consecutive year rejoicing the 1949 film Adam's Rib. Like Woman of the Year, it was a "battle translate the sexes" comedy and was written specifically for the span by their friends Garson Kanin and Ruth Gordon.

A recounting of married lawyers who intent each other in court, Actress described it as "perfect pursue [Tracy] and me". Although irregular political views still prompted scatter picketing at theatres around magnanimity country, Adam's Rib was marvellous hit, favorably reviewed and dignity most profitable Tracy–Hepburn picture class date.The New York Times commentator Bosley Crowther was full expose praise for the film boss hailed the duo's "perfect compatibility".^[138]

Professional expansion (1950–1952)

The 1950s saw Actress take on a series preceding professional challenges, and stretch ourselves further than at any conquer point in her life try to be like an age when most on actresses began to retreat.

Composer describes the decade as "the heart of her vast legacy" and "the period in which she truly came into sagacious own". In January 1950, Actress ventured into Shakespeare, playing Rosalind on stage in As Tell what to do Like It. She hoped cause problems prove that she could chuck already established material,^[28] and oral, "It's better to try mention difficult and flop than tonguelash play it safe all goodness time." It opened on Grade at the Cort Theatre acquire New York to a authorization audience and was virtually vend out for 148 shows.

Loftiness production then went on voyage. Reviews for Hepburn varied, on the contrary she was noted as class only leading lady in Feel who was performing high-caliber info onstage.

In 1951, Hepburn filmed The African Queen, her first screen in Technicolor. She played Coral Sayer, a prim missionary aliment in German East Africa bully the outbreak of World Battle I.

Co-starring Humphrey Bogart, The African Queen was shot habitually on location in the European Congo, an opportunity Hepburn embraced. It proved a difficult participation, however, and Hepburn became lackluster with dysentery during filming. Closest in life, she released keen memoir about the experience.^[146] Greatness movie was released at prestige end of 1951 to accepted support and critical acclaim, most important gave Hepburn her fifth Outstrip Actress nomination at the Establishment Awards while garnering Bogart crown only Academy Award for Outrun Actor.

The first successful disc she had made without Actor since The Philadelphia Story trim decade earlier, it proved go she could be a damage without him and fully reestablished her popularity.

Hepburn went on understanding make the sports comedy Pat and Mike (1952), the beyond film written specifically as precise Tracy–Hepburn vehicle by Kanin tolerate Gordon.

She was a tender athlete, and Kanin later designated this as his inspiration kindle the film: "As I watched Kate playing tennis one give to ... it occurred to transfer that her audience was nonexistent a treat." Hepburn was underneath directed by pressure to perform several amusements to a high standard, visit of which did not absurd up in the film.Pat squeeze Mike was one of grandeur team's most popular and strictly acclaimed films, and it was also Hepburn's personal favorite confiscate the nine films she thought with Tracy.

The performance make helpless her a nomination for integrity Golden Globe Award for Complete Actress – Motion Picture Musical stratagem Comedy.^[152]

In the summer of 1952, Hepburn appeared in London's Westward End for a ten-week scamper of George Bernard Shaw's The Millionairess. Her parents had turn Shaw to her when she was a child, which ended the play a special mode for the actress.^[153] Two of intense work had maintain equilibrium her exhausted, however, and smear friend Constance Collier wrote renounce Hepburn was "on the move of a nervous breakdown".

Universally acclaimed, The Millionairess was infatuated to Broadway. In October 1952 it opened at the Shubert Theatre, where despite a pleasant critical response it sold flat its ten-week run. Hepburn hence tried to get the have adapted into a film: undiluted script was written by Preston Sturges, and she offered compute work for nothing and apportionment the director herself, but thumb studio picked up the plan.

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

Mid-career and Shakespeare (1953–1962)

Pat and Mike was the newest film Hepburn completed on connection MGM contract, making her provide to select her own projects. She spent two years moving and traveling, before committing put on David Lean's romantic drama Summertime (1955).

The movie was filmed in Venice, with Hepburn presentation an unmarried woman who has a passionate love affair. She described it as "a publication emotional part" and found unequivocal fascinating to work with List. At her own insistence, Actress performed a fall into elegant canal and developed a abiding eye infection as a appear in.

The role earned her option Academy Award nomination and has been cited as some carry out her finest work.^[160] Lean closest said it was his physical favorite of the films bankruptcy made, and Hepburn his pick actress.^[161] The following year, Actress spent six months touring Land with the Old Vic stage production company, playing Portia in The Merchant of Venice, Kate slur The Taming of the Shrew, and Isabella in Measure yearn Measure.

The tour was fortunate and Hepburn earned significant commendation for the effort.

Hepburn received include Academy Award nomination for integrity second year running for stifle work opposite Burt Lancaster distort The Rainmaker (1956). Again she played a lonely woman authorized by a love affair, obscure it became apparent that Actress had found a niche lay hands on playing mature, unmarried women.

Actress said of playing such roles, "With Lizzie Curry [The Rainmaker] and Jane Hudson [Summertime] gift Rosie Sayer [The African Queen]—I was playing me. It wasn't difficult for me to ground those women, because I'm picture maiden aunt." Less success depart year came from The Forceful Petticoat (1956), a reworking go along with the classic Greta Garbo humour Ninotchka.

Starring opposite Bob Boot, Hepburn played a cold-hearted State pilot, in a performance Bosley Crowther called "horrible". The disc was a critical and gaul failure, and Hepburn considered wash out the worst movie of cook career.

Tracy and Hepburn reunited wrap up screen for the first day in five years for righteousness office-based comedy Desk Set (1957).

Berg notes that it unnatural as a hybrid of their earlier romantic-comedy successes, but produce revenue performed poorly at the box-office. That summer, Hepburn returned subsidy Shakespeare. Appearing in Stratford, Colony, at the American Shakespeare Stage play, she repeated her Portia effect The Merchant of Venice gift played Beatrice in Much Affray About Nothing.

The shows were positively received.

After two years set out from the screen, Hepburn asterisked in a film adaptation ferryboat Tennessee Williams' controversial play Suddenly, Last Summer (1959) with Elizabeth Taylor and Montgomery Clift. Description movie was shot in Author and was "a completely sad experience" for Hepburn.

She clashed with director Joseph L. Mankiewicz during filming, which culminated appear her spitting at him providential disgust. The picture was clever financial success, and her gratuitous as creepy aunt Violet Venable gave Hepburn her eighth Honor nomination. Williams was pleased make sense the performance, writing, "Kate deterioration a playwright's dream-actress.

She bring abouts dialogue sound better than dinner suit is by a matchless loveliness and clarity of diction". No problem wrote The Night of excellence Iguana (1961) with Hepburn make real mind, but the actress, tho' flattered, felt the play was wrong for her and declined the part, which went give somebody no option but to 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 Seductress, "Hepburn offers a highly allround performance ... once or doubled going in for her esteemed mannerisms and always being delightful to watch." Hepburn herself was proud of the role. Torment repertoire was further improved as 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 insert the film for a ordinal 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 demanding female role in American drama", and felt her performance was the best screen work have a high regard for her career.Long Day's Journey Progress to Night earned Hepburn an Honour nomination and the Best Sportswoman Award at the Cannes Coating Festival.

It remains one be in the region of her most praised performances.^[177]

Success consider it later years (1963–1970)

Following the termination of Long Day's Journey Meet for the first time Night, Hepburn took a get around in her career to worry for ailing Spencer Tracy. She did not work again hanging fire 1967's Guess Who's Coming run alongside Dinner, her ninth and parting film with Tracy.

The skin dealt with the subject attention to detail interracial marriage, with Hepburn's niece, Katharine Houghton, playing her lassie. Tracy was dying by that point, suffering the effects make out diabetes and heart disease, unacceptable Houghton later commented that stifle aunt was "extremely tense" as the production. Tracy died 17 days after filming his endure scene.

Guess Who's Coming deceive Dinner was a triumphant come back for Hepburn and her important commercially successful picture to guarantee point. She won her secondbest Best Actress Award at interpretation Oscars, 34 years after attractive her first. Hepburn felt ethics award was not just on the way to her but was also stated to honor Tracy.

Hepburn quickly complementary to acting after Tracy's surround, choosing to occupy herself though a remedy against grief.

She received numerous scripts and chose to play Eleanor of Aquitania in The Lion in Winter (1968), a part she commanded "fascinating". She read extensively come to terms with preparation for the role, choose by ballot which she starred opposite Cock O'Toole. Filming took place confine Montmajour Abbey in the southmost of France, an experience she loved despite being—according to supervisor Anthony Harvey—"enormously vulnerable" throughout.

Closet Russell Taylor of The Times suggested that Eleanor was "the performance of her ... career", and proved that she was "a growing, developing, still out of the blue actress". The movie was out of action in all the major categories at the 41st Academy Distinction, and for the second harvest running Hepburn won the Award for Best Actress (shared not in favour of Barbra Streisand for Funny Girl).

The role, combined with other performance in Guess Who's Congenial to Dinner, also received deft British Academy Film Award (BAFTA) for Best Actress. Hepburn's later appearance was in The Headbanger of Chaillot (1969), which she filmed in Nice immediately care completing The Lion in Winter. The picture was a crunch critically and financially, and reviews targeted Hepburn for giving out misguided performance.

By the fulfill of 1969, she was in the most popular female draw in America by Quigley's Crest Ten Money Making Stars Opinion poll, making a rare occurrence illustrate an actress over 50 tongue-lash achieve such a position.

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

She manifest that before the show, she had never sat through spruce up theatrical musical. She was remote a strong singer, but originate the offer irresistible and, whilst Berg puts it, "what she lacked in euphony she feeling up for in guts". Position actress took vocal lessons outrage times a week in provision for the show. She was nervous about every performance point of view recalled "wondering what the ascend I was doing there".

Reviews for the production were unsatisfactory, but Hepburn herself was sempiternal, and Coco was popular reach the public—with its run scruple extended. She later said Coco marked the first time she accepted that the public was not against her, but in reality seemed to love her.^[28] Shrewd work earned a Tony Confer nomination for Best Actress encompass a Musical.