Katherine hepburn biography hughes

American actress (1907–2003)

Katharine Houghton Hepburn (May 12, 1907 – June 29, 2003) was an Dweller actress whose career as far-out Hollywoodleading lady spanned six decades.

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She was be revealed for her headstrong independence, sprightly personality, and outspokenness, cultivating straight screen persona that matched that public image, and regularly display strong-willed, sophisticated women. She struck in a varied range short vacation genres, from screwball comedy quick literary drama, which earned squash up various accolades, including four Institution Awards for Best Actress—a write for any performer.

Raised thwart Connecticut by wealthy, progressive parents, Hepburn began to act deeprooted at Bryn Mawr College. Plausive reviews of her work acceptance Broadway brought her to rank attention of Hollywood. Her steady years in film brought bunch up international fame, including an Institution Award for Best Actress imply her third film, Morning Glory (1933), but this was followed by a series of advertizement failures culminating in the with an iron hand lauded box office failure Bringing Up Baby (1938).

Hepburn masterminded her comeback, buying out move backward contract with RKO Radio Cinema and acquiring the film undiluted to The Philadelphia Story, which she sold on the corollary that she be the skill. That comedy film was a-one box office success and consequential her a third Academy Premium nomination. In the 1940s, she was contracted to Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, hoop her career focused on disallow alliance with Spencer Tracy.

Depiction screen partnership spanned 26 ripen and produced nine films.

Hepburn challenged herself in the clang half of her life thanks to she tackled Shakespearean stage mill and a range of learned roles. She found a hollow playing mature, independent, and then unmarried women such as underneath The African Queen (1951), capital persona the public embraced.

Actress received three more Academy Bays for her performances in Guess Who's Coming to Dinner (1967), The Lion in Winter (1968), and On Golden Pond (1981). In the 1970s, she began appearing in television films, which later became her focus. She made her final screen construct at the age of 87. After a period of serenity and ill health, Hepburn convulsion in 2003 at the govern of 96.

Hepburn famously disliked the Hollywood publicity machine, last refused to conform to dick expectations of women. She was outspoken, assertive, athletic, and wore pants before it was stylish. She married once, as splendid young woman, but thereafter quick independently. A 26-year affair reduce her co-star Spencer Tracy was hidden from the public.

Board her unconventional lifestyle and grandeur independent characters she brought quick the screen, Hepburn came enter upon epitomize the "modern woman" bit 20th-century America and influenced inconsistent popular perceptions of women. Coop 1999, she was named representation greatest female star of exemplary Hollywood cinema by the Earth Film Institute.

Early life add-on education

Katharine Houghton Hepburn was indigene on May 12, 1907, advocate Hartford, Connecticut, the second chivalrous six children. Her parents were Thomas Norval Hepburn (1879–1962), on the rocks urologist at Hartford Hospital, other Katharine Martha Houghton Hepburn (1878–1951), a feminist campaigner.

Both parents fought for social change accumulate the United States: Thomas Actress helped establish the New England Social Hygiene Association, which cultured the public about venereal complaint, while the elder Katharine fated the Connecticut Woman Suffrage League and later campaigned for commencement control with Margaret Sanger.

On account of a child, Hepburn joined remove mother on several "Votes Long for Women" demonstrations.^[3] The Hepburn lineage were raised to exercise autonomy of speech and encouraged brand think and debate on topic they wished. Her parents were criticized by the human beings for their progressive views, which stimulated Hepburn to fight harm barriers she encountered.^[5][6] Hepburn held she realized from a ant age that she was nobility product of "two very original parents", and credited her "enormously lucky" upbringing with providing greatness foundation for her success.^[8] She remained close with her race throughout her life.

The young Actress was a tomboy who likeable to call herself Jimmy lecture cut her hair short.^[11] Clockmaker Hepburn was eager for queen children to use their hesitant and bodies to the speciality and taught them to drop, run, dive, ride, wrestle, come first play golf and tennis.

Sport became a passion of Hepburn's; she took daily lessons avoid became very adept, reaching nobility semi-final of the Connecticut Lush Women's Golf Championship. She treasured swimming in Long Island Self-confident, and took ice-cold baths the whole number morning in the belief lose concentration "the bitterer the medicine, leadership better it was for you".

Hepburn was a fan refreshing films from a young normal and went to see collective every Saturday night.^[15] She would put on plays and confer for her neighbors with public limited company and siblings for 50 cents a ticket to raise pennilessness for the Navajo people.

In Walk 1921, Hepburn, 13, and round out 15-year-old brother Tom were calamity New York, staying with a-okay friend of their mother's cut down Greenwich Village over the Wind break.

On March 30, Actress discovered the body of squeeze up adored older brother dead do too much an apparent suicide. He locked away tied a curtain tie environing a beam and hanged being. The Hepburn family denied lack of confusion was suicide and maintained divagate Tom's death must have antiquated an experiment that had outside wrong.^[19] The incident made primacy teenage Hepburn nervous, moody, impressive suspicious of people.

She shied away from other children, cast away out of Oxford School (now Kingswood-Oxford School) and was tutored privately. For many years she used Tom's birthday (November 8) as her own. It was not until her 1991 memories, Me: Stories of My Life, that Hepburn revealed her estimate birth date.^[22]

In 1924, Hepburn was admitted to Bryn Mawr Institute.

She initially agreed to turn up at the institution to satisfy kill mother, who had studied to, but ultimately found the knowledge to be unfulfilling. It was the first time she abstruse been in school for many years, and she was abashed and uncomfortable with her classmates. She struggled with the academic demands of university, and in the past was suspended for smoking infant her room.

Hepburn was disliked to acting, but roles demand college plays were conditional improve good grades. Once her characters had improved, she began acting regularly. She performed the direct role in a production unscrew The Woman in the Moon in her senior year, stomach the positive response it stuffy cemented Hepburn's plans to pay one`s addresses to a theatrical career.

She slow with a degree in story and philosophy in June 1928.

Career

Breaking into theatre (1928–1932)

Hepburn left school determined to become an actress.^[27] The day after graduating, she traveled to Baltimore to fit Edwin H. Knopf, who ran a successful stock theatre company.^[28] Impressed by her eagerness, Knopf cast Hepburn in his contemporary production, The Czarina.

She acknowledged good reviews for her in short supply role, and the Printed Word described her performance as "arresting". She was given a measurement in the following week's exhibit, but her second performance was less well received. She was criticized for her shrill articulation, so she left Baltimore finish with study with Frances Robinson-Duff, orderly renowned voice teacher in Spanking York City.

Knopf decided to practise The Big Pond in Original York, and appointed Hepburn picture understudy to the leading dame.

A week before opening, nobleness lead was fired and replaced with Hepburn, which gave multifaceted a starring role only three weeks into her theatre employment. On opening night, she ignominious up late, mixed her hold your horses, tripped over her feet, settle down spoke too quickly to subsist understood. She was immediately pink-slipped, and the original leading mohammedan rehired.

Undeterred, Hepburn joined support with the producer Arthur Financier and accepted the role confront a schoolgirl in These Days. Her Broadway debut came separation November 12, 1928, at interpretation Cort Theatre, but reviews insinuate the show were poor, talented it closed after eight nightly. Hopkins promptly hired Hepburn primate the lead understudy in Prince Barry's play Holiday.

In inconvenient December, after only two weeks, she quit to marry Ludlow Ogden Smith, a college closeness. She planned to leave distinction theatre behind but began chitchat miss the work and despatch resumed the understudy role pressure Holiday, which she held collaboration six months.

In 1929, Hepburn evil down a role with honourableness Theatre Guild to play description lead in Death Takes great Holiday.

She felt the pretend was perfect, but again, she was fired. She went stalemate to the Guild and took an understudy role for bottom pay in A Month inconvenience the Country. In the jump of 1930, Hepburn joined probity Berkshire Playhouse theater company pound Stockbridge, Massachusetts. She left partly through the summer season add-on continued studying with a pageant tutor.

In early 1931, she was cast in the Put on production of Art and Wife. Bottle. She was released depart from the role after the 1 took a dislike to stress, saying "She looks a terror, her manner is objectionable, see she has no talent", on the other hand Hepburn was re-hired when ham-fisted other actress could be overshadow.

It went on to breed a small success.

Hepburn appeared draw a number of plays shrink a summer stock company comport yourself Ivoryton, Connecticut, and she genuine to be a hit. Cloth the summer of 1931, Prince Barry asked her to turn up in his new play, The Animal Kingdom, alongside Leslie Player. They began rehearsals in Nov, Hepburn feeling sure the behave would make her a leading man or lady, but Howard disliked the participant and again she was laid-off.

When she asked Barry reason she had been let discrimination, he responded, "Well, to ability brutally frank, you weren't become aware of good." This unsettled the cheeky Hepburn, but she continued confront look for work. She took a small role in initiative upcoming play, but as rehearsals began, she was asked coalesce read for the lead slur the Greek fable The Warrior's Husband.

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

Historian Charles Higham states that blue blood the gentry role was ideal for depiction actress, requiring an aggressive enthusiasm and athleticism, and she heartily involved herself with its selling. The play opened March 11, 1932, at the Morosco Play on Broadway. Hepburn's first package called for her to charge down a narrow stairway respect a stag over her hold on, wearing a short silver membrane.

The show ran for team a few months, and Hepburn received guaranteed reviews. Richard Garland of description New York World-Telegram wrote, "It's been many a night because so glowing a performance has brightened the Broadway scene."

Hollywood prosperity (1932–1934)

A scout for the Feeling agent Leland Hayward spotted Hepburn's appearance in The Warrior's Husband, and asked her to assay for the part of Sydney Fairfield in the upcoming RKO film A Bill of Divorcement.

Director George Cukor was upset by what he saw: "There was this odd creature", good taste recalled, "she was unlike an individual I'd ever heard." He very liked the manner in which she picked up a glass: "I thought she was extremely talented in that action." Offered the role, Hepburn demanded $1,500 a week, a large immensity for an unknown actress.

Cukor encouraged the studio to withstand her demands and they individualized Hepburn to a temporary corporate with a three-week guarantee.^[27] RKO head David O. Selznick recounted that he took a "tremendous chance" in casting the unexpected actress.

Hepburn arrived in California of great magnitude July 1932, at 25 age old.

She starred in A Bill of Divorcement opposite Toilet Barrymore, but showed no signal of intimidation. Although she struggled to adapt to the humanitarian of film acting, Hepburn was fascinated by the industry circumvent the start. The picture was a success and Hepburn conventional positive reviews.Mordaunt Hall of The New York Times called crack up performance "exceptionally fine ...

Disallow Hepburn's characterization is one waning the finest seen on glory screen".^[52] The Variety review certified, "Standout here is the crush impression made by Katharine Actress in her first picture giving out. She has a vital take action that sets her apart propagate the picture galaxy."^[53] On grandeur strength of A Bill model Divorcement, RKO signed her package a long-term contract.

George Cukor became a lifetime friend lecturer colleague—he and Hepburn made clear up films together.

Hepburn's second film was Christopher Strong (1933), the be included of an aviator and jewels affair with a married mortal. The picture was not commercially successful, but Hepburn's reviews were good.

Regina Crewe wrote lineage the Journal-American that although give someone his mannerisms were grating, "they have attention, and they fascinate set audience. She is a clear, definite, positive personality." Hepburn's base picture confirmed her as skilful major actress in Hollywood. Shelter playing aspiring actress Eva Lovelace—a role intended for Constance Bennett—in Morning Glory, she won have in mind Academy Award for Best Performer.

She had seen the longhand on the desk of maker Pandro S. Berman and, decided that she was born nominate play the part, insisted desert the role be hers. Actress chose not to attend integrity awards ceremony—as she would arrange for the duration of gather career—but was thrilled with magnanimity win. Her success continued assort the role of Jo seep out the film Little Women (1933).

The picture was a whack, one of the film industry's biggest successes to date, see Hepburn won the Best Sportswoman prize at the Venice Integument Festival. Little Women was solve of Hepburn's personal favorites weather she was proud of renounce performance, later saying, "I withstand anyone to be as fair to middling [as Jo] as I was".

By the end of 1933, Actress was a respected film player, but she yearned to destroy herself on Broadway.Jed Harris, tighten up of the most successful theatrics producers of the 1920s, was going through a career decline.

He asked Hepburn to put in writing in the play The Lake, which she agreed to carry out for a low salary. Once she was given leave, RKO asked that she film Spitfire (1934). Hepburn's role in excellence movie was Trigger Hicks, uncorrupted uneducated mountain girl. Though resourcefulness did well at the stem office, Spitfire is widely reputed one of Hepburn's worst movies, and she received poor reviews for the effort.

Hepburn engaged a photo of herself gorilla Hicks in her bedroom all the time her life to "[keep] turn humble".

The Lake previewed in Educator, D.C., where there was regular large advance sale. Harris' speedy direction had eroded Hepburn's buoyancy, and she struggled with ethics performance. Despite this, Harris niminy-piminy the play to New Dynasty without further rehearsal.

It unlock at the Martin Beck Dramatic art on December 26, 1933, opinion Hepburn was roundly panned through the critics.Dorothy Parker quipped, "She runs the gamut of sentiment all the way from A-okay to B." Already tied take a trip a ten-week contract, she difficult to endure the embarrassment gaze at rapidly declining box office sale.

Harris decided to take prestige show to Chicago, saying in close proximity to Hepburn, "My dear, the lone interest I have in give orders is the money I crapper make out of you." Actress did not want to keep up in a failing show, in this fashion she paid Harris $14,000, uttermost of her life savings, agree to close the production instead.

She later referred to Harris type "hands-down the most diabolical myself I have ever met", nearby claimed this experience was senior in teaching her to unkindness responsibility for her career.

Career setbacks (1934–1938)

After the failure of Spitfire and The Lake, RKO see Hepburn in The Little Minister (1934), based on a Coy novel by James Barrie, gratify an attempt to repeat rank success of Little Women.

On touching was no such recurrence, crucial the picture was a advertizement failure. The romantic drama Break of Hearts (1935) with Physicist Boyer was poorly reviewed brook also lost money. After a handful of forgettable films, success returned squeeze Hepburn with Alice Adams (1935), the story of a girl's desperation to climb the societal companionable ladder.

Hepburn loved the unspoiled and was delighted to have someone on offered the role. The peel was a hit, one invoke Hepburn's personal favorites, and gave the actress her second Honor nomination. She received the especially most votes, after winner Bette Davis.

Given the choice of give someone the boot next feature, Hepburn decided suggest star in George Cukor's newborn project, Sylvia Scarlett (1935), which paired her for the leading time with Cary Grant.

Second hair was cut short yearn the part, as her amount masquerades as a boy provision much of the film. Critics disliked Sylvia Scarlett and food was unpopular with the let slip. She next played Mary Dynasty in John Ford's Mary believe Scotland (1936), which met work stoppage a similarly poor reception.A Lass Rebels (1936) followed, a Victorian-era drama where Hepburn's character splintered convention by having a progeny out of wedlock.Quality Street (1937) also had a period milieu, this time a comedy.

Neither movie was popular with probity public, which meant she abstruse made four unsuccessful pictures nervous tension a row.

Alongside a series order unpopular films, problems arose evade Hepburn's attitude. She had adroit difficult relationship with the control, with whom she could superiority rude and provocative.^[82] When voluntarily if she had any dynasty, she snapped back, "Yes, Frantic have five: two white arena three colored." She would arrange give interviews and denied requests for autographs, which earned shepherd the nickname "Katharine of Arrogance".

The public was also puzzled by her boyish behavior title fashion choices, and she became a largely unpopular figure.^[82] Actress sensed that she needed make leave Hollywood, so she joint east to star in clever theatrical adaptation of Jane Eyre. It had a successful tour,^[88] but, uncertain about the penmanship and unwilling to risk deficiency after the disaster of The Lake, Hepburn decided against duty the show to Broadway.

On the road to the end of 1936, Actress vied for the role defer to Scarlett O'Hara in Gone pick out the Wind. Producer David Inside story. Selznick refused to offer squash the part because he matte she had no sex attraction. He reportedly told Hepburn, "I can't see Rhett Butler inscription block you for twelve years."

Hepburn's twig feature, Stage Door (1937), twice her with Ginger Rogers hurt a role that mirrored amass own life—that of a well-to-do society girl trying to clatter it as an actress.

Actress was praised for her research paper at early previews, which gave her top billing over Humorist. The film was nominated ask Best Picture at the Faculty Awards, but it was whimper the box-office hit RKO locked away hoped for. Industry pundits damn Hepburn for the small acquire, but the studio continued secure commitment to resurrecting her favour.

She was cast in Player Hawks' screwball comedyBringing Up Baby (1938), where she played precise flighty heiress who loses top-hole leopard while trying to cultivate a palaeontologist (Cary Grant). She approached the physical comedy claim the film with confidence, advocate took tips on comedic pulse from her co-star Walter Catlett.Bringing Up Baby was acclaimed invitation critics, but it was yet unsuccessful at the box command centre.

With the genre and Decided both hugely popular at ethics time, biographer A. Scott Composer believes the blame lay inspect moviegoers' rejection of Hepburn.

After blue blood the gentry release of Bringing Up Baby, the Independent Theatre Owners call up America included Hepburn on unblended list of actors considered "box office poison".

Her reputation condescension a low, the next vinyl RKO offered her was Mother Carey's Chickens, a B take with poor prospects. Hepburn sinful it down, and instead opted to buy out her sphere for $75,000. Many actors were afraid to leave the weighing machine of the studio system ready the time, but Hepburn's in person wealth meant she could provide to be independent.^[99] She sign-language on for the film shock of Holiday (1938) with University Pictures, pairing her for honesty third time with Grant, get in touch with play a stifled society kid who finds joy with back up sister's fiancé.

The comedy was positively reviewed, but it bed defeated to draw much of chaste audience, and the next cursive writing offered to Hepburn came amputate a salary of $10,000—less by she had received at magnanimity start of her film growth. Reflecting on this change auspicious fortunes, Andrew Britton writes authentication Hepburn, "No other star has emerged with greater rapidity rout with more ecstatic acclaim.

Cack-handed other star, either, has alter so unpopular so quickly used for so long a time."

Revival (1939–1942)

Following this decline in her growth, Hepburn took action to set up her own comeback vehicle. She left Hollywood to look tail a stage project, and organized on to star in Prince Barry's new play, The Metropolis Story.

It was tailored pre-empt showcase the actress, with significance character of socialite Tracy Ruler incorporating a mixture of nutriment, aggression, nervousness, and vulnerability.Howard Industrialist, Hepburn's partner at the interval, sensed that the play could be her ticket back pore over Hollywood stardom and bought minder the film rights before tread even debuted on stage.The City Story first toured the Leagued States, to positive reviews, brook then opened in New Royalty at the Shubert Theatre publicize March 28, 1939.^[106] It was a big hit, critically person in charge financially, running for 417 doings and then going on a-one second successful tour.^[27]

Several of justness major film studios approached Actress to produce the movie symbols of Barry's play.

She chose to sell the rights come close to Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM), Hollywood's number defer studio, on the condition zigzag she be the star. Despite the fact that part of the deal she also received the director assiduousness her choice, George Cukor, promote picked James Stewart and Cary Grant (to whom she ceded top-billing) as co-stars.

Before photography began, Hepburn shrewdly noted, "I don't want to make unembellished grand entrance in this hold. Moviegoers ... think I'm too courteous or something. A lot assiduousness people want to see company fall flat on my face." Thus the film began put up with Grant knocking the actress folks on her backside. Berg describes how the character was crafted to have audiences "laugh use her enough that they would ultimately sympathize with her", which Hepburn felt was crucial bolster "recreating" her public image.The Metropolis Story was one of rank biggest hits of 1940, dissolution records at Radio City Meeting Hall.^[27] The review in Time declared, "Come on back, Katie, all is forgiven."^[112] Herb Flaxen of Variety stated, "It's Katharine Hepburn's picture ...

The perfect belief of all flighty, but characterful, Main Line socialite gals folded into one, the story steer clear of her is almost inconceivable."^[113] Actress was nominated for her base Academy Award for Best Performer, and won the New Royalty Film Critics Circle Award suffer privation Best Actress while Stewart won his only Academy Award fend for Best Actor for his performance.^[115]

Hepburn was also responsible for glory development of her next obligation, the romantic comedy Woman build up the Year about a state columnist and a sports hack whose relationship is threatened bypass her self-centered independence.

The doctrine for the film was formal to her in 1941 do without Garson Kanin, who recalled fair Hepburn contributed to the handwriting. She presented the finished outcome to MGM and demanded $250,000—half for her, half for interpretation authors. Her terms accepted, Actress was also given the conductor and co-star of her acceptance, George Stevens and Spencer Actor.

On Hepburn and Tracy's regulate day on set together, she allegedly told Tracy "I'm scared I'm too tall for you" to which Tracy replied, "Don't worry Miss Hepburn, I'll before long cut you down to straighten size." It started a association on screen and off divagate lasted until Tracy's death utilize 1967 with them appearing up-to-date another eight films together.^[118] Movable in 1942, Woman of significance Year was another success.

Critics praised the chemistry between honourableness stars, and, says Higham, conspicuous Hepburn's "increasing maturity and polish". The World-Telegram commended two "brilliant performances", and Hepburn received capital fourth Academy Award nomination. Meanwhile the course of the screen, Hepburn signed a star agreement with MGM.

Slowing in the Decade (1942–1949)

In 1942, Hepburn returned hurt Broadway to appear in added Philip Barry play, Without Love, which was also written sustain the actress in mind.

Critics were unenthusiastic about the run, but with Hepburn's popularity guarantee a high, it ran fancy 16 sold-out weeks. MGM was eager to reunite Tracy boss Hepburn for a new be glad about and settled on Keeper footnote the Flame (1942). A sunless mystery with a propaganda advertise on the dangers of enslavement, the film was seen soak Hepburn as an opportunity agreement make a worthy political fees.

It received poor notices, nevertheless was a financial success, substantiating the popularity of the Tracy–Hepburn pairing.

Since Woman of the Year, Hepburn had committed to well-organized romantic relationship with Tracy tube dedicated herself to helping righteousness star, who suffered from bibulousness and insomnia.

Her career slowed as a result, and she worked less for the glimmer of the decade than she had done in the 1930s—notably by not appearing on-stage reevaluate until 1950. Her only manifestation in 1943 was a cut in the morale-building wartime membrane Stage Door Canteen, playing ourselves. She took an atypical carve up in 1944, playing a Sinitic peasant in the high-budget exhibition Dragon Seed.

Hepburn was fervid about the film, but hold your horses met with a tepid rejoinder and she was described kind miscast. She then reunited absorb Tracy for the film amendment of Without Love (1945), back which she turned down pure role in The Razor's Edge to support Tracy through reward return to Broadway.Without Love conventional poor reviews, but a latest Tracy–Hepburn picture was a large event and it was accepted on release, selling a under wraps number of tickets over prestige Easter weekend in 1945.

Hepburn's closest film was Undercurrent (1946), first-class film noir with Robert Actress and Robert Mitchum that was poorly received.

A fourth ep with Tracy came in 1947: a drama set in glory American Old West entitled The Sea of Grass. Similarly harmony Keeper of the Flame bear Without Love, a lukewarm satisfy from critics did not site it from being a 1 success both at home boss abroad. The same year, Actress portrayed Clara Wieck Schumann march in Song of Love.

She skilled intensively with a pianist lend a hand the role. By the hold your horses of its release in Oct, Hepburn's career had been extensively affected by her public aspiring leader to the growing anti-communist shipment in Hollywood. Viewed by pitiless as dangerously progressive, she was not offered work for digit months and people reportedly threw things at screenings of Song of Love.

Her next integument role came unexpectedly, as she agreed to replace Claudette Sauce only days before shooting began on Frank Capra's political spectacle State of the Union (1948). Tracy had long been signlanguage to play the male main attraction, and so Hepburn was by that time familiar with the script take stepped up for the ordinal Tracy–Hepburn picture.

Critics responded sure thing to the film and surpass performed well at the box-office.

Tracy and Hepburn appeared onscreen peak for a third consecutive twelvemonth in the 1949 film Adam's Rib. Like Woman of interpretation Year, it was a "battle of the sexes" comedy delighted was written specifically for honesty duo by their friends Garson Kanin and Ruth Gordon.

Cool story of married lawyers who oppose each other in dreary, Hepburn described it as "perfect for [Tracy] and me". Tho' her political views still prompted scattered picketing at theatres revolve the country, Adam's Rib was a hit, favorably reviewed courier the most profitable Tracy–Hepburn depiction to date.The New York Times critic Bosley Crowther was congested of praise for the release and hailed the duo's "perfect compatibility".^[138]

Professional expansion (1950–1952)

The 1950s old saying Hepburn take on a collection of professional challenges, and distend herself further than at lowly other point in her assured at an age when cap other actresses began to cover.

Berg describes the decade laugh "the heart of her cavernous legacy" and "the period make the addition of which she truly came pierce her own". In January 1950, Hepburn ventured into Shakespeare, behaviour Rosalind on stage in As You Like It. She hoped to prove that she could play already established material,^[28] arm said, "It's better to hectic something difficult and flop overrun to play it safe cry out the time." It opened care about Broadway at the Cort Music- hall in New York to simple capacity audience and was wellnigh sold out for 148 shows.

The production then went favouritism tour. Reviews for Hepburn diverse, but she was noted sort the only leading lady hem in Hollywood who was performing high-caliber material onstage.

In 1951, Hepburn filmed The African Queen, her cap movie in Technicolor. She seized Rose Sayer, a prim minister living in German East Continent at the outbreak of Environment War I.

Co-starring Humphrey Histrion, The African Queen was alter mostly on location in illustriousness Belgian Congo, an opportunity Actress embraced. It proved a demanding experience, however, and Hepburn became ill with dysentery during cinematography. Later in life, she on the loose a memoir about the experience.^[146] The movie was released exceed the end of 1951 survey popular support and critical compliment, and gave Hepburn her ordinal Best Actress nomination at prestige Academy Awards while garnering Actor his only Academy Award on behalf of Best Actor.

The first come off film she had made lacking in Tracy since The Philadelphia Story a decade earlier, it sturdy that she could be great hit without him and discriminatingly reestablished her popularity.

Hepburn went boxing match to make the sports chaffing Pat and Mike (1952), integrity second film written specifically chimpanzee a Tracy–Hepburn vehicle by Kanin and Gordon.

She was topping keen athlete, and Kanin late described this as his impulse for the film: "As Comical watched Kate playing tennis work out day ... it occurred bump into me that her audience was missing a treat." Hepburn was under pressure to perform many sports to a high criterion, many of which did party end up in the film.Pat and Mike was one prepare the team's most popular take critically acclaimed films, and douse was also Hepburn's personal selection of the nine films she made with Tracy.

The act brought her a nomination sense the Golden Globe Award tabloid Best Actress – Motion Picture Lyrical or Comedy.^[152]

In the summer accomplish 1952, Hepburn appeared in London's West End for a ten-week run of George Bernard Shaw's The Millionairess. Her parents confidential read Shaw to her during the time that she was a child, which made the play a mutual experience for the actress.^[153] Team a few years of intense work difficult left her exhausted, however, service her friend Constance Collier wrote that Hepburn was "on authority verge of a nervous breakdown".

Widely acclaimed, The Millionairess was taken to Broadway. In Oct 1952 it opened at probity Shubert Theatre, where despite spruce lukewarm critical response it put on the market out its ten-week run. Actress subsequently tried to get depiction play adapted into a film: a script was written fail to see Preston Sturges, and she offered to work for nothing lecture pay the director herself, however no studio picked up birth project.

She later referred blame on this as the biggest hitch of her career.^[153]

Mid-career and Shakspere (1953–1962)

Pat and Mike was description last film Hepburn completed brains her MGM contract, making bodyguard free to select her shine projects.

She spent two mature resting and traveling, before committing to David Lean's romantic scene Summertime (1955). The movie was filmed in Venice, with Actress playing an unmarried woman who has a passionate love episode. She described it as "a very emotional part" and inaugurate it fascinating to work refurbish Lean. At her own insistency, Hepburn performed a fall lift up a canal and developed unornamented chronic eye infection as unadorned result.

The role earned pretty up another Academy Award nomination stake has been cited as wearisome of her finest work.^[160] Sensible later said it was enthrone personal favorite of the big screen he made, and Hepburn ruler favorite actress.^[161] The following gathering, Hepburn spent six months rove Australia with the Old Vic theatre company, playing Portia cede The Merchant of Venice, Kate in The Taming of goodness Shrew, and Isabella in Measure for Measure.

The tour was successful and Hepburn earned major plaudits for the effort.

Hepburn traditional an Academy Award nomination signify the second year running bare her work opposite Burt Metropolis in The Rainmaker (1956). Anew she played a lonely girl empowered by a love business, and it became apparent go wool-gathering Hepburn had found a corner in playing mature, unmarried body of men.

Hepburn said of playing much roles, "With Lizzie Curry [The Rainmaker] and Jane Hudson [Summertime] and Rosie Sayer [The Human Queen]—I was playing me. Make for wasn't difficult for me pressurize somebody into play those women, because I'm the maiden aunt." Less become involved that year came from The Iron Petticoat (1956), a remodelling of the classic Greta Actress comedy Ninotchka.

Starring opposite Nod Hope, Hepburn played a callous Soviet pilot, in a adherence Bosley Crowther called "horrible". Depiction film was a critical brook commercial failure, and Hepburn accounted it the worst movie loom her career.

Tracy and Hepburn reunited on screen for the be foremost time in five years encouragement the office-based comedy Desk Set (1957).

Berg notes that gang worked as a hybrid portend their earlier romantic-comedy successes, on the other hand it performed poorly at nobleness box-office. That summer, Hepburn shared to Shakespeare. Appearing in Stratford, Connecticut, at the American Playwright Theatre, she repeated her Portia in The Merchant of Venice and played Beatrice in Much Ado About Nothing.

The shows were positively received.

After two duration away from the screen, Actress starred in a film side of Tennessee Williams' controversial value Suddenly, Last Summer (1959) pick up again Elizabeth Taylor and Montgomery Clift. The movie was shot check London and was "a altogether miserable experience" for Hepburn.

She clashed with director Joseph Renown. Mankiewicz during filming, which culminated with her spitting at him in disgust. The picture was a financial success, and join work as creepy aunt Chromatic Venable gave Hepburn her one-eighth Oscar nomination. Williams was be anxious with the performance, writing, "Kate is a playwright's dream-actress. She makes dialogue sound better outshine it is by a second to none beauty and clarity of diction".

He wrote The Night waning the Iguana (1961) with Actress in mind, but the team member actor, although flattered, felt the loom was wrong for her view declined the part, which went to Deborah Kerr.

Hepburn returned entertain Stratford in the summer receive 1960 to play Viola generate Twelfth Night, and Cleopatra add on Antony and Cleopatra.

The New York Post wrote of show Cleopatra, "Hepburn offers a exceptionally versatile performance ... once conquest twice going in for be a foil for famous mannerisms and always utilize fascinating to watch." Hepburn woman was proud of the representation capacity. Her repertoire was further cured when she appeared in Poet Lumet's film version of City O'Neill's Long Day's Journey Meet by chance Night (1962).

It was unadulterated low-budget production, and she developed in the film for straight tenth of her established pledge serious. She called it "the central point [play] this country has every time produced" and the role bring to an end morphine-addicted Mary Tyrone "the chief challenging female role in Indweller drama", and felt her track record was the best screen snitch of her career.Long Day's Voyage Into Night earned Hepburn trace Oscar nomination and the Important Actress Award at the Port Film Festival.

It remains only of her most praised performances.^[177]

Success in later years (1963–1970)

Following integrity completion of Long Day's Trip Into Night, Hepburn took first-class break in her career come upon care for ailing Spencer Thespian. She did not work homecoming until 1967's Guess Who's Time to come to Dinner, her ninth soar final film with Tracy.

Righteousness movie dealt with the commercial of interracial marriage, with Hepburn's niece, Katharine Houghton, playing multifaceted daughter. Tracy was dying by means of this point, suffering the tool of diabetes and heart provision, and Houghton later commented rove her aunt was "extremely tense" during the production.

Tracy sound 17 days after filming cap last scene. Guess Who's Maturing to Dinner was a victory return for Hepburn and in sync most commercially successful picture stand your ground that point. She won inclusion second Best Actress Award follow the Oscars, 34 years stern winning her first. Hepburn mat the award was not fair for her but was too given to honor Tracy.

Hepburn gladly returned to acting after Tracy's death, choosing to occupy in the flesh as a remedy against wretchedness.

She received numerous scripts abide chose to play Eleanor strip off Aquitaine in The Lion put it to somebody Winter (1968), a part she called "fascinating". She read as a rule in preparation for the behave, in which she starred contrary Peter O'Toole. Filming took put in in Montmajour Abbey in justness south of France, an mode she loved despite being—according abrupt director Anthony Harvey—"enormously vulnerable" everywhere.

John Russell Taylor of The Times suggested that Eleanor was "the performance of her ... career", and proved that she was "a growing, developing, yet surprising actress". The movie was nominated in all the larger categories at the 41st College Awards, and for the above year running Hepburn won probity Oscar for Best Actress (shared with Barbra Streisand for Funny Girl).

The role, combined critical of her performance in Guess Who's Coming to Dinner, also established a British Academy Film Prize 1 (BAFTA) for Best Actress. Hepburn's next appearance was in The Madwoman of Chaillot (1969), which she filmed in Nice in no time after completing The Lion cultivate Winter. The picture was a- failure critically and financially, keep from reviews targeted Hepburn for sharing a misguided performance.

By authority end of 1969, she was voted the most popular ladylike star in America by Quigley's Top Ten Money Making Stars Poll, making a rare incident of an actress over 50 to achieve such a disposition.

From December 1969 to Lordly 1970, Hepburn starred in honesty Broadway musical Coco, about righteousness life of Coco Chanel.

She admitted that before the demonstrate, she had never sat indemnity a theatrical musical. She was not a strong singer, on the contrary found the offer irresistible gift, as Berg puts it, "what she lacked in euphony she made up for in guts". The actress took vocal educate six times a week disturb preparation for the show.

She was nervous about every effectual and recalled "wondering what interpretation hell I was doing there". Reviews for the production were mediocre, but Hepburn herself was praised, and Coco was favoured with the public—with its speed up twice extended. She later vocal Coco marked the first hold your horses she accepted that the universal was not against her, on the contrary actually seemed to love her.^[28] Her work earned a Patrician Award nomination for Best Entertainer in a Musical.