Line #45 Creator/KatharineHepburn


1	[[quoteright:305:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/katharine_hepburn.jpg]]
2	[[caption-width-right:305:She's not "outdoorsy", she's athletic.]]
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4	->''"I don't know what it is, but I've got it."''
5	-->-- '''Katharine Hepburn''', asked to define "star quality"
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7	Katharine Houghton Hepburn (May 12, 1907 – June 29, 2003) was, according to the Creator/AmericanFilmInstitute, the greatest female star ever to grace American cinema.
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9	Hepburn, or "The Great Kate," had quite possibly the longest starring career ever seen in Hollywood. Her first film, ''A Bill of Divorcement'', hit theaters in 1932; her last, ''Love Affair'', was released in 1994. For those who hate math, Hepburn was a big-screen regular for six decades.
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11	Her [[StarMakingRole first real success]] was in the 1933 release of ''Little Women'', playing Jo March; Hepburn broke box office records as the feisty, red-haired heroine. Before ''Little Women'' was ever released, however, she had already won her first Oscar. She wouldn't win her next for over thirty years, but when she did, she went an unheard-of three for three on her last three nominations, nominated (and winning) in 1967, 1968 (one of only two actresses to win back-to-back), and 1981.
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13	After ''Little Women'', Hepburn unfortunately hit a rough patch. For a number of years, she was given unsuitable roles by RKO, in films such as ''The Little Minister'', ''Film/MaryOfScotland'', ''Sylvia Scarlet'', and ''Quality Street''. Even parts [[VindicatedByHistory well-regarded now]], such as her turn as the title character in ''Alice Adams'', Susan Vance in ''Film/BringingUpBaby'', Terry Randall in ''Film/StageDoor'' (which provided her SignatureLine, "The calla lilies are in bloom again..."), and Linda Seton in ''Film/{{Holiday}}'' failed to break her reputation as "box office poison." Hepburn's box office woes were not helped by her reputation for being difficult to work with due to her HairTriggerTemper. However, 1939 marked her triumphant return as Tracy Lord in ''Film/ThePhiladelphiaStory'' and the film of the play the following year.
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15	A long string of memorable films followed, among them ''Film/TheAfricanQueen'' (opposite the equally legendary Creator/HumphreyBogart), ''Theatre/LongDaysJourneyIntoNight'', ''Film/GuessWhosComingToDinner'', and ''Theatre/TheLionInWinter''. She also made nine films -- largely romantic comedies -- with Creator/SpencerTracy, whom she met on the set of their first film, ''Film/WomanOfTheYear.'' The couple [[RomanceOnTheSet became romantically involved during that film]] and, in spite of Tracy's marriage to another woman whom he refused to divorce, remained together until Tracy's death in 1967. Hepburn categorically refused to watch ''Guess Who's Coming to Dinner'', their last film together, because the memories of Tracy were too painful for her.
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17	Hepburn is famous for winning four UsefulNotes/{{Academy Award}}s out of twelve nominations, all for Best Actress. Her next closest competitor, the great Creator/MerylStreep, has seventeen nominations under her belt -- fourteen for Best Actress, three for Best Supporting Actress -- and three wins, two for Best Actress and one for Best Supporting Actress.
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19	Creator/CateBlanchett won the 2004 Best Supporting Actress Oscar for her portrayal of Hepburn in Creator/MartinScorsese's Howard Hughes biopic ''Film/TheAviator'', making Hepburn the only Oscar winner to be played by someone who would win an Oscar for the role.
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21	She was also noted for:
22	* Never attending the Oscar ceremony as a nominee (she did attend as a presenter in 1974).
23	* Rarely, if ever, wearing skirts or dresses offscreen -- she preferred slacks.
24	* [[PrefersGoingBarefoot Penchant for going barefoot or wearing sandals]] offscreen, even for formal occasions.
25	* Being tart and abrasive, which led some of her Hollywood detractors to nickname her "Katharine of Arrogance."
26	* Writing a best-selling book, ''The Making of'' The African Queen: ''or How I Went to Africa with Bogart, Bacall and Huston and Almost Lost My Mind'', a memoir of her time making the eponymous film.
27	* Her striking face and auburn hair.
28	* Her height -- she was one of Hollywood's tallest leading ladies from that time period at 5'7" (most leading ladies were only a little over 5'3").
29	* Making a lot of films with Creator/GeorgeCukor, with whom she got on famously.
30	* Being something of a DeadpanSnarker.
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32	Her mother, also named Katharine Hepburn, was one of the founders of what eventually became Planned Parenthood.
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34	She's not related to Creator/AudreyHepburn, who was from across the pond. The two did become close friends and Katharine nicknamed Audrey "my little daughter".
35	----
36	!!Some notable films Katharine Hepburn appeared in include:
37	* ''A Bill of Divorcement'' (1932), as Sydney Fairfield
38	* ''Christopher Strong'' (1933), as Lady Cynthia Darrington
39	* ''Morning Glory'' (1933), as Eva Lovelace. Her first UsefulNotes/AcademyAward-winning role; she lost the Oscar statue after a hurricane destroyed her house in 1938.
40	* ''Film/{{Little Women\|1933}}'' (1933), as Jo March
41	* ''The Little Minister'' (1934), as Babbie the Gypsy
42	* ''Literature/AliceAdams'' (1935), as the title character. Oscar nom.
43	* ''Film/SylviaScarlett'' (1935), as the [[GenderBender gender-bent]] eponymous Sylvia/Sylvester. The first of her four films with Creator/CaryGrant.
44	* ''Film/MaryOfScotland'' (1936), as [[UsefulNotes/MaryOfScotland Mary, Queen of Scots]]
45	* ''Quality Street'' (1937), as Phoebe Throssel
46	* ''Film/StageDoor'' (1937), as Terry Randall. As noted, provided her SignatureLine, spoken as a character in a play. The full speech runs:
47	-->"The calla lilies are in bloom again -- such a strange flower, suitable to any occasion. I carried them on my wedding day, and now I place them here in memory of something that has died."
48	* ''Film/BringingUpBaby'' (1938), as Susan Vance. Her second film with Cary Grant.
49	* ''Film/{{Holiday}}'' (1938), as Linda Seton. Her third film with Cary Grant.
50	* ''Film/ThePhiladelphiaStory'' (1940), as Tracy Lord. Her fourth and final film with Cary Grant. Oscar nom.
51	* ''Film/WomanOfTheYear'' (1942), as Tess Harding. The first of her nine films with Creator/SpencerTracy. Oscar nom.
52	* ''Dragon Seed'' (1944), as Jade Tan. In a very unconvincing {{yellowface}} role.
53	* ''Song of Love'' (1947), as ClaraSchumann. A Biopic of [[UsefulNotes/DichterAndDenker German composer]] Music/RobertSchumann.
54	* ''Theatre/StateOfTheUnion'' (1948), as Mary Matthews. The fifth of her films with Spencer Tracy.
55	* ''Film/AdamsRib'' (1949), as Amanda Bonner. The sixth of her films with Spencer Tracy.
56	* ''Film/TheAfricanQueen'' (1951), as Rose Sayer. Oscar nom.
57	* ''Pat and Mike'' (1952), as Patricia Pemberton. The seventh of her films with Spencer Tracy.
58	* ''Film/{{Summertime}}'' (1955), as Jane Hudson. Oscar nom.
59	* ''The Rainmaker'' (1956), as Lizzie Currie. Oscar nom.
60	* ''Film/DeskSet'' (1957), as Bunny Watson. The eighth of her films with Spencer Tracy.
61	* ''Film/SuddenlyLastSummer'' (1959), as Violet Venable. Oscar nom.
62	* ''Theatre/LongDaysJourneyIntoNight'' (1962), as TheAlcoholic Mary Tyrone. Oscar nom.
63	* ''Film/GuessWhosComingToDinner'' (1967), as Christina Drayton. The ninth and last of her films with Spencer Tracy, and the second of her UsefulNotes/AcademyAward-winning roles.
64	* ''Film/TheLionInWinter'' (1968), as Eleanor of Aquitaine. The third of her UsefulNotes/AcademyAward-winning roles. Shared the Oscar with Creator/BarbraStreisand for ''Theatre/FunnyGirl'', after the vote ended in a tie. She's also a descendant of Eleanor, both through Eleanor's marriage to the King of France (Louis VI) and Eleanor's later marriage to the King of England (Henry II).
65	* ''Theatre/TheMadwomanOfChaillot'' (1969), as Countess Aurelia. The first of a series of revivals of classic plays, done mainly for television.
66	* ''Coco'' (1969), as UsefulNotes/CocoChanel (Broadway musical)
67	* ''The Trojan Women'' (1971), as Hecuba
68	* ''Theatre/{{A Delicate Balance\|1967}}'' (1973), as Agnes
69	* ''Theatre/TheGlassMenagerie'' (1973), as Amanda Wingfield (TV movie)
70	* ''Love Among the Ruins'' (1975), as Jessica Medlicott, opposite fabled actor Creator/LaurenceOlivier.
71	* ''Film/RoosterCogburn'' (1975), as Eula Goodnight, opposite Creator/JohnWayne as the eponymous bounty hunter.
72	* ''The Corn is Green'' (1979), as Lilly Moffat (TV movie)
73	* ''Film/OnGoldenPond'' (1981), as Ethel Thayer, opposite Creator/HenryFonda. Her fourth and last UsefulNotes/AcademyAward-winning part.
74	* ''Love Affair'' (1994), as Ginny. Her last cinematic release.
75	* ''One Christmas'' (1994), as Cornelia Beaumont (TV movie)
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77	!!Tropes associated with her work:
78	* {{Bifauxnen}}: Many of her roles, such as the titular character in ''Sylvia Scarlett''.
79	* HostilityOnTheSet: Notably ''deliberately'' prevented on the set of ''Film/TheLionInWinter'' when Hepburn, well aware of co-star Creator/PeterOToole's habit of drinking and turning up late to set, made it clear in no uncertain terms that if he wanted to star in a movie with ''her'', he was going to show up on time and act professional. He did and they got along just fine -- helped by the fact that they mutually admired and respected one another's work.
80	* FieryRedhead: Loads of Hepburn's roles in the early years of her career occasionally had her characters defying expectations or being passionate about her interests or her job.
81	* RealitySubtext: [[invoked]] When Creator/SpencerTracy did his "If it's half of what we felt, it's everything" speech in ''Guess Who's Coming to Dinner'', Hepburn is seen standing to the side with tears spilling down her cheeks. That wasn't acting -- Tracy's monologue was very obviously about his real life relationship with Hepburn.
82	* ThoseTwoActors: [[invoked]]
83	** She and Creator/SpencerTracy starred with each other in nine films from 1942-1967.
84	** Before that, her and Creator/CaryGrant. The two starred with each other in four films from 1935-1940.
85	* WhatCouldHaveBeen: Katharine vied hard for the role of Scarlett O'Hara in ''Film/GoneWithTheWind'', practically demanding to be handed the role only for the movie producer David O. Selznick to bluntly state, "I can't see Rhett Butler chasing you for twelve years" as he believe she had no sex appeal for the part.
86	* WhatTheHellIsThatAccent: Hepburn might as well be the best example of the Mid-Atlantic accent: the typical dialect that many movie stars were using in their films at the time. What made it her trademark was that she never changed her voice, no matter what character she was, making her a member of {{Small Reference Pool\|s}} of old/outdated dialects. (Although, the accent ''did'' manage to give her a convincing posh southern-[[UsefulNotes/TheMidlands English]] accent for the missionary Rose in ''Film/TheAfricanQueen''.)
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Context Creator / KatharineHepburn