Katharine Hepburn

Biography

Katharine Houghton Hepburn (May 12, 1907 – June 29, 2003) was an American actress of film, stage, and television. A recipient of a record four Academy Awards and an Emmy Award, she was ranked as the greatest female star in the history of American cinema by the American Film Institute. She was best known for her sophisticated, headstrong and outspoken screen persona that she cultivated through roles in a variety of film genres — from screwball comedies to literary dramas. Apart from her acclaimed acting and distinctive voice, her impact extended to fashion as well as she helped make wearing pants more socially acceptable for women. Throughout her six-decade career, Hepburn's work in stage, film, and television brought her much acclaim — including twelve Academy Award nominations, six Emmy Award nominations, eight Golden Globe Award nominations, and two Tony Award nominations. She co-starred with screen legends like Cary Grant, Humphrey Bogart, John Wayne, Laurence Olivier and Henry Fonda and performed in plays written and directed by notable playwrights and directors. Her most successful film pairing was with Spencer Tracy, with whom she made multiple hit pictures. The last of their 9 films together was Guess Who's Coming to Dinner (1967), which was completed shortly before Tracy's death. Her many performances on the stage included plays by Shakespeare and Shaw, and a Broadway musical. She passed away from cardiac arrest on 29 June 2003 at her family home in Connecticut and since then, has been honored with several memorials.

Known For

The Mike Douglas Show

Tony Awards

Great Performances

Spécial cinéma

The Dick Cavett Show

MGM Parade

Intimate Portrait

The Oscars

All Movies (99)

• True Blue2025 · as (Archive Footage)
• Call Me Kate2023 · as Self (archive footage)
• Hannibal Hopkins & Sir Anthony2021 · as Self (archive footage)
• Yellowface: Asian Whitewashing and Racism in Hollywood2019 · as (archive footage)
• Scotty and the Secret History of Hollywood2018 · as Self (archive footage)
• In Search of Tracy Lord2017 · as Self (archive footage)
• Becoming Cary Grant2017 · as Self (archive footage)
• Katharine Hepburn: The Great Kate2014 · as Self - Interviewee (archive footage)
• Cameraman: The Life and Work of Jack Cardiff2010 · as Self (archive footage)
• Embracing Chaos: Making The African Queen2010 · as Self / Rose Sayer (archive footage)
• Early Directors on Directing2009 · as Self
• Broadway's Lost Treasures II2004 · as Coco Chanel (segment "Coco")
• Cary Grant: A Class Apart2004 · as Self (archive footage)
• Cole Porter in Hollywood: True Love2003 · as Self (Archive Footage)
• Complicated Women2003 · as Self (archive footage)
• Hidden Hollywood: Treasures from the 20th Century Fox Film Vaults1997 · as Self (Archival Footage)
• Bogart: The Untold Story1997 · as Self (archive footage)
• Katharine Hepburn: On Her Own Terms1996 · as Self
• The Line King: The Al Hirschfeld Story1996 · as Self (voice) (uncredited)
• Legends in Light: The Photography of George Hurrell1995 · as Self
• One Christmas1994 · as Cornelia Beaumont
• Tennessee Williams: Orpheus of the American Stage1994 · as Mrs. Venable (archive footage)
• Love Affair1994 · as Ginny
• That's Entertainment! III1994 · as (archive footage)
• This Can't Be Love1994 · as Marion Bennett
• Roots of Roe1993 · as Katharine Houghton-Hepburn (voice)
• Katharine Hepburn: All About Me1993 · as Self
• The Man Upstairs1992 · as Victoria Brown
• Fonda on Fonda1992 · as Self (voice)
• Night of 100 Stars III1990 · as Self
• Broadway's Dreamers: The Legacy of the Group Theatre1989 · as Self
• The Making of a Legend: Gone with the Wind1988 · as Self (archive footage)
• Cary Grant: A Celebration of a Leading Man1988 · as Self (archive footage)
• Bacall on Bogart1988 · as Self
• Laura Lansing Slept Here1988 · as Laura Lansing
• Michael Jackson: The Legend Continues1988 · as Self
• Happy 100th Birthday, Hollywood1987 · as Self
• James Stewart: A Wonderful Life1987 · as Self
• Mrs. Delafield Wants to Marry1986 · as Margaret Delafield
• The Spencer Tracy Legacy: A Tribute by Katharine Hepburn1986 · as Self – Host
• Grace Quigley1985 · as Grace Quigley
• George Stevens: A Filmmaker's Journey1985 · as Self
• On Golden Pond1981 · as Ethel Thayer
• The Corn Is Green1979 · as Miss Lilly Moffat
• Olly Olly Oxen Free1978 · as Miss Pudd
• That's Entertainment, Part II1976 · as (archive footage)
• Love Among the Ruins1976 · as Jessica Medlicott
• Rooster Cogburn1975 · as Eula Goodnight
• Brother, Can You Spare a Dime?1975 · as Self (archive footage)
• That's Entertainment!1974 · as (archive footage) (uncredited)
• The Glass Menagerie1973 · as Amanda Wingfield
• A Delicate Balance1973 · as Agnes
• Hollywood: The Dream Factory1972 · as Self (archive footage)
• Directed by John Ford1971 · as Self
• The Trojan Women1971 · as Hecuba
• The Madwoman of Chaillot1969 · as Contessa Aurelia
• The Lion in Winter1968 · as Eleanor of Aquitaine
• Guess Who's Coming to Dinner1967 · as Christina Drayton
• The Big Parade of Comedy1964 · as Tracy Lord (archive footage)
• Long Day's Journey Into Night1962 · as Mary Tyrone
• Hollywood: The Selznick Years1961 · as Self (voice) (uncredited)
• Suddenly, Last Summer1959 · as Violet Venable
• Desk Set1957 · as Bunny Watson
• The Rainmaker1956 · as Lizzie Curry
• The Iron Petticoat1956 · as Captain Vinka Kovalenko
• Summertime1955 · as Jane Hudson
• Pat and Mike1952 · as Patricia "Pat" Pemberton
• The African Queen1952 · as Rose Sayer
• The Costume Designer1950 · as Self (archive footage)
• Adam's Rib1949 · as Amanda Bonner
• State of the Union1948 · as Mary Matthews
• Song of Love1947 · as Clara Wieck Schumann
• The Sea of Grass1947 · as Lutie Cameron Brewton
• Undercurrent1946 · as Ann Hamilton
• Without Love1945 · as Jamie Rowan
• Dragon Seed1944 · as Jade Tan
• Twenty Years After1944 · as (archive footage)
• Stage Door Canteen1943 · as Katharine Hepburn
• Keeper of the Flame1943 · as Christine Forrest
• Woman of the Year1942 · as Tess Harding
• Women in Defense1941 · as Narrator (voice)
• The Philadelphia Story1940 · as Tracy Lord
• A New Romance of Celluloid: The Miracle of Sound1940 · as Self
• Cavalcade of the Academy Awards1940 · as Self (archive footage)
• Holiday1938 · as Linda Seton
• Bringing Up Baby1938 · as Susan
• Stage Door1937 · as Terry Randall
• Quality Street1937 · as Phoebe Throssel
• A Woman Rebels1936 · as Pamela 'Pam' Thistlewaite
• Mary of Scotland1936 · as Mary Stuart
• Sylvia Scarlett1935 · as Sylvia Scarlett
• Alice Adams1935 · as Alice Adams
• Break of Hearts1935 · as Constance Dane Roberti
• The Little Minister1934 · as Barbara 'Babbie'
• Spitfire1934 · as Trigger Hicks
• Little Women1933 · as Jo
• Morning Glory1933 · as Eva Lovelace
• Christopher Strong1933 · as Lady Cynthia Darrington
• A Bill of Divorcement1932 · as Sydney Fairfield

All TV Shows (11)

• Intimate Portrait1993 · as Self
• The RKO Story: Tales From Hollywood1987 · as Self
• The Kennedy Center Honors1978 · as Self
• Spécial cinéma1974 · as Self
• Great Performances1971 · as Self
• The Dick Cavett Show1968 · as Self - Guest
• aspekte1965 · as Self
• The Mike Douglas Show1961 · as Self - Taped Tribute
• Tony Awards1956 · as Self - Nominee / Performer
• MGM Parade1955
• The Oscars1953 · as Self