Katharine Hepburn
Hollywood's most defiant and enduring star, who won a record four Oscars by playing women as intelligent and uncompromising as herself.
1907–2003 (age 96)·American actress·Birthday: May 12·The Greatest Generation
Biography
Katharine Hepburn strode onto the screen in 1932 and never looked back, her sharp cheekbones and even sharper wit signaling a new kind of movie star. She came from a progressive, intellectual Connecticut family, and she brought that fearless, outspoken sensibility to Hollywood, famously wearing trousers when it was scandalous and refusing to give autographs. After being labeled 'box office poison' in the late 1930s, she staged a stunning comeback via Broadway and a partnership with Spencer Tracy that yielded nine films and a legendary, off-screen romance. Hepburn’s genius was in making strength feminine and vulnerability powerful, from the madcap heiress of 'Bringing Up Baby' to the dying widow in 'Long Day's Journey Into Night.' Her career was a six-decade masterclass in integrity, proving that an unapologetic woman could not only survive but dominate.
The Greatest Generation
1901–1927
Grew up during the Depression, fought World War II, and built the postwar economic boom. Defined by shared sacrifice, institutional trust, and a belief that hard work and loyalty would be rewarded.
Katharine was born in 1907, placing them squarely in The Greatest Generation. The events that shaped this generation — world wars, depression, and rapid industrialization — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Katharine Was Born
The biggest hits of 1907
Katharine's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1907Born
Financial panic grips Wall Street
President: Theodore Roosevelt
1912Started school
Titanic sinks on its maiden voyage
President: William Howard Taft
1920Became a teenager
Women gain the right to vote in the US
Home: $3,395President: Woodrow Wilson"Swanee" — Al Jolson
1923Could drive
The Great Kanto earthquake devastates Tokyo
President: Calvin Coolidge"Yes! We Have No Bananas" — Billy Jones
1925Could vote
The Scopes Trial debates evolution in schools
Home: $4,366President: Calvin Coolidge"Sweet Georgia Brown" — Ben Bernie
1928Turned 21
Alexander Fleming discovers penicillin; Mickey Mouse debuts
President: Calvin Coolidge"Ol' Man River" — Paul WhitemanBest Picture: Wings
1937Turned 30
Hindenburg disaster; Golden Gate Bridge opens
Gas: $0.20/galPresident: Franklin D. Roosevelt"A-Tisket, A-Tasket" — Ella FitzgeraldBest Picture: The Life of Emile Zola
1947Turned 40
India gains independence; the Dead Sea Scrolls found
Gas: $0.23/galHome: $6,600Min wage: $0.40/hrPresident: Harry S. Truman"Near You" — Francis CraigBest Picture: Gentleman's Agreement
1957Turned 50
Sputnik launches the Space Age
Gas: $0.31/galHome: $10,550Min wage: $1.00/hrPresident: Dwight D. Eisenhower"All Shook Up" — Elvis PresleyBest Picture: The Bridge on the River Kwai
1967Turned 60
Summer of Love in San Francisco; first Super Bowl
Gas: $0.33/galHome: $14,250Min wage: $1.40/hrPresident: Lyndon B. Johnson"To Sir, with Love" — LuluBest Picture: In the Heat of the Night
1977Turned 70
Star Wars premieres; Elvis dies
Gas: $0.62/galHome: $31,800Min wage: $2.30/hrPresident: Jimmy Carter"Tonight's the Night" — Rod StewartBest Picture: Annie Hall
1987Turned 80
Black Monday stock market crash
Gas: $0.90/galHome: $72,400Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Walk Like an Egyptian" — The BanglesBest Picture: The Last Emperor
2003Died at 96
US invades Iraq; Human Genome Project completed
Gas: $1.59/galHome: $146,000Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"In Da Club" — 50 CentBest Picture: The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King
Key Achievements
- Won a record four Academy Awards for Best Actress for 'Morning Glory,' 'Guess Who's Coming to Dinner,' 'The Lion in Winter,' and 'On Golden Pond.'
- Starred in nine classic films with Spencer Tracy, defining one of cinema's most beloved on-screen partnerships.
- Revived her career by originating the role of Tracy Lord in the Broadway hit 'The Philadelphia Story,' which she later filmed.
- Received twelve Academy Award nominations for Best Actress, a record held for over five decades.
Did You Know?
She was a championship-level golfer in her youth and remained fiercely athletic throughout her life.
Hepburn personally performed most of her own stunts, including the famous river plunge in 'The African Queen.'
She never attended the Academy Awards ceremonies to collect any of her four Oscars.
Her long-term relationship with Spencer Tracy was kept private during his lifetime; his wife never granted a divorce.
She wrote a candid autobiography, 'Me: Stories of My Life,' which became a bestseller.
“If you obey all the rules, you miss all the fun.”
