Kate Hepburn’s parents, before they were married, “dated” – in a kind of Victorian era way – for a long long time. Going on drives, moving at a desultory pace, nothing much happening, no declarations made, etc.
Kate’s mother finally had had enough and decided to sting her beau into action. They were on a drive one afternoon, and she said to him happily, “You know what is so great about our relationship? When we finally get married to other people – neither of us will be upset at all!”
Kate’s father was baffled, hurt, blustered – said, “But … I want to marry you!”
And she said, “Then propose to me right now.”
And he did.
They were married for something like 60 years.
Hepburn’s Mother was one of the first Suffergists as well. She campaigned hard, and marched for not only women’s rights, but for the first invention of a “pill” that wold prevent a woman from getting pregnant. That way, women could actually enjoy sex without having to continue being baby makers.
Don’t get me started Sheila……
I’ve seen pictures of little Kate, dressed up as a suffragist, to march in parades. Pretty incredible. And her father sounds like an extraordinary man, too. A urologist, I believe.
Help me. I’m obsessed.
Don’t get ME started
Some Kate Facts:
*Kate dressed up as a boy and lived that way for an entire year. She insited everyone in her family call her “Johnny”. They did. She was 10 years old.
*She was the one that found her brothers body in his bedroom. He had hung himself by the neck.
*She’s the only woman in Oscar history to ever win 4 Best Actress Awards. She’s also one of two ties for Best Actress. Trivia Question: Who did she tie with the year she won for “Lion In Winter”?
*Hepburn and Howard Hughes were hot and heavy for many years. She loved him very much, and then met Spencer Tracey.
*When Tracey and Hepburn filmed “Woman Of The Year” (their first of 7 pictures together) Katie was afriad she was too tall for him. Outiside of the steps on 20th Century Fox Studios, she said to him:
“I’m afraid I’m a bit tall for you, Mr. Tracey.”
To which he replied:
“Don’t worry, Miss Hepburn. I’ll cut you down to size.”
*Katie always regretted never having children. But as she said: “You can’t be a sucsess at everything.”
*She was left handed.
*She had a lesbian affair with her secretary for 3 years. After that, that remained friends until the end of her life.
*Her first husband was gay, and taught her everything she needed to know about how to dress, how to be photographed, and how to speak to other woman without offending them.
*She was the first American actress to wear pants in public.
*She was frugal, while Tracey was the spendthrift.
*She lost her last Oscar (for Guess Who’s Coming To Dinner). Physically lost it. After searching for it for over two years, she finally found it out back at Fenwick (her newly built cabin) amidst the rose bushes. Aparently, she left it out there one afternoon while planting, and just plain forgot to take it back in.
*She loved vanilla ice cream, and even into her nineties would walk up to the local ice cream parlor in her home town to get some.
*Two friend of mine actually met her while walking down the street in NY. She was loading firewood into her NY apartment, and my girlfriends were horrified that this sweet little old lady was doing all this hard work by herself. They had no idea who she was. They stopped and offered to help. Hepburn turned around, and in that famous shaky contralto clearly stated: “No thanks, Deah. I’ve got it!” My girlfriend Karen still talks about this time, and the fact that it’s the only time she can remember when she actually peed on the sidewalk.
More later……..
Dont. Stop.
Ever.
Kate Facts…….cont.:
ABOUT FAMOUS PEOPLE
*She thought Lawrence Olivier was an uncooth moron.
*She adored Lucille Ball. When they worked together in “Stage Door” (the movie Ginger Rogers assumed she would steal from Hepburn) Ball was cast in a small minor role. This was Ball’s big break after working in Hollywood already for years, and being dubbed “Queen of The B’s””. Hepburn was also under pressure. Her play “The Lake” flopped, and she was now known as “Box Office Poison”. She kept to herself mostly, but on one ocassion, after Lucy had been studying her every move, Kate walked over to her and sat down:
“Is there something you want, Deah?” she asked noticing the stares.
“I want to know how you do what you do.”
“What do you mean?”
“I mean…is there a secret or something?” Ball asked leaning in.
“Yes. There is. Tell the Goddamm truth.”
They were inseperable from then on. As a side note: On an episode of I Love Lucy, The Ricardos and The Mertzes go to Hollyowood. They’re sitting in The Brown Derby, and next to them is a famous Star. It was supposed to Hepburn, but she got too busy, and so Ball asked her old MGM chum Eve Arden to do it. It’s the same episode where William Holden gets the pie in the face, and Lucy sets her nose on fire.
*She thought Bette Davis was one of the finest actors our country produced, but never forgave her for being such a “Total Bitch.”
*She and Cary Grant had a torrid affair that lasted for almost a year. He was a womanizer and that didn’t sit well with Katie.
*She always proclaimed Spencer Tracey to be the finest actor working. I would tend to agree with her. She said of him: “Spence was natural when it wasn’t commonplace to be natural.”
*She and Lauren Bacall loved fried peanut butter and jelly sandwiches. When the four of them (Bacall, Bogie, Tracey, Hepburn) got together, the woman cooked, and the men drank.
*She always wanted to befriend Marilyn Monroe.
*She had no use for Joan Crawford. “She looks like a fish.”
*She got tired of winning awards. She adored her first Oscar (for Morning Glory….her third film ever), but after her second, she began to feel like they were “pity awards.”
*She loved Carole Lombard, and was crushed when she died.
*She never attended Tracey’s funeral ou of respect for his wife. She got in her limo, and literally drove around the block of the church 4 or 5 times. Then she went home.
*She once called W.C. Fields: “…a drunk with a nose that matched his ass.”
No one has answered my trivia queation yet:
Who was the other actress that tied for Best Actress the year Hepburn won for “Lion In Winter”?
It’s only the second female tie in Oscar history.
More later….smoking…..
Barbara streisand tied for her amazing lead performance in funny girl.they both did amazing jobs and both desired that Oscar!!
Barbra Streisand.
Other random “Lion in Winter” trivia: Eleanor of Acquitaine is my great-x-24 grandmother. (and Henry II my great-x-24 grandfather).
Kate is truly obsession-worthy.
I saw Kate on stage at the Goodman Theater in Chicago, doing a production of “Coco” when she was in her 60s. I have never seen a performer give more to a role. The second act opened with her sliding down a bannister, a full story, sliding off the end and exclaiming “Shit!” as she landed. She sounded like she meant it.
Alex,
Katharine did not have an affair with her secretary ( Phyllis) and her husband was not gay (of there’s no evidence that he was) Nor did she have an affair with Gary Grant . Maybe you are thinking of Howard Hughes
Don’t believe everything you read . And if you got the information from Darwin Porter the book is crap .
Kerrie:
She was not talking about Phyllis, she was talking about Laura Harding.
Your tone is quite rude.
Hi.
Any rudeness in my tone should be directed to Darwin Porter and other authors who write such nonsense . With all respect to Alex,Laura Harding was not Katharine’s secretary , she was an American heiress who met Katharine while they were both aspiring actresses . Both Laura and Katharine denied any sexual relationship
Kerrie
Hi,
Final comment for now
Last year Luddy’s remaining family decided to go on the public record about Katharine and the marriage . One of the funny stories they told was that after Luddy’s wife died he and Katharine started meeting again and saw each other regularly . One day the relatives came in unexpectedly and caught them holding hands by the fire . Another time the same relative rang Luddy and asked what she was doing for the weekend and Luddy said, myself and Katharine are celebrating our 50th wedding anniversary .
Happy 97th birthday Kate
Kerrie
Comments deleted due to sheer obnoxiousness.
I do not understand why people feel the need to be rude.
I am closing comments to this post since the last 10 comments have been from generally rude boneheads who have never been taught manners apparently.
Unlike the great Miss Kate.
She shared and Academy Award with Barbara Striesand.
Katharine Hepburn taught us great deals about freedom of sepeech and freedom of being and standing up for our rights, when even we did not know what was our rights! She stood up with head above crowd, when others were keep looking down.
Her private life is nothing to do with her public life . Our evaluation should be based on her public works, as actress. At least we should respect her wish and keep it that way. We all have learned so much from her. Who we are today ,perhaps we owe to her.
My best gratitude,
Thanks.