Katharine Hepburn on screen and stage explained

Katharine Hepburn (May 12, 1907 – June 29, 2003) was an American actress of the 20th century, active in 44 feature films, 8 telemovies, and 33 stage plays over 66 years from 1928 and 1994.

Films44
Telemovies8
Theatre33
TV documentaries2
Narration2 shorts

Hepburn began her career in theatre in 1928, and later appeared on the stage in every decade up until the 1980s. Productions Hepburn played in ranged from Shakespeare, to Philip Barry comedies, work by George Bernard Shaw, and a musical.

Hepburn made her film debut in A Bill of Divorcement in 1932. Over the next six decades, she appeared in a range of genres, including screwball comedies, period dramas, and adaptations of works by notable playwrights like Tennessee Williams, Eugene O'Neill, and Edward Albee.

Her final appearance in a theatrically released film was a supporting role in Love Affair in 1994. Hepburn first appeared in a television film in 1973, and later continued to appear in the medium until she gave the final performance of her career in One Christmas in 1994. Hepburn also presented two documentaries for television, and narrated two short documentaries.

Screen

Feature films

YearTitleRoleNotesDirectorNotes
1932A Bill of DivorcementSidney FairfieldDramaGeorge Cukor
1933Christopher StrongLady Cynthia DarringtonDramaDorothy Arzner
Morning GloryEva LovelaceDramaLowell ShermanAcademy Award for Best Actress
Little WomenJosephine "Jo" MarchPeriod dramaGeorge Cukor
1934SpitfireTrigger HicksDramaJohn Cromwell
The Little MinisterBabbiePeriod dramaRichard Wallace
1935Break of HeartsConstance DaneRomantic dramaPhilip Moeller
Alice AdamsAlice AdamsDramaGeorge StevensNomination—Academy Award for Best Actress
Sylvia ScarlettSylvia ScarlettComedyGeorge Cukor
1936 Mary of ScotlandMary StuartPeriod dramaJohn Ford
A Woman RebelsPamela ThislewaitePeriod dramaMark Sandrich
1937 Quality StreetPhoebe ThrosselPeriod comedyGeorge Stevens
Stage DoorTerry RandallComedy dramaGregory La Cava
1938Bringing Up BabySusan VanceComedyHoward Hawks
HolidayLinda SetonComedyGeorge Cukor
1940The Philadelphia StoryTracy LordComedyGeorge CukorNomination—Academy Award for Best Actress
New York Film Critics Circle Award for Best Actress
1942Woman of the Year Tess HardingRomantic comedyGeorge StevensNomination—Academy Award for Best Actress
1943 Keeper of the FlameChristine ForrestMysteryGeorge Cukor
Stage Door CanteenKatharine HepburnMusicalFrank Borzage
1944 Dragon SeedJadeDramaJack Conway
1945Without LoveJamie RowanComedyHarold S. Bucquet
1946 UndercurrentAnn HamiltonFilm noirVincente Minnelli
1947The Sea of GrassLutie CameronWestern dramaElia Kazan
Song of LoveClara Wieck SchumannPeriod dramaClarence Brown
1948 State of the UnionMary MatthewsDramaFrank Capra
1949Adam's RibAmanda BonnerComedyGeorge Cukor
1951The African QueenRose SayerAdventureJohn HustonNomination—Academy Award for Best Actress
1952Pat and MikePatricia "Pat" PembertonComedyGeorge Cukor
1955 SummertimeJane HudsonRomanceDavid LeanNomination—Academy Award for Best Actress
1956 The RainmakerLizzie CurryDramaJoseph Anthony
The Iron PetticoatVinka KovelenkoComedyRalph Thomas
1957Desk SetBunny WatsonComedyWalter Lang
1959 Suddenly, Last SummerViolet VenableDramaJoseph L. MankiewiczNomination—Academy Award for Best Actress
1962Long Day's Journey into NightMary TyronePeriod dramaSidney LumetNomination—Academy Award for Best Actress
Cannes Film Festival Award for Best Actress
1967Guess Who's Coming to DinnerChristina DraytonComedy dramaStanley KramerAcademy Award for Best Actress
1968 The Lion in WinterEleanor of AquitainePeriod dramaAnthony HarveyAcademy Award for Best Actress (tied with Barbra Streisand)
1969 The Madwoman of ChaillotAurelia, The Madwoman of ChaillotComedy dramaBryan Forbes
1971The Trojan WomenHecubaPeriod dramaMichael Cacoyannis
1973 A Delicate BalanceAgnesDramaTony Richardson
1975Rooster CogburnEula GoodnightWesternStuart Millar
1978 Olly Olly Oxen FreeMiss PuddAdventureRichard A. Colla
1981On Golden PondEthel ThayerDramaMark RydellAcademy Award for Best Actress
1985Grace QuigleyGrace QuigleyComedyAnthony Harvey
1994 Love AffairGinnyRomantic dramaGlenn Gordon Caron

Television films

YearTitleRoleNotesDirector
1973The Glass MenagerieAmanda WingfieldDramaAnthony Harvey
1975Love Among the RuinsJessica MedlicottPeriod comedyGeorge Cukor
1979The Corn Is GreenLily MoffatPeriod drama
1986Mrs. Delafield Wants to MarryMargaret DelafieldRomantic comedyGeorge Schaefer
1988Laura Lansing Slept HereLaura LansingComedyGeorge Schaefer
1992The Man UpstairsVictoria BrownComedy dramaGeorge Schaefer
1994This Can't Be LoveMarion BennettRomantic comedyAnthony Harvey
One ChristmasCornelia BeaumontDramaTony Bill

Short subjects

YearTitleRoleNotesDirector
1941Women in DefenseNarratorDocumentary
1946American CreedNarratorDocumentaryRobert Stevenson

Box Office Ranking

See also: Top Ten Money Making Stars Poll.

Theatre

YearPlayRoleTheatreNotes
1928The CzarinaA Lady-in-WaitingBaltimore, Maryland
The Cradle SnatchersA flapperBaltimore
The Big PondBarbaraNew York City, New YorkReleased after one performance
These DaysVeronica SimsCort Theatre, New York City
HolidayLinda Seton Plymouth Theatre, New York CityUnderstudy
1930A Month in the CountryGraziaGuild Theatre, New York CityUnderstudy
A Romantic Young LadyKatia; Viera AlexandrovnaThe Berkshire Playhouse, Stockbridge
The Admirable Crichton
Art and Mrs. BottleJudy BottleMaxine Elliott Theatre, New York City
1931Just MarriedIvoryton
It's a Wise Child
Alias the Deacon
The Cat and the Canary
Let Us Be Gay
The Man Who Came Back
1932The Warrior's HusbandAntiopeMorosco Theatre, New York CityMarch–May 1932
The Bride the Sun Shines OnOssining, New York
1934The LakeStella SurregeMartin Beck Theatre, New York City
1936–1937Jane EyreJane EyreOn tour
1939–1941The Philadelphia StoryTracy LordSchubert Theatre, New York CityPlayed New York March 1939 – March 1940;
Toured Washington, D.C., and Chicago October 1940–1941;
Revival in Washington in 1942
1942–1943Without LoveJamie Coe RowanSt. James Theatre, New York CityToured first; New York, October 1942 – February 1943
1950As You Like ItRosalindCort Theatre, New York CityToured after New York
1952The MillionairessEpifaniaNew Theatre, London, UK;
Schubert Theatre, New York City
Played Newcastle-upon-Tyne and Manchester before London;
New York dates: 17 October – 28 December 1952
1955The Taming of the ShrewKatherinaAustralia tourMay - November 1955
Measure for MeasureIsabella
The Merchant of VenicePortia
1957The Merchant of VenicePortiaAmerican Shakespeare Theatre, Stratford
Much Ado About NothingBeatrice
1960Twelfth NightViola
Antony and CleopatraCleopatra
1969–1971CocoCoco ChanelMark Hellinger Theatre, New York CityPlayed New York 18 December 1969 – 3 August 1970;
Toured in 1971
1976–1977A Matter of GravityMrs. BasilBroadhurst Theatre, New York CityBegan with a 12-week pre-Broadway tour;
After New York, toured U.S. for 6 months
1981–1982The West Side WaltzMargaret Mary ElderdiceOn tourToured U.S. before ending at Ethel Barrymore Theatre on Broadway

See also

References