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.

Film44
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

YearTitleRoleDirectorNotes
1932A Bill of DivorcementSidney FairfieldGeorge Cukor
1933Christopher StrongLady Cynthia DarringtonDorothy Arzner
Morning GloryEva LovelaceLowell ShermanAcademy Award for Best Actress
Little WomenJosephine "Jo" MarchGeorge Cukor
1934SpitfireTrigger HicksJohn Cromwell
The Little MinisterBabbieRichard Wallace
1935Break of HeartsConstance DanePhilip Moeller
Alice AdamsAlice AdamsGeorge StevensNomination—Academy Award for Best Actress
Sylvia ScarlettSylvia ScarlettGeorge Cukor
1936 Mary of ScotlandMary StuartJohn Ford
A Woman RebelsPamela ThislewaiteMark Sandrich
1937 Quality StreetPhoebe ThrosselGeorge Stevens
Stage DoorTerry RandallGregory La Cava
1938Bringing Up BabySusan VanceHoward Hawks
HolidayLinda SetonGeorge Cukor
1940The Philadelphia StoryTracy LordGeorge CukorNomination—Academy Award for Best Actress
New York Film Critics Circle Award for Best Actress
1942Woman of the Year Tess HardingGeorge StevensNomination—Academy Award for Best Actress
1943 Keeper of the FlameChristine ForrestGeorge Cukor
Stage Door CanteenKatharine HepburnFrank Borzage
1944 Dragon SeedJadeJack Conway
1945Without LoveJamie RowanHarold S. Bucquet
1946 UndercurrentAnn HamiltonVincente Minnelli
1947The Sea of GrassLutie CameronElia Kazan
Song of LoveClara Wieck SchumannClarence Brown
1948 State of the UnionMary MatthewsFrank Capra
1949Adam's RibAmanda BonnerGeorge Cukor
1951The African QueenRose SayerJohn HustonNomination—Academy Award for Best Actress
1952Pat and MikePatricia "Pat" PembertonGeorge Cukor
1955 SummertimeJane HudsonDavid LeanNomination—Academy Award for Best Actress
1956 The RainmakerLizzie CurryJoseph Anthony
The Iron PetticoatVinka KovelenkoRalph Thomas
1957Desk SetBunny WatsonWalter Lang
1959 Suddenly, Last SummerViolet VenableJoseph L. MankiewiczNomination—Academy Award for Best Actress
1962Long Day's Journey into NightMary TyroneSidney LumetNomination—Academy Award for Best Actress
Cannes Film Festival Award for Best Actress
1967Guess Who's Coming to DinnerChristina DraytonStanley KramerAcademy Award for Best Actress
1968 The Lion in WinterEleanor of AquitaineAnthony HarveyAcademy Award for Best Actress (tied with Barbra Streisand)
1969 The Madwoman of ChaillotAurelia, The Madwoman of ChaillotBryan Forbes
1971The Trojan WomenHecubaMichael Cacoyannis
1973 A Delicate BalanceAgnesTony Richardson
1975Rooster CogburnEula GoodnightStuart Millar
1978 Olly Olly Oxen FreeMiss PuddRichard A. Colla
1981On Golden PondEthel ThayerMark RydellAcademy Award for Best Actress
1985Grace QuigleyGrace QuigleyAnthony Harvey
1994 Love AffairGinnyGlenn Gordon Caron

Television films

YearTitleRoleDirector
1973The Glass MenagerieAmanda WingfieldAnthony Harvey
1975Love Among the RuinsJessica MedlicottGeorge Cukor
1979The Corn Is GreenLily Moffat
1986Mrs. Delafield Wants to MarryMargaret DelafieldGeorge Schaefer
1988Laura Lansing Slept HereLaura LansingGeorge Schaefer
1992The Man UpstairsVictoria BrownGeorge Schaefer
1994This Can't Be LoveMarion BennettAnthony Harvey
One ChristmasCornelia BeaumontTony Bill

Short subjects

YearTitleRoleNotesDirector
1941Women in DefenseNarratorDocumentaryJohn Ford
1946American CreedRobert 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