Katharine Houghton Hepburn was born on May 12, 1907, in Hartford.Both of Hepburn's parents were strong advocates of birth control. Katharine credited her parents for her sense of adventure and independence. Shee is considered as One of the silver screen's most unique and enduring personalities.

Her career as a leading lady spanned seven decades, over fifty quality films a record twelve Oscar nominations and four gold statuettes. She formed memorable screen partnerships with the likes of Cary Grant, Spencer Tracy and director George Cukor but outlasted all of them and excelled just as easily on her own.

After a screen debut performance in George Cukor's A BILL OF DIVORCEMENT (1932) which earned her favorable notices and the attention of Hollywood, Hepburn joined the ranks of RKO's highest paid stars and her career took off rapidly. For her third film, MORNING GLORY (1933), she won the first of her record four Best Actress Oscars for her portrayal of Eva Lovelace, an aspiring actress, opposite Douglas Fairbanks, Jr. and Adolphe Menjou. Several dramas soon followed with varying degrees of success, among them notables like LITTLE WOMEN (1933) in which she plays Louisa May Alcott's tomboy heroine Jo, and forgettables like THE LITTLE MINISTER (1934) and BREAK OF HEARTS (1935), both of which failed at the box office.



Katharine Hepburn continued to be active even in her old age, riding her bicycle and swimming in the ocean near her house in Old Saybrook, CT. While she was always somewhat reclusive, she appeared in public less and less as she grew older. The last few years of her life, with her health declining, she generally remained at home. Katharine Hepburn died in her home, surrounded by loved ones, on June 29, 2003, at the age of 96.

Famous Quotes of Katharine Houghton Hepburn
The calla lilies are in bloom again. Such a strange flower -- suitable to any occasion. I carried them on my wedding day, and now I place them here in memory of something that has died." --as Terry Randall in STAGE DOOR (1937).