Katharine Hepburn, 1907 - 2003.

"To her fans - and what Americans are not among her fans? - Katharine Hepburn exists in a class apart from, say, Joan Crawford. She stands for fierce Yankee independence, patrician liberalism and authenticity of character, not Hollywood vindictiveness, self-promotion and glitz. Even her participation in one of the movie colony's longest-running extramarital affairs somehow transcended its provenance in tabloid gossip to become the stuff of legendary romantic Americana." - Frank Rich.

"From 1932 to 1945, she had it in her to be the most interesting, difficult, challenging woman in American pictures. Why? I'd guess it had to do with her confusion, for she loved movies while disapproving of them." - David Thomson.

"It was The Philadelphia Story. I knew then that she was different. She is that rare creature, her voice immediately bringing to mind her astonishing face. She is a member of that club of very few actresses who at their sound are totally identifiable. An immediate vision." - Lauren Bacall.

New York Times complete coverage.

Personally, my favorite portrait was snapped by Alfred Eisenstaedt.



Posted by dwhudson at June 30, 2003 1:21 AM