Acting · Hartford, Connecticut, USA · Born May 12, 1907
Katharine Houghton Hepburn (May 12, 1907 – June 29, 2003) was an American actress of film, stage, and television. A recipient of a record four Academy Awards and an Emmy Award, she was ranked as the greatest female star in the history of American cinema by the American Film Institute. She was best known for her sophisticated, headstrong and outspoken screen persona that she cultivated through roles in a variety of film genres — from screwball comedies to literary dramas. Apart from her acclaimed acting and distinctive voice, her impact extended to fashion as well as she helped make wearing pants more socially acceptable for women. Throughout her six-decade career, Hepburn's work in stage, film, and television brought her much acclaim — including twelve Academy Award nominations, six Emmy Award nominations, eight Golden Globe Award nominations, and two Tony Award nominations. She co-starred with screen legends like Cary Grant, Humphrey Bogart, John Wayne, Laurence Olivier and Henry Fonda and performed in plays written and directed by notable playwrights and directors. Her most successful film pairing was with Spencer Tracy, with whom she made multiple hit pictures. The last of their 9 films together was Guess Who's Coming to Dinner (1967), which was completed shortly before Tracy's death. Her many performances on the stage included plays by Shakespeare and Shaw, and a Broadway musical. She passed away from cardiac arrest on 29 June 2003 at her family home in Connecticut and since then, has been honored with several memorials.
MovieTrue Blue
2025
as (Archive Footage)
MovieCall Me Kate
2023
as Self (archive footage)
MovieHannibal Hopkins & Sir Anthony
2021
as Self (archive footage)
MovieYellowface: Asian Whitewashing and Racism in Hollywood
2019
as (archive footage)
MovieScotty and the Secret History of Hollywood
2018
as Self (archive footage)
MovieIn Search of Tracy Lord
2017
as Self (archive footage)
MovieBecoming Cary Grant
2017
as Self (archive footage)
MovieKatharine Hepburn: The Great Kate
2014
as Self - Interviewee (archive footage)
MovieCameraman: The Life and Work of Jack Cardiff
2010
as Self (archive footage)
MovieEmbracing Chaos: Making The African Queen
2010
as Self / Rose Sayer (archive footage)
MovieEarly Directors on Directing
2009
as Self
MovieBroadway's Lost Treasures II
2004
as Coco Chanel (segment "Coco")
MovieCary Grant: A Class Apart
2004
as Self (archive footage)
Cole Porter in Hollywood: True Love
2003
as Self (Archive Footage)
MovieComplicated Women
2003
as Self (archive footage)
MovieHidden Hollywood: Treasures from the 20th Century Fox Film Vaults
1997
as Self (Archival Footage)
MovieBogart: The Untold Story
1997
as Self (archive footage)
MovieKatharine Hepburn: On Her Own Terms
1996
as Self
MovieThe Line King: The Al Hirschfeld Story
1996
as Self (voice) (uncredited)
MovieThe Good, The Bad, and the Beautiful
1996
as Self (archive footage)
MovieThe First 100 Years: A Celebration of American Movies
1995
as Self (archive footage)
Legends in Light: The Photography of George Hurrell
1995
as Self
MovieOne Christmas
1994
as Cornelia Beaumont
MovieTennessee Williams: Orpheus of the American Stage
1994
as Mrs. Venable (archive footage)
MovieLove Affair
1994
as Ginny
MovieThat's Entertainment! III
1994
as (archive footage)
MovieThis Can't Be Love
1994
as Marion Bennett
Roots of Roe
1993
as Katharine Houghton-Hepburn (voice)
TVIntimate Portrait
1993
as Self
MovieKatharine Hepburn: All About Me
1993
as Self
MovieThe Man Upstairs
1992
as Victoria Brown
MovieFonda on Fonda
1992
as Self (voice)
MovieNight of 100 Stars III
1990
as Self
Broadway's Dreamers: The Legacy of the Group Theatre
1989
as Self
MovieThe Making of a Legend: Gone with the Wind
1988
as Self (archive footage)
MovieCary Grant: A Celebration of a Leading Man
1988
as Self (archive footage)
MovieBacall on Bogart
1988
as Self
MovieLaura Lansing Slept Here
1988
as Laura Lansing
MovieMichael Jackson: The Legend Continues
1988
as Self
All-Time Movie Greats
1988
as Self (archive footage)
TVThe RKO Story: Tales From Hollywood
1987
as Self
MovieHappy 100th Birthday, Hollywood
1987
as Self
MovieJames Stewart: A Wonderful Life
1987
as Self
MovieMrs. Delafield Wants to Marry
1986
as Margaret Delafield
MovieThe Spencer Tracy Legacy: A Tribute by Katharine Hepburn
1986
as Self – Host
MovieGrace Quigley
1985
as Grace Quigley
MovieGeorge Stevens: A Filmmaker's Journey
1985
as Self
MovieOn Golden Pond
1981
as Ethel Thayer
MovieThe Corn Is Green
1979
as Miss Lilly Moffat
TVThe Kennedy Center Honors
1978
as Self
MovieOlly Olly Oxen Free
1978
as Miss Pudd
MovieThat's Entertainment, Part II
1976
as (archive footage)
MovieLove Among the Ruins
1976
as Jessica Medlicott
MovieRooster Cogburn
1975
as Eula Goodnight
MovieBrother, Can You Spare a Dime?
1975
as Self (archive footage)
TVSpécial cinéma
1974
as Self
MovieThat's Entertainment!
1974
as (archive footage) (uncredited)
MovieThe Glass Menagerie
1973
as Amanda Wingfield
MovieA Delicate Balance
1973
as Agnes
MovieHollywood: The Dream Factory
1972
as Self (archive footage)
MovieDirected by John Ford
1971
as Self
MovieThe Trojan Women
1971
as Hecuba
TVGreat Performances
1971
as Self
MovieThe Madwoman of Chaillot
1969
as Contessa Aurelia
MovieThe Lion in Winter
1968
as Eleanor of Aquitaine
TVThe Dick Cavett Show
1968
as Self - Guest
MovieGuess Who's Coming to Dinner
1967
as Christina Drayton
aspekte
1965
as Self
MovieThe Big Parade of Comedy
1964
as Tracy Lord (archive footage)
MovieLong Day's Journey Into Night
1962
as Mary Tyrone
MovieHollywood: The Selznick Years
1961
as Self (voice) (uncredited)
TVThe Mike Douglas Show
1961
as Self - Taped Tribute
MovieSuddenly, Last Summer
1959
as Violet Venable
MovieDesk Set
1957
as Bunny Watson
MovieThe Rainmaker
1956
as Lizzie Curry
MovieThe Iron Petticoat
1956
as Captain Vinka Kovalenko
TVTony Awards
1956
as Self - Nominee / Performer
TVMGM Parade
1955
MovieSummertime
1955
as Jane Hudson
TVThe Oscars
1953
as Self
MoviePat and Mike
1952
as Patricia "Pat" Pemberton
MovieThe African Queen
1952
as Rose Sayer
MovieThe Costume Designer
1950
as Self (archive footage)
MovieAdam's Rib
1949
as Amanda Bonner
MovieState of the Union
1948
as Mary Matthews
MovieSong of Love
1947
as Clara Wieck Schumann
MovieThe Sea of Grass
1947
as Lutie Cameron Brewton
MovieUndercurrent
1946
as Ann Hamilton
MovieWithout Love
1945
as Jamie Rowan
MovieDragon Seed
1944
as Jade Tan
MovieTwenty Years After
1944
as (archive footage)
MovieStage Door Canteen
1943
as Katharine Hepburn
MovieKeeper of the Flame
1943
as Christine Forrest
MovieWoman of the Year
1942
as Tess Harding
MovieWomen in Defense
1941
as Narrator (voice)
MovieThe Philadelphia Story
1940
as Tracy Lord
MovieA New Romance of Celluloid: The Miracle of Sound
1940
as Self
MovieCavalcade of the Academy Awards
1940
as Self (archive footage)
MovieHoliday
1938
as Linda Seton
MovieBringing Up Baby
1938
as Susan
MovieStage Door
1937
as Terry Randall
MovieQuality Street
1937
as Phoebe Throssel
MovieA Woman Rebels
1936
as Pamela 'Pam' Thistlewaite
MovieMary of Scotland
1936
as Mary Stuart
MovieSylvia Scarlett
1935
as Sylvia Scarlett
MovieAlice Adams
1935
as Alice Adams
MovieBreak of Hearts
1935
as Constance Dane Roberti
MovieThe Little Minister
1934
as Barbara 'Babbie'
MovieSpitfire
1934
as Trigger Hicks
MovieLittle Women
1933
as Jo
MovieMorning Glory
1933
as Eva Lovelace
MovieChristopher Strong
1933
as Lady Cynthia Darrington
MovieA Bill of Divorcement
1932
as Sydney Fairfield
Loving Against Time: the Making of On Golden Pond
as archive footage
