Katharine Hepburn

Born: 1907-05-12

Katharine Houghton Hepburn (May 12, 1907 – June 29, 2003) was an American actress of film, stage, and television. She held the record for the most Best Actress Oscar wins with 4 out of 12 nominations and was ranked as the greatest female star in the history of American cinema by the American Film Institute in 1999. She has also won an Emmy Award out of a total 5 Emmy nominations, two Tony Awards and eight Golden Globes. She was known for her sophisticated, headstrong and outspoken screen persona. Apart from her admirable acting and distinctive voice, her impact extended to fashion as well as she helped wearing trousers and pants more socially acceptable for women. Raised in Connecticut by wealthy progressive parents, Hepburn turned to acting after university. After a rocky start on stage, she made her way to Hollywood by starring in A Bill of Divorcement (1932) alongside John Barrymore, which instantly brought her praise. A few early film successes, including her first Academy Award, for Morning Glory (1933) were not enough as she endured a string of flops. Apart from being voted "box office poison", her rocky relationship with the press and tomboyish fashion choices made her incredibly unpopular. She arranged with playwright Philip Barry to write a play with her in mind, one that smoothed over her prickly public image. This play, The Philadelphia Story, turned out to be a huge success on Broadway. Securing the film rights for herself with the help of Howard Hughes, Katharine Hepburn sold them to Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer on the condition that she reprise her leading role as Tracy Lord. The 1940 film was a hit and revived her flagging career, even earning her a third Academy Award for Best Actress nomination. Throughout her six-decade career, Hepburn's filmography covered a range of genres, including screwball comedies, period dramas, and adaptations of works by top American playwrights. She co-starred with screen legends like Cary Grant), Humphrey Bogart, John Wayne, Laurence Olivier and Henry Fonda. Her most successful 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 the stage included plays by Shakespeare and Shaw, and a Broadway musical. She passed away from cardiac arrest on June 29, 2003, at her family home in Connecticut and since then, has been honored with several memorials.


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The Philadelphia Story

as Tracy Lord
Released: 1940-12-05

When a rich woman's ex-husband and a tabloid-type reporter turn up just before her planned...

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The Lion in Winter

as Eleanor of Aquitaine
Released: 1968-10-30

Henry II and his estranged queen battle over the choice of an heir.

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Guess Who's Coming to Dinner

as Christina Drayton
Released: 1967-12-11

A couple's attitudes are challenged when their daughter brings home a fiancé who is black.

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Rooster Cogburn

as Eula Goodnight
Released: 1975-11-01

After a band of drunken thugs overruns a small Indian Nation town, killing Reverend Goodnight...

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Bringing Up Baby

as Susan Vance
Released: 1938-02-18

David Huxley is waiting to get a bone he needs for his museum collection. Through a series of...

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The African Queen

as Rose Sayer
Released: 1952-01-07

At the start of the First World War, in the middle of Africa’s nowhere, a gin soaked riverboat...

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Suddenly, Last Summer

as Violet Venable
Released: 1959-12-22

The only son of wealthy widow Violet Venable dies while on vacation with his cousin Catherine....

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On Golden Pond

as Ethel Thayer
Released: 1981-12-04

For Norman and Ethel Thayer, this summer on golden pond is filled with conflict and resolution....

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State of the Union

as Mary Matthews
Released: 1948-04-30

An industrialist is urged to run for President, but this requires uncomfortable compromises on...

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Holiday

as Linda Seton
Released: 1938-05-26

Johnny Case, a freethinking financier, has finally found the girl of his dreams — Julia Seton,...

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Adam's Rib

as Amanda Bonner
Released: 1949-11-18

When a woman attempts to kill her uncaring husband, prosecutor Adam Bonner gets the case....

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Love Affair

as Ginny
Released: 1994-10-21

Ex-football star Mike Gambril meets Terry McKay on a flight to Sydney, which is forced to land...

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That's Entertainment!

as (archive footage) (uncredited)
Released: 1974-06-21

Various MGM stars from yesterday present their favorite musical moments from the studio's 50...

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Stage Door

as Terry Randall
Released: 1937-10-07

The ups and downs in the lives and careers of a group of ambitious young actresses and show...

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That's Entertainment! III

as (archive footage)
Released: 1994-07-01

Some of MGM'S musical stars review the studios history of musicals. From The Hollywood Revue of...

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Woman of the Year

as Tess Harding
Released: 1942-02-05

Rival reporters Sam and Tess fall in love and get married, only to find their relationship...

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Alice Adams

as Alice Adams
Released: 1935-08-23

In the lower-middle-class Adams family, father and son are happy to work in a drugstore, but...

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Pat and Mike

as Patricia "Pat" Pemberton
Released: 1952-06-13

Pat Pemberton is a brilliant athlete, except when her domineering fiancé is around. The ladies...

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The Rainmaker

as Lizzie Curry
Released: 1956-12-13

Lizzie Curry is on the verge of becoming a hopeless old maid. Her wit and intelligence and...

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Desk Set

as Bunny Watson
Released: 1957-08-02

A computer expert tries to prove his electronic brain can replace a television network's...

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Little Women

as Jo
Released: 1933-11-24

Little Women is a coming-of-age drama tracing the lives of four sisters: Meg, Jo, Beth and Amy....

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Summertime

as Jane Hudson
Released: 1955-06-21

Middle-aged Ohio secretary Jane Hudson has never found love and has nearly resigned herself to...

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Scotty and the Secret History of Hollywood

as Self (archive footage)
Released: 2018-07-27

A deliciously scandalous portrait of unsung Hollywood legend Scotty Bowers, whose bestselling...

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Dragon Seed

as Jade Tan
Released: 1944-07-20

The lives of a small Chinese village are turned Upside down when the Japanese invade it. An...

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That's Entertainment, Part II

as (archive footage)
Released: 1976-05-16

Gene Kelly and Fred Astaire present more golden moments from the MGM film library, this time...

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Long Day's Journey Into Night

as Mary Tyrone
Released: 1962-10-09

Over the course of one day in August 1912, the family of retired actor James Tyrone grapples...

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Sylvia Scarlett

as Sylvia/Sylvester Scarlett
Released: 1935-12-25

When her father decides to flee to England, young Sylvia Scarlett must become Sylvester Scarlett...

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Undercurrent

as Ann Hamilton
Released: 1946-11-11

After a rapid engagement, a dowdy daughter of a chemist weds an industrialist, knowing little of...

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Mary of Scotland

as Mary Stuart
Released: 1936-07-28

The recently widowed Mary Stuart returns to Scotland to reclaim her throne but is opposed by her...

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A Bill of Divorcement

as Sydney Fairfield
Released: 1932-09-28

Hilary Fairfield returns home after fifteen years in an asylum with his sanity restored. But he...

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Night of 100 Stars III

as Self
Released: 1990-05-21

A celebrity benefit for The Actors' Fund of America, featuring music, songs, dance and comedy.

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Smash His Camera

as Self (archive footage)
Released: 2010-07-30

A film centering on the life and work of Ron Galella that examines the nature and effect of...

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A New Romance of Celluloid: The Miracle of Sound

as Self
Released: 1940-10-24

This short documentary, presented and directed by MGM sound engineer Douglas Shearer, goes...

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Becoming Cary Grant

as Self (archive footage)
Released: 2017-05-23

For the first time one of Hollywood's greatest stars tells his own story, in his own words. From...

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Without Love

as Jamie Rowan
Released: 1945-03-22

In World War II Washington DC, scientist Pat Jamieson's assistant, Jamie Rowan, enters a...

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Keeper of the Flame

as Christine Forrest
Released: 1943-04-01

Famed reporter Stephen O'Malley travels to a small town to investigate the death of a national hero.

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Break of Hearts

as Constance Dane Roberti
Released: 1935-05-31

Constance, a poor but aspiring composer, meets the great conductor, Franz, through their old...

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Cameraman: The Life and Work of Jack Cardiff

as Self (archive footage)
Released: 2010-05-05

In 2001 Jack Cardiff (1914-2009) became the first director of photography in the history of the...

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The Little Minister

as Barbara 'Babbie'
Released: 1934-12-28

The stoic, proper Rev. Gavin Dishart, newly assigned to a church in the small Scottish village...

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George Stevens: A Filmmaker's Journey

as Self
Released: 1985-03-03

Biography of the legendary filmmaker directed by his son.

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Hollywood: The Dream Factory

as Self (archive footage)
Released: 1972-01-10

A documentary about the glorious history of Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studios and its decline leading...

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The Sea of Grass

as Lutie Cameron Brewton
Released: 1947-04-25

A St. Louis woman marries a New Mexico cattleman who is seen as a tyrant by the locals.

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Song of Love

as Clara Wieck Schumann
Released: 1947-10-09

Composer Robert Schumann struggles to compose his symphonies while his loving wife Clara offers...

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Directed by John Ford

as Self
Released: 1971-09-06

A documentary about the life and films of director John Ford.

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Morning Glory

as Eva Lovelace
Released: 1933-08-18

Wildly optimistic chatterbox Eva Lovelace is a would-be actress trying to crash the New York...

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The Good, The Bad, and the Beautiful

as Self (archive footage)
Released: 1996-03-17

A documentary reflecting on women in film and the entertainment industry through the ages led...

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The Making of a Legend: Gone with the Wind

as Self (archive footage)
Released: 1988-10-01

This documentary revisits the making of Gone with the Wind via archival footage, screen tests,...

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The Big Parade of Comedy

as Tracy Lord (archive footage)
Released: 1964-09-02

Film clips highlight the funniest scenes and brightest comic stars in MGM's history.

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Hollywood: The Selznick Years

as Self (voice) (uncredited)
Released: 1961-12-31

Henry Fonda hosts this retrospective on the career and films of iconic filmmaker David O....

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A Woman Rebels

as Pamela 'Pam' Thistlewaite
Released: 1936-11-06

A Victorian-era woman struggles to break free of the moral codes established by society and...

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Grace Quigley

as Grace Quigley
Released: 1985-05-17

Grace Quigley is nearing the end of her life, living alone in her New York apartment. On the day...

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Cavalcade of the Academy Awards

as Self (archive footage)
Released: 1940-07-31

This 1940 presentation features highlights of earlier (1928 onward) Oscar ceremonies including...

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Love Among the Ruins

as Jessica Medlicott
Released: 1975-03-06

An aging actress and socialite, Jessica Medlicott has ended her engagement with a younger man...

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The Spencer Tracy Legacy: A Tribute by Katharine Hepburn

as Self – Host
Released: 1986-03-09

In this tribute to her frequent co-star and longtime love, Katharine Hepburn hosts a...

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The Glass Menagerie

as Amanda Wingfield
Released: 1973-12-16

An aging Southern belle's preoccupation with her past and her dreams for her children's futures...

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Broadway's Lost Treasures II

as Coco Chanel (segment "Coco")
Released: 2004-10-26

The annual Tony Award broadcast provides the only filmed record of Broadway's best for audiences...

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Cary Grant: A Celebration of a Leading Man

as Self (archive footage)
Released: 1988-06-05

A retrospective of the life and career of actor Cary Grant, including clips from his films and...

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Hannibal Hopkins et Sir Anthony

as Self (archive footage)
Released: 2021-03-26

Hopkins’ career has spanned several decades, which is why we will also use many interviews that...

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The Iron Petticoat

as Captain Vinka Kovalenko
Released: 1956-09-01

Captain Vinka Kovalenko defects from Russia, but not for political reasons. She defects because...

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Christopher Strong

as Lady Cynthia Darrington
Released: 1933-03-09

A romance develops between a happily married middle-aged British politician and an adventurous...

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Tennessee Williams: Orpheus of the American Stage

as Mrs. Venable (archive footage)
Released: 1994-12-19

A study of Tennessee Williams's life and work as a whole, ranging from his youth in Mississippi...

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Stage Door Canteen

as Katharine Hepburn
Released: 1943-06-24

A young soldier on a pass in New York City visits the famed Stage Door Canteen, where famous...

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Yellowface: Asian Whitewashing and Racism in Hollywood

as (archive footage)
Released: 2019-10-13

A history of anti-Asian racism and yellowface in Hollywood after the 1941 Pearl Harbor attack.

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Happy 100th Birthday, Hollywood

as Self
Released: 1987-05-18

A TV special on the 100th anniversary of the birth of film.

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Complicated Women

as Self (archive footage)
Released: 2003-05-06

Looks at the stereotype-breaking films of the period from 1929, when movies entered the sound...

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Brother, Can You Spare a Dime?

as Self (archive footage)
Released: 1975-08-06

Period music, film clips and newsreel footage combined into a visual exploration of the American...

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One Christmas

as Cornelia Beaumont
Released: 1994-12-19

Based on Truman Capote's bittersweet tale of a young boy's adventures with the father he's never...

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The Line King: The Al Hirschfeld Story

as Self (voice) (uncredited)
Released: 1996-09-27

The childhood, adolescence, and incredible adult years of Al Hirschfeld, celebrated creator of...

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Laura Lansing Slept Here

as Laura Lansing
Released: 1988-03-06

With a glittering cast that includes Katharine Hepburn and Karen Austin in lead roles, Laura...

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The Trojan Women

as Hecuba
Released: 1971-05-01

In the aftermath of the Trojan Wars, Queen Hecuba takes stock of the defeated kingdom. Her son...

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Twenty Years After

as (archive footage)
Released: 1944-01-01

This short celebrates the 20th anniversary of MGM. Segments are shown from several early hits,...

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Quality Street

as Phoebe Throssel
Released: 1937-03-26

In the 1810s, an old maid poses as her own niece in order to teach her onetime beau a lesson.

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Bacall on Bogart

as Self
Released: 1988-03-13

Lauren Bacall tells the story of her late husband Humphrey Bogart, presenting clips from his...

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Bogart: The Untold Story

as Self (archive footage)
Released: 1997-01-05

Stephen H. Bogart narrates the rise to fame of his father, Humphrey Bogart through the use of...

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The Corn Is Green

as Miss Lilly Moffat
Released: 1979-01-29

A strong-willed teacher, determined to educate the poor and illiterate youth of an impoverished...

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Spitfire

as Trigger Hicks
Released: 1934-03-08

Dirt-poor mountain girl Trigger Hicks is a loner. Her faith-healing is mistaken for witchcraft...

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Embracing Chaos: Making The African Queen

as Self / Rose Sayer (archive footage)
Released: 2010-03-23

The epic story of how the film The African Queen (1951), directed by John Huston and starring...

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James Stewart: A Wonderful Life

as Self
Released: 1988-11-22

Documentary about James Stewart's long career as an actor and positive personal life.

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The Madwoman of Chaillot

as Contessa Aurelia
Released: 1969-10-12

An eccentric Parisian woman's optimistic perception of life begins to sound more rational than...

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Call Me Kate

as Self (archive footage)
Released: 2023-05-12

A feature documentary which captures Katharine Hepburn's spirit and determination, exploring her...

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Katharine Hepburn: On Her Own Terms

as Self
Released: 1996-10-04

Four-time Oscar-winner Katharine Hepburn called herself a "personality" as well as an actress,...

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Cary Grant: A Class Apart

as Self (archive footage)
Released: 2004-06-01

Documentary that explores the life and career of leading man Cary Grant through film clips and...

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The Costume Designer

as Self (archive footage)
Released: 1950-07-13

This short focuses on the job of the costume designer in the production of motion pictures. The...

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The Man Upstairs

as Victoria Brown
Released: 1992-12-06

Hepburn plays an elderly woman whose house becomes a hideaway for an escaped convict (O'Neal),...

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A Delicate Balance

as Agnes
Released: 1973-11-12

In their nice Connecticut home, Agnes and Tobias have grown used to the imperfection and...

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Mrs. Delafield Wants to Marry

as Margaret Delafield
Released: 1986-03-30

A rich widow shocks her snobbish WASP family when she decides to marry her Jewish, divorced,...

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Katharine Hepburn: The Great Kate

as Self - Interviewee (archive footage)
Released: 2014-03-02

A peep behind the scenes of the golden era of Hollywood to discover exactly how and why...

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Michael Jackson: The Legend Continues

as Self
Released: 1988-01-02

Music documentary directed by Patrick T. Kelly.

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Legends in Light: The Photography of George Hurrell

as Self
Released: 1995-01-16

The life and career of legendary Hollywood glamour portrait photographer George Hurrell is...

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This Can't Be Love

as Marion Bennett
Released: 1994-03-13

Two aging actors, who had a brief but intense marriage in the 1940s, are reunited decades later...

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Olly, Olly, Oxen Free

as Miss Pudd
Released: 1978-08-11

Elderly, eccentric Miss Pudd (Hepburn) is the owner of a store she considers an antique shop but...

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Women in Defense

as Narrator (voice)
Released: 1941-12-24

Short documentary extolling the virtues and necessity for women to participate in America's...

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Katharine Hepburn: All About Me

as Self
Released: 1993-01-18

In a rare interview, Katharine Hepburn shares her memories and memorabilia.

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In Search of Tracy Lord

as Self (archive footage)
Released: 2017-11-07

Playwright Philip Barry and actor Katharine Hepburn, both experiencing career downturns in the...

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The Dick Cavett Show

as Self - Guest
First aired: 1968-06-06

The Dick Cavett Show has been the title of several talk shows hosted by Dick Cavett on various...

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The Kennedy Center Honors

as Self
First aired: 1978-12-28

The Kennedy Center Honors is an annual honor given to those in the performing arts for their...

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Tony Awards

as Self - Nominee / Performer
First aired: 1956-04-01

The Antoinette Perry Award for Excellence in Theatre, more commonly known as a Tony Award,...

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Intimate Portrait

as Self
First aired: 1993-11-14

Intimate Portrait is a biographical television series on the Lifetime Television cable network...

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Great Performances

as Self
First aired: 1971-01-28

The best in the performing arts from across America and around the world including a diverse...

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Spécial cinéma

as Self
First aired: 1974-09-25

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The Oscars

as Self
First aired: 1953-03-19

An annual American awards ceremony honoring cinematic achievements in the film industry. The...

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The RKO Story: Tales From Hollywood

as Self
First aired: 1987-07-03

Ed Asner tells the story of RKO Pictures from the 1920s to the 1960s.

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