In the new documentary Stty and the Secret History of Hollywood, former V.F. edor Matt Tyrner sh a light on the sexual fixer who tered to secretly gay Goln Age stars
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- MISS INPENNT: KATHARE HEPBURN’S OBSSIVE ORIGALYIN THE LATT OLD HOLLYWOOD BOOK CLUB, WE VIS THE LIFE AND TIM OF KATHARE HEPBURN.BY HADLEY HALL MEAROCTOBER 7, 2022BY ERNT BACHRACH/JOHN KOBAL FOUNDATN/GETTY IMAG.SAVE THIS STORYSAVESAVE THIS STORYSAVE“NOW WE E TO ME,” KATHARE HEPBURN WR CHEEKILY HER 1991 TOBGRAPHY OF THE SAME NAME.SHE KNOWS WHAT HER DIENCE WANTS, AND THE SELF-NFSED EGOTIST IS HAPPY TO OBLIGE. THE FOUR-TIME OSR-WNG ACTRS, STAR OF UNTLS CLASSICS, CLUDG BRGG UP BABY, PAT AND MIKE, AND THE LN WTER, SURVIVED FOR S BY DOG HER OWN WAY, AND BEME AN AMERIN STUTN THE PROCS. “I HAVE BEE A FAIAR,” SHE WR. “I AM VERY AWARE OF THAT NOW. I’M LIKE THE STATUE OF LIBERTY TO A LOT OF PEOPLE.”IN ME: STORI OF MY LIFE, THE HEPBURN PERSONA IS ON FULL DISPLAY—NVERSATNAL, WTY, STUBBORN, WEIRD, STTERED, PETIVE, BG, UNIQUE, AND SURPRISGLY WARM. THE REAR FEELS CHARMED YET SNOWED UNR AS HEPBURN REUNTS HER NUMERO ATHLETIC EXPLOS, HER ROMANC, HER CSH ON JOHN WAYNE, LGHG OM MORNG TO NIGHT WH CARY GRANT, A MUTE SCRIPTN OF HER BT IEND GEE COR’S HOE, AND EVEN THE RECIPE FOR HER FAVORE CURRANT KE.BUT THROUGH ALL HEPBURN, A FAN OF LD BATHS AND SWIMMG THE ICY SEA, IS A REALIST WHO UNTS HER BLSGS, AWARE SHE HAS LED A CHARMED LIFE. “I AM HAPPY,” SHE WR. “I HAVE A HAPPY NATURE—I LIKE THE RA—I LIKE THE SUN—THE HEAT—THE LD—THE MOUNTAS, THE SEA—THE FLOWERS, THE—WELL, I LIKE LIFE AND I’VE BEEN SO LUCKY. WHY SHOULDN’T I BE HAPPY? I DON’T LOCK DOORS. I DON’T HOLD GDG. REALLY THE ONLY THG I’M NOT MAD ABOUT IS WD. I FD DISTURBG.”TO THE MANOR BORNKATHARE HOUGHTON HEPBURN WAS BORN 1907, HARTFORD, CONNECTICUT. UNLIKE MOST OF HER NTEMPORARI, SHE WAS OM MONEY—PATRICIAN, BLUE BLOOD NORTHEASTERN ARISTOCRACY—OF WHICH SHE WAS CLEARLY ORDATELY PROUD.BUT HEPBURN WAS MOST PROUD OF HER RADILLY LIBERAL, TELLECTUAL PARENTS, AND IS WHEN SHE WR ABOUT THEM THAT HER REAL HUMANY SH THROUGH THE PATTER. HER FATHER, DR. THOMAS HEPBURN, FOUND THE NEW ENGLAND SOCIAL HYGIENE ASSOCIATN, WHICH TED THE PUBLIC ABOUT THE THEN-TABOO ISSUE OF VENEREAL DISEASE. BUT THE TE SUPERSTAR OF THE FAY WAS HER MOTHER, KATHARE, WHO FOUGHT FOR BIRTH NTROL ACCS AND WAS THE HEAD OF THE CONNECTICUT WOMAN SUFAGE ASSOCIATN.THE FEARLS HEPBURN AND HER FIVE RAMBUNCT SIBLGS GREW UP MPAIGNG FOR THE VOTE WH HER MOTHER, PASSG OUT PRO-SUFAGE BALLOONS AT THE UNTY FAIR. HEPBURN PATS HER CHILDHOOD AS ONE FILLED WH TELLECTUAL STIMULATN, PETIVE SPORTS, AND EEDOM RARE FOR A RICH GIRL EDWARDIAN AMERI.“THERE WAS A HEMLOCK TREE ON THE WT SI OF THE PROPERTY,” SHE RELLS. “THAT WAS THE TREE I ED TO CLIMB. THE NEIGHBORS ED TO LL MOTHER. ‘K! KATHY IS THE TOP OF THE HEMLOCK!’ ‘Y, I KNOW. DON’T SRE HER. SHE DON’T KNOW THAT ’S DANGERO.’”DES LATER, HEPBURN’S LOVE FOR HER REMARKABLE PARENTS N STILL BRG THE REAR TO TEARS. “HOW I MISS YOU TWO,” SHE WR. “I WAS SO ED TO TURNG TO YOU. IT WAS HEAVEN. ALWAYS TO HAVE YOU TWO TO TURN TO SPAIR, JOY. THERE YOU WERE: STRONG—FUNNY. TWO ROCKS. WHAT YOU DID FOR ME—WOW! WHAT LUCK TO BE BORN OUT OF LOVE AND TO LIVE AN ATMOSPHERE OF WARMTH AND TERT.”TOMBUT THERE WAS A DARK SI TO THIS PICTURE-PERFECT PORTRAYAL. ACRDG TO WILLIAM J. MANN, THOR OF THE GOSSIPY AND AT TIM MEAN-SPIRED KATE: THE WOMAN WHO WAS HEPBURN, DR. THOMAS HEPBURN WAS AN EXACTG FATHER WH AN EXPLOSIVE TEMPER, WHOSE WIFE PLATED HIM AT EVERY TURN.MOST POPULARAND JT LIKE THAT: MICHAEL PATRICK KG KNOWS WHEN THE AUDIENCE TURNED ON CHE DIAZBY CHRIS MURPHYSARA RAMIREZ ISSU STHG RPONSE TO ANTI–CHE DIAZ PROFILEBY SAVANNAH WALSHTHE 25 BT SHOWS ON NETFLIX TO WATCH RIGHT NOWBY TARA ARIANOWHILE HEPBURN HERSELF IS HONT THAT HER FAY’S ACTIVISM MA THEM OUTSTS PROPER SOCIETY, SHE IS MUM ABOUT HOW HER PARENTS’ EMPHASIS ON PRCIPLED PERFECTNISM MAY HAVE NEGATIVELY AFFECTED HER AND HER SIBLGS. THERE WAS CERTALY TROUBLE BREWG HER OLR BROTHER TOM, A SENSIVE, ATHLETIC BOY WHO WAS THE 14-YEAR-OLD HEPBURN’S NSTANT PANN.IN APRIL 1921, THE TWO SIBLGS WERE ON AN ADVENTURE NEW YORK CY, STAYG WH A FAY IEND. ONE NIGHT, THEY WENT TO SEE A CONNECTICUT YANKEE KG ARTHUR’S COURT ON BROADWAY. “AS I LATER TOLD THE STORY,” HEPBURN WR, “I SAID THAT TOM HAD LOOKED AT ME AND SAID, ’YOU’RE MY GIRL, AREN’T YOU? YOU’RE MY FAVORE GIRL THE WHOLE WORLD.’ WHY DID I SAY THIS? WAS TE? I MEAN, DID TOM REALLY SAY ? I DON’T KNOW ANY LONGER.”IN MUDDLED, REMOVED PROSE, HEPBURN SCRIB THE “FACTS” AS SHE RELLS THEM. “NEXT MORNG, I WENT UPSTAIRS TO WAKE HIM UP. THERE HE WAS—NEXT TO THE BED—HIS KNE BENT—HANGED BY A TORN PIECE OF SHEETG. IT WAS TIED TO A RAFTER. HE WAS AD. STRANGLED. IT MA NO SENSE. IN A STATE OF NUMB SHOCK, I CUT HIM DOWN AND LAID HIM ON THE BED.”THE HEPBURN FAY’S RPONSE TO TOM’S APPARANT SUICI IS SHOCKG TO MORN SENSIBILI. HER FATHER WROTE TO THE PAPERS, CLAIMG HIS SON HAD SIMPLY BEEN DOG A ROPE TRICK. THE FAY RARELY IF EVER SPOKE OF HIM AGA.SEVENTY YEARS LATER, HEPBURN REMAED NON-MTAL AND UNWILLG TO CRICIZE HER FAY’S RPONSE OR EVEN ADM THAT TOM DIED BY SUICI. BUT SHE IS HONT ABOUT THE EFFECT TOM’S ATH HAD ON HER. “THIS CINT SEEMED TO SORT OF SEPARATE ME OM THE WORLD AS I’D KNOWN ,” SHE WR. “I TRIED SCHOOL BUT…I FELT ISOLATED. I KNEW SOMETHG THAT THE GIRLS DID NOT KNOW: TRAGEDY.”KATHARE OF ARROGANCEAFTER GRADUATG OM BRYN MAWR, HEPBURN KNEW WHAT SHE WANTED—TO BE A SENSATN. “IT WAS ALL OR NOTHG FOR ME ME ME,” SHE RELLS. “I WAS JT FULL OF THE JOY OF LIFE AND OPPORTUNY AND A WILD SIRE TO BE ABSOLUTELY FASCATG.”THIS BLD AMBN WAS TEMPERED WH A SURPRISGLY NAïVE, SHELTERED VIEW OF LIFE. HER SCRIPTN OF LOSG HER VIRGY TO HER PERFECTLY NAMED HBAND, LUDLOW OGN SMH, IS HILAR FOR S RETICENCE AND Y HONTY:I GUS THAT I KNEW THAT LUDDY WAS LOVE WH ME. BUT YOU SEE MY HCH WAS THAT I WAS LOVE WH MYSELF ...I WANTED TO BE A BIG STAR…ANYWAY, LUDDY AND I WERE ALONE THE APARTMENT AND THERE WAS THE BED AND THERE DIDN’T SEEM TO BE ANY REASON NOT TO. WELL — WHAT I’M TRYG TO SAY IS THAT — THAT’S WHAT HAPPENED. I MEAN — WE DID … AND THAT WAS THE END OF MY VIRTUE.WH REHG NDOR AND SELF-PRETG HUMOR, HEPBURN REUNTS WHAT AN “ABSOLUTE PIG” SHE WAS TO SWEET, LOYAL LUDDY, WHO SHE MARRIED 1928 (THEY DIVORCED 1942). AND SOME OF THE FUNNIT BS THE TOBGRAPHY TAIL HOW HER HARD-HTG NFINCE GOT HER FIRED OM NUMERO STAGE PRODUCTNS.MOST POPULARAND JT LIKE THAT: MICHAEL PATRICK KG KNOWS WHEN THE AUDIENCE TURNED ON CHE DIAZBY CHRIS MURPHYSARA RAMIREZ ISSU STHG RPONSE TO ANTI–CHE DIAZ PROFILEBY SAVANNAH WALSHTHE 25 BT SHOWS ON NETFLIX TO WATCH RIGHT NOWBY TARA ARIANOWHEN SHE ARRIVED HOLLYWOOD 1932 TO STAR HER FIRST MOVIE, A BILL OF DIVORCEMENT, AN ADMTEDLY HGHTY HEPBURN STEPPED OFF THE TRA A RIDICULOLY EXPENSIVE HIGH-NECKED FFLED RIDG AT, A BIZARRE HAT PERCHED ON HER HEAD, AND ONE EYE SWOLLEN SHUT 90-GREE HEAT.ACRDG TO HEPBURN, THE STUD EXECUTIV THERE TO MEET HER WERE DISMAYED, EXCLAIMG THEIR NEW FD LOOKED LIKE A DAVER. THGS DIDN’T GET BETTER UNTIL HER EQUALLY “ODD,” BUT “GENERO” -STAR JOHN BARRYMORE TOOK THE UNNVENTNAL, HEADSTRONG NOVICE UNR HIS WG AFTER AN UNSUCCSFUL ATTEMPT AT SCTN:HE ASKED ME TO E TO HIS DRSG ROOM ON THE LOT ONE DAY. I WENT. KNOCKED ON THE DOOR. HE SAID, “COME .” I DID. AND THERE HE WAS, LYG ON HIS UCH —WHAT SHALL I SAY?—PARATIVE DISARRAY. I MT HAVE LOOKED TOTALLY BLANK. THERE WAS A PSE. A QUICK SHUFFLE OF BLANKETS. “OH. I AM SORRY. SEE YOU LATER.” I WENT. OH MY, HOW VERY STRANGE. ANYWAY, HE WAS AN ANGEL AFTER THAT ONE FEEBLE WHATEVER YOU WANT TO LL . HIS MA OBJECT AFTER THAT SEEMED TO BE TO BE CERTA THAT I MA A BIG H.BOX OFFICE POISONHEPBURN’S STAR QUICKLY ROSE, THOUGH THE HOLLYWOOD MUNY WAS AT A LOSS TO UNRSTAND HER. AS HEPBURN NOT, SHE WAS A HOMEBODY WHO WORE THREADBARE MEN’S CLOTHG, DARED TO LIVE WH CLOSE FEMALE PANNS (LEADG TO MORS SHE WAS A LBIAN), AND HAD A EP ATTACHMENT TO HER FAY (HER FATHER MANAGED HER MONEY, SENDG HER AN ALLOWANCE TO HER 50S).NOW A MOVIE STAR, HEPBURN STARTED A THREE-YEAR RELATNSHIP WH THE EQUALLY QUIRKY HOWARD HUGH, WHO SHE TREATS WH GENERO SYMPATHY HER BOOK. THE TWO HAD MUCH MON, CLUDG A SELF-PROCLAIMED “WILD SIRE TO BE FAMO.” HUGH TGHT THE ADVENTURO HEPBURN TO FLY AND DISPLAYED AN IMPULSIVENS SHE SHARED. “WHEN WE ED A SEAPLANE, SOMETIM IF WAS HOT WE WOULD STOP THE MIDDLE OF LONG ISLAND SOUND AND ANCHOR THE PLANE, TAKE OFF OUR CLOTH, DIVE OFF A WG NAKED TO OL OFF,” SHE RELLS. “IT WAS FUN.”BUT HER REER CRASHED 1938, WHEN THE INPENNT THEATER OWNERS OF AMERI CLARED THAT PENNT, SELF-SUFFICIENT FEMALE STARS, CLUDG HEPBURN, GRETA GARBO, JOAN CRAWFORD, AND MARLENE DIETRICH, WERE “BOX OFFICE POISON.” ACRDG TO ANNE EDWARD’S SIGHTFUL, ENGROSSG KATHARE HEPBURN: A REMARKABLE WOMAN, THE LIST’S PUBLITN LED TO A GOOD-NATURED FIGHT BETWEEN HEPBURN AND DIETRICH, ON A TRIP BACK EAST COLE PORTER’S TRA R, OVER WHO WAS THE “BIGGT” BOX OFFICE POISON.HOWEVER, HEPBURN WASN’T DOWN FOR THE UNT FOR LONG. SHE CREDS HUGH WH ENURAGG HER TO BUY THE FILM RIGHTS TO THE PLAY THE PHILALPHIA STORY. THE STAGE PRODUCTN AND 1940 MOVIE WERE SMASH HS, AND HEPBURN WAS BACK ON TOP—ON HER OWN TERMS.SPENCE“NOW I’M GOG TO TELL YOU ABOUT SPENCER. YOU MAY THK YOU’VE WAED A LONG TIME. BUT LET’S FACE , SO DID I. I WAS THIRTY-THREE,” HEPBURN WR, AFTER THEATRILLY SAVG THE STORY OF THEIR LEGENDARY LOVE STORY TILL THE END OF THE BOOK. “I DISVERED WHAT ‘I LOVE YOU’ REALLY MEANS. IT MEANS I PUT YOU AND YOUR TERTS AND YOUR FORT AHEAD OF MY OWN TERTS AND MY OWN FORT BEE I LOVE YOU…LOVE HAS NOTHG TO DO WH WHAT YOU ARE EXPECTG TO GET—ONLY WH WHAT YOU ARE EXPECTG TO GIVE—WHICH IS EVERYTHG.”MOST POPULARAND JT LIKE THAT: MICHAEL PATRICK KG KNOWS WHEN THE AUDIENCE TURNED ON CHE DIAZBY CHRIS MURPHYSARA RAMIREZ ISSU STHG RPONSE TO ANTI–CHE DIAZ PROFILEBY SAVANNAH WALSHTHE 25 BT SHOWS ON NETFLIX TO WATCH RIGHT NOWBY TARA ARIANOBY HER OWN ACUNT, HEPBURN GAVE EVERYTHG TO HER 27-YEAR CLANSTE RELATNSHIP WH THE MARRIED SPENCER TRACY, WHO SHE HAD LONG ADMIRED OM AFAR. ACRDG TO HEPBURN, TRACY IALLY BALKED AT APPEARG 1942’S WOMAN OF THE YEAR, EXCLAIMG, “HOW N I DO A PICTURE WH A WOMAN WHO HAS DIRT UNR HER FGERNAILS AND WHO IS OF AMBIGUO SEXUALY AND ALWAYS WEARS PANTS.”HEPBURN’S TENR, VULNERABLE, ACHG SI OUT AS SHE GH OVER TRACY—HIS GENI, HIS HUMOR, HIS TELLECT. SHE IS ALSO HONT ABOUT HIS PRIVATE TORMENTS, HIS BATTLE WH ALHOLISM AND PRSN, AND HER CHOICE TO PUT HER OWN REER ASI TO SOOTHE AND NURSE A MAN WHO ULD NEVER RT, LYG ON THE FLOOR BI HIM, TALKG HIM TO SLEEP AS HE BATTLED SOMNIA.WHILE HEPBURN PRENTS THEIR UNEQUAL RELATNSHIP AS SOLELY HER CHOICE, APPEARS TO BE A CLASSIC AL-ANON RELATNSHIP, WH THE PRACTIL, STRINT PARTNER BEG ED BY A MENTALLY ILL PARTNER. AS EDWARDS NOT, TRACY ULD BE REMARKABLY CEL TO HEPBURN, “SQUASHG” HER DOWN ONT OF IENDS AND -WORKERS. MANN BELIEV TRACY WAS FACT GAY OR BISEXUAL, AND THAT HEPBURN EXAGGERATED THE EXTENT OF THEIR ROMANCE.WHATEVER THE TTH, HEPBURN’S PTH OF FEELG FOR TRACY IS CLEAR. IT WAS SHE WHO FOUND HIM AD 1967, AND HER SORROW IS PALPABLE. “HE LOOKED SO HAPPY TO BE DONE WH LIVG, WHICH FOR ALL HIS ACPLISHMENTS HAD BEEN A IGHTFUL BURN TO HIM,” SHE WR. “I NEVER KNEW HIM, I THK. AND HE IS THE ONLY ONE WHO EVER KNEW ME—WHO WAS ONTO ME. I THK I WAS A FORT TO HIM. I HOPE. DEAR FRIEND.”AS EDWARD WR, AFTER TRACY’S ATH HEPBURN PROUDLY ME OUT OF THE SHADOWS, REUNTG THEIR SECRET LOVE STORY TO ONE AND ALL. IT MAY HAVE BEEN PAYBACK AGAST TRACY’S SATED WIDOW, LOUISE, WHOSE RELS MENT TO HER, “I THOUGHT YOU WERE ONLY A MOR,” ADMTEDLY CUT HER TO THE RE:AFTER NEARLY THIRTY YEARS? A MOR? WHAT ULD BE THE ANSWER TO THAT? IT WAS A EP AND FUNDAMENTAL WOUND—EPLY SET—NEVER TO BE BUDGED. ALMOST THIRTY YEARS SPENCE AND I HAD KNOWN EACH OTHER—THROUGH GOOD AND BAD TIM. SOME MOR.THE FIGHTER“AS ONE GO THROUGH LIFE ONE LEARNS THAT IF YOU DON’T PADDLE YOUR OWN NOE, YOU DON’T MOVE,” HEPBURN WR.HEPBURN RETAED HER FIGHTG SPIR TILL THE END, THOUGH SHE CLEARLY SOFTENS THE EDG. ACRDG TO EDWARDS, AFTER FEELG MISTREATED BY DIRECTOR JOE MANKIEWICZ 1959’S SUDNLY LAST SUMMER, SHE PROVED SHE WAS NOT ONE TO MS WH. “WHEN MANKIEWICZ HAD LLED THE FAL ‘CUT’ ON THE FILM, KATE STRO ACROSS THE SOUND STAGE TO HIM,” EDWARDS WR. “’ARE YOU ABSOLUTELY SURE YOU WON’T NEED MY SERVIC ANYMORE?’ SHE ASKED. ‘Y, I AM SURE.’ ‘ABSOLUTELY?’ ‘ABSOLUTELY.’ THEN, ONT OF THE SHOCKED PANY, SHE LEANED FORWARD AND SPAT STRAIGHT TO HIS EYE.”ON THE SET OF 1981’S ON GOLN POND, THE 74-YEAR-OLD HEPBURN RELLED TNTG THE EQUALLY STRONG JANE FONDA (WHOM SHE ADORED). “ONE MOMENT THE PICTURE JANE HAD TO DO A BACK SOMERSLT TO THE WATER OFF A SPRGBOARD. I WOULD TORTURE HER BY SAYG, ‘IF YOU N’T DO , AR, I’LL DO FOR YOU,’” SHE WR. “‘IT’S ONE OF MY SPECIALTI.’ YOU MAY BE SURE THAT SHE DID HERSELF.”SHE NTUED TO WORK FOR PROGRSIVE , MPAIGNG FOR PLANNED PARENTHOOD THE 1980S HONOR OF HER EXTRAORDARY MOTHER. SHE DIED HER FAY HOME FENWICK, CONNECTICUT, 2003, SURROUND BY HER BELOVED FAY. “YOU SUDNLY REALIZE WHAT A TREMENDO OPPORTUNY IS JT TO BE ALIVE,” SHE WROTE OF SURVIVG TO OLD AGE. “THE POTENTIAL. IF YOU N KEEP A-GO’—YOU ACTUALLY N DO . SO JT KEEP A-GO’—YOU N W. IT’S WHEN YOU STOP THAT YOU’RE DONE.”MORE GREAT STORI FROM VANY FAIRHOW FOUR BILLNAIRE TECHNO-OLIGARCHS ARE CREATG AN ALTERNATE REALYEXCLIVE NEW DETAILS ABOUT MEGHAN MARKLE’S WEDDG DRSA BIRD’S-EYE VIEW OF EVERYTHG HAPPENG AT THIS FALL’S FILM FTIVALS—WHOUT THE STARSA SER SETBACK FOR TMP’S PLAN TO GET REELECTED AND PARDON HIMSELFMEET KYLE DCHANEL, THE PRETEND PLAYBOY WHO SEEMS TO HAVE FOOLED HALF OF MANHATTANTHE ULTIMATE GUI TO FALL MOVIFROM THE ARCHIVE: A FATHER’S ACUNT OF THE TRIAL OF HIS DGHTER’S KILLEREND-OF-SUMMER SALE! TAKE 25% OFF AT THE VF SHOPHADLEY HALL MEAR
- WAS KATHARE HEPBURN GAY?
MISS INPENNT: KATHARE HEPBURN’S OBSSIVE ORIGALYIN THE LATT OLD HOLLYWOOD BOOK CLUB, WE VIS THE LIFE AND TIM OF KATHARE HEPBURN.BY HADLEY HALL MEAROCTOBER 7, 2022BY ERNT BACHRACH/JOHN KOBAL FOUNDATN/GETTY IMAG.SAVE THIS STORYSAVESAVE THIS STORYSAVE“NOW WE E TO ME,” KATHARE HEPBURN WR CHEEKILY HER 1991 TOBGRAPHY OF THE SAME NAME.SHE KNOWS WHAT HER DIENCE WANTS, AND THE SELF-NFSED EGOTIST IS HAPPY TO OBLIGE. THE FOUR-TIME OSR-WNG ACTRS, STAR OF UNTLS CLASSICS, CLUDG BRGG UP BABY, PAT AND MIKE, AND THE LN WTER, SURVIVED FOR S BY DOG HER OWN WAY, AND BEME AN AMERIN STUTN THE PROCS. “I HAVE BEE A FAIAR,” SHE WR. “I AM VERY AWARE OF THAT NOW. I’M LIKE THE STATUE OF LIBERTY TO A LOT OF PEOPLE.”IN ME: STORI OF MY LIFE, THE HEPBURN PERSONA IS ON FULL DISPLAY—NVERSATNAL, WTY, STUBBORN, WEIRD, STTERED, PETIVE, BG, UNIQUE, AND SURPRISGLY WARM. THE REAR FEELS CHARMED YET SNOWED UNR AS HEPBURN REUNTS HER NUMERO ATHLETIC EXPLOS, HER ROMANC, HER CSH ON JOHN WAYNE, LGHG OM MORNG TO NIGHT WH CARY GRANT, A MUTE SCRIPTN OF HER BT IEND GEE COR’S HOE, AND EVEN THE RECIPE FOR HER FAVORE CURRANT KE.BUT THROUGH ALL HEPBURN, A FAN OF LD BATHS AND SWIMMG THE ICY SEA, IS A REALIST WHO UNTS HER BLSGS, AWARE SHE HAS LED A CHARMED LIFE. “I AM HAPPY,” SHE WR. “I HAVE A HAPPY NATURE—I LIKE THE RA—I LIKE THE SUN—THE HEAT—THE LD—THE MOUNTAS, THE SEA—THE FLOWERS, THE—WELL, I LIKE LIFE AND I’VE BEEN SO LUCKY. WHY SHOULDN’T I BE HAPPY? I DON’T LOCK DOORS. I DON’T HOLD GDG. REALLY THE ONLY THG I’M NOT MAD ABOUT IS WD. I FD DISTURBG.”TO THE MANOR BORNKATHARE HOUGHTON HEPBURN WAS BORN 1907, HARTFORD, CONNECTICUT. UNLIKE MOST OF HER NTEMPORARI, SHE WAS OM MONEY—PATRICIAN, BLUE BLOOD NORTHEASTERN ARISTOCRACY—OF WHICH SHE WAS CLEARLY ORDATELY PROUD.BUT HEPBURN WAS MOST PROUD OF HER RADILLY LIBERAL, TELLECTUAL PARENTS, AND IS WHEN SHE WR ABOUT THEM THAT HER REAL HUMANY SH THROUGH THE PATTER. HER FATHER, DR. THOMAS HEPBURN, FOUND THE NEW ENGLAND SOCIAL HYGIENE ASSOCIATN, WHICH TED THE PUBLIC ABOUT THE THEN-TABOO ISSUE OF VENEREAL DISEASE. BUT THE TE SUPERSTAR OF THE FAY WAS HER MOTHER, KATHARE, WHO FOUGHT FOR BIRTH NTROL ACCS AND WAS THE HEAD OF THE CONNECTICUT WOMAN SUFAGE ASSOCIATN.THE FEARLS HEPBURN AND HER FIVE RAMBUNCT SIBLGS GREW UP MPAIGNG FOR THE VOTE WH HER MOTHER, PASSG OUT PRO-SUFAGE BALLOONS AT THE UNTY FAIR. HEPBURN PATS HER CHILDHOOD AS ONE FILLED WH TELLECTUAL STIMULATN, PETIVE SPORTS, AND EEDOM RARE FOR A RICH GIRL EDWARDIAN AMERI.“THERE WAS A HEMLOCK TREE ON THE WT SI OF THE PROPERTY,” SHE RELLS. “THAT WAS THE TREE I ED TO CLIMB. THE NEIGHBORS ED TO LL MOTHER. ‘K! KATHY IS THE TOP OF THE HEMLOCK!’ ‘Y, I KNOW. DON’T SRE HER. SHE DON’T KNOW THAT ’S DANGERO.’”DES LATER, HEPBURN’S LOVE FOR HER REMARKABLE PARENTS N STILL BRG THE REAR TO TEARS. “HOW I MISS YOU TWO,” SHE WR. “I WAS SO ED TO TURNG TO YOU. IT WAS HEAVEN. ALWAYS TO HAVE YOU TWO TO TURN TO SPAIR, JOY. THERE YOU WERE: STRONG—FUNNY. TWO ROCKS. WHAT YOU DID FOR ME—WOW! WHAT LUCK TO BE BORN OUT OF LOVE AND TO LIVE AN ATMOSPHERE OF WARMTH AND TERT.”TOMBUT THERE WAS A DARK SI TO THIS PICTURE-PERFECT PORTRAYAL. ACRDG TO WILLIAM J. MANN, THOR OF THE GOSSIPY AND AT TIM MEAN-SPIRED KATE: THE WOMAN WHO WAS HEPBURN, DR. THOMAS HEPBURN WAS AN EXACTG FATHER WH AN EXPLOSIVE TEMPER, WHOSE WIFE PLATED HIM AT EVERY TURN.MOST POPULARAND JT LIKE THAT: MICHAEL PATRICK KG KNOWS WHEN THE AUDIENCE TURNED ON CHE DIAZBY CHRIS MURPHYSARA RAMIREZ ISSU STHG RPONSE TO ANTI–CHE DIAZ PROFILEBY SAVANNAH WALSHTHE 25 BT SHOWS ON NETFLIX TO WATCH RIGHT NOWBY TARA ARIANOWHILE HEPBURN HERSELF IS HONT THAT HER FAY’S ACTIVISM MA THEM OUTSTS PROPER SOCIETY, SHE IS MUM ABOUT HOW HER PARENTS’ EMPHASIS ON PRCIPLED PERFECTNISM MAY HAVE NEGATIVELY AFFECTED HER AND HER SIBLGS. THERE WAS CERTALY TROUBLE BREWG HER OLR BROTHER TOM, A SENSIVE, ATHLETIC BOY WHO WAS THE 14-YEAR-OLD HEPBURN’S NSTANT PANN.IN APRIL 1921, THE TWO SIBLGS WERE ON AN ADVENTURE NEW YORK CY, STAYG WH A FAY IEND. ONE NIGHT, THEY WENT TO SEE A CONNECTICUT YANKEE KG ARTHUR’S COURT ON BROADWAY. “AS I LATER TOLD THE STORY,” HEPBURN WR, “I SAID THAT TOM HAD LOOKED AT ME AND SAID, ’YOU’RE MY GIRL, AREN’T YOU? YOU’RE MY FAVORE GIRL THE WHOLE WORLD.’ WHY DID I SAY THIS? WAS TE? I MEAN, DID TOM REALLY SAY ? I DON’T KNOW ANY LONGER.”IN MUDDLED, REMOVED PROSE, HEPBURN SCRIB THE “FACTS” AS SHE RELLS THEM. “NEXT MORNG, I WENT UPSTAIRS TO WAKE HIM UP. THERE HE WAS—NEXT TO THE BED—HIS KNE BENT—HANGED BY A TORN PIECE OF SHEETG. IT WAS TIED TO A RAFTER. HE WAS AD. STRANGLED. IT MA NO SENSE. IN A STATE OF NUMB SHOCK, I CUT HIM DOWN AND LAID HIM ON THE BED.”THE HEPBURN FAY’S RPONSE TO TOM’S APPARANT SUICI IS SHOCKG TO MORN SENSIBILI. HER FATHER WROTE TO THE PAPERS, CLAIMG HIS SON HAD SIMPLY BEEN DOG A ROPE TRICK. THE FAY RARELY IF EVER SPOKE OF HIM AGA.SEVENTY YEARS LATER, HEPBURN REMAED NON-MTAL AND UNWILLG TO CRICIZE HER FAY’S RPONSE OR EVEN ADM THAT TOM DIED BY SUICI. BUT SHE IS HONT ABOUT THE EFFECT TOM’S ATH HAD ON HER. “THIS CINT SEEMED TO SORT OF SEPARATE ME OM THE WORLD AS I’D KNOWN ,” SHE WR. “I TRIED SCHOOL BUT…I FELT ISOLATED. I KNEW SOMETHG THAT THE GIRLS DID NOT KNOW: TRAGEDY.”KATHARE OF ARROGANCEAFTER GRADUATG OM BRYN MAWR, HEPBURN KNEW WHAT SHE WANTED—TO BE A SENSATN. “IT WAS ALL OR NOTHG FOR ME ME ME,” SHE RELLS. “I WAS JT FULL OF THE JOY OF LIFE AND OPPORTUNY AND A WILD SIRE TO BE ABSOLUTELY FASCATG.”THIS BLD AMBN WAS TEMPERED WH A SURPRISGLY NAïVE, SHELTERED VIEW OF LIFE. HER SCRIPTN OF LOSG HER VIRGY TO HER PERFECTLY NAMED HBAND, LUDLOW OGN SMH, IS HILAR FOR S RETICENCE AND Y HONTY:I GUS THAT I KNEW THAT LUDDY WAS LOVE WH ME. BUT YOU SEE MY HCH WAS THAT I WAS LOVE WH MYSELF ...I WANTED TO BE A BIG STAR…ANYWAY, LUDDY AND I WERE ALONE THE APARTMENT AND THERE WAS THE BED AND THERE DIDN’T SEEM TO BE ANY REASON NOT TO. WELL — WHAT I’M TRYG TO SAY IS THAT — THAT’S WHAT HAPPENED. I MEAN — WE DID … AND THAT WAS THE END OF MY VIRTUE.WH REHG NDOR AND SELF-PRETG HUMOR, HEPBURN REUNTS WHAT AN “ABSOLUTE PIG” SHE WAS TO SWEET, LOYAL LUDDY, WHO SHE MARRIED 1928 (THEY DIVORCED 1942). AND SOME OF THE FUNNIT BS THE TOBGRAPHY TAIL HOW HER HARD-HTG NFINCE GOT HER FIRED OM NUMERO STAGE PRODUCTNS.MOST POPULARAND JT LIKE THAT: MICHAEL PATRICK KG KNOWS WHEN THE AUDIENCE TURNED ON CHE DIAZBY CHRIS MURPHYSARA RAMIREZ ISSU STHG RPONSE TO ANTI–CHE DIAZ PROFILEBY SAVANNAH WALSHTHE 25 BT SHOWS ON NETFLIX TO WATCH RIGHT NOWBY TARA ARIANOWHEN SHE ARRIVED HOLLYWOOD 1932 TO STAR HER FIRST MOVIE, A BILL OF DIVORCEMENT, AN ADMTEDLY HGHTY HEPBURN STEPPED OFF THE TRA A RIDICULOLY EXPENSIVE HIGH-NECKED FFLED RIDG AT, A BIZARRE HAT PERCHED ON HER HEAD, AND ONE EYE SWOLLEN SHUT 90-GREE HEAT.ACRDG TO HEPBURN, THE STUD EXECUTIV THERE TO MEET HER WERE DISMAYED, EXCLAIMG THEIR NEW FD LOOKED LIKE A DAVER. THGS DIDN’T GET BETTER UNTIL HER EQUALLY “ODD,” BUT “GENERO” -STAR JOHN BARRYMORE TOOK THE UNNVENTNAL, HEADSTRONG NOVICE UNR HIS WG AFTER AN UNSUCCSFUL ATTEMPT AT SCTN:HE ASKED ME TO E TO HIS DRSG ROOM ON THE LOT ONE DAY. I WENT. KNOCKED ON THE DOOR. HE SAID, “COME .” I DID. AND THERE HE WAS, LYG ON HIS UCH —WHAT SHALL I SAY?—PARATIVE DISARRAY. I MT HAVE LOOKED TOTALLY BLANK. THERE WAS A PSE. A QUICK SHUFFLE OF BLANKETS. “OH. I AM SORRY. SEE YOU LATER.” I WENT. OH MY, HOW VERY STRANGE. ANYWAY, HE WAS AN ANGEL AFTER THAT ONE FEEBLE WHATEVER YOU WANT TO LL . HIS MA OBJECT AFTER THAT SEEMED TO BE TO BE CERTA THAT I MA A BIG H.BOX OFFICE POISONHEPBURN’S STAR QUICKLY ROSE, THOUGH THE HOLLYWOOD MUNY WAS AT A LOSS TO UNRSTAND HER. AS HEPBURN NOT, SHE WAS A HOMEBODY WHO WORE THREADBARE MEN’S CLOTHG, DARED TO LIVE WH CLOSE FEMALE PANNS (LEADG TO MORS SHE WAS A LBIAN), AND HAD A EP ATTACHMENT TO HER FAY (HER FATHER MANAGED HER MONEY, SENDG HER AN ALLOWANCE TO HER 50S).NOW A MOVIE STAR, HEPBURN STARTED A THREE-YEAR RELATNSHIP WH THE EQUALLY QUIRKY HOWARD HUGH, WHO SHE TREATS WH GENERO SYMPATHY HER BOOK. THE TWO HAD MUCH MON, CLUDG A SELF-PROCLAIMED “WILD SIRE TO BE FAMO.” HUGH TGHT THE ADVENTURO HEPBURN TO FLY AND DISPLAYED AN IMPULSIVENS SHE SHARED. “WHEN WE ED A SEAPLANE, SOMETIM IF WAS HOT WE WOULD STOP THE MIDDLE OF LONG ISLAND SOUND AND ANCHOR THE PLANE, TAKE OFF OUR CLOTH, DIVE OFF A WG NAKED TO OL OFF,” SHE RELLS. “IT WAS FUN.”BUT HER REER CRASHED 1938, WHEN THE INPENNT THEATER OWNERS OF AMERI CLARED THAT PENNT, SELF-SUFFICIENT FEMALE STARS, CLUDG HEPBURN, GRETA GARBO, JOAN CRAWFORD, AND MARLENE DIETRICH, WERE “BOX OFFICE POISON.” ACRDG TO ANNE EDWARD’S SIGHTFUL, ENGROSSG KATHARE HEPBURN: A REMARKABLE WOMAN, THE LIST’S PUBLITN LED TO A GOOD-NATURED FIGHT BETWEEN HEPBURN AND DIETRICH, ON A TRIP BACK EAST COLE PORTER’S TRA R, OVER WHO WAS THE “BIGGT” BOX OFFICE POISON.HOWEVER, HEPBURN WASN’T DOWN FOR THE UNT FOR LONG. SHE CREDS HUGH WH ENURAGG HER TO BUY THE FILM RIGHTS TO THE PLAY THE PHILALPHIA STORY. THE STAGE PRODUCTN AND 1940 MOVIE WERE SMASH HS, AND HEPBURN WAS BACK ON TOP—ON HER OWN TERMS.SPENCE“NOW I’M GOG TO TELL YOU ABOUT SPENCER. YOU MAY THK YOU’VE WAED A LONG TIME. BUT LET’S FACE , SO DID I. I WAS THIRTY-THREE,” HEPBURN WR, AFTER THEATRILLY SAVG THE STORY OF THEIR LEGENDARY LOVE STORY TILL THE END OF THE BOOK. “I DISVERED WHAT ‘I LOVE YOU’ REALLY MEANS. IT MEANS I PUT YOU AND YOUR TERTS AND YOUR FORT AHEAD OF MY OWN TERTS AND MY OWN FORT BEE I LOVE YOU…LOVE HAS NOTHG TO DO WH WHAT YOU ARE EXPECTG TO GET—ONLY WH WHAT YOU ARE EXPECTG TO GIVE—WHICH IS EVERYTHG.”MOST POPULARAND JT LIKE THAT: MICHAEL PATRICK KG KNOWS WHEN THE AUDIENCE TURNED ON CHE DIAZBY CHRIS MURPHYSARA RAMIREZ ISSU STHG RPONSE TO ANTI–CHE DIAZ PROFILEBY SAVANNAH WALSHTHE 25 BT SHOWS ON NETFLIX TO WATCH RIGHT NOWBY TARA ARIANOBY HER OWN ACUNT, HEPBURN GAVE EVERYTHG TO HER 27-YEAR CLANSTE RELATNSHIP WH THE MARRIED SPENCER TRACY, WHO SHE HAD LONG ADMIRED OM AFAR. ACRDG TO HEPBURN, TRACY IALLY BALKED AT APPEARG 1942’S WOMAN OF THE YEAR, EXCLAIMG, “HOW N I DO A PICTURE WH A WOMAN WHO HAS DIRT UNR HER FGERNAILS AND WHO IS OF AMBIGUO SEXUALY AND ALWAYS WEARS PANTS.”HEPBURN’S TENR, VULNERABLE, ACHG SI OUT AS SHE GH OVER TRACY—HIS GENI, HIS HUMOR, HIS TELLECT. SHE IS ALSO HONT ABOUT HIS PRIVATE TORMENTS, HIS BATTLE WH ALHOLISM AND PRSN, AND HER CHOICE TO PUT HER OWN REER ASI TO SOOTHE AND NURSE A MAN WHO ULD NEVER RT, LYG ON THE FLOOR BI HIM, TALKG HIM TO SLEEP AS HE BATTLED SOMNIA.WHILE HEPBURN PRENTS THEIR UNEQUAL RELATNSHIP AS SOLELY HER CHOICE, APPEARS TO BE A CLASSIC AL-ANON RELATNSHIP, WH THE PRACTIL, STRINT PARTNER BEG ED BY A MENTALLY ILL PARTNER. AS EDWARDS NOT, TRACY ULD BE REMARKABLY CEL TO HEPBURN, “SQUASHG” HER DOWN ONT OF IENDS AND -WORKERS. MANN BELIEV TRACY WAS FACT GAY OR BISEXUAL, AND THAT HEPBURN EXAGGERATED THE EXTENT OF THEIR ROMANCE.WHATEVER THE TTH, HEPBURN’S PTH OF FEELG FOR TRACY IS CLEAR. IT WAS SHE WHO FOUND HIM AD 1967, AND HER SORROW IS PALPABLE. “HE LOOKED SO HAPPY TO BE DONE WH LIVG, WHICH FOR ALL HIS ACPLISHMENTS HAD BEEN A IGHTFUL BURN TO HIM,” SHE WR. “I NEVER KNEW HIM, I THK. AND HE IS THE ONLY ONE WHO EVER KNEW ME—WHO WAS ONTO ME. I THK I WAS A FORT TO HIM. I HOPE. DEAR FRIEND.”AS EDWARD WR, AFTER TRACY’S ATH HEPBURN PROUDLY ME OUT OF THE SHADOWS, REUNTG THEIR SECRET LOVE STORY TO ONE AND ALL. IT MAY HAVE BEEN PAYBACK AGAST TRACY’S SATED WIDOW, LOUISE, WHOSE RELS MENT TO HER, “I THOUGHT YOU WERE ONLY A MOR,” ADMTEDLY CUT HER TO THE RE:AFTER NEARLY THIRTY YEARS? A MOR? WHAT ULD BE THE ANSWER TO THAT? IT WAS A EP AND FUNDAMENTAL WOUND—EPLY SET—NEVER TO BE BUDGED. ALMOST THIRTY YEARS SPENCE AND I HAD KNOWN EACH OTHER—THROUGH GOOD AND BAD TIM. SOME MOR.THE FIGHTER“AS ONE GO THROUGH LIFE ONE LEARNS THAT IF YOU DON’T PADDLE YOUR OWN NOE, YOU DON’T MOVE,” HEPBURN WR.HEPBURN RETAED HER FIGHTG SPIR TILL THE END, THOUGH SHE CLEARLY SOFTENS THE EDG. ACRDG TO EDWARDS, AFTER FEELG MISTREATED BY DIRECTOR JOE MANKIEWICZ 1959’S SUDNLY LAST SUMMER, SHE PROVED SHE WAS NOT ONE TO MS WH. “WHEN MANKIEWICZ HAD LLED THE FAL ‘CUT’ ON THE FILM, KATE STRO ACROSS THE SOUND STAGE TO HIM,” EDWARDS WR. “’ARE YOU ABSOLUTELY SURE YOU WON’T NEED MY SERVIC ANYMORE?’ SHE ASKED. ‘Y, I AM SURE.’ ‘ABSOLUTELY?’ ‘ABSOLUTELY.’ THEN, ONT OF THE SHOCKED PANY, SHE LEANED FORWARD AND SPAT STRAIGHT TO HIS EYE.”ON THE SET OF 1981’S ON GOLN POND, THE 74-YEAR-OLD HEPBURN RELLED TNTG THE EQUALLY STRONG JANE FONDA (WHOM SHE ADORED). “ONE MOMENT THE PICTURE JANE HAD TO DO A BACK SOMERSLT TO THE WATER OFF A SPRGBOARD. I WOULD TORTURE HER BY SAYG, ‘IF YOU N’T DO , AR, I’LL DO FOR YOU,’” SHE WR. “‘IT’S ONE OF MY SPECIALTI.’ YOU MAY BE SURE THAT SHE DID HERSELF.”SHE NTUED TO WORK FOR PROGRSIVE , MPAIGNG FOR PLANNED PARENTHOOD THE 1980S HONOR OF HER EXTRAORDARY MOTHER. SHE DIED HER FAY HOME FENWICK, CONNECTICUT, 2003, SURROUND BY HER BELOVED FAY. “YOU SUDNLY REALIZE WHAT A TREMENDO OPPORTUNY IS JT TO BE ALIVE,” SHE WROTE OF SURVIVG TO OLD AGE. “THE POTENTIAL. IF YOU N KEEP A-GO’—YOU ACTUALLY N DO . SO JT KEEP A-GO’—YOU N W. IT’S WHEN YOU STOP THAT YOU’RE DONE.”MORE GREAT STORI FROM VANY FAIRHOW FOUR BILLNAIRE TECHNO-OLIGARCHS ARE CREATG AN ALTERNATE REALYEXCLIVE NEW DETAILS ABOUT MEGHAN MARKLE’S WEDDG DRSA BIRD’S-EYE VIEW OF EVERYTHG HAPPENG AT THIS FALL’S FILM FTIVALS—WHOUT THE STARSA SER SETBACK FOR TMP’S PLAN TO GET REELECTED AND PARDON HIMSELFMEET KYLE DCHANEL, THE PRETEND PLAYBOY WHO SEEMS TO HAVE FOOLED HALF OF MANHATTANTHE ULTIMATE GUI TO FALL MOVIFROM THE ARCHIVE: A FATHER’S ACUNT OF THE TRIAL OF HIS DGHTER’S KILLEREND-OF-SUMMER SALE! TAKE 25% OFF AT THE VF SHOPHADLEY HALL MEAR
* was kathrine hepburn gay *
He offers evince that her adored olr brother Tom's suici at age 15 may have been triggered by tnts about his "unmanly" terts and by a fellow stunt's rebuffg his homosexual advanc. Hardg acpanied Hepburn to Hollywood for her screen but A Bill of Divorcement (32), directed by openly gay Gee Cor, who would bee her very close iend. At one of Cor's zy, ually gay parti, she met actrs Elissa Landi, mored to be bisexual, and for a time they were que timate.
WAS KATHARE HEPBURN GAY?
Parrish and Advote Books have done a great service reclaimg one more part of gay and lbian history.