Katharine Hepburn and David Manners in A Bill of Divorcement
Katharine Hepburn’s first film was A Bill of Divorcement (1932). Directed by George Cukor, the movie also stars John Barrymore, David Manners, Billie Burke, and Elizabeth Patterson.
The executive producer (David O. Selznick) did NOT want the newcomer, 24 year old Katharine Hepburn, in the lead role but Cukor DID. Cukor won out and would go on to have a wonderful lifelong working relationship (and friendship) with the legendary actress.
Katharine Hepburn and David Manners
In an interview w/Dick Cavett, Hepburn told how he studio’s PR department kept trying to get her to wear beautiful gowns around the set instead of her much-preferred pants.
Long story short: She balked. They took her pants. She walked around in her underwear. Her pants were returned!
Katharine Hepburn’s second film, Christopher Strong (1933) is memorable for several reasons…
- It was directed by the trailblazing Dorothy Arzner… not a lot of women directors in old Hollywood!
- This was Katharine Hepburn’s second film
- It was the first film in which she was given top billing… imagine… top billing in just your second film.
- …and, of course, the moth costume is VERY memorable (see below for proof)
Katharine Hepburn, Christopher Strange (1933)
Katharine Hepburn won four Oscars for Best Lead Actress:
Morning Glory, 1934
Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner, 1968
The Lion in Winter, 1969
On Golden Pond, 1982
She was nominated for 8 more in the same category. Kind of thinking that, had she won these as well, they should have renamed it the “Katharine Hepburn Award!”
Katharine Hepburn