‘I think I was born in the right year for my personality. Pants came in, low heels came in, the terrible woman who spoke her mind came in. I was born absolutely at the right time. That’s the story of me – great timing.’
Katharine Hepburn

Katharine Hepburn was one of Hollywood’s brightest stars. Over a 48-year period, from 1933 to 1981, she won four Academy Awards for acting, and she was nominated for eight others. In all she appeared in 42 films. She teaches us a good deal about independence of thought and courage of convictions.

‘I don’t think I’m an eccentric. No, I’m just something from New England that was very American and brought up by two extremely intelligent people who gave us the greatest gift that man can give anyone – and that is freedom from fear.’

Katharine Houghton Hepburn was born in 1907, in Hartford, Connecticut, the second of six children. Her father was a physician who campaigned for legislative reform and public education about venereal disease. Her mother was a leading figure in the women’s suffrage movement. 

'I remember as a child going around with ‘Votes For Women’ balloons. I learnt early what it is to be snubbed for a good cause.’

The Hepburn children were encouraged to speak their minds and express themselves. They were somewhat unruly, unconventional outsiders, and they were often taunted by the other neighbourhood kids.

‘It gave me a nice chip on my shoulder, so I thought goddammit, I’m going to go out and amount to something.’

When she was 13 Hepburn’s beloved older brother, Tom, hanged himself. She discovered the body. Thereafter she adopted Tom’s birthday as her own.

Hepburn is often characterised as having had a privileged upbringing. But one can’t help observing the number of setbacks she encountered on her journey to stardom; and the way that she consistently turned negative experiences into positive motivation.

Hepburn was a somewhat reluctant student at the elite Bryn Mawr College. It was there that she developed an interest in theatre. After graduating in 1928, she got parts in small touring companies and then Broadway. Her early efforts had mixed results. In two years she was fired from four productions during rehearsals.

‘I was too tall, too fast, too loud, or just not very good… I blame them. I think they wanted something typical.’

Eventually after a breakthrough performance in ‘The Warrior’s Husband’ in 1932, Hepburn was signed by RKO Pictures and taken to Hollywood. With her third picture ‘Morning Glory’ she won her first Oscar.

Hepburn was not the typical Hollywood actor. She was tall and fresh faced, with red hair, freckles and sharp cheekbones. And she had a patrician accent that actor Tallulah Bankhead said sounded like 'nickels dropping in a slot machine.' 

'I have an angular face, an angular body, and, I suppose, an angular personality, which jabs into people.'

Hepburn gained a reputation for being ‘difficult.’ She refused to sign autographs, rarely gave interviews to the press, and was fiercely protective of her private life. Wags took to calling her ‘Katharine of Arrogance’. She didn’t participate in the Hollywood social scene, and never picked up an award in person

‘I don’t believe that wildly in prizes… I mean, how good is the part?’

No sooner had Hepburn hit the heights than she was out of favour. In 1933 her performance in the Broadway production of ‘The Lake’ was poorly received, and she had to pay to extract herself from her contract. Dorothy Parker observed:

‘Miss Hepburn runs the full gamut of emotions all the way from A to B.’

Between 1934 and 1938 Hepburn appeared in a series of mostly weak and unsuccessful movies. Even Howard Hawks' screwball comedy classic ‘Bringing Up Baby’ was a box office flop. She was turned down for the part of Scarlett O’Hara in ‘Gone with the Wind.’ In 1938 the president of the Independent Theater Owners of America published an article listing Hepburn, among others, as 'box office poison.'

Hepburn’s fortunes turned when she was approached by playwright Philip Barry with a script that had been written specifically with her in mind: ‘The Philadelphia Story’. Performing in the role of society girl Tracy Lord, she took the show to Broadway, bought the film rights and then sold it to MGM.

‘I bought the play ‘The Philadelphia Story’ when it opened because I’m practical, you see. I have common sense. And I knew that all those beautiful successful Hollywood ladies would want it. And I thought, if I owned it, they couldn’t have it.’

‘The Philadelphia Story’ was one of the biggest hits of 1940. Hepburn was back.

Hepburn’s next chapter was marked by a series of nine films she made with Spencer Tracy. In comedy classics like ‘Woman of the Year’, ‘Adam’s Rib’ and ‘Pat and Mike’ she tended to play a smart, sophisticated but cold aristocrat, opposite Tracy’s down-to-earth, warm-hearted everyman. The partnership culminated in 1967 with Tracy’s last film,  ‘Guess Who's Coming To Dinner.’ She was given an Academy Award for this movie and went on to win further Oscars for 1968's The Lion In Winter’ and 1981’s ‘On Golden Pond.’

One can’t help being struck by the force of Hepburn’s personality. She could be tough and soft, aloof and intimate, casual and glamorous. She had an impish smile and a sharp tongue, an independent spirit and a lust for life.

If Hepburn were with us now, these are six career lessons she might want to pass on:

1. Be Yourself

Hepburn was proud to be different and she had a strong sense of who she was.

'If you always do what interests you, at least one person is pleased.'

As well as having a unique personality, Hepburn had her own distinctive look: wide legged trousers, flat shoes, silk blouses and blazers. No make-up. She claimed not to own a dress, and some credit her with the invention of the sports casual look. 

'I wear my sort of clothes to save me the trouble of deciding which clothes to wear.’

2. Be Independent

Hepburn always gave the impression that she didn’t really need other people. And she believed fundamentally in personal responsibility.

'As one goes through life one learns that if you don't paddle your own canoe, you don't move.’

In 1928 Hepburn married Ludlow Ogden Smith, a friend from her college days. She didn’t take him to Hollywood with her and they divorced in 1934. After that she resisted being tied down.

'If you want to sacrifice the admiration of many men for the criticism of one, go ahead, get married.'

Hepburn was always happy to play the role of the outsider.

‘I never bought a house in Hollywood. I didn’t want my bones to lie in that dry ground.’

3. Be Energetic

‘There’s no laurel worth resting on.’

Hepburn had tremendous energy. As a child she took ice cold baths every morning. She rode, swam and cycled, and played golf and tennis to a high level throughout her life.

‘I was never easygoing. I was supercharged. I have a lot of energy.’

Her relentless dynamism propelled her forward and preserved her from nostalgia.

‘I don’t like to be reminded of the past. I just think onward, onward.’

4. Be the Best

Hepburn was demanding of herself and of others, and she always aimed for the best.

‘I hate the feeling of doing half as well as I can do. Perfection is thrilling.’

Inevitably setting high standards required discipline and self-control.

‘Without discipline there’s no way to live. There’s one person you can correct in life and that’s yourself. I can’t worry about your own character, but I can improve my own.’

5. Be Fearless

Hepburn consistently demonstrated personal courage in the management of her career. 

‘If you have been taught basic freedom from fear and a basic belief in what you’re doing, that is sufficient to carry you when everyone else and his uncle thinks you’re wrong. And you still think well goddammit I don’t think I’m wrong. I think I’m right and I’m gonna do it!’

She was never afraid to break the rules if she didn’t agree with them.

'If you obey all the rules, you miss all the fun.’

6. Be Resilient

‘My attitude invites sharp criticism and I’m perfectly willing to accept it.’

Hepburn had a strong point of view and she was assertive in putting her case. From her negotiations with studios to her dealings with directors she was consistently firm, tenacious and tough.

‘They’ve got to know you mean what you say. So don’t argue, take it or leave it. Do it.’

Hepburn was well aware that her personality and strident views could provoke animosity in others. But she was not in any way uncomfortable with that.

'Enemies are so stimulating.’

I was reminded of Hepburn when I was judging this year’s APG Creative Strategy Awards. 

We often talk freely nowadays about the need for brave thinking and daring work. But in the modern environment bold ideas first have to navigate caution and conservatism from corporate stakeholders, and then criticism and carping in the public realm. Courage has consequences. The modern Planner must be genuinely tough and resilient to defy ‘the haters.’

I was struck in the judging process by the fact that often quite understated and self-deprecating individuals had displayed admirable tenacity in the pursuit of excellence and change. It’s part of the charm of the Planning community perhaps.

‘Cold sober I find myself absolutely fascinating.’

In 1973, at the age of 66, the publicity shy Hepburn gave her first TV interview, on The Dick Cavett Show. It lasted two hours and was split over two evenings. Online you can see the complete recordings of this conversation, including the preliminary exchanges when Hepburn turns up at the studio, unaware that the cameras are on, and makes sure she’s comfortable with the set. 

She’s wearing slacks and sandals, a white polo neck and black shirt, collar up. No make-up. She is clearly a little nervous. But she’s also absolutely sure of what she wants. She tries out the two chairs. She asks for her hair to be adjusted, but doesn’t want a mirror. (‘Never face the truth.’) She requests that a small table be replaced by a more robust one. We realise that this is so she can conduct the whole interview with her foot resting raffishly on the table. And then she demands that a rather garish carpet be removed. Production crew mumble things in the background. Hepburn remarks:

‘Don’t tell me what’s wrong. Just fix it.’

That’s exactly right, Miss Hepburn!

No 254