Picturegoer (Jul-Dec 1937)

August 14. 1937 EPBURN'S Hectic Headline HISTORY by MALCOLM PHILLIPS broker, and are met with silence from star. Meanwhile even the most alert columnists are unable to link her name with those of the eligible Hollywood bachelors. One reports that even charms of both Gary Cooper and Joel McCrea have failed to make an impression. DECEMBER. The secret is out. Katie confesses to having been married to Ludlow Smith since 1928, adding that she considers her private life her own. It is revealed that they had met while girl was in her final year at college and were married at the Hepburn home on December 12, six months after her graduation. 1934 JANUARY. Katharine scores another spectacular success in the role of "Jo" in Little Women. Red-headed rebel is now riding on the crest of the wave. With Hollywood honours thick upon her, star storms Broadway theatre world in stage play, The Lake. Piece collapses after only a few nights, amid heavy bombardment from Broadway wits. Dorothy Parker looses crushing epigram : " Hepburn runs through the entire gamut of the emotions from A to B." George Kauffman, asked why Katharine has sheets put up in the wings so that rest of cast can't see her, completes Hepburn rout with devastating wisecrack, "She's afraid she might catch acting." MARCH. Star arrives at Plymouth in French liner Paris, having travelled from New York without emerging from cabin, except for one appearance in black trousers. Remains behind locked doors during stay of vessel in British port and refuses to accept telegrams from her employers inviting her to spend a few days in England. Mystery act followed by disappearance trick at Le Havre. Actress turns up in French capital two days later, however, to deny that she is contemplating divorce. Further sensation is caused when she secretly boards Paris and sails for New York after only four days in France. Meanwhile, Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences selects her performance in Morning Glory as the best given by an actress in 1933. APRIL. Star temporarily abandons hushhush methods on arrival in New York. Reporters find her amiable and gay. She emphatically denies reports of domestic troubles. Hepburn, nevertheless, is suffering inevitable reaction to her success and her public caprices. She is attacked on all sides by film scribes concerning her attitude to Press and public, and her refusal to face newspaper cameras. Eccentricities are described as exhibitionism and among other things she is accused of engaging a tailor to sew those prominent patches on the famous overalls. Just after this picture of Katie's arrival at Newark airport the star was nearly killed — running beneath the propellers of the 'plane to escape pressmen. MAY. Katharine HepDurn, accompanied by her friend Laura Harding, arrives in Merida, Mexico, and, under the name of Katharine Smith, files suit for divorce against Ludlow Ogden Smith. Mr. Smith tells reporters : "I don't expect that Katharine would interfere in my career, so why should I interfere in hers." " Unrestricted divorce follows within few days, giving parties immediate freedom. JULY. Actress signs new contract to make six films in three years at £10,000 a film. It is announced that the first will be The Little Minister. OCTOBER. Denies charges of Upton Sinclair, candidate in election for Governorship of California that pressure has been put upon her by studio to vote against him. 1935 FEBRUARY. Hollywood wonders who will win clash of temperaments when Hepburn and Francis Lederer get together on the set for Break of Hearts, in which they are scheduled to co-star. MARCH. A few days after film goes into production Charles Boyer replaces Lederer in part. MAY. Studio buys Compton Mackenzie's Sylvia Scarlett for its Number One Star. JULY. Film colony writers notice remarkable change of front on part of star; attribute new friendliness to influence of friendship with Boyer, though stressing there is no romance. NOVEMBER. Hepburn's name linked with that of her manager, Leland Hayward, when their 'plane makes forced landing in Pittsburgh. Rumours, it seems, arose when Hayward, asked at St. Louis if he were still her manager, snapped back, " No, I'm only her husband." At Pittsburgh he reverses statement, saying, "I'm not her husband, I'm only her manager." Star's obsession concerning news cameramen nearly causes her death when 'plane arrives in Newark. To avoid photographers she runs beneath the propellers, only missing them by inches. DECEMBER. New York papers report that Katharine Hepburn and Leland Hayward are married. Hayward is in hospital in Hartford, Hepburn's home town, is being attended by Dr. Hepburn and visited daily by the actress. Questioned point blank, patient retorts, " Do you think I'm a sap?" 1936 JANUARY. Star returns to Hollywood to start work in title role of Mary of Scotland. MARCH. Comment caused in film circles by high-handed action of star in closing Mary of Scotland set to Florence Eldridge, wife of her co-star, Fredric March. MAY. Mary of Scotland completed. Film said to have cost more than a million dollars and to be the most expensive made by Radio for several years. JUNE. Whispers in inner circles that owing to recent Hepburn slump at box office, studio chiefs have urged upon her to cut out the Gar bo technique and turn a bright new smiling face to the Press. AUGUST. Mary of Scotland gets a bad Press in England. Star has narrow escape when she falls into stream while making a scene for A Woman Rebels. 1937 JANUARY. Headlines scream that Howard Hughes, millionaire film producer and aviator, will wed Katharine Hepburn in Chicago, where she is playing in Jane Eyre on stage. Thousands of fans besiege couple in their hotel and police have to be sent for. Star issues statement from her room, " I don't deny anything, I don't admit anything and I won't see anyone." Two days later further sensation is caused when irate star kicks girl reporter in pants and slashes out at cameramen with tennis racquet. FEBRUARY. Reported in New York that Katharine Hepburn and Howard Hughes are secretly married. MARCH. Film colony chuckles over news that Hepburn is to make Stage Doer, playing part originated on Broadway by Margaret Sulla van, who is now Mrs. Leland Hayward. Fans, however, welcome star's return to modern drama after orgy of costume pictures. AUGUST. Announced that Howard Hughes is contemplating returning to film production, with Katharine Hepburn as his chief star. 13