READ THIS: I Know Where I’m Going Katharine Hepburn, A Personal Biography by Charlotte Chandler Our Coverage Sponsored by Solera Restaurant
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We have always loved Katharine Hepburn, and doesn’t everyone? Especially if you’re a girl from Hartford that moved to New York…we are delighted to continue our work with Applause-an imprint of Hal Leonard-with this legend. Our first memory of Katharine Hepburn is seeing her in Golden Pond at a drive-in in Connecticut. We love her personality, her drive, her independent streak, her talent, her eccentricity, and her overall philosophy. Her childhood had a tremendous impact on her, and it was where she learned not to cry, and later in life, she was able to cry on cue. Whether you were well or sick determined your happiness in the Hepburn household, and her father discouraged hating as it only hurts you. Here are some of her best lines from the book:
“I never buy fancy boxes. You have to pay extra, and I’d rather invest my money in more chocolate.” (page 12)
“The most important choices in our lives aren’t made by us at all. What counts most is our genes and our environment-parents, home, all of which sets us within the bounds of our genes.” (page 15)
“I know there are some who shrink away and accept their place when rejected. I never did that. At least not professionally. For me, it was like a red flag held up to a bull. I had to win, to get the part and to make them sorry they hadn’t wanted me in the first place and have them be overjoyed by my brilliance. I wanted to hear them say, ‘We should have known from the beginning. How could we not have seen her great talent?’”
(page 76)
And our very favorite might be:
“And then she came on like a house on fire, full hair and makeup, strong and powerful, and she strode out of that camper onto the beach and caught wind of the fact that someone was not going to let her attempt to kill herself in the ocean. She would have none of that, and she promptly informed Anthony Harvey, the director, and the stunt coordinator that nobody would be her double. She would go out into that water. She said she was accustomed to swimming in November in the Long Island Sound, back of her home, and she’s not having anybody else do it...”
(page 287)
The book is in chronological format and covers both many personal and professional aspects of the life of Katharine Hepburn. A synopsis of each of her films is gracefully segued through the text and at the conclusion, you find a list. We love the section of pictures that start on page 209 and they are an essential visual companion to the text. We couldn’t help but notice that Mover and Shaker Liz Smith was mentioned a few times
A highly personal account, “I Know Where I’m Going” by Charlotte Chandler is penned by one who did know Katharine Hepburn, who had quite a life that was never the same after she lost her brother Tom, but her life never lacked excitement. A stellar career, a personality larger than life and dating people like Howard Hughes who flys his plane to land on the green in front of her while she’s golfing when they first meet is only part of who Katharine Hepburn really is. (We suggest you read the story on page 106 as a follow up to see what happened next!) The real love of her life was her big Irish potato though, and the moments with Spencer Tracy that you’ll read about will warm your heart.
Kath, Kathy, the Creature, Jimmy and Katharine Hepburn, we love all of you and Peachy absolutely loved this book. Our esteemed panel says:
I have always been a huge fan of Katharine Hepburn. She was an amazing actress and an amazing person. Growing up in Connecticut, I had a special liking for her, as she also grew up in the state, in Hartford and Old Saybrook. When I was a child, my parents used to drive past her estate in Old Saybrook and point out to me, "That is where Katharine Hepburn lived." I felt almost as if I had a special connection with actress, since we grew up essentially in the same place! Reading I Know Where I'm Going: Katharine Hepburn: A Personal Biography, by Charlotte Chandler was a real treat for me. I knew very little about the famous actress's life. Now, I feel like I know her almost on a personal level. Chandler uses Hepburn's own words to bring you into her world. It is almost as if you are sitting down with Hepburn and hearing her life story. If you are a Katharine Hepburn fan, or you think you would enjoy a fascinating biography, pick up a copy of this book. The story of her life is incredibly interesting, and I promise, once you pick it up, you will not be able to put it down!
Visiting Connecticut every summer since I moved away at the age of 3, particularly Old Saybrook, I always ended up driving by Katharine Hepburn's estate. I've never really read anything by or about Ms. Hepburn before now. I am so glad I did. Charlotte Chandler did a wonderful job at captivating what kind of person Katharine Hepburn was. I loved reading about all the conversations they shared. Getting a behind the scenes look at some of her films was very interesting as well. Not only do you learn about Ms. Hepburn from the behind the scenes looks into her movies and the conversations she had with Ms. Chandler, you hear from others she knew. What I found most interesting was that after Ms. Hepburn's brother took his own life, she adopted his birthday as her own to keep his spirit alive. I had no idea and found that to be very telling of what kind of person she really was. As I was reading, I found myself wanting to read more. I had a hard time putting this book down. I can't wait to read more, not only about Ms. Hepburn, but more by Ms. Chandler.
Few names in show business command as respect and admiration as that of Katharine Hepburn. With a career spanning more than six decades, including 12 nominations and four wins for Best Actress Academy Awards, Katharine was one of the most successful and revered actresses of all time. In I Know Where I'm Going: Katharine Hepburn, A Personal Biography, author Charlotte Chandler presents an extremely intimate look into the legendary actress' life, much of it told in Ms. Hepburn's own words. Over the course of many years, Ms. Chandler made recordings of interviews with Ms. Hepburn, which were candid and frank, revealing many details about both her personal life and her professional life. Born and raised in Connecticut, Katharine learned at an early age the value of hard work, rigorous physical activity, and never allowing oneself to wallow in self-pity. At the age of 13, young Katharine found the body of her adored older brother, Tom, who had died of an apparent suicide. This was a changing point in her life and marked a clear line between the end of childhood and beginning of adulthood, and Katharine always referred to Tom as the most important man in her life. There were plenty other important men, too, as Ms. Hepburn candidly relates to Ms. Chandler. There was her husband, Ludlow Ogden Smith, whom she divorced after six years of marriage. She loved him, but her career came first, and she realized that she simply wasn't cut out for marriage. She would have a number of affairs in future years, as well as a number of marriage proposals, but she chose to remain single, and was quite content to do so. Other affairs included Howard Hughes, who taught her to fly a plane, and Spencer Tracy. She had a 27-year affair with Tracy (although he remained married to his wife) and loved him unconditionally. Their off-screen passion translated to wonderful chemistry on-screen in their eight films together, although they were always extremely careful to keep their romance under wraps. In addition to the interviews with Ms. Hepburn, Ms. Chandler also conducted interviews with a number of her colleagues and co-stars, including director George Cukor (Ms. Hepburn's personal favorite), Cary Grant, Christopher Reeve, Douglas Fairbanks, Jr., and James Steward, among others, all of whom characterize Ms. Hepburn as the consummate professional, and a superbly talented actress. Sprinkled throughout the book are brief summaries of each of her major films, in chronological order, providing plenty of interesting facts about Ms. Hepburn's career to accompany the deliciously personal anecdotes. Overall, I Know Where I'm Going is a thoughtful, extremely well-researched, and beautifully constructed biography that provides a captivating, engaging, and endearing look at one of America's most beloved entertainment icons.
When a hometown girl makes good, and tells about it, the story is fascinating in and of itself. When that hometown girl (Connecticut born and bred) is Katharine Hepburn, the tale is spellbinding, a page-turner, and a must-read.
Brought up to be "the best", "Red" (as Spencer Tracy called her), or "Brick Top" (as her beloved father called her), Katharine Hepburn was always normal. In her eyes, that is. Whether it was toppling down a hill pell-mell as she learned to ride a bike, or launching her acting career, she was always superlative to the rest of us.
From an early age, her athleticism ruled her very being. Trousers were her vernacular because skirts got in the way of her sports. Her independent spirit was born of it, as well. Whether marching beside her Mother for the suffragettes, or managing her career, Katherine Hepburn established a spirit that, well, inspired.
Full of Hollywood backstories, this biography whips you through the rocket beginnings of Miss Hepburn's career, from stage to silver screen. It revels in stories from/about George Cukor, her favorite director. And it reveals her long list of swains, down to the love of her life, Spencer Tracy. Wait until you read about the Howard Hughes chapter in her life!
With direct quotes, more like dialogue actually, the book breezes through the life of our East Coast Kate, and brings her home again, to us.
Whom You Know Highly Recommends I Know Where I'm Going Katharine Hepburn, A Personal Biography by Charlotte Chandler!
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Drawing on a series of recordings made over many years, acclaimed biographer Charlotte Chandler has written the most intimate and personal biography ever published of Hollywood legend Katharine Hepburn, now available in paperback for the first time.
Introduced by George Cukor, who directed Hepburn in such classic films as Little Women, The Philadelphia Story, and Adam’s Rib, Charlotte Chandler first met Hepburn at Cukor’s estate, where the star was living in a cottage on the grounds. In numerous conversations in California and New York, Hepburn spoke with remarkable candor, sharing details about both her personal and professional lives.
Hepburn’s mother was a suffragette, and her father, a prominent doctor. When Kate was 13, she discovered the body of her adored older brother Tom, an apparent suicide. From then on, Kate assumed her brother’s birthday as her own and always considered Tom “the most important man in my life.” Hepburn also told Chandler intimate details of her marriage and divorce from Ludlow Ogden Smith, “Luddy,” who remained a lifelong friend, and she discussed her affair with Howard Hughes. (Hepburn recalled how they enjoyed diving nude off the wings of his seaplane when they went swimming together.) But Hepburn’s warmest recollections were of her 27-year affair with Spencer Tracy.
As she revealed to Chandler in their conversations, her family was a great influence on Hepburn, and she would eventually retire to the home she grew up in—although it had been rebuilt after it was destroyed in a storm—symbolically affirming the family values that shaped her personality. She was careful to distinguish her personal and professional lives, telling Chandler that she always thought of herself as “Kathy,” a childhood name (she had also called herself “Jimmy” for a while in childhood), but regarded the public Katharine Hepburn as “the Creature.”
For this warm and personal biography Chandler also interviewed many others who knew and worked with Katharine Hepburn, from Cukor to Douglas Fairbanks Jr., Cary Grant, Christopher Reeve, and many more. All of them describe an actress and person who was supremely talented and confident—who always knew where she was going.
About the Author:
Charlotte Chandler is the author of numerous biographies of film stars and directors, among them Bette Davis, Ingrid Bergman, Joan Crawford, Mae West, Alfred Hitchcock, and Billy Wilder. Chandler’s biography of Groucho Marx, Hello, I Must Be Going, was a national bestseller, and her book I, Fellini was selected as a New York Times notable book. Charlotte Chandler lives in New York City and serves on the board of the Film Society of Lincoln Center.
