Academy Library Receives Katharine Hepburn Collection

[sagebrush522]

Septemeber 7, 2004

 

Academy Library Receives Katharine Hepburn Collection

 

Beverly Hills, CA ? Thousands of photographs, decades worth of correspondence, numerous scrapbooks, annotated screenplays and an array of memorabilia are among the extraordinary wealth of items in the Katharine Hepburn Collection, recently received by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences' Margaret Herrick Library. Donated to the Academy by Hepburn's estate, it is a treasure that ranks among the Library's holdings as the most comprehensive collection devoted to any performer's career.

 

Hepburn, who died in June 2003, was meticulous about saving a wide range of objects that document and illustrate her legendary life and career. Letters and other materials in the collection provide a vivid picture of how Hepburn approached roles and developed characters. There are numerous exchanges with directors such as George Cukor, John Huston and David Lean, as well as her notes accompanying her personal shooting scripts. There is also material related to her lifelong involvement in various social and political issues, as well as her close and enduring relationships with major figures in the literary and entertainment worlds, including Cary Grant, Tennessee Williams, Laurence Olivier, Pandro Berman, John Cromwell, C.S. Forester, Preston Sturges, John Ford, Garson Kanin, Ruth Gordon, Spencer Tracy, Betsy Drake, Peter O'Toole, Vivien Leigh, Henry Fonda, Jane Fonda, Stanley Kramer and John Wayne.

 

The Hepburn Collection is a particularly welcome addition to the Herrick, where it will be complemented by the existing collections of some of Hepburn's professional collaborators, including Cukor, Grant, John Huston, George Stevens, Hal Wallis and Bryan Forbes. Once fully cataloged, the collection will be accessible to qualified researchers, and will provide them with an unequaled opportunity to investigate the life and career of one of the twentieth century's most influential and admired personalities.

 

In celebration of the collection, the October installment of the Academy's Gold Standard series will feature the world premiere of the Academy Film Archive's restoration of "Summertime," starring Hepburn in the sixth of her 12 Oscar-nominated performances. The film will be screened on Friday, October 8, at 8 p.m., in the Academy's Samuel Goldwyn Theater and will be preceded by a panel discussion of actors and filmmakers who knew and worked with the actress. The discussion will be moderated by Robert Osborne, author of "75 Years of the Oscar" and host of Turner Classic Movies. The event will serve as the kick-off for a screening series featuring ten more titles. Those films will be presented at the Academy's Linwood Dunn Theater at the Pickford Center for Motion Picture Study in Hollywood. All of the screenings will feature new or recently restored 35mm prints.

[evh55]

WOW! Wouldn't it be great if this discussion prior to the screening could be shown on TCM? I'd love to see Bob Osbourne as moderator and hear the reminisces of Hepburn's co-stars and co-workers. Maybe the TCM programmer could suggest this.