American actress (born 1907)

Katharine Hepburn

Katharine Houghton Hepburn was an American actress whose career as a leading lady on stage and screen spanned six decades. Known for her headstrong independence, spirited personality, and outspokenness, she cultivated a screen persona that matched this public image, and regularly played strong-willed, sophisticated women. She worked in a varied range of genres, from screwball comedy to literary drama. Her accolades include a record four Academy Awards for Best Actress, two British Academy Film Awards and a Primetime Emmy Award, in addition to nominations for two Tony Awards, two Grammy Awards and eight Golden Globe Awards.

Born

1907

May 12

Died

2003

Era

1900s

Country

—

About

Katharine, in brief

Source: Wikipedia · CC BY-SA 4.0

Life timeline

Key dates

1907 Born
2003 Died

Also on May 12

What else happened on this day, through history

113 Roman emperor Trajan dedicates a column celebrating and depicting his victory over the Dacians.
254 Pope Stephen I succeeds Pope Lucius I, becoming the 23rd pope of the Catholic Church, and immediately takes a stand against Novatianism.
907 Zhu Wen forces Emperor Ai into abdicating, ending the Tang dynasty after nearly three hundred years of rule.
1157 A church council presided over by Byzantine emperor Manuel I Komnenos in the Palace of Blachernae investigates the orthodoxy of the patriarch of Antioch, Soterichos Panteugenos.

See all of May 12 →

The world in 1907

When Katharine arrived

april 17 The Ellis Island immigration center processes 11,747 people, more than on any other day.
august 1 The start of the first Scout camp on Brownsea Island, the origin of the worldwide Scouting movement.
august 15 Ordination in Constantinople of Fr. Raphael Morgan, the first African-American Orthodox priest, "Priest-Apostolic" to America and the West Indies.
august 17 Pike Place Market, one of the oldest continuously operated public farmers' markets in the U.S. and a popular tourist attraction, opens in Seattle, Washington.

Read the year 1907 →

Same-day contemporaries

Also born on May 12

Abelardo L. Rodríguez 1889–1967 substitute president of Mexico (1932–1934) (born 1889) Dante Gabriel Rossetti 1828–1882 English poet and painter (born 1828) Domingos Maubere 1952–2025 East Timorese Catholic priest and activist (died 2025) Felipe Alou 1935– Dominican-American baseball player, coach, and manager Florence Nightingale 1820–1910 Italian-English nurse and theologian (born 1820) Gabriel Fauré 1845–1924 French pianist, composer, and educator (died 1924) George Karl 1951– American basketball player and coach Graeme Dott 1977– Scottish snooker player and coach Henry Cabot Lodge 1850–1924 American historian and politician (died 1924)

See everything on May 12 →

Same-year contemporaries

Also born in 1907

Alberto Moravia 1907–1990 Italian journalist and author (died 1990) Altiero Spinelli 1907– Italian theorist and politician (died 1986) Astrid Lindgren 1907–2002 Swedish author and screenwriter (born 1907) Bhagat Singh 1907–1931 Indian activist (born 1907) Duarte Nuno 1907– Duke of Braganza (died 1976) Frida Kahlo 1907–1954 Mexican painter and educator (born 1907) Hergé 1907–1983 Belgian author and illustrator (born 1907) Jimmie Foxx 1907–1967 American baseball player, coach, and manager (born 1907) John Wayne 1907–1979 American actor, director, and producer (born 1907)

Read about the year 1907 →

Keep going

More to explore

Katharine's birthday May 12 Katharine's zodiac Taurus When Katharine arrived 1907