KATHERINE WITH SPENCER TRACEY
1942 marked the release of "Woman of the Year", Spencer Tracy's first film with Katharine Hepburn. The two would go on to make eight more films together, portraying equal partners in the film world's quintessential battle-of-the-sexes. Although Tracy's Catholicism prevented him from seeking divorce, he and wife Louise separated, and Tracy and Katharine Hepburn would become partners off the screen as well as on.
The relationship lasted until Tracy's death, and the mutual respect of all concerned prevented any scandalous exposure - a unique occurrence in an age when suchh arrangements could have caused censure, damaged reputations, and ruined careers. Tracy was a complex and difficult man. Even the person who perhaps knew him best, Katharine Hepburn, was never able to fathom the "demons" that seemed to drive him. In a 1986 documentary, "The Spencer Tracy Legacy", Hepburn shared a letter she had written to him eighteen years after his death.
Katharine Hepburn met Spencer Tracy when she was 33. They were about to star together in their first film "Woman of the Year" and Kate knew immediately that she liked him. Their relationship lasted for over 25 years both professionally and privately. They never married because Kate had already been married once and knew that it wasn't for her and Spencer was Catholic and already wed. To Kate's credit she respected this and never asked for more then his companionship.
Its amazing to me that Kate, who was always determined to get what she wanted in life, was capable of giving her love, with no strings attached, so completely to Spencer. While Mrs. Tracy was alive and even though Spencer was already gone, she never spoke publicly of their relationship until her death. Tracy's daughter, Susie and Kate are now good friends and I think that Kate has the satisfaction that she was able to have her love without disrupting Spencer's family harmony. Kate always felt that an actor should never marry. She said, "you're too involved with yourself, and your work is too demanding, to give the necessary amount of attention to another human being. Inevitably, that person feels left out. And becomes unhappy. We must never make people unhappy. Life's too short for that."
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Their famous meeting set the standard for their future films together. Kate said, "I'm afraid I'm a little tall for you, Mr. Tracy". "Don't worry Kate, he'll cut you down to size", was the response from Joseph Mankiewicz. It was an immediate attraction of opposites. During the filming of Woman of the Year, George Stevens the Director said, "I saw Spence and Kate's friendship developing right under my eyes."
"Their relationship was remarkable from the beginning. Sometimes Kate even sat at Spencer's feet when they went out to visit; she was always metaphorically at his feet. He was the only man apart from her father she completely trusted, respected, and admired. He was not only her adored companion but also her trusted adviser, whose word on whether she should play a particular part was law." Excerpt from The life of Katharine Hepburn KATE, by Charles Higham.
This piece measure 14"x 22" double acid free mat in black and silver with a great 11"x 14" black and white picture. The signature cut has been matted and the cut is intact. The signature measures 4"x 1" and Ms. Hepburn has signed in dark ink.
For information about Spencer Tracey's signature please visit male movie stars.
