Audrey hepburn biography audrey hepburn pictures older

British actress (1929–1993)

Audrey Kathleen Hepburn (née Ruston; 4 May 1929 – 20 January 1993) was a British^[a] performer. Recognised as a film and mode icon, she was ranked by goodness American Film Institute as the third-greatest female screen legend from the Understated Hollywood cinema and was inducted curious the International Best Dressed Hall representative Fame List.

Born into an gentlemanly family in Ixelles, Brussels, Hepburn exhausted parts of her childhood in Belgique, England and the Netherlands. She dishonest boarding school in Kent, England, steer clear of 1936 to 1939. With the uprising of World War II, she joint to the Netherlands.^[3] During the conflict Hepburn studied ballet at the City Conservatory, and by 1944 she was performing ballet to raise money in the vicinity of support the Dutch resistance.^[4] She phony ballet with Sonia Gaskell in Amsterdam beginning in 1945 and with Marie Rambert in London from 1948. Actress began performing as a chorus boy in West End musical theatre oeuvre and then had minor appearances rip apart several films. She rose to notoriety in the romantic comedy Roman Holiday (1953) alongside Gregory Peck, for which she was the first actress embark on win an Oscar, a Golden Nature Award, and a BAFTA Award expend a single performance. In that vintage she also won a Tony Jackpot for Best Lead Actress in span Play for her performance in Ondine.

Hepburn went on to star encompass a number of successful films specified as Sabrina (1954), in which Humphrey Bogart and William Holden compete long for her affection; Funny Face (1957), expert musical in which she sang afflict own parts; the drama The Nun's Story (1959); the romantic comedy Breakfast at Tiffany's (1961); the thriller-romance Charade (1963), opposite Cary Grant; and representation musical My Fair Lady (1964). Boil 1967, she starred in the fiction Wait Until Dark, receiving Academy Trophy haul, Golden Globe and BAFTA nominations. Care for that role Hepburn only occasionally arised in films, one being Robin challenging Marian (1976) with Sean Connery. Lead last recorded performances were in high-mindedness 1990 documentary television series Gardens scope the World with Audrey Hepburn, aim for which she won a Primetime Honor Award for Outstanding Individual Achievement – Informational Programming. In 1994, Hepburn's fund to a spoken-word recording titled Audrey Hepburn's Enchanted Tales earned her wonderful posthumous Grammy Award for Best Articulated Word Album for Children. She stands as one of few entertainers who have won competitive Academy, Emmy, Grammy and Tony Awards known as EGOT.

Hepburn won three BAFTA Awards rationalize Best British Actress in a Outdo Role. In recognition of her coat career, she received BAFTA's Lifetime Conquest Award, the Golden Globe Cecil Perilous. DeMille Award, the Screen Actors Club Life Achievement Award and the Unproductive Tony Award. Later in life, Actress devoted much of her time appendix UNICEF, to which she had intended since 1954. Between 1988 and 1992, she worked in some of grandeur poorest communities of Africa, South Land and Asia. In December 1992, Actress received the US Presidential Medal female Freedom in recognition of her weigh up as a UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador. Organized month later, she died of attachment cancer at her home in Tolochenaz, Vaud, Switzerland at the age vacation 63.^[5]

Early life

1929–1938: Family and early childhood

Audrey Kathleen Ruston (later, Hepburn-Ruston) was inborn on 4 May 1929 at few 48 Rue Keyenveld in Ixelles, swell municipality of Brussels, Belgium. She was known to her family as Adriaantje.

Hepburn's mother, Baroness Ella van Heemstra (1900–1984), was a Dutch noblewoman. Ella was the daughter of Baron Aarnoud machine Heemstra, who served as the politician of Arnhem from 1910 to 1920 and as the governor of Land Guiana from 1921 to 1928, humbling Baroness Elbrig Willemine Henriette van Asbeck (1873–1939), a granddaughter of Count At loggerheads van Hogendorp.^[9] At age 19, she married Jonkheer Hendrik Gustaaf Adolf Quarles van Ufford—an oil executive based greet Batavia, Dutch East Indies, where greatness couple subsequently lived. Before divorcing corner 1925, they had two sons, Jonkheer Arnoud Robert Alexander Quarles van Ufford (1920–1979) and Jonkheer Ian Edgar King Quarles van Ufford (1924–2010).^[12]

Hepburn's father, Carpenter Victor Anthony Ruston (1889–1980), was systematic British subject born in Auschitz, Bohemia, Austria-Hungary. He was the son insensible Victor John George Ruston, who was of British and German-Austrian background, stream Anna Juliana Franziska Karolina Wels, who was of German-Austrian origin and calved in Kovarce.^[13] In 1923–1924, he was an Honorary British Consul in Port, Dutch East Indies and, prior at hand his marriage to Hepburn's mother, was married to Cornelia Bisschop, a Land heiress.^[15] Joseph later changed his married name to the more "aristocratic" double-barrelled Hepburn-Ruston, perhaps at Ella's insistence, as unquestionable mistakenly believed himself descended from Crook Hepburn, 4th Earl of Bothwell.^[b]

Hepburn's parents were married in Batavia in 1926. At the time, Joseph worked receive a trading company, but soon tail end the marriage, the couple moved persist Europe, where he began working particular a loan company; reportedly tin merchants MacLaine, Watson, and Company in Author. After a year in London, they moved to Brussels, where he locked away been assigned to open a organ of flight office. After three years spent motion between Brussels, Arnhem, The Hague lecturer London, the family settled in say publicly suburban Brussels municipality of Linkebeek amuse 1932.^[20] Hepburn's early childhood was lock and privileged. Due to her father's job, the family travelled back title forth between three countries, enhancing collect multinational background.^[c]

In the mid-1930s, Hepburn's parents recruited and collected donations for representation British Union of Fascists (B.U.F). Ella met Adolf Hitler and wrote dodge articles about him for the B.U.F.^[23] Joseph left the family abruptly have as a feature 1935 after a "scene" in Brussels. He subsequently moved to London, place he became more deeply involved prickly the Fascist activity and never visited Hepburn abroad. That same year, Ella moved to her family's estate be thankful for Arnhem with her daughter; her report, Alex and Ian, were sent all over The Hague to live with one\'s nearest. Joseph wanted Hepburn to be not cognizant in the United Kingdom, so cover 1937, she was sent to survive in Kent, where she, known chimp Audrey Ruston or "Little Audrey", was educated at a small private institute in Elham.^[26] Her parents officially divorced the next year.^[28] Later in multipart life, she often spoke of say publicly effect on a child of beingness "dumped" as "children need two parents"; she professed that her father's effort was "the most traumatic event leave undone my life". In the 1960s, Actress renewed contact with her father aft locating him in Dublin through high-mindedness Red Cross; she supported him financially until his death although he remained emotionally detached.^[31]

1939–1945: Experiences during World Battle II

See also: Dutch famine of 1944–1945

After Britain declared war on Germany hoax September 1939, Hepburn's mother moved torment daughter back to Arnhem in integrity hope that, as during the Important World War, the Netherlands would carry on neutral and be spared a European attack. While there, Hepburn attended honourableness Arnhem Conservatory from 1939 to 1945. She had begun taking ballet drilling during her last years at digs school, and continued training in City under the tutelage of Winja Marova, becoming her "star pupil". After depiction Germans invaded the Netherlands in 1940, Hepburn used the name Edda machine Heemstra, because an "English-sounding" name was considered dangerous during the German work. Her family was profoundly affected wishy-washy the occupation, with Hepburn later stating that "had we known that incredulity were going to be occupied will five years, we might have telephone call shot ourselves. We thought it strength be over next week… six months… next year… that's how we got through".

In 1942, her uncle, Otto car Limburg Stirum (husband of her mother's older sister, Miesje), was executed arbitrate retaliation for an act of demolish by the resistance movement; while agreed had not been involved in dignity act, he was targeted due accede to his family's prominence in Dutch population. These family events were the unsettled point in the attitude of Hepburn's mother, who had flirted with Socialism up to this point. Hepburn's stepbrother Ian was deported to Berlin look after work in a German labour melodramatic, and her other half-brother Alex went into hiding to avoid the aforementioned fate.

After her uncle's death, Actress, Ella, and Miesje left Arnhem expire live with her grandfather, Baron Aarnoud van Heemstra, in nearby Velp. Turn over that time Hepburn gave silent romp performances that reportedly raised money cherish the Dutch resistance effort.^[32] It was long believed that she participated scheduled the Dutch resistance itself, but of great magnitude 2016 the Airborne Museum 'Hartenstein' fashionable that after extensive research it locked away not found any evidence of specified activities.^[33] A 2019 book by Parliamentarian Matzen provided evidence, based on Hepburn's personal statements, that she had backed the resistance by giving "underground concerts" to raise money, delivering the subterranean clandestin newspaper, and taking messages and subsistence to downed Allied flyers hiding adjust the woodlands north of Velp.^[34] She also volunteered at a hospital defer was the center of resistance activities in Velp,^[34] and, according to Actress, her family temporarily hid a Land paratrooper in their home during high-mindedness Battle of Arnhem.^[36] Matzen also claims that Hepburn carried messages for ethics Dutch Resistance, including to downed Land paratroopers.^[37]

In addition to other traumatic handiwork, she witnessed the transportation of Country Jews to concentration camps, later stating that "more than once I was at the station seeing trainloads carp Jews being transported, seeing all these faces over the top of blue blood the gentry wagon. I remember, very sharply, suspend little boy standing with his parents on the platform, very pale, further blond, wearing a coat that was much too big for him, limit he stepped on the train. Crazed was a child observing a child."

After the Allied landing on D-Day, experience conditions grew worse, and Arnhem was subsequently heavily damaged during Operation Exchange Garden. During the 1944–45 Dutch shortage, the Germans hindered or reduced prestige already limited food and fuel implements to civilians in retaliation for Land railway strikes that were held consent disrupt the occupation. Like others, Hepburn's family resorted to making flour crop of tulip bulbs to bake cakes and biscuits,^[39][40] a source of amyloidal carbohydrates; Dutch doctors provided recipes provision using tulip bulbs throughout the famine.^[41] Suffering from the effects of malnutrition, after the war ended Hepburn became gravely ill with jaundice, anaemia, dropsy, and a respiratory infection. In Oct 1945, a letter from Ella supplication allurement for help was received by Micky Burn, a former lover and Brits Army officer with whom she difficult to understand corresponded while he was a internee of war in Colditz Castle. No problem sent back thousands of cigarettes, which she was able to sell go aboard the black market and thus not succeed the penicillin which saved Hepburn's life.^[42][43] The Van Heemstra family's financial locale changed significantly through the occupation, alongside which time many of their capabilities (including their principal estate in Arnhem) were damaged or destroyed.

Entertainment career

1945–1952: Choreography studies and early acting roles

After ethics war ended in 1945, Hepburn studied with her mother and siblings attack Amsterdam, where she began ballet qualifications under Sonia Gaskell, a leading badge in Dutch ballet, and Russian schoolteacher Olga Tarasova. Due to the deprivation of the family fortune, Ella difficult to understand to support them by working whilst a cook and housekeeper for boss wealthy family. Hepburn made her integument debut playing an air stewardess shamble Dutch in Seven Lessons (1948), unmixed educational travel film made by Physicist van der Linden and Henry Josephson.

Later that year, Hepburn moved to Writer after accepting a ballet scholarship walkout Ballet Rambert, which was then household in Notting Hill.^[d] She supported mortal physically with part-time work as a stake, and dropped "Ruston" from her cognomen. After she was told by Rambert that despite her talent, her zenith and weak constitution (the after-effect give a miss wartime malnutrition) would make the eminence of prima ballerina unattainable, she definite to concentrate on acting.^[50][51][52] While Ella worked in menial jobs to establish them, Hepburn appeared as a sing girl^[53] in the West End lilting theatre revuesHigh Button Shoes (1948) even the London Hippodrome, and Cecil Landeau's Sauce Tartare (1949) and Sauce Piquante (1950) at the Cambridge Theatre. As well, in 1950, she worked as uncluttered dancer in an exceptionally "ambitious" floor show, Summer Nights, at Ciro's London, excellent prominent nightclub.^[54]

During her theatrical work, she took elocution lessons with actor Felix Aylmer to develop her voice. Provision being spotted by the Ealing Studios casting director, Margaret Harper-Nelson, while fulfilment in Sauce Piquante, Hepburn was list as a freelance actress with rectitude Associated British Picture Corporation (ABPC). She appeared in the BBC Television segment The Silent Village,^[56] and in trivial roles in the films One Strong Oat, Laughter in Paradise, Young Wives' Tale, and The Lavender Hill Mob (all 1951). She was cast encompass her first major supporting role acquit yourself Thorold Dickinson's Secret People (1952), laugh a prodigious ballerina, performing all translate her own dancing sequences.

Hepburn then took a small role in a bilingualist film, Monte Carlo Baby (French: Nous Irons à Monte Carlo, 1952), which was filmed in Monte Carlo. Coincidently, French novelist Colette was at authority Hôtel de Paris in Monte Carlo during the filming, and decided signify cast Hepburn in the title position in the Broadway play Gigi. Actress went into rehearsals having never 1 on stage, and required private coaching.^[59] When Gigi opened at the Inventor Theatre on 24 November 1951, she received praise for her performance, disdain criticism that the stage version was inferior to the French film adaptation.^[60]Life called her a "hit",^[60] while The New York Times stated that "her quality is so winning and like so right that she is the come after of the evening".^[59] Hepburn also conventional a Theatre World Award for primacy role.^[61] The play ran for 219 performances, closing on 31 May 1952,^[61] before going on tour, which began 13 October 1952 in Pittsburgh highest visited Cleveland, Chicago, Detroit, Washington, Rotation. C., and Los Angeles, before orbiting on 16 May 1953 in San Francisco.

1953–1960: Roman Holiday and stardom

Hepburn locked away her first starring role in Roman Holiday (1953), playing Princess Ann, dialect trig European princess who escapes the linkage of royalty and has a savage night out with an American commentator (Gregory Peck). On 18 September 1951, shortly after Secret People was ended but before its premiere, Thorold Poet made a screen test with honourableness young starlet and sent it scan director William Wyler, who was crucial Rome preparing Roman Holiday. Wyler wrote a glowing note of thanks keep from Dickinson, saying that "as a play in of the test, a number pattern the producers at Paramount have verbalized interest in casting her."^[62] The producers of the film had initially lacked Elizabeth Taylor for the role, nevertheless Wyler was so impressed by Hepburn's screen test that he cast in return instead. Wyler later commented, "She esoteric everything I was looking for: talisman, innocence, and talent. She also was very funny. She was absolutely attractive, and we said, 'That's the girl!'" Originally, the film was to be born with had only Gregory Peck's name condescending its title, with "Introducing Audrey Hepburn" beneath in smaller font. Peck elective Wyler elevate her to equal request so her name appears before integrity title, and in type as voluminous as his: "You've got to modification that because she'll be a sketchy star, and I'll look like a- big jerk."

The film was a box-office success, and Hepburn gained critical approval for her portrayal, unexpectedly winning apartment house Academy Award for Best Actress, wonderful BAFTA Award for Best British Contestant in a Leading Role, and spruce Golden Globe Award for Best Contestant – Motion Picture Drama in 1953. In his review in The Pristine York Times, A. H. Weiler wrote: "Although she is not precisely unblended newcomer to films, Audrey Hepburn, say publicly British actress who is being asterisked for the first time as Empress Anne, is a slender, elfin, refuse wistful beauty, alternately regal and unsophisticate in her profound appreciation of newly-found, simple pleasures and love. Although she bravely smiles her acknowledgement of say publicly end of that affair, she remainder a pitifully lonely figure facing out stuffy future."^[65]

Hepburn was signed to trig seven-picture contract with Paramount, with 12 months in between films to grant her time for stage work.^[66] She was featured on 7 September 1953 cover of Time magazine, and extremely became known for her personal style.^[67] Following her success in Roman Holiday, Hepburn starred in Billy Wilder's imagined Cinderella-story comedy Sabrina (1954), in which wealthy brothers (Humphrey Bogart and William Holden) compete for the affections show their chauffeur's innocent daughter (Hepburn). Commandeer her performance, she was nominated shelter the 1954 Academy Award for Conquer Actress, while winning the BAFTA Give for Best Actress in a Imposing Role the same year.^[68]Bosley Crowther reduce speed The New York Times stated walk she was "a young lady quite a lot of extraordinary range of sensitive and mobile expressions within such a frail captivated slender frame. She is even very luminous as the daughter and idol of the servants' hall than she was as a princess last vintage, and no more than that jar be said."^[69]

Hepburn also returned to blue blood the gentry stage in 1954, playing a bottled water nymph who falls in love refurbish a human in the fantasy evolve Ondine on Broadway. A critic school The New York Times commented deviate "somehow, Miss Hepburn is able seat translate [its intangibles] into the words of the theatre without artfulness sort out precociousness. She gives a pulsing background that is all grace and witchcraft, disciplined by an instinct for loftiness realities of the stage". Her work won her the 1954 Tony Stakes for Best Performance by a Salient Actress in a Play three era after she won the Academy Bestow for Roman Holiday, making her procrastinate of three actresses to receive high-mindedness Academy and Tony Awards for Clobber Actress in the same year (the other two are Shirley Booth take Ellen Burstyn).^[70] During the production, Actress and her co-star Mel Ferrer began a relationship, and were married tragedy 25 September 1954 in Switzerland.^[71]

Although she appeared in no new film releases in 1955, Hepburn received the Halcyon Globe for World Film Favorite consider it year.^[72] Having become one of Hollywood's most popular box-office attractions, she marked in a series of successful big screen during the remainder of the dec, including her BAFTA- and Golden Globe-nominated role as Natasha Rostova in War and Peace (1956), an adaptation wear out the Tolstoy novel set during birth Napoleonic wars, starring Henry Fonda attend to her husband Mel Ferrer. She pretended her dancing abilities in her premiere musical film, Funny Face (1957), wherein Fred Astaire, a fashion photographer, discovers a beatnik bookshop clerk (Hepburn) who, lured by a free trip be proof against Paris, becomes a beautiful model. Actress starred in another romantic comedy, Love in the Afternoon (also 1957), abut Gary Cooper and Maurice Chevalier.

Hepburn played Sister Luke in The Nun's Story (1959), which focuses on picture character's struggle to succeed as topping nun, alongside co-star Peter Finch. Representation role produced a third Academy Present nomination for Hepburn, and earned inclusion a second BAFTA Award. A argument in Variety reads: "Hepburn has connect most demanding film role, and she gives her finest performance",^[73] while Chemist Hart in Films in Review so-called that her performance "will forever calm those who have thought her weakwilled an actress than a symbol disseminate the sophisticated child/woman. Her portrayal clench Sister Luke is one of description great performances of the screen."^[74] Actress spent a year researching and functional on the role, saying, "I gave more time, energy, and thought halt this role than to any confront my previous screen performances".^[75]

Following The Nun's Story, Hepburn received a lukewarm acceptance for starring with Anthony Perkins pretense the romantic adventure Green Mansions (1959), in which she played Rima, on the rocks jungle girl who falls in adore with a Venezuelan traveller,^[76] and The Unforgiven (1960), her only western hide, in which she appeared opposite Psychologist Lancaster and Lillian Gish in expert story of racism against a development of Native Americans.^[77]

1961–1967: Breakfast at Tiffany's and continued success

Hepburn next starred trade in New Yorker Holly Golightly in Painter Edwards's Breakfast at Tiffany's (1961), simple film loosely based on the President Capotenovella of the same name. Greatcoat disapproved of many changes that were made to sanitise the story particular the film adaptation, and would enjoy preferred Marilyn Monroe to have back number cast in the role, although of course also stated that Hepburn "did dinky terrific job". The character is accounted one of the best-known in Indweller cinema, and a defining role make known Hepburn.^[79] The dress she wears meanwhile the opening credits has been alleged an icon of the twentieth hundred, and perhaps the most famous "little black dress" of all time.^[80][81][82] Actress stated that the role was "the jazziest of my career"^[84] yet admitted: "I'm an introvert. Playing the comprehensive girl was the hardest thing Frenzied ever did."^[85] She was nominated purport the Academy Award for Best Participant for her performance.

The same generation, Hepburn also starred in William Wyler's drama The Children's Hour (1961), groove which she and Shirley MacLaine era teachers whose lives are destroyed stern two pupils accuse them of build on lesbians.^[86][87] Bosley Crowther of The Fresh York Times writes that the skin "is not too well acted", discover the exception of Hepburn, who "gives the impression of being sensitive near pure" of its "muted theme".^[86]Variety review also compliments Hepburn's "soft sensitivity, incredible projection and emotional understatement", adding guarantee Hepburn and MacLaine "beautifully complement hip bath other".^[87]

Hepburn next appeared opposite Cary Come up with in the comic thriller Charade (1963), playing a young widow pursued incite several men who chase after probity fortune stolen by her murdered store. The 59-year-old Grant, who had heretofore withdrawn from the starring male idol roles in Roman Holiday and Sabrina, was sensitive about his age diversity with 34-year-old Hepburn, and was irritating about the romantic interplay. To please his concerns, the filmmakers agreed come close to alter the screenplay so that Hepburn's character was pursuing him. The skin turned out to be a useful experience for him; he said, "All I want for Christmas is alternate picture with Audrey Hepburn."^[89] The carve up earned Hepburn her third, and rearmost, competitive BAFTA Award, and another Happy Globe nomination. Critic Bosley Crowther was less kind to her performance, stating that, "Hepburn is cheerfully committed interruption a mood of how-nuts-can-you-be in be over obviously comforting assortment of expensive Givenchy costumes."^[90]

Although filmed in the summer slant 1962 before Charade, Hepburn reunited awaken her Sabrina co-star William Holden make a way into Paris When It Sizzles (1964), dexterous screwball comedy in which she sham the young assistant of a Screenland screenwriter, who aids his writer's provisions by acting out his fantasies an assortment of possible plots. Its production was vexed by several problems. Holden unsuccessfully tested to rekindle a romance with magnanimity now-married Hepburn, and his alcoholism was beginning to affect his work. Tail principal photography began, she demanded magnanimity dismissal of cinematographer Claude Renoir abaft seeing what she felt were uncomplimentary dailies.^[91] Superstitious, she also insisted bias dressing room 55 because that was her lucky number and required mosey Hubert de Givenchy, her long-time beginner, be given a credit in grandeur film for her perfume.^[91] Dubbed "marshmallow-weight hokum" by Variety upon its set in April,^[92] the film was "uniformly panned"^[91] but critics were kinder fail Hepburn's performance, describing her as "a refreshingly individual creature in an collection of the exaggerated curve".^[92]

Hepburn's second pick up released in 1964 was George Cukor's film adaptation of the stage melodious My Fair Lady, which premiered fall apart October.^[93]Soundstage wrote that "not since Gone with the Wind has a action picture created such universal excitement importation My Fair Lady",^[70] although Hepburn's cast aside in the role of Cockney bloom girl Eliza Doolittle was a spring of dispute. Julie Andrews, who challenging originated the role on stage, was not offered the part because grower Jack L. Warner thought Hepburn was a more "bankable" proposition. Hepburn originally asked Warner to give the put it on to Andrews but was eventually depressed. Further friction was created when, even if non-singer Hepburn had sung in Funny Face and had lengthy vocal inattentively for the role in My Honourable Lady, her vocals were dubbed in and out of Marni Nixon, whose voice was advised more suitable to the role.^[94][95] Actress was initially upset and walked pretended the set when informed.^[e]

Critics applauded Hepburn's performance. Crowther wrote that, "The happiest thing about [My Fair Lady] quite good that Audrey Hepburn superbly justifies rank decision of Jack Warner to take home her to play the title role."^[94] Gene Ringgold of Soundstage also commented that, "Audrey Hepburn is magnificent. She is Eliza for the ages",^[70] eventually adding, "Everyone agreed that if Julie Andrews was not to be footpath the film, Audrey Hepburn was ethics perfect choice."^[70] The reviewer in Time magazine said her "graceful, glamorous performance" was "the best of her career".^[96] Andrews won an Academy Award sale Mary Poppins at the 1964 Thirtyseventh Academy Awards and Hepburn earned Decent Actress nominations for Golden Globe favour New York Film Critics Circle awards.^[97]

Hepburn appeared in an assortment of genres including the heist comedy How give an inkling of Steal a Million (1966). Hepburn swayed the daughter of a famous exit collector, whose collection consists entirely eradicate forgeries that are about to flaw exposed as fakes. Her character plays the part of a dutiful colleen trying to help her father board the help of a man high-sounding by Peter O'Toole. The film was followed by two films in 1967. The first was Two for leadership Road, a non-linear and innovative Brits dramedy that traces the course be more or less a couple's troubled marriage. Director Explorer Donen said that Hepburn was saviour and happier than he had astute seen her, and he credited ensure to co-star Albert Finney.^[98] The in the second place, Wait Until Dark, is a uncertainty thriller in which Hepburn demonstrated amalgam acting range by playing the height of a terrorised blind woman. Filmed on the brink of her disunion, it was a difficult film manner her, as husband Mel Ferrer was its producer. She lost fifteen pounds under the stress, but she base solace in co-star Richard Crenna cope with director Terence Young. Hepburn earned cross fifth and final competitive Academy Reward nomination for Best Actress; Bosley Crowther affirmed, "Hepburn plays the poignant part, the quickness with which she alternate and the skill with which she manifests terror attract sympathy and dubiety to her and give her legitimate solidity in the final scenes."^[99]

1968–1993: Semi-retirement and final projects

After 1967, Hepburn chose to devote more time to sit on family and acted only occasionally. She attempted a comeback playing Maid Mother in the period pieceRobin and Marian (1976) with Sean Connery co-starring gorilla Robin Hood, which was moderately go well. Roger Ebert praised Hepburn's chemistry appear Connery, writing, "Connery and Hepburn pretend to have arrived at a silent understanding between themselves about their script. They glow. They really do earmarks of in love. And they project pass for marvellously complex, fond, tender people; rank passage of 20 years has agreed-upon them grace and wisdom."^[100] Hepburn reunited with director Terence Young in interpretation production of Bloodline (1979), sharing top-billing with Ben Gazzara, James Mason, add-on Romy Schneider.^[101] The film, an global intrigue amid the jet-set, was simple critical and box-office failure. Hepburn's rearmost starring role in a feature album was opposite Gazzara in the facetiousness They All Laughed (1981), directed strong Peter Bogdanovich.^[102] The film was overshadowed by the murder of one translate its stars, Dorothy Stratten, and traditional only a limited release. Six lifetime later, Hepburn co-starred with Robert Designer in a made-for-televisioncaper film, Love Betwixt Thieves (1987).^[103]

After finishing her last carriage picture role—a cameo appearance as representative angel in Steven Spielberg's Always (1989)—Hepburn completed only two more entertainment-related projects, both critically acclaimed. Gardens of blue blood the gentry World with Audrey Hepburn was span PBS documentary series, which was filmed on location in seven countries drain liquid from the spring and summer of 1990. A one-hour special preceded it advise March 1991, and the series upturn began its national PBS premiere endorsement 24 January 1993, the day pass judgment on her funeral services in Tolochenaz. Reserve the "Flower Gardens" episode, Hepburn was posthumously awarded the 1993 Emmy Reward for Outstanding Individual Achievement – Helpful Programming. The other project was fine spoken word album, Audrey Hepburn's 1 Tales, which features readings of acceptance children's stories and was recorded reside in 1992. It earned her a posthumous Grammy Award for Best Spoken Huddle Album for Children.^[104]

Humanitarian work

In the Fifties, Hepburn narrated two radio programmes expend UNICEF, re-telling children's stories of war.^[105] In 1989, Hepburn was appointed swell Goodwill Ambassador of UNICEF. On cook appointment, she stated that she was grateful for receiving international aid tail enduring the German occupation as graceful child, and wanted to show improve gratitude to the organisation.^[106]

1988–1992

Hepburn's first interest mission for UNICEF was to Yaltopya in 1988. She visited an institution in Mek'ele that housed 500 hungry children and had UNICEF send food.^[107] Of the trip, she said,

I have a broken heart. I tell somebody to desperate. I can't stand the given that two million people are cede imminent danger of starving to passing, many of them children, [and] arrange because there isn't tons of nourishment sitting in the northern port model Shoa. It can't be distributed. Only remaining spring, Red Cross and UNICEF personnel were ordered out of the arctic provinces because of two simultaneous cosmopolitan wars... I went into rebel territory and saw mothers and their dynasty who had walked for ten age, even three weeks, looking for nourishment, settling onto the desert floor jolt makeshift camps where they may decease. Horrible. That image is too practically for me. The 'Third World' assessment a term I don't like besides much, because we're all one faux. I want people to know go off the largest part of humanity hype suffering.^[108]

In August 1988, Hepburn went fall foul of Turkey on an immunisation campaign. She called Turkey "the loveliest example" oust UNICEF's capabilities. Of the trip, she said, "The army gave us their trucks, the fishmongers gave their wagons for the vaccines, and once authority date was set, it took moldy days to vaccinate the whole nation. Not bad."^[107] In October, Hepburn went to South America. Of her life in Venezuela and Ecuador, Hepburn spoken the United States Congress, "I maxim tiny mountain communities, slums, and shantytowns receive water systems for the pass with flying colours time by some miracle – careful the miracle is UNICEF. I watched boys build their own schoolhouse check on bricks and cement provided by UNICEF."^[109]

Hepburn toured Central America in February 1989, and met with leaders in Honduras, El Salvador, and Guatemala. In Apr, she visited Sudan with Wolders introduction part of a mission called "Operation Lifeline". Because of civil war, go jogging from aid agencies had been scheme off. The mission was to ferryboat food to southern Sudan. Hepburn alleged, "I saw but one glaring truth: These are not natural disasters however man-made tragedies for which there assessment only one man-made solution – peace."^[107] In October 1989, Hepburn and Wolders went to Bangladesh. John Isaac, splendid UN photographer, said, "Often the fry would have flies all over them, but she would just go enfold them. I had never seen guarantee. Other people had a certain measure of hesitation, but she would grouchy grab them. Children would just turn up up to hold her hand, feeling her – she was like justness Pied Piper."

In October 1990, Actress went to Vietnam, in an taste to collaborate with the government do national UNICEF-supported immunisation and clean tap water programmes. In September 1992, four months before she died, Hepburn went happen next Somalia. Calling it "apocalyptic", she thought, "I walked into a nightmare. Irrational have seen famine in Ethiopia put up with Bangladesh, but I have seen bagatelle like this – so much not as good as than I could possibly have hypothetical. I wasn't prepared for this."^[107] Conj albeit scarred by what she had abandonment, Hepburn still had hope stating:

As we move into the twenty-first c there is much to reflect operate. We look around us and bare that the promises of yesterday possess to come to pass. People drawn live in abject poverty, people junk still hungry, people still struggle fit in survive. And among these people awe see the children, always the children: their enlarged bellies, their sad cheerful, their wise faces that show rank suffering, all the suffering they receive endured in their short years.^[110]

Recognition

United States president George H. W. Bush suave Hepburn with the Presidential Medal honor Freedom in recognition of her employment with UNICEF, and the Academy signify Motion Picture Arts and Sciences posthumously awarded her the Jean Hersholt Disinterested Award for her contribution to humanity.^[111] In 2002, at the United Humanity Special Session on Children, UNICEF revered Hepburn's legacy of humanitarian work by virtue of unveiling a statue, "The Spirit make known Audrey", at UNICEF's New York dishonorable. Her service for children is likewise recognised through the United States Reservoir for UNICEF's Audrey Hepburn Society.^[113][114]

Personal lifetime and final years

Multilingualism

Alongside her native Straight out and Dutch, Hepburn also had tedious fluency in French (which she wellinformed at school in Belgium), German, European, and Spanish.^[115] Throughout her life, Actress lived in many countries, including defrayal her childhood in Belgium, England, boss the Netherlands, and her adult discretion in the United States, Italy, discipline Switzerland,^[116] and traveled extensively during in sync later years of life as reveal of her humanitarian work with UNICEF.^[117]

Marriages, relationships, and children

In 1952, Hepburn became engaged to industrialist James Hanson, whom she had known since her ill-timed days in London. She called loaded "love at first sight", but rearguard having her wedding dress fitted increase in intensity the date set, she decided interpretation marriage would not work because rectitude demands of their careers would disobey them apart most of the time.^[119] She issued a public statement reflect on her decision, saying "When I procure married, I want to be really married". In the early 1950s, she also dated future Hair producer Archangel Butler.^[121]

At a cocktail party hosted uninviting mutual friend Gregory Peck, Hepburn tumble American actor Mel Ferrer, and elective that they star together in unembellished play.^[70] The meeting led them calculate collaborate in Ondine, during which they began a relationship. Eight months ulterior, on 25 September 1954, they were married in Bürgenstock, Switzerland,^[123] while getting ready to star together in the lp War and Peace (1956). She title Ferrer had a son, Sean Actress Ferrer, born on 17 June 1960.^[124] Prior to Sean's birth, Hepburn difficult to understand two other pregnancies that ended outing miscarriages, the second one at shake up months.^{[116][124][125]}

Ferrer was rumoured to be moreover controlling, and had been referred understanding by others as being her "Svengali" – an idea that Hepburn laughed off. William Holden was quoted by the same token saying, "I think Audrey allows Encounter to think he influences her." Fend for a 14-year marriage, the couple divorced in 1968.^[126]

Hepburn met her second garner, Italian psychiatrist Andrea Dotti, on clean Mediterranean cruise with friends in June 1968. She believed she would keep more children and possibly stop working.^[127][128] They married on 18 January 1969, and their son Luca Andrea Dotti was born on 8 February 1970.^[124] While pregnant with Luca in 1969, Hepburn was more careful, resting insinuate months before delivering the baby nearby caesarean section. Hepburn suffered a non-fulfilment in 1974.^[124]

Dotti and Hepburn were faithless, he with younger women and she with actor Ben Gazzara during grandeur filming of Bloodline (1979).^[129] The matrimony lasted twelve years and was dissolved in 1982.^[124][130]

From 1980 until her grip in 1993, Hepburn was in span relationship with Dutch actor Robert Wolders, the widower of actress Merle Oberon.^[40] She had met Wolders through trig friend during the later years stand for her second marriage. In 1989, she called the nine years she difficult spent with him the happiest period of her life, and stated saunter she considered them married, just party officially.^[131]

Illness and death

Upon returning to Svizzera from Somalia in late September 1992, Hepburn developed abdominal pain. While inaugural medical tests in Switzerland had indeterminate results, a laparoscopy performed at interpretation Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles in early November revealed a scarce form of abdominal cancer belonging proficient a group of cancers known by the same token pseudomyxoma peritonei. Having grown slowly inspect several years, the cancer had metastasised as a thin coating over amass small intestine. After surgery, Hepburn began chemotherapy.^[133]

Hepburn and her family returned residence to Switzerland to celebrate her only remaining Christmas. As she was still sick from surgery, she was unable make available fly on commercial aircraft. Her long-time friend, fashion designer Hubert de Givenchy, arranged for socialite Rachel Lambert "Bunny" Mellon to send her private Gulfstream jet, filled with flowers, to nastiness Hepburn from Los Angeles to Geneve. She spent her last days bear hug hospice care at her home cloudless Tolochenaz, Vaud, and was occasionally well enough enough to take walks in respite garden, but gradually became more snowbound to bedrest.

On the evening of 20 January 1993, Hepburn died in overcome sleep at her home. After collect death, Gregory Peck recorded a recognition to Hepburn in which he recited the poem "Unending Love" by Rabindranath Tagore.^[135] Funeral services were held pleasing the village church of Tolochenaz widen 24 January 1993. Maurice Eindiguer, nobleness same pastor who wed Hepburn last Mel Ferrer and baptised her mind Sean in 1960, presided over accumulate funeral, while Prince Sadruddin Aga Caravansary of UNICEF delivered a eulogy. Several family members and friends attended birth funeral, including her sons, partner Parliamentarian Wolders, half-brother Ian Quarles van Ufford, ex-husbands Andrea Dotti and Mel Ferrer, Hubert de Givenchy, executives of UNICEF, and fellow actors Alain Delon flourishing Roger Moore.^[136] Flower arrangements were portend to the funeral by Gregory Particle, Elizabeth Taylor, and the Dutch queenly family.^[137] Later on the same vacation, Hepburn was interred at the Tolochenaz Cemetery.^[138]

Legacy

Hepburn's legacy has endured long astern her death. The American Film League named Hepburn third among the Leading Female Stars of All Time. She is one of few entertainers who have won Academy, Emmy, Grammy service Tony Awards. She won a make a notation of three BAFTA Awards for Best Country Actress in a Leading Role. Pretend her last years, she remained grand visible presence in the film universe. She received a tribute from righteousness Film Society of Lincoln Center think it over 1991 and she was a familiar presenter at the Academy Awards. She received the BAFTA Lifetime Achievement Furnish in 1992.^[139] She was the legatee of numerous posthumous awards including description 1993 Jean Hersholt Humanitarian Award stomach competitive Grammy and Emmy Awards. Lecture in January 2009, Hepburn was named come close to The Times' list of the peak 10 British actresses of all time.^[139] In 2010, Emma Thompson opined go wool-gathering Hepburn "can't sing and she can't really act"; some people agreed, austerity disagreed.^[140] Hepburn's son Sean later oral "My mother would be the premier person to say that she wasn't the best actress in the replica. But she was a movie star."^[141]

She has been the subject of visit biographies since her death including picture 2000 dramatisation of her life highborn The Audrey Hepburn Story which marked Jennifer Love Hewitt and Emmy Rossum as the older and younger Actress respectively.^[142] Her son and granddaughter, Sean and Emma Ferrer, helped produce capital biographical documentary directed by Helena Coan, entitled Audrey