Spencer Tracy & Katharine Hepburn

Katharine Hepburn and Spencer Tracy
Separated
Katharine Hepburn and Spencer Tracy  
211

Spencer Tracy and Katharine Hepburn dated from 1940 to 1967.

On Screen Matchups

Spencer Tracy and Katharine Hepburn were in 9 on-screen matchups, notably Adam's Rib(1949), Desk Set(1957), Guess Who's Coming to Dinner(1967), Keeper of the Flame(1942) and Pat and Mike(1952).

About

American Actor Spencer Tracy was born Spencer Bonaventure Tracy on 5th April, 1900 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, United States and passed away on 10th Jun 1967 Beverly Hills, Los Angeles, California, United States aged 67. He is most remembered for Captains Courageous (1937).. His zodiac sign is Aries.

American Actress Katharine Hepburn was born Katharine Houghton Hepburn on 12th May, 1907 in Hartford, Connecticut, USA and passed away on 29th Jun 2003 Old Saybrook, Connecticut, USA aged 96. She is most remembered for The Philadelphia Story. Her zodiac sign is Taurus.

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Relationship Statistics

StatusDurationLength
Dating1940 - 1967 27 years
Total 1940 - 1967 27 years


Hepburn made her first appearance with Spencer Tracy in Woman of the Year (1942), directed by George Stevens. Behind the scenes the pair fell in love, beginning what would become one of Hollywood's most famous romances, despite Tracy's lifelong unwillingness (he was a Catholic) to divorce his estranged wife, the former Louise Treadwell, whom he had married in 1923. Tracy was in love with Loretta Young and had an affair with her. But he didn't marry her because she was an another religion. Tracy had also affairs with Myrna Loy and Joan Crawford. The legend holds that when Joseph Mankiewicz introduced them, Hepburn, who was wearing special heels that added several inches to her slender frame, said, "I'm afraid I'm too tall for you, Mr. Tracy." Mankiewicz retorted, "Don't worry, he'll soon cut you down to size." As The Daily Telegraph observed in Hepburn's obituary, "Hepburn and Spencer Tracy were at their most seductive when their verbal fencing was sharpest: it was hard to say whether they delighted more in the battle or in each other." The relationship between Hepburn and Tracy was complicated. After an initial romantic period, it became, much like the relationship with Laura Harding, a devoted friendship. Later, Hepburn would try to portray it as a long unbroken traditional relationship, but in fact for much of the 1950s they spent little time together. Tracy had several affairs during this period, notably while filming Plymouth Adventure with his co-star Gene Tierney. He visited and bedded secretly Myrna Loy several times with whom he wanted make more film. He also bedded Grace Kelly later. Tracy didn't want to make much films with Hepburn. But when Tracy became ill, Hepburn took five years off from her career, following completion of Long Day's Journey Into Night, to care for him. Out of consideration for Tracy's family, Hepburn did not attend his funeral. She described herself as too heartbroken to ever watch Guess Who's Coming to Dinner, saying it evoked memories of Tracy that were too painful.

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Relationship Timeline

1967 - Breakup

1940 - Hookup

Couple Comparison

Name
Spencer Tracy
Katharine Hepburn
Spencer Tracy
Katharine Hepburn
Age (at start of relationship)
39
32
Height
Male
5' 10" (178 cm)
Female
5' 8" (173 cm)
Zodiac
Aries
Taurus
Occupation
Actor
Actress
Hair Color
Brown - Light
Red
Eye Color
Blue
Blue
Nationality
American
American
Religion
Roman Catholic
Atheist

Onscreen Matchups

  • Adam's Rib Adam's Rib 1949
  • Desk Set Desk Set 1957
  • Guess Who's Coming to Dinner Guess Who's Coming to Dinner 1967
  • Keeper of the Flame Keeper of the Flame 1942
  • Pat and Mike Pat and Mike 1952
  • State of the Union State of the Union 1948
  • The Sea of Grass The Sea of Grass 1947
  • Without Love Without Love 1945
  • Woman of the Year Woman of the Year 1942
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Spencer Tracy Other Relationships

Katharine Hepburn Other Relationships

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