Audrey Hepburn on screen and stage

Audrey Hepburn (1929–1993) was a British actress who had an extensive career in film, television, and on the stage. Considered by some to be one of the most beautiful women of all time,[1][2] she was ranked as the third greatest screen legend in American cinema by the American Film Institute.[3] Hepburn is also remembered as both a film and style icon.[4][5][6] Her debut was as a flight stewardess in the 1948 Dutch film Dutch in Seven Lessons.[7] Hepburn then performed on the British stage as a chorus girl in the musicals High Button Shoes (1948), and Sauce Tartare (1949). Two years later, she made her Broadway debut as the title character in the play Gigi. Hepburn's Hollywood debut as a runaway princess in William Wyler's Roman Holiday (1953), opposite Gregory Peck, made her a star.[4][8][9][10] For her performance, she received the Academy Award for Best Actress, the BAFTA Award for Best British Actress, and the Golden Globe Award for Best Actress in a Motion Picture – Drama.[11][12][13] In 1954, she played a chauffeur's daughter caught in a love triangle in Billy Wilder's romantic comedy Sabrina, opposite Humphrey Bogart and William Holden.[14][15] In the same year, Hepburn garnered the Tony Award for Best Actress in a Play for portraying the titular water nymph in the play Ondine.[16][17]

A photograph of Hepburn as Princess Ann in the film Roman Holiday.
Hepburn as Princess Ann in Roman Holiday (1953)

Her next role was as Natasha Rostova in the 1956 film adaptation of Leo Tolstoy's War and Peace. In 1957, Hepburn starred with Fred Astaire in the musical film Funny Face, and with Gary Cooper and Maurice Chevalier in Billy Wilder's Love in the Afternoon. Two years later, she appeared in the romantic adventure film Green Mansions, and played a nun in The Nun's Story. In 1961, Hepburn played café society girl Holly Golightly in the romantic comedy Breakfast at Tiffany's, and as a teacher accused of lesbianism in Wyler's drama The Children's Hour, opposite Shirley MacLaine.[17][18] Two years later, she appeared opposite Cary Grant in the romantic mystery film Charade. Hepburn followed this by starring in the romantic comedy Paris When It Sizzles, opposite William Holden, and as Cockney flower girl Eliza Doolittle in the musical film My Fair Lady (both in 1964).[17] In 1967, she played a blind woman menaced by drug dealers in her own home in the suspense thriller Wait Until Dark, which earned her a Best Actress Oscar nomination.[17][19] Nine years later, Hepburn played Maid Marian opposite Sean Connery as Robin Hood in Robin and Marian.

Her final film appearance was a cameo as an angel in Steven Spielberg's Always (1989).[19] Hepburn's final screen role was as the host of the television documentary series Gardens of the World with Audrey Hepburn (1993), for which she post-humously received the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Individual Achievement – Informational Programming.[10][20][21] In recognition of her career, Hepburn earned the Special Award from BAFTA, the Golden Globe Cecil B. DeMille Award, the Screen Actors Guild Life Achievement Award, and the Special Tony Award.[22][23][24][25]

Film

In Roman Holiday (1953)
With William Holden in Sabrina (1954)
List of film credits
YearTitleRoleNotesRef(s)
1948Dutch in Seven LessonsStewardessDutch: Nederlands in Zeven Lessen[26]
1951One Wild OatHotel receptionistUncredited[26]
Laughter in ParadiseCigarette girl[27]
The Lavender Hill MobChiquita[28]
Young Wives' TaleEve Lester[29]
1952Secret PeopleNora Brentano[30]
Monte Carlo BabyLinda Farrell
Melissa Farrell (French version)
Simultaneously filmed in both English and French
French: Nous irons à Monte-Carlo
[31]
[32]
[33]
1953Roman HolidayPrincess AnnAcademy Award for Best Actress[34]
1954SabrinaSabrina FairchildUK: Sabrina Fair[35]
[36]
1956War and PeaceNatasha Rostova[37]
1957Funny FaceJo Stockton[38]
Love in the AfternoonAriane Chavasse[39]
1959Green MansionsRima[40]
The Nun's StorySister Luke[17]
1960The UnforgivenRachel Zachary[17]
1961Breakfast at Tiffany'sHolly Golightly[17]
The Children's HourKaren Wright[17]
1963CharadeRegina Lampert[41]
1964Paris When It SizzlesGabrielle Simpson[42]
My Fair LadyEliza Doolittle[17]
1966How to Steal a MillionNicole Bonnet[17]
1967Two for the RoadJoanna Wallace[43]
Wait Until DarkSusy Hendrix[44]
1976Robin and MarianMaid Marian[45]
1979BloodlineElizabeth Roffe[46]
1981They All LaughedAngela Niotes[47]
1989AlwaysHap[48]

Television

With Mel Ferrer in the teleplay Mayerling (1957)
List of television credits
YearTitleRoleNotesRef(s)
1950Saturday Night RevueUnknown3 episodes[49]
[50]
[51]
1951Sunday Night TheatreCeliaEpisode: "The Silent Village"[52]
1952Toast of the TownLady Jane GreyEpisode: "Nine Days a Queen"[53]
CBS Television WorkshopVirginia ForsytheEpisode: "Rainy Day at Paradise Junction"[54]
[55]
1957Producers' ShowcaseMary VetseraEpisode: "Mayerling"[56]
1970A World of LoveHerselfUNICEF special[57]
1987Love Among ThievesCaroline DuLacTelevision film[58]
[59]
1988American MastersHerselfEpisode: "Directed by William Wyler"
Documentary
[60]
Gregory Peck: His Own ManHerselfDocumentary[61]
1993Gardens of the World with Audrey HepburnHerselfDocumentary series[62]

Stage

List of theatre credits
Year(s)TitleRoleTheatreNotesRef(s)
1948–1949High Button ShoesChorus girlLondon Hippodrome[63]
1949Sauce TartareChorus girlCambridge Theatre[17]
[64]
1950Sauce PiquanteFeatured playerCambridge Theatre[17]
1951–1952GigiGigiFulton Theatre24 November 1951 – 31 May 1952[65]
1954OndineOndine46th Street Theatre18 February 1954 – 3 July 1954[66]

See also

References

Bibliography

External links