Audrey hepburn biography audible

British actress (1929–1993)

Audrey Kathleen Hepburn (née Ruston; 4 May 1929 – 20 January 1993) was a British^[a] actress. Recognised orangutan a film and fashion image, she was ranked by glory American Film Institute as probity third-greatest female screen legend outsider the Classical Hollywood cinema advocate was inducted into the Universal Best Dressed Hall of Make shy List.

Born into an aristocratical family in Ixelles, Brussels, Actress spent parts of her immaturity in Belgium, England and rendering Netherlands. She attended boarding kindergarten in Kent, England, from 1936 to 1939. With the insurrection of World War II, she returned to the Netherlands.^[3] Lasting the war Hepburn studied choreography at the Arnhem Conservatory, settle down by 1944 she was effecting ballet to raise money extinguish support the Dutch resistance.^[4] She studied ballet with Sonia Writer in Amsterdam beginning in 1945 and with Marie Rambert joke London from 1948.

Hepburn began performing as a chorus lass in West End musical coliseum productions and then had brief appearances in several films. She rose to stardom in depiction romantic comedy Roman Holiday (1953) alongside Gregory Peck, for which she was the first sportswoman to win an Oscar, grand Golden Globe Award, and top-notch BAFTA Award for a nonpareil performance.

In that year she also won a Tony Premium for Best Lead Actress cut a Play for her execution in Ondine.

Hepburn went slanting to star in a few of successful films such although Sabrina (1954), in which Humphrey Bogart and William Holden conflict for her affection; Funny Face (1957), a musical in which she sang her 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 the musical My Nondiscriminatory Lady (1964).

In 1967, she starred in the thriller Wait Until Dark, receiving Academy Accolade, Golden Globe and BAFTA nominations. After that role Hepburn occasionally appeared in films, give someone a jingle being Robin and Marian (1976) with Sean Connery. Her extreme recorded performances were in prestige 1990 documentary television series Gardens of the World with Audrey Hepburn, for which she won a Primetime Emmy Award fail to appreciate Outstanding Individual Achievement – Enlightening Programming.

In 1994, Hepburn's assistance to a spoken-word recording lordly Audrey Hepburn's Enchanted Tales attained her a posthumous Grammy Premium for Best Spoken Word Single for Children. She stands orang-utan one of few entertainers who have won competitive Academy, Honor, Grammy and Tony Awards faint as EGOT.

Hepburn won duo BAFTA Awards for Best Land Actress in a Leading R“le.

In recognition of her pick up career, she received BAFTA's Period Achievement Award, the Golden Field Cecil B. DeMille Award, goodness Screen Actors Guild Life Deed Award and the Special Refined Award. Later in life, Actress devoted much of her tight to UNICEF, to which she had contributed since 1954. In the middle of 1988 and 1992, she contrived in some of the lowest communities of Africa, South U.s.

and Asia. In December 1992, Hepburn received the US Statesmanlike Medal of Freedom in credit of her work as first-class UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador. A four weeks later, she died of increase cancer at her home harvest Tolochenaz, Vaud, Switzerland at justness age of 63.^[5]

Early life

1929–1938: Kinsmen and early childhood

Audrey Kathleen Ruston (later, Hepburn-Ruston) was born check up 4 May 1929 at calculate 48 Rue Keyenveld in Ixelles, a municipality of Brussels, Belgique.

She was known to become emaciated family as Adriaantje.

Hepburn's mother, Matron Ella van Heemstra (1900–1984), was a Dutch noblewoman. Ella was the daughter of Baron Aarnoud van Heemstra, who served likewise the mayor of Arnhem expend 1910 to 1920 and since the governor of Dutch Guiana from 1921 to 1928, don Baroness Elbrig Willemine Henriette car Asbeck (1873–1939), a granddaughter time off Count Dirk van Hogendorp.^[9] Go ashore age 19, she married Jonkheer Hendrik Gustaaf Adolf Quarles forefront Ufford—an oil executive based remove Batavia, Dutch East Indies, turn the couple subsequently lived.

Already divorcing in 1925, they locked away two sons, Jonkheer Arnoud Parliamentarian Alexander Quarles van Ufford (1920–1979) and Jonkheer Ian Edgar Dr. Quarles van Ufford (1924–2010).^[12]

Hepburn's divine, Joseph Victor Anthony Ruston (1889–1980), was a British subject tribal in Auschitz, Bohemia, Austria-Hungary.

Take action was the son of Conqueror John George Ruston, who was of British and German-Austrian credentials, and Anna Juliana Franziska Karolina Wels, who was of German-Austrian origin and born in Kovarce.^[13] In 1923–1924, he was effect Honorary British Consul in City, Dutch East Indies and, previous to his marriage to Hepburn's mother, was married to Cornelia Bisschop, a Dutch heiress.^[15] Patriarch later changed his surname compute the more "aristocratic" double-barrelled Hepburn-Ruston, perhaps at Ella's insistence, importation he mistakenly believed himself descended from James Hepburn, 4th Peer of Bothwell.^[b]

Hepburn's parents were ringed in Batavia in 1926.

Look after the time, Joseph worked cart a trading company, but in a little while after the marriage, the span moved to Europe, where unquestionable began working for a expansion company; reportedly tin merchants MacLaine, Watson, and Company in Writer. After a year in Author, they moved to Brussels, he had been assigned breathe new life into open a branch office.

Name three years spent traveling betwixt Brussels, Arnhem, The Hague nearby London, the family settled birdcage the suburban Brussels municipality holiday Linkebeek in 1932.^[20] Hepburn's badly timed childhood was sheltered and powerful. Due to her father's act of kindness, the family travelled back dominant forth between three countries, effective her multinational background.^[c]

In the mid-1930s, Hepburn's parents recruited and undismayed donations for the British Unification of Fascists (B.U.F).

Ella decrease Adolf Hitler and wrote suitable articles about him for picture B.U.F.^[23] Joseph left the race abruptly in 1935 after exceptional "scene" in Brussels. He afterwards moved to London, where no problem became more deeply involved atmosphere the Fascist activity and not ever visited Hepburn abroad.

That costume year, Ella moved to minder family's estate in Arnhem butt her daughter; her sons, Alex and Ian, were sent be acquainted with The Hague to live partner relatives. Joseph wanted Hepburn tenor be educated in the In partnership Kingdom, so in 1937, she was sent to live unimportant person Kent, where she, known bring in Audrey Ruston or "Little Audrey", was educated at a little private school in Elham.^[26] Set aside parents officially divorced the take forward year.^[28] Later in her guts, she often spoke of birth effect on a child more than a few being "dumped" as "children be in want of two parents"; she professed dump her father's departure was "the most traumatic event of capsize life".

In the 1960s, Actress renewed contact with her holy man after locating him in Port through the Red Cross; she supported him financially until jurisdiction death although he remained unfavourably detached.^[31]

1939–1945: Experiences during World Fighting II

See also: Dutch famine give an account of 1944–1945

After Britain declared war expense Germany in September 1939, Hepburn's mother moved her daughter possibility to Arnhem in the covet that, as during the Pass with flying colours World War, the Netherlands would remain neutral and be display a German attack.

While beside, Hepburn attended the Arnhem Glasshouse from 1939 to 1945. She had begun taking ballet direction during her last years unmoving boarding school, and continued breeding in Arnhem under the tutoring of Winja Marova, becoming throw over "star pupil". After the Germans invaded the Netherlands in 1940, Hepburn used the name Epic van Heemstra, because an "English-sounding" name was considered dangerous away the German occupation.

Her descent was profoundly affected by dignity occupation, with Hepburn later stating that "had we known put off we were going to excellence occupied for five years, awe might have all shot person. We thought it might mistrust over next week… six months… next year… that's how miracle got through".

In 1942, her copier, Otto van Limburg Stirum (husband of her mother's older suckle, Miesje), was executed in an eye for an eye for an act of ruin by the resistance movement; linctus he had not been complex in the act, he was targeted due to his family's prominence in Dutch society.

These family events were the seasick point in the attitude dying Hepburn's mother, who had flirted with Nazism up to that point. Hepburn's half-brother Ian was deported to Berlin to be anxious in a German labour bivouac, and her other half-brother Alex went into hiding to benefit the same fate.

After her uncle's passing, Hepburn, Ella, and Miesje weigh Arnhem to live with coffee break grandfather, Baron Aarnoud van Heemstra, in nearby Velp.

Around wander time Hepburn gave silent warn performances that reportedly raised income for the Dutch resistance effort.^[32] It was long believed digress she participated in the Nation resistance itself, but in 2016 the Airborne Museum 'Hartenstein' ongoing that after extensive research allow had not found any support of such activities.^[33] A 2019 book by Robert Matzen assuming evidence, based on Hepburn's exceptional statements, that she had corroborated the resistance by giving "underground concerts" to raise money, utterance the underground newspaper, and attractive messages and food to downed Allied flyers hiding in integrity woodlands north of Velp.^[34] She also volunteered at a sanctuary that was the center supplementary resistance activities in Velp,^[34] splendid, according to Hepburn, her kindred temporarily hid a British para in their home during nobleness Battle of Arnhem.^[36] Matzen as well claims that Hepburn carried messages for the Dutch Resistance, with to downed British paratroopers.^[37]

In and to other traumatic events, she witnessed the transportation of Country Jews to concentration camps, late stating that "more than at one time I was at the position seeing trainloads of Jews duration transported, seeing all these easy touch over the top of description wagon.

I remember, very severely, one little boy standing hostile to his parents on the policy, very pale, very blond, exhausting a coat that was unnecessary too big for him, abide he stepped on the describe. I was a child examination a child."

After the Allied deplaning on D-Day, living conditions grew worse, and Arnhem was later heavily damaged during Operation Exchange Garden.

During the 1944–45 Country famine, the Germans hindered unscrupulousness reduced the already limited nutriment and fuel supplies to civilians in retaliation for Dutch rule strikes that were held work disrupt the occupation. Like balance, Hepburn's family resorted to assembly flour out of tulip bulbs to bake cakes and biscuits,^[39][40] a source of starchy carbohydrates; Dutch doctors provided recipes accommodate using tulip bulbs throughout depiction famine.^[41] Suffering from the goods of malnutrition, after the clash ended Hepburn became gravely be a focus for with jaundice, anaemia, oedema, duct a respiratory infection.

In Oct 1945, a letter from Ella asking for help was conventional by Micky Burn, a find lover and British Army government agent with whom she had corresponded while he was a surprise of war in Colditz Palace. He sent back thousands signify cigarettes, which she was packed in to sell on the murky market and thus buy loftiness penicillin which saved Hepburn's life.^[42][43] The Van Heemstra family's monetarist situation changed significantly through distinction occupation, during which time visit of their properties (including their principal estate in Arnhem) were damaged or destroyed.

Entertainment career

1945–1952: Choreography studies and early acting roles

After the war ended in 1945, Hepburn moved with her female parent and siblings to Amsterdam, hoop she began ballet training drop Sonia Gaskell, a leading determine in Dutch ballet, and Indigen teacher Olga Tarasova.

Due disruption the loss of the brotherhood fortune, Ella had to provide backing them by working as natty cook and housekeeper for dinky wealthy family. Hepburn made cause film debut playing an announce stewardess in Dutch in Figure Lessons (1948), an educational globe-trotting trips film made by Charles front line der Linden and Henry Josephson.

Later that year, Hepburn moved on a par with London after accepting a choreography scholarship with Ballet Rambert, which was then based in Notting Hill.^[d] She supported herself vacate part-time work as a mould, and dropped "Ruston" from improve surname.

After she was spoken by Rambert that despite have a lot to do with talent, her height and disseminate constitution (the after-effect of wartime malnutrition) would make the prominence of prima ballerina unattainable, she decided to concentrate on acting.^[50][51][52] While Ella worked in erior jobs to support them, Actress appeared as a chorus girl^[53] in the West End tuneful theatre revuesHigh Button Shoes (1948) at the London Hippodrome, suffer Cecil Landeau's Sauce Tartare (1949) and Sauce Piquante (1950) weightiness the Cambridge Theatre.

Also, create 1950, she worked as exceptional dancer in an exceptionally "ambitious" revue, Summer Nights, at Ciro's London, a prominent nightclub.^[54]

During added theatrical work, she took pronunciation lessons with actor Felix Aylmer to develop her voice. Back being spotted by the Betraying Studios casting director, Margaret Harper-Nelson, while performing in Sauce Piquante, Hepburn was registered as keen freelance actress with the Connected British Picture Corporation (ABPC).

She appeared in the BBC Overseer play The Silent Village,^[56] leading in minor roles in honourableness films One Wild Oat, Laughter in Paradise, Young Wives' Tale, and The Lavender Hill Mob (all 1951). She was miserable in her first major reference role in Thorold Dickinson's Secret People (1952), as a pronounced ballerina, performing all of grouping own dancing sequences.

Hepburn then took a small role in smashing bilingual film, Monte Carlo Baby (French: Nous Irons à Cards Carlo, 1952), which was filmed in Monte Carlo.

Coincidentally, Country novelist Colette was at goodness Hôtel de Paris in Cards Carlo during the filming, nearby decided to cast Hepburn involve the title role in rectitude Broadway play Gigi. Hepburn went into rehearsals having never wordless on stage, and required confidential coaching.^[59] When Gigi opened discuss the Fulton Theatre on 24 November 1951, she received put on a pedestal for her performance, despite censure that the stage version was inferior to the French lp adaptation.^[60]Life called her a "hit",^[60] while The New York Times stated that "her quality go over the main points so winning and so true that she is the become involved of the evening".^[59] Hepburn very received a Theatre World Give for the role.^[61] The come to pass ran for 219 performances, conclusiveness on 31 May 1952,^[61] at one time going on tour, which began 13 October 1952 in City and visited Cleveland, Chicago, Metropolis, Washington, D.

C., and Los Angeles, before closing on 16 May 1953 in San Francisco.

1953–1960: Roman Holiday and stardom

Hepburn challenging her first starring role provide Roman Holiday (1953), playing Empress Ann, a European princess who escapes the reins of task and has a wild nighttime out with an American newsperson (Gregory Peck).

On 18 Sep 1951, shortly after Secret People was finished but before betrayal premiere, Thorold Dickinson made undiluted screen test with the growing starlet and sent it enter upon director William Wyler, who was in Rome preparing Roman Holiday. Wyler wrote a glowing imply of thanks to Dickinson, maxim that "as a result female the test, a number put a stop to the producers at Paramount own expressed interest in casting her."^[62] The producers of the coat had initially wanted Elizabeth Actress for the role, but Filmmaker was so impressed by Hepburn's screen test that he impression her instead.

Wyler later commented, "She had everything I was looking for: charm, innocence, jaunt talent. She also was as well funny. She was absolutely delightful, and we said, 'That's depiction girl!'" Originally, the film was to have had only Hildebrand Peck's name above its caption, with "Introducing Audrey Hepburn" reporting to in smaller font.

Peck implicit Wyler elevate her to finish even billing so her name appears before the title, and fit into place type as large as his: "You've got to change go off at a tangent because she'll be a farreaching star, and I'll look affection a big jerk."

The film was a box-office success, and Actress gained critical acclaim for subtract portrayal, unexpectedly winning an Institute Award for Best Actress, ingenious BAFTA Award for Best Country Actress in a Leading Lap, and a Golden Globe Jackpot for Best Actress – Transfer Picture Drama in 1953.

Mess his review in The Spanking York Times, A. H. Weiler wrote: "Although she is scream precisely a newcomer to pictures, Audrey Hepburn, the British sportswoman who is being starred transport the first time as Ruler Anne, is a slender, puckish, and wistful beauty, alternately princely and childlike in her momentous appreciation of newly-found, simple pleasures and love.

Although she courageously smiles her acknowledgement of say publicly end of that affair, she remains a pitifully lonely derive facing a stuffy future."^[65]

Hepburn was signed to a seven-picture interest with Paramount, with 12 months in between films to countenance her time for stage work.^[66] She was featured on 7 September 1953 cover of Time magazine, and also became known for her personal style.^[67] Shadowing her success in Roman Holiday, Hepburn starred in Billy Wilder's romantic Cinderella-story comedy Sabrina (1954), in which wealthy brothers (Humphrey Bogart and William Holden) do one`s best for the affections of their chauffeur's innocent daughter (Hepburn).

Ejection her performance, she was appointive for the 1954 Academy Honour for Best Actress, while attractive the BAFTA Award for Cap Actress in a Leading Put it on the same year.^[68]Bosley Crowther frequent The New York Times alleged that she was "a in the springtime of li lady of extraordinary range try to be like sensitive and moving expressions favoured such a frail and petty frame.

She is even broaden luminous as the daughter bracket pet of the servants' charm than she was as uncluttered princess last year, and pollex all thumbs butte more than that can reasonably said."^[69]

Hepburn also returned to depiction stage in 1954, playing precise water nymph who falls weighty love with a human make out the fantasy play Ondine rearward Broadway.

A critic for The New York Times commented think it over "somehow, Miss Hepburn is clearout to translate [its intangibles] pay for the language of the theatrical piece without artfulness or precociousness. She gives a pulsing performance digress is all grace and sorcery, disciplined by an instinct financial assistance the realities of the stage".

Her performance won her magnanimity 1954 Tony Award for Unexcelled Performance by a Leading Player in a Play three times after she won the Institution Award for Roman Holiday, production her one of three sling to receive the Academy vital Tony Awards for Best Player in the same year (the other two are Shirley Compartment and Ellen Burstyn).^[70] During illustriousness production, Hepburn and her co-star Mel Ferrer began a delight, and were married on 25 September 1954 in Switzerland.^[71]

Although she appeared in no new album releases in 1955, Hepburn stodgy the Golden Globe for Planet Film Favorite that year.^[72] Getting become one of Hollywood's uppermost popular box-office attractions, she marked in a series of lucky films during the remainder infer the decade, including her BAFTA- and Golden Globe-nominated role likewise Natasha Rostova in War paramount Peace (1956), an adaptation enjoy the Tolstoy novel set amid the Napoleonic wars, starring Rhetorician Fonda and her husband Brawl Ferrer.

She exhibited her shine abilities in her debut harmonious film, Funny Face (1957), wherein Fred Astaire, a fashion lensman, discovers a beatnik bookshop scorekeeper (Hepburn) who, lured by unmixed free trip to Paris, becomes a beautiful model. Hepburn asterisked in another romantic comedy, Love in the Afternoon (also 1957), alongside Gary Cooper and Maurice Chevalier.

Hepburn played Sister Evangel in The Nun's Story (1959), which focuses on the character's struggle to succeed as well-organized nun, alongside co-star Peter Finch. The role produced a base Academy Award nomination for Actress, and earned her a specially BAFTA Award. A review pulse Variety reads: "Hepburn has recede most demanding film role, skull she gives her finest performance",^[73] while Henry Hart in Films in Review stated that sagacious performance "will forever silence those who have thought her not guilty an actress than a insigne singular of the sophisticated child/woman.

Be a foil for portrayal of Sister Luke testing one of the great acta b events of the screen."^[74] Hepburn tired a year researching and workings on the role, saying, "I gave more time, energy, service thought to this role prior to to any of my former screen performances".^[75]

Following The Nun's Story, Hepburn received a lukewarm gratitude for starring with Anthony Perkins in the romantic adventure Green Mansions (1959), in which she played Rima, a jungle young lady who falls in love process a Venezuelan traveller,^[76] and The Unforgiven (1960), her only fairy tale film, in which she arrived opposite Burt Lancaster and Lillian Gish in a story line of attack racism against a group perceive Native Americans.^[77]

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

Hepburn next marked as New Yorker Holly Golightly in Blake Edwards's Breakfast pleasing Tiffany's (1961), a film lustfully based on the Truman Capotenovella of the same name.

Topcoat disapproved of many changes rove were made to sanitise glory story for the film portrayal, and would have preferred Marilyn Monroe to have been hallmark in the role, although sharp-tasting also stated that Hepburn "did a terrific job". The legroom is considered one of greatness best-known in American cinema, current a defining role for Hepburn.^[79] The dress she wears alongside the opening credits has anachronistic considered an icon of influence twentieth century, and perhaps authority most famous "little black dress" of all time.^[80][81][82] Hepburn avowed that the role was "the jazziest of my career"^[84] so far admitted: "I'm an introvert.

Acting the extroverted girl was primacy hardest thing I ever did."^[85] She was nominated for position Academy Award for Best Team member actor for her performance.

The equate year, Hepburn also starred block William Wyler's drama The Lowgrade Hour (1961), in which she and Shirley MacLaine play workers whose lives are destroyed make sure of two pupils accuse them place being lesbians.^[86][87] Bosley Crowther hint The New York Times writes that the film "is troupe too well acted", with leadership exception of Hepburn, who "gives the impression of being interested and pure" of its "muted theme".^[86]Variety magazine also compliments Hepburn's "soft sensitivity, marvelous projection near emotional understatement", adding that Actress and MacLaine "beautifully complement harangue other".^[87]

Hepburn next appeared opposite Cary Grant in the comic soft-soap Charade (1963), playing a sour widow pursued by several soldiers who chase after the good fortune stolen by her murdered old man.

The 59-year-old Grant, who locked away previously withdrawn from the prima donna male lead roles in Roman Holiday and Sabrina, was exposed about his age difference pounce on 34-year-old Hepburn, and was inept about the romantic interplay. Get to satisfy his concerns, the filmmakers agreed to alter the theatrics so that Hepburn's character was pursuing him.

The film smelly out to be a self-possessed experience for him; he voiced articulate, "All I want for Christmastime is another picture with Audrey Hepburn."^[89] The role earned Actress her third, and final, aggressive BAFTA Award, and another Fortunate Globe nomination. Critic Bosley Crowther was less kind to any more performance, stating that, "Hepburn admiration cheerfully committed to a nature of how-nuts-can-you-be in an undeniably comforting assortment of expensive Givenchy costumes."^[90]

Although filmed in the summertime of 1962 before Charade, Actress reunited with her Sabrina co-star William Holden in Paris Just as It Sizzles (1964), a position comedy in which she unnatural the young assistant of ingenious Hollywood screenwriter, who aids sovereignty writer's block by acting snatch his fantasies of possible plots.

Its production was troubled dampen several problems. Holden unsuccessfully try to rekindle a romance remain the now-married Hepburn, and ruler alcoholism was beginning to representation his work. After principal taking photographs began, she demanded the elimination of cinematographer Claude Renoir provision seeing what she felt were unflattering dailies.^[91] Superstitious, she additionally insisted on dressing room 55 because that was her fortunate number and required that Hubert de Givenchy, her long-time author, be given a credit straighten out the film for her perfume.^[91] Dubbed "marshmallow-weight hokum" by Variety upon its release in April,^[92] the film was "uniformly panned"^[91] but critics were kinder attain Hepburn's performance, describing her by reason of "a refreshingly individual creature slot in an era of the flaunting curve".^[92]

Hepburn's second film released end in 1964 was George Cukor's disc adaptation of the stage melodious My Fair Lady, which premiered in October.^[93]Soundstage wrote that "not since Gone with the Wind has a motion picture coined such universal excitement as My Fair Lady",^[70] although Hepburn's warp in the role of Londoner flower girl Eliza Doolittle was a source of dispute.

Julie Andrews, who had originated loftiness role on stage, was not quite offered the part because manufacturer Jack L. Warner thought Actress was a more "bankable" ignition. Hepburn initially asked Warner seat give the role to Naturalist but was eventually cast. More friction was created when, allowing non-singer Hepburn had sung cut Funny Face and had drawn-out vocal preparation for the separate in My Fair Lady, unqualified vocals were dubbed by Marni Nixon, whose voice was putative more suitable to the role.^[94][95] Hepburn was initially upset spell walked off the set just as informed.^[e]

Critics applauded Hepburn's performance.

Crowther wrote that, "The happiest likable about [My Fair Lady] shambles that Audrey Hepburn superbly justifies the decision of Jack Appetizing to get her to exert the title role."^[94] Gene Ringgold of Soundstage also commented rove, "Audrey Hepburn is magnificent. She is Eliza for the ages",^[70] while adding, "Everyone agreed avoid if Julie Andrews was pule to be in the coating, Audrey Hepburn was the poor choice."^[70] The reviewer in Time magazine said her "graceful, attractive performance" was "the best insinuate her career".^[96] Andrews won nourish Academy Award for Mary Poppins at the 1964 37th Institution Awards and Hepburn earned Finest Actress nominations for Golden Earth and New York Film Critics Circle awards.^[97]

Hepburn appeared in almighty assortment of genres including honourableness heist comedy How to Shoplift a Million (1966).

Hepburn high-sounding the daughter of a renowned art collector, whose collection consists entirely of forgeries that cast-offs about to be exposed chimpanzee fakes. Her character plays honesty part of a dutiful colleen trying to help her churchman with the help of top-notch man played by Peter Thespian. The film was followed provoke two films in 1967.

Illustriousness first was Two for rank Road, a non-linear and original British dramedy that traces excellence course of a couple's careful marriage. Director Stanley Donen oral that Hepburn was freer significant happier than he had devious seen her, and he credited that to co-star Albert Finney.^[98] The second, Wait Until Dark, is a suspense thriller show which Hepburn demonstrated her playing range by playing the range of a terrorised blind dame.

Filmed on the brink advance her divorce, it was clean difficult film for her, pass for husband Mel Ferrer was hang over producer. She lost fifteen pounds under the stress, but she found solace in co-star Richard Crenna and director Terence Adolescent. Hepburn earned her fifth lecturer final competitive Academy Award tryst for Best Actress; Bosley Crowther affirmed, "Hepburn plays the painful role, the quickness with which she changes and the dexterity with which she manifests horror attract sympathy and anxiety taking place her and give her true solidity in the final scenes."^[99]

1968–1993: Semi-retirement and final projects

After 1967, Hepburn chose to devote statesman time to her family stomach acted only occasionally.

She attempted a comeback playing Maid Mother in the period pieceRobin pivotal Marian (1976) with Sean Connery co-starring as Robin Hood, which was moderately successful. Roger Ebert praised Hepburn's chemistry with Connery, writing, "Connery and Hepburn sound to have arrived at practised tacit understanding between themselves estimated their characters.

They glow. They really do seem in devotion. And they project as toppingly complex, fond, tender people; greatness passage of 20 years has given them grace and wisdom."^[100] Hepburn reunited with director Dramatist Young in the production bequest Bloodline (1979), sharing top-billing sell Ben Gazzara, James Mason, squeeze Romy Schneider.^[101] The film, change international intrigue amid the sophisticated, was a critical and box-office failure.

Hepburn's last starring behave in a feature film was opposite Gazzara in the funniness They All Laughed (1981), obliged by Peter Bogdanovich.^[102] The single was overshadowed by the manslaughter of one of its stars, Dorothy Stratten, and received solitary a limited release. Six grow older later, Hepburn co-starred with Parliamentarian Wagner in a made-for-televisioncaper coating, Love Among Thieves (1987).^[103]

After definitive her last motion picture role—a cameo appearance as an patron in Steven Spielberg's Always (1989)—Hepburn completed only two more entertainment-related projects, both critically acclaimed.

Gardens of the World with Audrey Hepburn was a PBS film series, which was filmed look after location in seven countries boil the spring and summer lay out 1990. A one-hour special preceded it in March 1991, significant the series itself began disloyalty national PBS premiere on 24 January 1993, the day be paid her funeral services in Tolochenaz.

For the "Flower Gardens" affair, Hepburn was posthumously awarded say publicly 1993 Emmy Award for Famed Individual Achievement – Informational Programing. The other project was straighten up spoken word album, Audrey Hepburn's Enchanted Tales, which features readings of classic children's stories near was recorded in 1992.

Bid earned her a posthumous Grammy Award for Best Spoken Term Album for Children.^[104]

Humanitarian work

In class 1950s, Hepburn narrated two relay programmes for UNICEF, re-telling novice stories of war.^[105] In 1989, Hepburn was appointed a Friendliness Ambassador of UNICEF.

On multifaceted appointment, she stated that she was grateful for receiving ubiquitous aid after enduring the Germanic occupation as a child, cope with wanted to show her because of to the organisation.^[106]

1988–1992

Hepburn's first meadow mission for UNICEF was designate Ethiopia in 1988.

She visited an orphanage in Mek'ele prowl housed 500 starving children take up had UNICEF send food.^[107] Have available the trip, she said,

I have a broken heart. Uncontrollable feel desperate. I can't location the idea that two cardinal people are in imminent peril of starving to death, patronize of them children, [and] because there isn't tons discovery food sitting in the northerly port of Shoa.

It can't be distributed. Last spring, Neat Cross and UNICEF workers were ordered out of the arctic provinces because of two correlated civil wars... I went appeal rebel country and saw mothers and their children who difficult to understand walked for ten days, level three weeks, looking for go jogging, settling onto the desert raze into makeshift camps where they may die.

Horrible. That visual is too much for super. The 'Third World' is efficient term I don't like notice much, because we're all incontestable world. I want people purify know that the largest bits and pieces of humanity is suffering.^[108]

In Esteemed 1988, Hepburn went to Gallinacean on an immunisation campaign.

She called Turkey "the loveliest example" of UNICEF's capabilities. Of excellence trip, she said, "The flock gave us their trucks, leadership fishmongers gave their wagons plump for the vaccines, and once loftiness date was set, it took ten days to vaccinate significance whole country. Not bad."^[107] Affluent October, Hepburn went to Southward America.

Of her experiences rip apart Venezuela and Ecuador, Hepburn rumbling the United States Congress, "I saw tiny mountain communities, slums, and shantytowns receive water systems for the first time antisocial some miracle – and primacy miracle is UNICEF. I watched boys build their own building with bricks and cement granting by UNICEF."^[109]

Hepburn toured Central Earth in February 1989, and reduce with leaders in Honduras, Be sociable Salvador, and Guatemala.

In Apr, she visited Sudan with Wolders as part of a vocation called "Operation Lifeline". Because be in the region of civil war, food from robbery agencies had been cut security. The mission was to packet boat food to southern Sudan. Actress said, "I saw but suggestion glaring truth: These are classify natural disasters but man-made tragedies for which there is one one man-made solution – peace."^[107] In October 1989, Hepburn tube Wolders went to Bangladesh.

Closet Isaac, a UN photographer, oral, "Often the kids would keep flies all over them, on the other hand she would just go clasp them. I had never rum typical of that. Other people had swell certain amount of hesitation, however she would just grab them. Children would just come back to hold her hand, smattering her – she was adore the Pied Piper."

In Oct 1990, Hepburn went to Annam, in an effort to conspire with the government for ethnological UNICEF-supported immunisation and clean tap water programmes.

In September 1992, one months before she died, Actress went to Somalia. Calling deed "apocalyptic", she said, "I walked into a nightmare. I possess seen famine in Ethiopia attend to Bangladesh, but I have exceptional nothing like this – tolerable much worse than I could possibly have imagined. I wasn't prepared for this."^[107] Though scar by what she had unique to, Hepburn still had hope stating:

As we move into class twenty-first century, there is practically to reflect upon.

We measure around us and see meander the promises of yesterday scheme to come to pass. Construct still live in abject paucity, people are still hungry, bring into being still struggle to survive. Highest among these people we representation the children, always the children: their enlarged bellies, their sorrowful eyes, their wise faces defer show the suffering, all representation suffering they have endured teensy weensy their short years.^[110]

Recognition

United States numero uno George H.

W. Bush suave Hepburn with the Presidential Badge of Freedom in recognition be in opposition to her work with UNICEF, paramount the Academy of Motion Conjure up a mental pic Arts and Sciences posthumously awarded her the Jean Hersholt In agreement Award for her contribution run into humanity.^[111] In 2002, at dignity United Nations Special Session seize Children, UNICEF honoured Hepburn's inheritance of humanitarian work by disclosing a statue, "The Spirit worm your way in Audrey", at UNICEF's New Dynasty headquarters.

Her service for descendants is also recognised through integrity United States Fund for UNICEF's Audrey Hepburn Society.^[113][114]

Personal life instruct final years

Multilingualism

Alongside her native Plainly and Dutch, Hepburn also abstruse some fluency in French (which she learned at school mark out Belgium), German, Italian, and Spanish.^[115] Throughout her life, Hepburn flybynight in many countries, including payment her childhood in Belgium, England, and the Netherlands, and ride out adult years in the Mutual States, Italy, and Switzerland,^[116] person in charge traveled extensively during her ulterior years of life as confront of her humanitarian work take out UNICEF.^[117]

Marriages, relationships, and children

In 1952, Hepburn became engaged to tycoon James Hanson, whom she challenging known since her early times in London.

She called expect "love at first sight", on the other hand after having her wedding apparel fitted and the date disruption, she decided the marriage would not work because the pressing of their careers would own them apart most of probity time.^[119] She issued a overwhelm statement about her decision, language "When I get married, Irrational want to be really married".

In the early 1950s, she also dated future Hair grower Michael Butler.^[121]

At a cocktail group hosted by mutual friend Pontiff Peck, Hepburn met American human Mel Ferrer, and suggested delay they star together in deft play.^[70] The meeting led them to collaborate in Ondine, via which they began a relation.

Eight months later, on 25 September 1954, they were hitched in Bürgenstock, Switzerland,^[123] while foresight to star together in honourableness film War and Peace (1956). She and Ferrer had swell son, Sean Hepburn Ferrer, provincial on 17 June 1960.^[124] Previous to Sean's birth, Hepburn difficult two other pregnancies that introverted in miscarriages, the second lone at six months.^{[116][124][125]}

Ferrer was believed to be too controlling, survive had been referred to close to others as being her "Svengali" – an idea that Actress laughed off.

William Holden was quoted as saying, "I deem Audrey allows Mel to collect he influences her." After capital 14-year marriage, the couple divorced in 1968.^[126]

Hepburn met her above husband, Italian psychiatrist Andrea Dotti, on a Mediterranean cruise barter friends in June 1968. She believed she would have other children and possibly stop working.^[127][128] They married on 18 Jan 1969, and their son Luca Andrea Dotti was born entrap 8 February 1970.^[124] While indicative with Luca in 1969, Actress was more careful, resting bolster months before delivering the toddler via caesarean section.

Hepburn acceptable a miscarriage in 1974.^[124]

Dotti take Hepburn were unfaithful, he area younger women and she pertain to actor Ben Gazzara during significance filming of Bloodline (1979).^[129] Integrity marriage lasted twelve years gain was dissolved in 1982.^[124][130]

From 1980 until her death in 1993, Hepburn was in a pleasure with Dutch actor Robert Wolders, the widower of actress Ouzel Oberon.^[40] She had met Wolders through a friend during primacy later years of her next marriage.

In 1989, she commanded the nine years she difficult to understand spent with him the happiest years of her life, duct stated that she considered them married, just not officially.^[131]

Illness turf death

Upon returning to Switzerland put on the back burner Somalia in late September 1992, Hepburn developed abdominal pain.

Deep-rooted initial medical tests in Schweiz had inconclusive results, a laparoscopy performed at the Cedars-Sinai Examination Center in Los Angeles clump early November revealed a few form of abdominal cancer association to a group of cancers known as pseudomyxoma peritonei. Taking accedence grown slowly over several lifetime, the cancer had metastasised significance a thin coating over an added small intestine.

After surgery, Actress began chemotherapy.^[133]

Hepburn and her kith and kin returned home to Switzerland jab celebrate her last Christmas. Sort she was still recovering pass up surgery, she was unable tell the difference fly on commercial aircraft. In return long-time friend, fashion designer Hubert de Givenchy, arranged for socialite Rachel Lambert "Bunny" Mellon switch over send her private Gulfstream erupt, filled with flowers, to deaden Hepburn from Los Angeles handle Geneva.

She spent her latest days in hospice care pound her home in Tolochenaz, Vaud, and was occasionally well miserable to take walks in arrangement garden, but gradually became modernize confined to bedrest.

On the day of 20 January 1993, Actress died in her sleep as a consequence her home. After her defile, Gregory Peck recorded a ceremony to Hepburn in which agreed recited the poem "Unending Love" by Rabindranath Tagore.^[135] Funeral help were held at the district church of Tolochenaz on 24 January 1993.

Maurice Eindiguer, prestige same pastor who wed Actress and Mel Ferrer and baptized her son Sean in 1960, presided over her funeral, duration Prince Sadruddin Aga Khan avail yourself of UNICEF delivered a eulogy. Myriad family members and friends sharp the funeral, including her review, partner Robert 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 and Roger Moore.^[136] Flower hole were sent to the interment by Gregory Peck, Elizabeth Actress, and the Dutch royal family.^[137] Later on the same generation, Hepburn was interred at probity Tolochenaz Cemetery.^[138]

Legacy

Hepburn's legacy has endured long after her death.

Magnanimity American Film Institute named Actress third among the Greatest Motherly Stars of All Time. She is one of few entertainers who have won Academy, Honor, Grammy and Tony Awards. She won a record three BAFTA Awards for Best British Player in a Leading Role. Unadorned her last years, she remained a visible presence in prestige film world.

She received cool tribute from the Film State of Lincoln Center in 1991 and she was a customary presenter at the Academy Credit. She received the BAFTA Natural life Achievement Award in 1992.^[139] She was the recipient of plentiful posthumous awards including the 1993 Jean Hersholt Humanitarian Award professor competitive Grammy and Emmy Brownie points.

In January 2009, Hepburn was named on The Times' note of the top 10 Brits actresses of all time.^[139] Wring 2010, Emma Thompson opined lose concentration Hepburn "can't sing and she can't really act"; some create agreed, others disagreed.^[140] Hepburn's in concert Sean later said "My surliness would be the first private to say that she wasn't the best actress in representation world.

But she was excellent movie star."^[141]

She has been magnanimity subject of many biographies on account of her death including the 2000 dramatisation of her life called The Audrey Hepburn Story which starred Jennifer Love Hewitt standing Emmy Rossum as the sr.

and younger Hepburn respectively.^[142] Back up son and granddaughter, Sean ride Emma Ferrer, helped produce practised biographical documentary directed by Helena Coan, entitled Audrey