Audrey Hepburn
Born Audrey Kathleen Ruston on
May 4, 1929
in Brussels, Belgium
Died
Jan. 20, 1993
of colon cancer in Tolochenaz, Switzerland
Audrey Hepburn was a slender, doe-eyed Oscar-winning actress who enchanted moviegoers in such films as "Roman Holiday" and "Breakfast at Tiffany's" and in later years dedicated herself to feeding the world's hungry. If Hepburn sometimes found herself in Cinderella roles, the shoe fit. The sickly, scrawny teenager who suffered from malnutrition during World War II in Nazi-occupied Holland emerged in the 1950s as one of Hollywood's premier leading ladies, known for a persona that somehow blended sleek European sophistication and a vulnerable, waif-like innocence. Her versatility as an actress was tested by such diverse roles as Natasha in "War and Peace" (1956), opposite then-husband Mel Ferrer; as Rima the Bird Girl in "Green Mansions" (1959), an ethereal work directed by Ferrer; in the title role in "The Nun's Story" (1959), a true tale of a sister who renounces her vows while nursing in the Congo during World War II and returns to Belgium to work for the Resistance; as kooky female gigolo Holly Golightly in Blake Edwards' quirky "Breakfast at Tiffany's" (1961); and as a blind woman terrorized by criminals in the thriller "Wait Until Dark" (1967). After that film, she went into semi-retirement, taking only one leading part, opposite Sean Connery in "Robin and Marian" (1976), as the aging couple of the Robin Hood story. Hepburn also distinguished herself from other actresses of her era by becoming an icon of haute couture and a regular on the best-dressed lists, modeling evening gowns by designer Hubert de Givenchy.
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Academy Awards
| Year | Category | Work | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1953 | Best Actress | Roman Holiday | Win |
| 1954 | Best Actress | Sabrina | Nomination |
| 1959 | Best Actress | The Nun's Story | Nomination |
| 1961 | Best Actress | Breakfast at Tiffany's | Nomination |
| 1967 | Best Actress | Wait Until Dark | Nomination |
| 1992 | Jean Hersholt Humanitarian Award | Win |
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Four thoughts about Audrey Hepburn
Anyone who hasn't seen Audrey perform in the last scenes of "Roman Holiday" has missed one of the most heartbreaking, poignant, and memorable moments in movie history. Honestly, I implore you to see this wonderful movie. They don't make em like that anymore. Thanks again Audrey, I'll love you always.
I just stumbled on this obit and wondered how you can not mention her role as Eliza Doolittle in "My Fair Lady"???
Yes, really.
For forty-four years (1949, my year of birth, to 1993, Audrey's year of death), Audrey & I shared the same birthday, May 4th. It always made ME feel SO good to look in the daily newspaper, on THAT day, every year, and see HER name listed under "Celebrities born on this date." By association, I felt like a celebrity, too!! Audrey, I'll ALWAYS love you!!!
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