Return to Transcripts main page

CNN Live Today

Interview With Robert Hepburn

Aired June 30, 2003 - 10:46   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.


THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.


DARYN KAGAN, CNN ANCHOR: To the world she was a Hollywood icon. To the next guest she was a beloved older sister. Dr. Robert Hepburn, the film star's brother joins us by phone from Canton, Connecticut.
Dr. Hepburn, thank you for joining us this morning.

DR. ROBERT HEPBURN, KATHERINE'S BROTHER: Yes, you're welcome.

KAGAN: First off our condolences over the loss of your beloved sister.

HEPBURN: Thank you.

KAGAN: What can you tell us -- I understand that she -- it's said that she died as she lived, with dignity. That she went peacefully.

HEPBURN: Well, she had, you know -- Katie had a lot of nerve. And she took old age, I think, with a good deal of guts.

She said to me once, Now I just take orders, I don't give them. Which I thought coming from her was something because she was naturally a good, quick, assertive boss.

KAGAN: That goes all the way back to your childhood, I understand.

HEPBURN: Well, yes, except that, you know, I was born in 1913 and she was born in 1907. So that we didn't actually play together very much because that difference in childhood ages make as big difference in play mates.

KAGAN: Absolutely. So she definitely was playing the role of older sister from the day that you were born.

HEPBURN: Very much so.

KAGAN: Can you share with us one of your favorite memories, perhaps not as a play mate, but of her as your older sister as you guys were growing up?

HEPBURN: Well, you know, the thing that I think of with regard to Kate is a person which I believe your basic question -- she had a very fast mind. And as an example of that, I can think of driving along in the country side at 25 miles an hour and she would say, Oh, see that certain flower? And she would say, Let's stop and see if we can pick some. Well, nobody in the car would have seen it, you know? But Kate was very, very quick in her perceptions visually and I think she understood human relations with the same speed. And that's one of the things that made her so fascinating.

KAGAN: What was the difference between Katharine Hepburn, the movie star and Kate Hepburn, your sister? Something that you had the privilege of knowing and seeing and enjoying over the years that we, the public, did not.

HEPBURN: Well, I think that there wasn't that much difference. I think Kate was, I think, more relaxed at home probably. But she always had a very tremendous speed.

And if I sound slow myself, it's because I am 90 myself.

KAGAN: You're doing a great job, Dr. Hepburn.

HEPBURN: But she was fast and you had to struggle to keep up with her. When we would go for Sunday walks, and Dad loved to take Sunday walks with the whole family in the mountains here in Connecticut, she was always running and climbing trees and everything else. So that for her to be able to last until 96 is, to me, remarkable.

KAGAN: She had such incredible life.

Do you, as a movie fan, have a particular movie or a particular work of your sister's that's your favorite?

HEPBURN: I like her best in -- as -- oh, my memory is no damn good. Excuse me. But -- I can't think of the name of the movie.

KAGAN: That's all right.

HEPBURN: What was the movie she played Jo in?

KAGAN: Oh, in "Little Women."

HEPBURN: "Little Women."

KAGAN: Absolutely.

HEPBURN: You see how fast I am.

KAGAN: That's OK. You had it. We did it together.

What was it about that performance that you enjoyed so much?

HEPBURN: Well, I think Kate was -- Kate was made for the performance. That was Kate.

KAGAN: Because Jo was a character who was kind of a tomboy?

HEPBURN: She was a tomboy. She always objected to being a girl because -- that's why she cut her hair very short one time because she thought it would help make her a boy.

But I think deep in, she was not a tomboy. She was a sensitive person, but her speed was the speed of a little boy.

KAGAN: Yes, and quite a lady and quite a class act.

Are you able to share with us -- will the family be gathering for any kind of funeral service?

HEPBURN: What was that question?

KAGAN: Will the family be gathering for any kind of funeral services for your sister?

HEPBURN: Kate didn't want any funeral services. We will be gathering. But any formal services, no.

KAGAN: It seems consistent with the independent renegade sister that was your sister. And we thank you so much.

HEPBURN: You're very welcome.

KAGAN: I realize this must be a sad day for you and you've share ad piece of your sister with the world.

HEPBURN: You bet. Thank you.

KAGAN: Dr. Robert Hepburn. Our condolences and thank you for your time, sir. Much appreciated.

TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com







Aired June 30, 2003 - 10:46   ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
DARYN KAGAN, CNN ANCHOR: To the world she was a Hollywood icon. To the next guest she was a beloved older sister. Dr. Robert Hepburn, the film star's brother joins us by phone from Canton, Connecticut.
Dr. Hepburn, thank you for joining us this morning.

DR. ROBERT HEPBURN, KATHERINE'S BROTHER: Yes, you're welcome.

KAGAN: First off our condolences over the loss of your beloved sister.

HEPBURN: Thank you.

KAGAN: What can you tell us -- I understand that she -- it's said that she died as she lived, with dignity. That she went peacefully.

HEPBURN: Well, she had, you know -- Katie had a lot of nerve. And she took old age, I think, with a good deal of guts.

She said to me once, Now I just take orders, I don't give them. Which I thought coming from her was something because she was naturally a good, quick, assertive boss.

KAGAN: That goes all the way back to your childhood, I understand.

HEPBURN: Well, yes, except that, you know, I was born in 1913 and she was born in 1907. So that we didn't actually play together very much because that difference in childhood ages make as big difference in play mates.

KAGAN: Absolutely. So she definitely was playing the role of older sister from the day that you were born.

HEPBURN: Very much so.

KAGAN: Can you share with us one of your favorite memories, perhaps not as a play mate, but of her as your older sister as you guys were growing up?

HEPBURN: Well, you know, the thing that I think of with regard to Kate is a person which I believe your basic question -- she had a very fast mind. And as an example of that, I can think of driving along in the country side at 25 miles an hour and she would say, Oh, see that certain flower? And she would say, Let's stop and see if we can pick some. Well, nobody in the car would have seen it, you know? But Kate was very, very quick in her perceptions visually and I think she understood human relations with the same speed. And that's one of the things that made her so fascinating.

KAGAN: What was the difference between Katharine Hepburn, the movie star and Kate Hepburn, your sister? Something that you had the privilege of knowing and seeing and enjoying over the years that we, the public, did not.

HEPBURN: Well, I think that there wasn't that much difference. I think Kate was, I think, more relaxed at home probably. But she always had a very tremendous speed.

And if I sound slow myself, it's because I am 90 myself.

KAGAN: You're doing a great job, Dr. Hepburn.

HEPBURN: But she was fast and you had to struggle to keep up with her. When we would go for Sunday walks, and Dad loved to take Sunday walks with the whole family in the mountains here in Connecticut, she was always running and climbing trees and everything else. So that for her to be able to last until 96 is, to me, remarkable.

KAGAN: She had such incredible life.

Do you, as a movie fan, have a particular movie or a particular work of your sister's that's your favorite?

HEPBURN: I like her best in -- as -- oh, my memory is no damn good. Excuse me. But -- I can't think of the name of the movie.

KAGAN: That's all right.

HEPBURN: What was the movie she played Jo in?

KAGAN: Oh, in "Little Women."

HEPBURN: "Little Women."

KAGAN: Absolutely.

HEPBURN: You see how fast I am.

KAGAN: That's OK. You had it. We did it together.

What was it about that performance that you enjoyed so much?

HEPBURN: Well, I think Kate was -- Kate was made for the performance. That was Kate.

KAGAN: Because Jo was a character who was kind of a tomboy?

HEPBURN: She was a tomboy. She always objected to being a girl because -- that's why she cut her hair very short one time because she thought it would help make her a boy.

But I think deep in, she was not a tomboy. She was a sensitive person, but her speed was the speed of a little boy.

KAGAN: Yes, and quite a lady and quite a class act.

Are you able to share with us -- will the family be gathering for any kind of funeral service?

HEPBURN: What was that question?

KAGAN: Will the family be gathering for any kind of funeral services for your sister?

HEPBURN: Kate didn't want any funeral services. We will be gathering. But any formal services, no.

KAGAN: It seems consistent with the independent renegade sister that was your sister. And we thank you so much.

HEPBURN: You're very welcome.

KAGAN: I realize this must be a sad day for you and you've share ad piece of your sister with the world.

HEPBURN: You bet. Thank you.

KAGAN: Dr. Robert Hepburn. Our condolences and thank you for your time, sir. Much appreciated.

TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com