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American Morning
Interview With Hepburn Biographer James Prideaux
Aired June 30, 2003 - 09:35 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.
RENAY SAN MIGUEL, CNN ANCHOR: We want to continue our look back on the life hand career of Katherine Hepburn. James Prideaux was a friend of the legendary actress for the last 30 years. Prideaux's memoir of the Hollywood icon, "Knowing Hepburn," chronicles her life, friendships and career. And James Prideaux joins us now live from Los Angeles to share his memories of Katherine Hepburn. Thank you so much for being with us this morning. We appreciate your time.
JAMES PRIDEAUX, FRIEND OF HEPBURN: Good morning. Glad to be here.
SAN MIGUEL: One of the things we've been talking about all morning long, and since last night when the story broke, has sense of independence, of spirit that she brought forth in the roles she acted in the movies. What was it in her own background, her own upbringing that helped her bring that across on the screen?
PRIDEAUX: Well I think it was that New England family. And it was quite an astonishing family, you know. Very special. Mother and father. We always used to look at each other and say -- our parents both said to us, Kate and mine, You are one wonderful kid. And I think when a child hears that, it grows up to think it can do anything.
SAN MIGUEL: But that sense of independence, initially, in the early part of her career didn't really win her audiences, did it? She had to win those people back.
PRIDEAUX: Yes, she did have to. Yes, she rubbed Hollywood the wrong way, I think, at first.
SAN MIGUEL: In winning those audiences back, she did that by starring in "The Philadelphia Story," but not just starring in it. She bought the film right, she steered the version from stage to screen.
PRIDEAUX: Oh, Kate had a wonderful business sense. She knew how -- of course, her father took care of all of her finances. But she still knew thousand operate in Hollywood and to get what she wanted.
SAN MIGUEL: Very unusual for has woman to do that, in that day and time.
PRIDEAUX: Yes, and it sounds rather bossy and mean. And she said that one time, Yes, I've got a bossy reputation. But she also would back down. We'd -- we did three movies together, and she'd say, I want to do -- I'm going to do this, you know. And if we said, Now, Kate, that wouldn't be right, no. She'd say, OK, OK. She would back down.
SAN MIGUEL: She knew when to pull back and, i guess, how to pick her battles, I guess?
PRIDEAUX: As she said, I know when I'm licked.
SAN MIGUEL: A lot of -- one of my earliest memories of Katherine Hepburn is watching her in "Guess Who's Coming To Dinner." Such a powerful statement on racial tolerance and the races for its time.
What did she tell you about her preparation for that role and her reaction to the controversy it generated?
PRIDEAUX: Well, I remember saying -- I went to see it and came out and saw Kate, and said, Gee, I've just seen "Guess Who's Coming to Dinner." And she said, Well, you've done more than I could do. I couldn't bear to see it.
And that was because of Spencer, of course. He was dead. Spencer -- I didn't meet her until shortly after Spencer died.
SAN MIGUEL: But did she say anything to you about the critical reaction? In the movie she plays the mother of has woman who want to marry a black man. And that kind of topic was just -- hadn't been treated a lot in a dramatic form in Hollywood. Just wondering if she shared with you thoughts about did she have any concerns or fear about that?
PRIDEAUX: Never talked about it, but I think not. She was pretty fearless, you know.
SAN MIGUEL: Exactly.
And you mentioned Tracy and, yes, her last film with Tracy. The affair with Tracy, we've heard an awful lot about that in our look back on Katherine Hepburn. How did that affect her career? How was it treated by the film press of her day?
PRIDEAUX: Well, they were so discreet, you know. And I have never been sure, and I never asked Kate ever about Spencer. And she would say occasionally, Spencer said this or Spencer did that. But I'm not sure what their relationship was, quite. I'm not sure how physical it was. You know?
And they were very, very, very discreet. And she liked Mrs. Tracy very much. And Mrs. Tracy pretended it wasn't happening. You know, whatever.
SAN MIGUEL: James Prideaux's memoir of the Hollywood icon is "Knowing Hepburn." Chronicles the life, friendship and career, 30 years, with Katherine Hepburn. Mr. Prideaux...
PRIDEAUX: Boy, I miss her.
SAN MIGUEL: As we all do. But, you know, one of the things about this, when a legend dies like this, everybody will be airing the movies again. And maybe DVD sales...
PRIDEAUX: Let me tell you one thing Kate said. She always thought of death as a long, lovely sleep. So now she's having her long, lovely sleep.
SAN MIGUEL: And on that note, we will end this interview. James Prideaux, Thanks so much for your time. We appreciate it.
PRIDEAUX: Thank you.
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 - 09:35 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
RENAY SAN MIGUEL, CNN ANCHOR: We want to continue our look back on the life hand career of Katherine Hepburn. James Prideaux was a friend of the legendary actress for the last 30 years. Prideaux's memoir of the Hollywood icon, "Knowing Hepburn," chronicles her life, friendships and career. And James Prideaux joins us now live from Los Angeles to share his memories of Katherine Hepburn. Thank you so much for being with us this morning. We appreciate your time.
JAMES PRIDEAUX, FRIEND OF HEPBURN: Good morning. Glad to be here.
SAN MIGUEL: One of the things we've been talking about all morning long, and since last night when the story broke, has sense of independence, of spirit that she brought forth in the roles she acted in the movies. What was it in her own background, her own upbringing that helped her bring that across on the screen?
PRIDEAUX: Well I think it was that New England family. And it was quite an astonishing family, you know. Very special. Mother and father. We always used to look at each other and say -- our parents both said to us, Kate and mine, You are one wonderful kid. And I think when a child hears that, it grows up to think it can do anything.
SAN MIGUEL: But that sense of independence, initially, in the early part of her career didn't really win her audiences, did it? She had to win those people back.
PRIDEAUX: Yes, she did have to. Yes, she rubbed Hollywood the wrong way, I think, at first.
SAN MIGUEL: In winning those audiences back, she did that by starring in "The Philadelphia Story," but not just starring in it. She bought the film right, she steered the version from stage to screen.
PRIDEAUX: Oh, Kate had a wonderful business sense. She knew how -- of course, her father took care of all of her finances. But she still knew thousand operate in Hollywood and to get what she wanted.
SAN MIGUEL: Very unusual for has woman to do that, in that day and time.
PRIDEAUX: Yes, and it sounds rather bossy and mean. And she said that one time, Yes, I've got a bossy reputation. But she also would back down. We'd -- we did three movies together, and she'd say, I want to do -- I'm going to do this, you know. And if we said, Now, Kate, that wouldn't be right, no. She'd say, OK, OK. She would back down.
SAN MIGUEL: She knew when to pull back and, i guess, how to pick her battles, I guess?
PRIDEAUX: As she said, I know when I'm licked.
SAN MIGUEL: A lot of -- one of my earliest memories of Katherine Hepburn is watching her in "Guess Who's Coming To Dinner." Such a powerful statement on racial tolerance and the races for its time.
What did she tell you about her preparation for that role and her reaction to the controversy it generated?
PRIDEAUX: Well, I remember saying -- I went to see it and came out and saw Kate, and said, Gee, I've just seen "Guess Who's Coming to Dinner." And she said, Well, you've done more than I could do. I couldn't bear to see it.
And that was because of Spencer, of course. He was dead. Spencer -- I didn't meet her until shortly after Spencer died.
SAN MIGUEL: But did she say anything to you about the critical reaction? In the movie she plays the mother of has woman who want to marry a black man. And that kind of topic was just -- hadn't been treated a lot in a dramatic form in Hollywood. Just wondering if she shared with you thoughts about did she have any concerns or fear about that?
PRIDEAUX: Never talked about it, but I think not. She was pretty fearless, you know.
SAN MIGUEL: Exactly.
And you mentioned Tracy and, yes, her last film with Tracy. The affair with Tracy, we've heard an awful lot about that in our look back on Katherine Hepburn. How did that affect her career? How was it treated by the film press of her day?
PRIDEAUX: Well, they were so discreet, you know. And I have never been sure, and I never asked Kate ever about Spencer. And she would say occasionally, Spencer said this or Spencer did that. But I'm not sure what their relationship was, quite. I'm not sure how physical it was. You know?
And they were very, very, very discreet. And she liked Mrs. Tracy very much. And Mrs. Tracy pretended it wasn't happening. You know, whatever.
SAN MIGUEL: James Prideaux's memoir of the Hollywood icon is "Knowing Hepburn." Chronicles the life, friendship and career, 30 years, with Katherine Hepburn. Mr. Prideaux...
PRIDEAUX: Boy, I miss her.
SAN MIGUEL: As we all do. But, you know, one of the things about this, when a legend dies like this, everybody will be airing the movies again. And maybe DVD sales...
PRIDEAUX: Let me tell you one thing Kate said. She always thought of death as a long, lovely sleep. So now she's having her long, lovely sleep.
SAN MIGUEL: And on that note, we will end this interview. James Prideaux, Thanks so much for your time. We appreciate it.
PRIDEAUX: Thank you.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
