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Post by Cate on Oct 9, 2005 18:04:42 GMT -5
I was reading pieces of Christopher Andersen's biography on Spence and Kate. I didn't realize (if his accounts are true) that he saw so many women during their relationship. I knew he might have had a few short affairs here and there but according to him he had a couple very involved love affairs. Anyone know anything about them or know if it's true? He also mentions Kate and Laura and -- seemingly -- automatically concluded they were in a lesbian relationship which made me think he was more of a Darwin Porter... who knows. I am dubious. I guess my reason for starting this thread is because I am amazed that Kate, being so strong-willed, remained with Spencer Tracy when he constantly cheated on her. I guess she was liberal in every sense of the word! Or is it that their relationship really did become platonic during the last half of their relationship and she became more of a caregiver?
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Post by Shaun on Oct 9, 2005 18:18:58 GMT -5
Hmm. Your post has made me look at the Tracy-Hepburn relationship from a different perspective. I wonder if Andersen's claims have an ounce of truth to them? I would like to know if he even knew Tracy or Kate; he's probably a mutation of Darwin Porter!
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Post by smith on Oct 10, 2005 2:25:55 GMT -5
No the stories of constant or long term affairs are not true - one of the biographies mentions a very brief affair and I believe that was the only verified affair .
Anderson knew Katharine - he didn't know Spencer but he definitely didn't believe that she had an affair with Laura - in fact he mentioned that in a couple of interviews that he investigated the claims and they were completely false .
My guess has always been that Katharine was pretty liberal about other people's behaviour - she did go out with Howard Hughes after all . But then she didn't love Howard .
Both Katharine and Spencer had been around before they met each other . Apparently it was a pretty faithful relationship. Its best to be skeptical of a lot of what you read about Spencer - he played the field a lot before he met Katharine and yes he was a womanizer and yes he had a drinking problem . But by all accounts he had a wonderful sense of humour and women adored him - he was very intelligent and he liked woman as friends - not just as potential playmates . Obviously he made an impression on Kathy Houghton - I love what she said in the 2003 interview - it was a really intimate account . Its unfortunate that Spencer has been so poorly written about in the biographies - I believe that an author - James Curtis is writing a new biography.
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Post by Cate on Oct 10, 2005 12:54:25 GMT -5
Well as I said before, I am dubious. But it really isn't possible to make a conclusion based on what anyone writes. Especially if it's a close friend or relative. What they say might just be out of respect for the person in question. I've read very little on Spencer Tracy (just what has been said in Katharine Hepburn biographies) so I really haven't learned enough to form an opinion. I pretty much think he must have been a great guy for Kate to have loved him for so long, even if he could be a bastard from time to time. But that comes with being an alcoholic. It's a separate personality and a lot of times misunderstood.
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Post by smith on Oct 10, 2005 16:15:15 GMT -5
Spencer was an alcoholic but he was a binge drinker and he did gain some control over his drinking with Katharine's help .
Apparently there was years when he didn't drink at all .
He also suffered from depression which would have had a major impact on the relationship - Katharine discussed it in her autobiography although I don't think she used the word.
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Post by Cate on Oct 11, 2005 12:53:34 GMT -5
Yes, I read those things about Spencer already. I have a feeling she was more involved in the relationship -- the one keeping it together you might say. I think it's wonderful that she cared for him so much (and it's my understanding she did care for a few others who were at low points) that she sacrificed her own career for a time. For people with depression, one important thing they need is support from human beings which doesn't happen a lot of times because people don't want to deal with others' problems and consider them a negativity they don't want around. Another reason Kate is wonderful. ;D
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Post by smith on Oct 12, 2005 4:47:56 GMT -5
Yes Katharine cared for a lot of people - she helped Vivien Leigh get medical help - she had a lot of compassion
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Post by Shaun on Oct 12, 2005 15:10:03 GMT -5
And she also helped Judy Garland for a period. I guess not everyone is capable of being saved, even if the one doing the saving is Katharine Hepburn!
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kathfan88
Full Member
Kate Hepburn... nuff said.
Posts: 238
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Post by kathfan88 on Apr 13, 2006 13:42:22 GMT -5
Yes Katharine was very caring, too bad she never became a mother.
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Post by HollywoodHepcat on Apr 13, 2006 21:04:47 GMT -5
Indeed. Kate would have been an AWESOME mom.
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