Superstar actress Katharine Hepburn was one of the most iconic figures in Hollywood history,
earning widespread acclaim from critics and love from fans over her long career.
But she also famously didn't have any children. So what happened to her fortune when she passed away?
To understand the unconventional choices she made in her will, it helps to understand the
unconventional choices she made in both her personal life and her career. She graduated
college in 1928 with degrees in history and philosophy, but decided to pursue an acting career
instead. Then, later that year, she quit acting to become a housewife when she married Ludlow Smith.
It didn't suit her. She was back to acting in no time, aggressively chasing roles she wanted
and brushing off criticisms and setbacks. And she bucked the conventions of the time regarding the
role of women in society. She divorced Smith and never remarried; chose a career over children;
wore pants instead of dresses; and was famous for her sharp tongue and outspoken political beliefs.
None of that endeared her to the press, and after winning an Oscar for the 1933
film "Morning Glory," her career went into steep decline as she received poor reviews for a string
of box office duds. Undeterred, she took control by returning to the stage in 1939 with the hit
play "The Philadelphia Story." She then bought the movie rights, and turned the 1940 film adaptation
into one of the biggest hits of her career. That launched a career revival that changed
her life in unexpected ways when she teamed with Spencer Tracy for the 1942 film "Woman
of the Year." The two fell in love. But Tracy was already married, and as a devout Catholic,
he refused to divorce his wife. So Hepburn made another unconventional choice:
she agreed to stay with him in secret. Over the next quarter of a century they made a total of
nine films together, and she remained devoted to him, taking care of him until his death in 1967.
"It's fun to take care of someone that you think is unusual and capable and whom you can help."
Despite her popularity waning by the late 1940s, she continued to
star in critically and commercially successful films throughout her life,
including "The Lion in Winter," "On Golden Pond," and more. Her last movie with Tracy, 1967's,
"Guess Who's Coming to Dinner?" earned Hepburn her second of what would be her four Academy Awards.
Her final role was in 1994's "Love Affair," when Hepburn was 87 years old, more than six decades
after her first film appearance. And to the end, she kept her love of trying new experiences.
"There's so much, you know, the world's so full of fascination!"
Katharine Hepburn died on June 29, 2003 at the age of 96. History reports that she died in
her home in Old Saybrook, Connecticut, from natural causes. According to The Guardian,
Hepburn had been sick for some time and was suffering from Parkinson's disease prior to
her death. Per Celebrity Net Worth, Hepburn was reportedly worth $20 million at the time
of her death, with much of that coming from the value of her waterfront home.
So considering she didn't have any children, what ultimately happened to her estate after she died?
The Smoking Gun explains that in a will signed in 1992, Hepburn bequeathed her fortune and assets
to her employees, her family, and charity. According to her last will & testament,
she gave her housekeeper, Norah Moore, $100,000; her accountant, Erik Hanson,
$50,000; and her literary agent, Freya Manston, $5,000. Journalist Cynthia
McFadden was given $10,000. Additionally, McFadden was bequeathed furniture and art
from Hepburn. Various belongings and memorabilia were distributed among Hepburn's friends, family,
and charity, and other small amounts of money were distributed to various employees and friends.
Hepburn also specified that $10,000 each was to be given to Actors' Fund of America,
the Motion Picture and Television Fund, and a church in Maryland. Furthermore,
her nephew and grandniece inherited $100,000. Lastly, Hepburn requested that her homes in
Connecticut and New York be sold and the profits given to her sister, Margaret,
her brother, Robert, and the families of her deceased brothers Richard and Marion.
Finally, in her will, Hepburn also specified that she did not want a
funeral. One last unconventional choice for a rule-breaking icon.