A breif biography of Audrey Hepburn, actress and humanitarian.
BIOGRAPHY
Audrey Hepburn, actress and humanitarian, was born Edda van Heemstra Hepburn-Ruston in Brussels, Belgium. Her father, Joseph Hepburn-Ruston, was a banker, and her mother, Ella Van Heemstra, was a Dutch baroness. Her parents divorced when she was young after her father was suspected of embezzling some of her mother's wealth. Hepburn and her mother later suffered from malnutrition and oppression during the Nazi occupation of the Netherlands during World War II. Following the war, Hepburn moved with her mother to London and began studying dance there. When she was twenty-one, she was working as a model. She got her break into show business when she was noticed by the French novelist, Collette, who cast her in her new play, GIGI.
Hepburn's career as an actress had a tremendous start when she won an Academy Award for her film debut in the movie ROMAN HOLIDAY. Throughout her career she received four more Academy Award nominations for her roles in SABRINA, THE NUN'S STORY, BREAKFAST AT TIFFANY'S and WAIT UNTIL DARK. Hepburn had an illustrious film career and became known for her grace and beauty. She married twice and had a son, Luca. In 1988, she became a special ambassador to the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) and spent the rest of her life working to improve the conditions of needy children. She died of colon cancer at the age of 63. She was awarded the Jean Hersholt Humanitarian Award posthumously for her work with UNICEF.
CHRONOLOGY
1929 She was born in Brussels, Belgium. (May 4)
1935 Her parents divorced.
1942 She began studying dance at the Arnhem Conservatory of Dance and Music.
1945 She moved with her mother to London where she studied dance.
1951 MONTE CARLO BABY - film; GIGI - Broadway play
1953 ROMAN HOLIDAY - film; She received an Academy Award.
1954 SABRINA - film; She married Mel Ferrer.; She received a Tony Award for ONDINE.
1956 WAR AND PEACE - film
1957 FUNNY FACE, LOVE IN THE AFTERNOON - films
1959 THE NUN'S STORY - film
1960 THE UNFORGIVEN -film; Her son, Sean, was born. (July 17)
1961 BREAKFAST AT TIFFANY'S - film
1962 THE CHILDREN'S HOUR- film
1963 CHARADE - film
1964 MY FAIR LADY - film
1966 HOW TO STEAL A MILLION - FILM
1967 WAIT UNTIL DARK, TWO FOR THE ROAD - films
1968 She and Mel Ferrer divorced.
1969 She married Dr. Andrea Mario Dotti
1970 She gave birth to her son, Luca. (February 8)
1972 ROBIN AND MARIAN - film
1982 She and Andrea Dotti divorced.
1988 She became a special ambassador to the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF).
1989 She made her final cameo appearance in the film ALWAYS.
1991 She was diagnosed with colon cancer.
1992 She was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom by George Bush.
1993 She died in Tolchenaz, Switzerland. (January 20)
