Stories & Lifestyle: Audrey Hepburn – enchanting beauty of the 50s and 60s

Audrey Hepburn (Edda Kathleen van Heemstra Hepburn-Ruston) born: May 4, 1929 (Brussels, Belgium), deceased: January 20, 1993 (Tolochenaz, Switzerland)

Audrey Hepburn is considered the symbol of "innocent fragility." Her parents were the Baroness Ella van Heemstra and Irish banker John Victor Anthony Hepburn-Ruston.

The early years Her childhood was overshadowed by the separation of her parents. Her family had to flee during the Second World War and the 15-year old Edda suffered from severe malnutrition that led to jaundice and chronic anorexia that she never quite recovered from.
After the war, Ella let her daughter take ballet lessons with the well-known ballet teacher Madame Gaskell. During her lessons, Edda was discovered by documentary filmmaker Charles Huguenot van der Linden, who secured her a small part in the educational film 'Nederlands in 7 Lessen.' In 1948, Edda and her mother moved to England. She changed her name to Audrey Hepburn and took ballet lessons again. She worked as a dental assistant, a secretary and a model for fashion photographers. Finally, she got a part in the musical "High Button Shoes" and after that in the plays "Sauce Tartare" and "Sauce Piquante." With the help of impresario Cecil Landeau she received acting lessons from former character actor Felix Aylmer.

Movie career In 1950, she was discovered by casting director Robert Lennard and got a part in the comedy film "Laughter in Paradise." After a number of irrelevant movies, she met the French writer Collette, who secured Audrey the part of Gigi in the Broadway musical by the same name. It was a big success. At the same time, she received an offer from Paramount - the leading part in the movie "Roman Holiday" (1952) with director William Wyler. For her portrayal of the princess Anne who escapes her duties for one day and falls in love with journalist Gregory Peck she received the Academy Award for best actress.

In 1954 she was "Sabrina" in the Billy Wilder movie, in which she first liked William Holden but then fell in love with his older brother Humphrey Bogart. The play "Undine" premiered in 1954. For her dramatic performance she received the Tony Award. She married her partner Mel Ferrer on September 24, 1954. Together with Mel Ferrer, she starred in "War and Peace" in 1956.

In "Funny Face," one of the last great film musicals, Audrey's film partner was no one but Fred Astaire. A wonderfully funny movie in Technicolor. After "Love in the Afternoon," (1957) and "Green Mansions" (1959) she had one of her best performances in "The Nun's Story" (1959) (nominated for an Academy Award). After the western "The Unforgiven" (1960) she made one of her most famous movies: "Breakfast at Tiffany's" (1961). The part of the vulnerable play girl Holly Golightly got her another nomination for the Academy Award.

In the Hollywood of the 50s, the slender Hepburn was a welcome contrast to the common ideal of beauty. She took the audience by storm and had a great influence on the fashion world. Wide skirts and neck ties, ankle-long three quarter pants and flat pumps became her trade mark and were soon worn by teenagers around the world. Billy Wilder said: "This girl, single-handedly, may make bosoms a thing of the past." Because of her delicacy, Hepburn was frequently reduced to a mere girl.

After "The Children's hour" (1961), she starred in "Charade" (1963), a suspense comedy with Cary Grant. The movie very much reminds of a Hitchcock movie. "My Fair Lady" (1964) received an Academy Award for best movie. Even if she isn't very convincing as the simple flower girl, she is an excellent lady. In 1967, she was again nominated for an Academy Award for her part as the blind Susi Hendrix who has to ward off some mean criminals. She played her last great part in 1976. After a 9-year break she convincingly played the companion of Robin Hood (Sean Connery) in "Robin and Marian."

Personal life Audrey Hepburn was married twice - to the actor Mel Ferrer from 1954 to 1968 and to the Italian psychologist Andrea Dotti from 1969 to 1980. She has two sons from her two marriages - Sean Ferrer and Luca Dotti. From 1988 she worked as a goodwill ambassador for United Nation's Children's Fund UNICEF. She was posthumously awarded the Jean Hersholt Humanitarian Award for her contributions.

Awards:
Academy Award for:
1953: Roman Holiday

Academy Award nominations for:
1954: Sabrina
1959: The Nun's Story
1961: Breakfast At Tiffany's
1967: Wait Until Dark

For further information, please refer to www.audreyhepburn.com