Josie Andrews 412 Midterm Projects Main Menu Introduction The Ideological Function of Stars: Contradictions and Promises of Individualism. Prompt Analysis Little Women (George Cukor 1933) Tomboyism: Negotiating and Celebrating a Strong, Sprited Woman in the Great Depression Sylvia Scarlett (George Cukor, 1936) "Woman of the Year" (George Stevens, 1942) Conclusion Bibliography CATCH ME IF YOU CAN The Contradictions and Promises of Individualism in the Films of Katharine Hepburn 1933-1942

Laura Harding

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When Kate first came to Hollywood, the American Express heiress Laura Harding came with her rather than her husband. Harding went everywhere with Kate, including her honeymoon and her later trip to Mexico to secure her divorce.  She was called Kate's "secretary" or "coach" on set. Until Kate was labelled "box office poison," Harding accompanied Kate on set and to all public events. I found several photos of the two of them in fan magazine, but all images of the two of them together publicly stop in 1938.

This is a photo of Kate and Harding at the airport in New York on the way to Mexico to secure Heburn's divorce from Ludlow Ogden Smith. This is also one of several article from 1934 to 1938 that discuss Harding's and Hepburn's relationship as "best friends." See Gretta Palmer's 1934 Good Housekeeping article "A Girl's Best Friend."  If interested, I would also direct your attention to Hilary Lynn's April 1933 Photoplay article, "Hollywood goes British"(photograph of Harding on the "Christopher Strong" set) and Wilbur Morse, Jr.'s Photoplay's February 1934 "The Power Behind the Hepburn Throne". The last reference linking Ms. Harding to Miss Hepburn in any magazine during the 1933-1942 time frame of this book was a January 1938 Photoplay article about friends.

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