Singapore -- (SBWire) -- 07/13/2011 --The former home of legendary film star Katharine Hepburn has been put on the property market for a staggering US$28 million.
The estate was owned by the Hepburn family from 1913 until it was sold in 2004 following Katharine’s death in 2003 at the age of 96.
Current owners Frank and Barbara Sciame bought the property for US$6 million. So they stand to make a tidy profit if the asking price is met.
The colonial style building is located in the borough of Fenwick in the town of Old Saybrook, Middlesex County, Connecticut, United States.
The main house has six bedrooms and seven bathrooms. It stands on a 3.45 acre (13961sqm) plot and has views across Long Island Sound, with a private beach and a small lake at the rear.
The house featured in the 2004 film ‘The Aviator’; a biography of Hollywood director and aviator Howard Hughes with whom Hepburn had a four year love affair. The film stars Leonardo DiCaprio as Howard Hughes and Kate Blanchet as Katharine Hepburn.
In 1938, shortly after Hughes and Hepburn had separated, a hurricane completely destroyed the original house. The building is said to have literally floated down Long Island Sound, leaving only rubble and its foundations behind.
In fact, the only thing left intact was a single bath tub. However, the Hepburn family were undeterred and decided to rebuild the estate.
Born in 1907, Katharine Hepburn was raised in Fenwick and spent most of her childhood at the family home. She was educated at Oxford School, now Kingswood Oxford School, in West Hartford, Connecticut.
She then enrolled at Bryn Mawr College in Pennsylvania, graduating in 1928.
During her time at Bryn Mawr Hepburn developed her acting skills and met Eddie Knopf, a young producer. Knopf cast her in two plays ‘The Czarina’ and ‘The Cradle Snatchers’.
In 1932 the actress landed the role of ‘Antiope the Amazon Princess’ in the Broadway play ‘The Warrior’s Husband’. She received excellent reviews. In fact, one RKO scout, Leland Hayward, was so impressed with her performance he asked her to do a screen test for the movie ‘A Bill of Divorcement’.
After seeing the screen test, RKO agreed to cast her in the leading role.
The following year Hepburn won her first Oscar for her role in ‘Morning Glory’.
Hepburn’s career spanned six decades. She co-starred with many silver-screen legends including Cary Grant, Humphrey Bogart, John Wayne, Laurence Olivier and Henry Fonda.
She won four Academy Awards for Best Actress; ‘Morning Glory’ (1933); ‘Guess Who's Coming to Dinner’ (1967); ‘The Lion in Winter’ (1968); and ‘On Golden Pond’ (1981). She also won an Emmy Award for her lead role in ‘Love Among the Ruins’ in 1976.
In total Katharine Hepburn has appeared in more than fifty films. But it was her role as ‘Rose Sayer’ in the 1951 film ‘The African Queen’ alongside Humphrey Bogart which earned her iconic status.
Her first book ‘The Making of The African Queen’ made her a best-selling author at the age of 77.
Rebecca Smith
Katharine Hepburn Connecticut Property on Sale for US$28 Million
The home of movie star Katharine Hepburn is for sale at US$28 million. Current owners The Sciame's bought the property for US$6 million after Hepburn's death in 2003.