Spencer Tracy and Katharine Hepburn, one of Hollywood's most iconic couples, maintained their affair in secret while officially being with other people.
Their 27-year relationship only came to light years later due to the fact that Spencer was legally married to his wife, Louise Tracy.
So why did Spencer choose to remain married despite entering into a serious relationship with Katharine?
Several factors influenced his decision, including his religion and the functioning of the Hollywood studio system at the time.
Let's delve deeper into the story.
Spencer initially tied the knot with Louise, an actress he met during their time in a theater company, back in 1923.
They had two children together: John Tracy and Susie Tracy.
In the early 1930s, the couple separated and reconciled multiple times before eventually living apart while still legally married.
During this period, Spencer reportedly had affairs with other women before embarking on a relationship with Hepburn.
However, Spencer refused to divorce Louise.
As a devout Catholic, he considered divorce to be against his religious beliefs.
According to People magazine, Spencer would have only considered divorcing if Louise, who was Episcopalian, had requested it, which she never did.
His religion also played a role in his feelings of guilt when he discovered that his son was deaf.
Director Joe Mankiewicz once quoted, “He didn't leave Louise.
He left the scene of his guilt.”
Interestingly, Hepburn didn't mind the arrangement.
While those around them and within the Hollywood studio system were aware of their relationship, concerns arose about negative gossip affecting their movies.
Nevertheless, Spencer, Tracy, Louise, and Hepburn seemed to accept the situation, and Hepburn herself had no desire to remarry.
(She had previously married Ludlow Ogden Smith in 1928 at the age of 21; they divorced in 1934.)
The affair between Spencer and Hepburn lasted until his death in 1967.
They starred together in nine films, including “Adam's Rib,” “Pat and Mike,” and their final collaboration, “Guess Who's Coming to Dinner.”
Their relationship was considered an open secret in Hollywood, with Gene Kelly once remarking, “At lunchtime, they'd just meet and sit on a bench on the lot.
They'd hold hands and talk—and everybody left them alone in their little private world.”
It wasn't until years after Louise's death in 1983 that Hepburn publicly acknowledged her relationship with Spencer.
In her 1991 book, “Me: Stories of My Life,” she wrote about her love for him, stating, “I loved Spencer Tracy.
He and his interests and his demands came first.
I changed this and that, even if they were qualities I personally valued.”
In an interview with Katie Couric, Hepburn elaborated on this passage, revealing that pleasing Spencer was her pleasure.
She described him as witty, amusing, and entertaining, albeit with a difficult nature.
Hepburn explained that she was drawn to his sense of humor, remarkable memory, and the intangible magic that made Spencer Tracy irresistible to her.
The enduring bond between Spencer Tracy and Katharine Hepburn remained a fascinating enigma until the truth was finally unveiled, leaving behind a legacy of unconventional love and devotion in the annals of Hollywood history.
