On May 4, 1929, Audrey Kathleen van Heemstra Ruston was born in Brussels, Belgium. She was born to an English father (Joseph Hepburn-Ruston) and Dutch mother (Ella van Heemstra). Audrey’s father was an insurance agent, which required their family to move frequently. In 1934 Audrey, age 5, was sent to a boarding school in England by her mother. Her mother, Ella, even arranged for her to spend holidays with a coal miner’s family, in order to deepen her knowledge of English customs and language. At age 6, Audrey’s father left her mother and ended up settling in England. Later this year Audrey began taking ballet classes. Her inspiration to take them was going to numerous ballets in Brussels as a young girl.
Audrey’s parents were formally divorced in 1938 when she was 9 years old. Her father is given visitation rights, but fails to exercise them. Later Audrey referred to her parents’ divorce as the most traumatic event in her life. Then in 1939 greater problems arose; World War II broke out. Because Holland is neutral in the war, Ella thinks that it would be safer to stay there than England. So she moves Audrey back to Arnhem, Holland. In May, 1940 German troops and artillery marched through Arnhem and began to exploit Dutch resources. Eventually all of the Van Heemstra’s property, homes, bank accounts, securities, and jewelry were confiscated by the Germans. Because of her citizenship to Britain, Ella warns Audrey not to speak English in public. At this time, in England, Joseph Ruston was among hundreds of fascist /pro-Nazi activists imprisoned; this was unknown to Ella and Audrey.
Audrey began her first serious ballet training under Winja Marova at the Arnhem School of Music in 1941. She studied there until 1944, and became the teacher's star pupil in the process. Then in 1948 she made her first stage debut as a chorus girl in the musical High Button Shoes in London. She continued to land small roles on the British stage, but then in 1950 she became a featured actress/chorus girl in Sauce Piquate. Then in 1951 Audrey made her first film debut in One Wild Oat in an uncreditted role. She then went on to other small roles in films such as Young Wives’ Tales and The Lavender Hill Mob.
Next, at age 22, Audrey moved on to bigger and better things, Broadway. She starred in the Broadway production, Gigi; which was based on the book written by French author, Colette. The story was set in Paris in 1900 and Audrey played the part of a young woman on the brink of adulthood whose relative basically try to teach to become a gold digger. Just weeks after the play premiered, Audrey was all over news reports and other media. She was being wooed by Hollywood. Then, just two years later, she took the world by storm with the movie Roman Holliday. She won the Academy Award for Best Actress for her performance in this film. She then returned to Broadway to star in the play Ondine with Mel Ferrer, for which she won the 1954 Tony Award for Best Actress in a Play for her performance.
Audrey and Mel developed a relationship and on September 25, 1954, they got married in Switzerland. They later had a son named, Sean Ferrer. Audrey continued acting in movies and on Broadway. By 1961 she had received four Academy Award Nominations. Perhaps the role she is most famous for playing is Eliza Doolittle in My Fair Lady in 1964. In 1967 she received her fifth Academy Award nomination for the film, Wait Until Dark. Later this same year she separated from her husband and they later divorced. Then just two years later in 1969, Audrey remarried an Italian psychiatrist, Andrea Dotti, and the couple had a son, named Luca, in 1970.
After her son was born, acting took the back seat in Audrey’s life. In her later years, she did a lot of work on behalf of children. She became a goodwill ambassador for UNICEF (United Nations International Children's Emergency Fund) in the late 1980s. Audrey traveled the world in hopes of raising awareness of needy children. She was so passionate about this cause because she knew
all too well what it was like to go hungry when Germans invaded The Netherlands. Audrey made over 50 trips for UNICEF projects in Asia, Africa, and Central and South America. In 1993 she won a special Academy Award for her humanitarian work; however she did not live long enough for her to receive it. Audrey died on January 20, 1993, at her home in Tolochenaz, Switzerland due to a battle with colon cancer.
Even after her death, her work to help children around the world continued. Her sons, Sean Ferrer and Luca Dotti, as well as her companion Robert Wolders, established the Audrey Hepburn Memorial Fund to continue Hepburn's humanitarian work in 1994. It is now known as the Audrey Hepburn Children's Fund.
Audrey Hepburn will forever be remembered for her beauty, elegance, and grace. She is often imitated and still remains one of the greatest style icons of all time. Not only is she remembered for these things, but also for her great desire to help others. What struck me most when studying Audrey’s life was her involvement with UNICEF. She seemed to be very dedicated and passionate about this cause and proceeded to travel the world for this cause. Despite the fact that most people remember her for her acting skills, she also has been remembered for her generosity.
Audrey’s parents were formally divorced in 1938 when she was 9 years old. Her father is given visitation rights, but fails to exercise them. Later Audrey referred to her parents’ divorce as the most traumatic event in her life. Then in 1939 greater problems arose; World War II broke out. Because Holland is neutral in the war, Ella thinks that it would be safer to stay there than England. So she moves Audrey back to Arnhem, Holland. In May, 1940 German troops and artillery marched through Arnhem and began to exploit Dutch resources. Eventually all of the Van Heemstra’s property, homes, bank accounts, securities, and jewelry were confiscated by the Germans. Because of her citizenship to Britain, Ella warns Audrey not to speak English in public. At this time, in England, Joseph Ruston was among hundreds of fascist /pro-Nazi activists imprisoned; this was unknown to Ella and Audrey.
Audrey began her first serious ballet training under Winja Marova at the Arnhem School of Music in 1941. She studied there until 1944, and became the teacher's star pupil in the process. Then in 1948 she made her first stage debut as a chorus girl in the musical High Button Shoes in London. She continued to land small roles on the British stage, but then in 1950 she became a featured actress/chorus girl in Sauce Piquate. Then in 1951 Audrey made her first film debut in One Wild Oat in an uncreditted role. She then went on to other small roles in films such as Young Wives’ Tales and The Lavender Hill Mob.
Next, at age 22, Audrey moved on to bigger and better things, Broadway. She starred in the Broadway production, Gigi; which was based on the book written by French author, Colette. The story was set in Paris in 1900 and Audrey played the part of a young woman on the brink of adulthood whose relative basically try to teach to become a gold digger. Just weeks after the play premiered, Audrey was all over news reports and other media. She was being wooed by Hollywood. Then, just two years later, she took the world by storm with the movie Roman Holliday. She won the Academy Award for Best Actress for her performance in this film. She then returned to Broadway to star in the play Ondine with Mel Ferrer, for which she won the 1954 Tony Award for Best Actress in a Play for her performance.
Audrey and Mel developed a relationship and on September 25, 1954, they got married in Switzerland. They later had a son named, Sean Ferrer. Audrey continued acting in movies and on Broadway. By 1961 she had received four Academy Award Nominations. Perhaps the role she is most famous for playing is Eliza Doolittle in My Fair Lady in 1964. In 1967 she received her fifth Academy Award nomination for the film, Wait Until Dark. Later this same year she separated from her husband and they later divorced. Then just two years later in 1969, Audrey remarried an Italian psychiatrist, Andrea Dotti, and the couple had a son, named Luca, in 1970.
After her son was born, acting took the back seat in Audrey’s life. In her later years, she did a lot of work on behalf of children. She became a goodwill ambassador for UNICEF (United Nations International Children's Emergency Fund) in the late 1980s. Audrey traveled the world in hopes of raising awareness of needy children. She was so passionate about this cause because she knew
all too well what it was like to go hungry when Germans invaded The Netherlands. Audrey made over 50 trips for UNICEF projects in Asia, Africa, and Central and South America. In 1993 she won a special Academy Award for her humanitarian work; however she did not live long enough for her to receive it. Audrey died on January 20, 1993, at her home in Tolochenaz, Switzerland due to a battle with colon cancer.Even after her death, her work to help children around the world continued. Her sons, Sean Ferrer and Luca Dotti, as well as her companion Robert Wolders, established the Audrey Hepburn Memorial Fund to continue Hepburn's humanitarian work in 1994. It is now known as the Audrey Hepburn Children's Fund.
Audrey Hepburn will forever be remembered for her beauty, elegance, and grace. She is often imitated and still remains one of the greatest style icons of all time. Not only is she remembered for these things, but also for her great desire to help others. What struck me most when studying Audrey’s life was her involvement with UNICEF. She seemed to be very dedicated and passionate about this cause and proceeded to travel the world for this cause. Despite the fact that most people remember her for her acting skills, she also has been remembered for her generosity.
