Years After Iconic Interview, Dick Cavett Recalls Spirit of Katharine Hepburn

Years After Iconic Interview, Dick Cavett Recalls Spirit of Katharine Hepburn

Courtesy of Daphne Productions Inc.

“One of the facts of life of doing a talk show is that some of the most interesting people in the world won’t do them. One of them is Katharine Hepburn,” television personality Dick Cavett said at the opening of his now famous two-part interview with Hepburn in 1973 on The Dick Cavett Show. “She has spent most of her life avoiding the press and I wish I had a nickel for every time someone has said, ‘Wouldn’t it be wonderful just to sit and listen to that woman talk?’ Well, one afternoon recently, never having been on television, she agreed to come into my studio for a test only to check things out to see how it looked and felt. She checked the cameras, the lights, these chairs, the temperature in the studio, she pronounced the carpet ugly and then she surprised me by suddenly saying, ‘Why don’t we just go ahead and do it now?’ And we did.”

What followed was a lengthy, relaxed conversation that meandered through Hepburn’s life and career. She was open, her feet propped up on the small coffee table in front of her and her hair imperfectly coiffed. She guided the conversation where she wanted, offering anecdotes and stories that delighted the few crew and musicians lucky enough to be there that day.

“I don’t know who would be better than she was,” Cavett told Connecticut Magazine in a recent interview. “It’s hard to have a dull moment with her. When yours and the guest’s eyelids start drooping, you wish Miss Hepburn was there again.”

That interview would come to define Hepburn to the public in many ways. It captured her feisty, winning personality, which is something the Katharine Hepburn Cultural Arts Center in Old Saybrook has tried to keep alive through its programs and busy schedule of events.

This year, The Kate has created a new award called The Spirit of Katharine Hepburn Award to honor and celebrate Hepburn’s infectious spirit, and Cavett has been chosen as the first recipient. The award, which captures the likeness of Hepburn and was created by artist and Lyme Academy College of Fine Arts faculty member Kimberly Monson, will be given at The Kate’s annual Summer Gala on Aug. 27.

“Not only does [Cavett] embody the spirit Katharine had in his career and his enjoyment of life, he really helped capture that out of her for the population,” says Director of Development and External Relations Dana Foster. “The way she was sitting, the repartee they had, it really drew out her spirit. When we were talking amongst the staff about the award and who might be a recipient of this, it really came through that he really was a core person in capturing her spirit.”

While Cavett is the first recipient, the award has not been designed as an exclusive celebrity award. In the future, recipients could be local celebrities or community members who embody Hepburn’s spirit. However, Executive Director Brett Elliott says, “While there are still folks around who had a connection with Kate, we want to honor them. They won’t be around forever.”

The Summer Gala will take place on the historic Old Saybrook Town Green on Aug. 27 beginning at 6 p.m. with hors d’oeuvres and cocktails followed by dinner and dessert complemented by a live silent auction. The Eturnity Band will provide live music, and dance instructors from the Arthur Murray Dance School will get everyone up on the floor. Cavett will be present to accept the award and share stories about his time with Hepburn.

Guests are encouraged to wear elegant attire. Individual tickets range from $250 to $500. Tables of 10 can be reserved at three different levels for $2,250, $3,000 or $4,000.

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