Spencer Tracy

Lore & Background

Tracy first discovered his talent for acting while attending Ripon College, and later received a scholarship for the American Academy of Dramatic Arts. He spent seven years in the theater, working in stock companies and intermittently on Broadway. His breakthrough came in 1930 when his lead performance in The Last Mile caught Hollywood's attention. After a successful film debut in John Ford's Up the River (starring with Humphrey Bogart), he was signed to Fox Film Corporation. His five years with Fox featured acclaimed performances but little box office success, and he remained largely unknown after 25 films.

In 1935, Tracy joined Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM), Hollywood's most prestigious studio. His career flourished after his fifth MGM film, Fury (1936), and in 1937 and 1938 he won consecutive Oscars for Captains Courageous and Boys Town. He teamed with Clark Gable for three major box office successes, and by the early 1940s was one of MGM's top stars. In 1942, he appeared with Katharine Hepburn in Woman of the Year, beginning a professional and personal partnership that led to nine films over 25 years. In 1955, Tracy won the Cannes Film Festival Award for Best Actor for Bad Day at Black Rock.

Tracy left MGM in 1955 and continued working as a freelance star despite health issues and increasing weariness. His personal life was troubled by severe alcoholism and guilt over his son's deafness. He and his wife Louise became estranged in the 1930s but never divorced. His 25-year relationship with Katharine Hepburn was an open secret. Towards the end of his life, Tracy worked almost exclusively for director Stanley Kramer. He made his last film with Kramer, Guess Who's Coming to Dinner (1967), with filming completed just 17 days before his death.

Reader's Guide

Spencer Tracy's significance lies in his naturalistic acting style, which set a standard for realism in Hollywood's Golden Age. He was the first actor to win consecutive Academy Awards for Best Actor, a testament to his skill and range. His career spanned 75 films, from early stage work to iconic roles at MGM, where he became one of the studio's top stars. Tracy's partnership with Katharine Hepburn produced nine films over 25 years, a notable professional and personal collaboration. Despite personal struggles with alcoholism and a troubled family life, Tracy maintained a reputation among peers as one of the screen's greatest actors. His legacy endures through his filmography and his ranking by the American Film Institute as the ninth greatest male star of Classic Hollywood Cinema.

Did You Know?

• Tracy was the first actor to win two consecutive Academy Awards for Best Actor.
• He appeared in 75 films during his career.
• Tracy's 25-year relationship with Katharine Hepburn was an open secret.
• He completed filming Guess Who's Coming to Dinner just 17 days before his death.

Notable Quotes (Wikiquote)

"Know your lines and don't bump into the furniture." — Spencer Tracy "Govindini Murty, “Hey, Conservatives: It's Safe to Go to the Movies Again”, The Atlantic, (Oct. 12, 2011)." — Spencer Tracy