Audrey Hepburn.

Audrey Hepburn (1929–1993) was a British actress and humanitarian. Hepburn was a major Hollywood star of the 1950s and 1960s, starring in classic films such as Roman Holiday (1956), The Nun’s Story (1956) and Breakfast at Tiffany’s (1961). Audrey Hepburn later retired from acting and served as an ambassador for UNICEF.

LIFE.

Audrey Hepburn was born to an English father and Dutch mother in Belgium, May 4th, 1929. Her parents divorced; one reason for this was that her father was a Nazi sympathiser. Audrey later tracked down her father to Dublin and supported him financially. 

During the Nazi occupation, it was said she would often dance in various locations, helping to raise money for the underground movement. The harrowing experiences of war left a profound mark on Audrey; it was one reason for her later commitments to the UNICEF children’s charity.

After the war, Audrey went to London where she continued to practise ballet. She had great talent, but her height and malnutrition during the war meant that she was unable to become a really great ballerina, and so decided to seek work as an actor.

CAREER.

After several minor roles, her first film was Secret People in 1952; a film about a prodigy ballerina, which was a natural choice for Audrey to play. It was during the filming for this that she was spotted by director William Wyler. He was producing a film “Roman Holiday”, and he felt the innocence and beauty of Audrey Hepburn would make a perfect choice for the English Princess, who spends a day in Rome.

The enduring popularity and appeal of Audrey Hepburn can be attributed to many factors. She had a natural beauty and elegance; she has often been voted the most beautiful woman of the century. However, she also had an aura of childlike innocence which portrayed a natural charm and humour. Although she was one of Hollywood’s great stars of the 1950s and 1960s, she didn’t allow her fame to go to her head; often she would be quite happy to stay at home with her family.

UNICEF CHARITY WORK.

From 1967, after 15 years in film, Audrey acted only occasionally. She spent more time with her family and also working with UNICEF. She was appointed as a special ambassador to UNICEF and became actively involved in campaigns to improve conditions for children around the world.In 1988 she visited Ethiopia at a camp for children. On seeing the poverty and starvation she remarked:

“I have a broken heart. I feel desperate. I can’t stand the idea that two million people are in imminent danger of starving to death, many of them children, and not because there isn’t tons of food sitting in the northern port of Shoa.”

She also visited street children in South America and was appalled to see children living in such conditions.

After returning from Somalia in 1992, Audrey Hepburn developed cancer of the colon. The disease proved to be untreatable, and in January 1993 she died in Switzerland aged 63.