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Audrey Hepburn Timeline
Timeline Description: Audrey Hepburn (born May 4, 1929) is remembered as an actress in films like Breakfast at Tiffany's and Roman Holiday, but she was also a philanthropist. Her own experiences as a young person during World War II led her to spend her later years devoted to the needs of children around the world.
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| May 4, 1929 | Audrey Hepburn Was Born | Audrey Hepburn was born Audrey Kathleen Ruston in Brussels, Belgium on May 4, 1929. Her mother was a Dutch baroness, her father an English banker. |
| January 24, 1935 | Parents' Divorce | Hepburn's parents divorced in 1935. Her father was a Nazi sympathizer, contributing to the divorce. Hepburn considered this event one of the most traumatic moments of her life. |
| May 10, 1940 | Sent to Live with Grandfather | In May 1940, Hepburn's mother, Ella, sent her to live with her grandfather under the pseudonym Edda von Heemstra. The Dutch name was assumed in the hopes of limiting her English connections. |
| 1944 | Starvation in the Netherlands | By May 1944, the Nazis had blockaded portions of the Netherlands, leaving the people to starve. Hepburn ground tulip bulbs into flour in an attempt to survive. She suffered physically from the effects of malnutrition and anemia. |
| April 24, 1945 | Moved to Amsterdam | In April 1945, Hepburn moved to Amsterdam to continue her studies in ballet; however, she was told that she was too tall, and too damaged by malnutrition to ever become a prima ballerina. She turned her attentions to acting. |
| March 24, 1948 | First Acting Debut | Hepburn's first film appearance was in an educational film teaching the Dutch language, released on March 24, 1948. |
| 1951 | Film Career Began | By 1951, Hepburn had moved to Hollywood and was getting her first minor roles, including One Wild Oat. Her first significant film role would follow the next year, as well as a 219 show run as a Broadway lead. |
| February 22, 1953 | Roman Holiday | Hepburn's first truly major film, Roman Holiday, was released in February 1953. She starred opposite leading man Gregory Peck. |
| March 30, 1954 | Oscar for Best Actress | On March 30, 1954, Hepburn received the Oscar for Best Actress for her role in Roman Holiday. |
| March 12, 1961 | Breakfast at Tiffany's | Breakfast at Tiffany's was released in March 1961, introducing Hepburn's Holly Golightly to the world. Today, this is considered one of the most iconic films ever made. |
| May 15, 1963 | Charade | Hepburn's Charade, her only film co-starring Cary Grant, was released in May 1963. |
| May 29, 1963 | Sang Happy Birthday to John Fitzgerald Kennedy | In May 1963, Hepburn sang Happy Birthday to personal friend and U.S. President John Fitzgerald Kennedy, who she affectionately referred to as "Jack". |
| 1964 | My Fair Lady | As Eliza Doolittle, Hepburn created another iconic role alongside Rex Harrison in the musical, My Fair Lady. |
| March 11, 1976 | Robin and Marian | Hepburn starred opposite Sean Connery in 1976's Robin and Marian, a romantic adventure telling the story of an older Robin Hood and Maid Marian. |
| April 25, 1988 | UNICEF International Goodwill Ambassador | Hepburn devoted her life from 1988 until her death in 1993 to helping children in need around the world as UNICEF's International Goodwill Ambassador. |
| April 7, 1992 | Audrey Hepburn's Enchanted Tales | Hepburn recorded a storytelling album for children, receiving the Grammy for best spoken-word recording that year. |
| November 1992 | Diagnosed with Cancer | Hepburn was diagnosed with abdominal cancer in November 1992. She had several surgeries, but it was soon determined that the cancer was terminal. |
| December 11, 1992 | Presidential Medal of Freedom | Hepburn received the Presidential Medal of Freedom for her work with UNICEF in December 1992. |
| January 20, 1993 | Audrey Hepburn Died | Hepburn died on January 20, 1993. Her remains were transported back to her home in Switzerland for burial. |
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