You don’t hear every day about someone having Katharine Hepburn as a babysitter, but that’s exactly what happened to Peter Bulkeley. In a conversation with Closer Weekly, Bulkeley shared a story that’s as unforgettable as it is unique. “Kate was a distant cousin of mine, and our families were close,” Bulkeley explained. “When I first met her in 1931, I was only two weeks old. She actually changed my diaper. Can you believe that?”
Summers in Fenwick: Where Katharine Hepburn Belonged
Katharine Hepburn was born and raised in Hartford, Connecticut, but her summers were spent in the close-knit Fenwick section of Old Saybrook, Connecticut. It was there that Peter Bulkeley got to know her well. Although she made her movie debut in 1932, Fenwick remained her sanctuary throughout her life. “People in Fenwick respected her privacy,” Bulkeley said. “We admired her accomplishments, but we didn’t treat her like a star. She was just one of us, and we loved her for it.”
Katharine Hepburn's Early Acting Days
Growing up, Katharine and her best friend, Ali Barbour, would put on plays during the summer. “One time, they performed Beauty and the Beast, and guess who played the Beast? That’s right—Kate!” Bulkeley laughed. “It was clear even back then that she was destined for greatness. Her passion for acting was undeniable, and she was already incredibly talented.” She wasn’t just an actress, though. “She was also a fantastic golfer,” Bulkeley added. “I used to caddy for her when I was younger, but she preferred carrying her own clubs. She was fiercely independent, even then.”
Read also:Weekly Horoscope March 2 Ndash March 8
The Feisty Side of Katharine Hepburn
That same independent spirit showed up in her movies, and it wasn’t an act. “Kate was a strong-willed person,” Bulkeley recalled. “If things didn’t go her way, watch out! She wasn’t afraid to speak her mind or stand up for herself. As she once famously said, ‘If you obey all the rules, you miss all the fun.’ And boy, did she live by that motto.”
A Peek into Katharine Hepburn’s Love Life
Despite her desire for privacy, Bulkeley occasionally caught glimpses into her romantic life. “One afternoon, a seaplane landed right in our little community beach, and out stepped Howard Hughes,” he said, referring to the eccentric billionaire she dated from 1935 to 1938. “They were quite the couple. Things got serious between them, but ultimately, they decided not to marry. Kate believed two people who were used to having their own way should stay separate.”
Spencer Tracy: The Love of Her Life
A few years later, Bulkeley found himself delivering a newspaper to Katharine’s house when he unexpectedly met Spencer Tracy. “I sat down for a glass of orange juice in her kitchen and ended up sitting across from him,” Bulkeley remembered. “You could tell how much she adored him just by the way she looked at him and touched his arm. Even though Spencer never divorced his wife and couldn’t publicly acknowledge their relationship, Kate remained devoted to him for 27 years. She said it herself, ‘The door between us was always open. There were no reservations of any kind.’ When Spencer passed away in 1967, Kate was absolutely devastated.”
As the years went on, Katharine spent more time in her cherished Connecticut home. “Fenwick has always been my paradise,” she wrote in her 1991 autobiography, Me. “Here, I’m just another member of the community. I’ve lived here since I was six years old. Recently, I had a drink with a man I once won a three-legged race with over 70 years ago!” Even in her later years, she remained as spirited as ever. “Kate passed away at 96 in 2003, but even in her mid-80s, she was still riding her bicycle around town,” Bulkeley said. “Once, I was painting a fire hydrant green, and she stopped to tell me, ‘Peter, all fire hydrants should be red!’ That was Kate—irrepressible until the very end.”
For more stories like this, grab the latest issue of Closer Weekly, available now at newsstands!
