What do you think?
Rate this book
Spencer Tracy
During his lifetime, Spencer Tracy was known as Hollywood's 'actor's actor'. Critics wrote that what Olivier was to theatre, Tracy was to film. Over his career he was nominated for nine Academy Awards, and won two. But there has been no substantial, intimate biography of the man, until now.
From his earliest days in stock theatre, Tracy was a publicist's trial, guarding his private life fiercely.
Most of the people associated closely with him shunned the limelight - notably his wife, his children and the great actress Katharine Hepburn, with whom he had an affair that lasted over 26 years.
Although his screen roles often depicted a happy, twinkling Irishman, Tracy struggled with alchoholism to the end, a fact which the studios managed to keep out of the papers.
With the help of Tracy's daughter, Susie, and access to previously unseen papers, James Curtis has now produced the definitive biography of a tortured, complex and immensely talented man.
The book contains 124 integrated photos, many published for the first time.
From his earliest days in stock theatre, Tracy was a publicist's trial, guarding his private life fiercely.
Most of the people associated closely with him shunned the limelight - notably his wife, his children and the great actress Katharine Hepburn, with whom he had an affair that lasted over 26 years.
Although his screen roles often depicted a happy, twinkling Irishman, Tracy struggled with alchoholism to the end, a fact which the studios managed to keep out of the papers.
With the help of Tracy's daughter, Susie, and access to previously unseen papers, James Curtis has now produced the definitive biography of a tortured, complex and immensely talented man.
The book contains 124 integrated photos, many published for the first time.
1024 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2011
93 people are currently reading
576 people want to read
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 75 reviews
January 28, 2012
You'll be as old and used up as Spencer Tracy was by the time you get to the end of this exhaustive biography. Curtis has done a phenomenal job of research, but some editing (repetitive quotes about Tracy being the greatest actor ever) and proof-reading (the Racket Club; having another thing coming; Ramon Navarro) would have made this book so much better.
As with books I've read about Hepburn, by the time I finished, I didn't like Spencer Tracy very much. I think there must have been something very corrosive about the studio system on one's psyche. But I did appreciate very much the dissection of the strengths and weaknesses of previous Hepburn and Tracy bios. Curtis clearly knows his subject and his is the definitive biography.
As with books I've read about Hepburn, by the time I finished, I didn't like Spencer Tracy very much. I think there must have been something very corrosive about the studio system on one's psyche. But I did appreciate very much the dissection of the strengths and weaknesses of previous Hepburn and Tracy bios. Curtis clearly knows his subject and his is the definitive biography.
October 24, 2011
This review originally appeared in an edited version in the Washington Post:
Long before there was Branjelina, there was Spencenkate. The 26-year love affair and nine-film collaboration of Spencer Tracy and Katharine Hepburn is probably the one thing most people remember about the man theater legend George M. Cohan called in 1926, at the outset of Tracy's career, “the best goddamned actor I've ever seen.” The tribute was echoed by directors, colleagues, and audiences for the next 41 years.
James Curtis's new biography is designed to end the partial eclipse of Tracy by the more vivid and long-lived Hepburn, though the book's enormous length may be a hindrance. Tracy deserves to be remembered for himself, as a master of acting technique whose essence Hepburn herself defined: “He never got in his own way. I still do.” John Ford, who directed Tracy's first feature film, “Up the River,” and one of his last, “The Last Hurrah,” agreed: “When I say Spencer Tracy is the best actor we ever had, I'm giving you something of my philosophy of acting. The best is most natural. Scenery never gets chewed in my pictures. I prefer actors who can just be.”
Tracy's ability to “just be” is apparent when you think of such contemporaries of his as Clark Gable, Humphrey Bogart, Gary Cooper, Cary Grant, James Stewart, and James Cagney. All of them are defined to some extent by mannerisms that lend themselves to caricature. But who has ever caricatured or imitated Spencer Tracy? Cagney himself saw this: “I'm easy to imitate, but you never saw anyone imitate Spencer Tracy. You can't mimic reserve and control very well.”
Claudette Colbert, his co-star in “Boom Town,” recalled her big scene, in which she pulled out all the stops: “And after I stop on this high melodramatic note, he nods that big head of his a few times, sticks his chin out, looks up and away and murmurs, 'Yeah, yeah, I wouldn't know about that.' And steals the whole scene! Not a person in the audience will remember what I said. The way that man underplays everybody keeps the audience listening for him to speak.”
Only Hepburn could upstage him, and Curtis tries hard to keep her from doing that. He postpones her entrance into the narrative for 400-some pages, and begins the book with a chapter on the other woman in Tracy's life: Louise Treadwell, who became Mrs. Spencer Tracy in 1923 and held on to the title that she prized for the next 44 years, even though they began to lead separate lives off and on as early as 1933.
Tracy had affairs with Loretta Young, Joan Crawford, Ingrid Bergman, and Gene Tierney, among many others, but he was also an Irish Catholic with an advanced sense of guilt. And one source of that guilt was the congenital deafness of his son, John. Louise devoted her life (and much of Tracy's money) to the clinic that she founded to deal with childhood deafness. Tracy, however, had an emotionally distant relationship with John, and writer-director Joseph L. Mankiewicz believed that he blamed himself in some way for his son's deafness: “'He didn't leave Louise,' Mankiewicz said. 'He left the scene of his guilt.'” But they never divorced, partly because of his Catholicism, and partly because Hepburn wasn't interested in marrying him: “'I can't live with Spence,' she told their friend Bill Self, 'and he won't live with Louise.'” In the early 1950s Louise told a friend, “I think it would be sort of silly after all this time to divorce him.”
The other dominant fact about Tracy's off-screen life was that he was, in the words of director Henry King, “an ugly drunk.” Actor David Wayne recalled the time Tracy laid waste to the taproom of the Lambs Club in New York: “The huge supply of liquor that was stacked behind the bar he swept off and hurled to the floor and about the room. It looked as if a hurricane had struck.” <348> But he alternated his binges with long periods of sobriety, going off the wagon for months, even years, before finally succumbing once again. After he met Hepburn, the sober periods increased their length, but the binges never disappeared, partly because, as Curtis comments, Hepburn “considered the abuse of alcohol a failure of the will” and not a disease. She encouraged him to drink in moderation, always a risk when, as one acquaintance observed, “all he needed was 'a dessert with rum in it' to set him off.”
Curtis sees their relationship as very much to Hepburn's benefit. Dina Merrill, who worked with Tracy and Hepburn on “Desk Set,” said, “She was a mother hen.... It was like he was her child.” Writer Phoebe Ephron said Hepburn told her, “”I'm like a little fly that buzzes around him all the time, and every once in a while he gives me a good swat.” If that suggests either masochism on Hepburn's part or a physically violent relationship, it hasn't gone unnoticed. Curtis mentions the rumors of Tracy's hitting Hepburn, some of them while he was drunk. Hepburn's niece, Katharine Houghton, who starred with them in “Guess Who's Coming to Dinner,” dismisses these reports perhaps a bit too casually: “If he gave her a good whack … it's my suspicion that she asked for it. She was not a frail person.” She adds, “In the family we were all witnesses, from time to time, to her being maddeningly self-righteous and bossy, no doubt with good intentions, but still way out of line.”
Curtis has done Tracy a service in drawing attention to the power and finesse of his work both together with and apart from Hepburn. Ernest Hemingway dismissed the Tracy-Hepburn films as “those toad-and-grasshopper comedies”, meaning it partly as a slur on Tracy, whom he disliked as “a man who could not hold his liquor” and thought miscast in “The Old Man and the Sea” – though he finally changed his mind about that film. But if Tracy is the solid, down-to-earth toad, and Hepburn the flighty, busy grasshopper, Curtis has done a good job of making us appreciate the virtues of the toad.
Long before there was Branjelina, there was Spencenkate. The 26-year love affair and nine-film collaboration of Spencer Tracy and Katharine Hepburn is probably the one thing most people remember about the man theater legend George M. Cohan called in 1926, at the outset of Tracy's career, “the best goddamned actor I've ever seen.” The tribute was echoed by directors, colleagues, and audiences for the next 41 years.
James Curtis's new biography is designed to end the partial eclipse of Tracy by the more vivid and long-lived Hepburn, though the book's enormous length may be a hindrance. Tracy deserves to be remembered for himself, as a master of acting technique whose essence Hepburn herself defined: “He never got in his own way. I still do.” John Ford, who directed Tracy's first feature film, “Up the River,” and one of his last, “The Last Hurrah,” agreed: “When I say Spencer Tracy is the best actor we ever had, I'm giving you something of my philosophy of acting. The best is most natural. Scenery never gets chewed in my pictures. I prefer actors who can just be.”
Tracy's ability to “just be” is apparent when you think of such contemporaries of his as Clark Gable, Humphrey Bogart, Gary Cooper, Cary Grant, James Stewart, and James Cagney. All of them are defined to some extent by mannerisms that lend themselves to caricature. But who has ever caricatured or imitated Spencer Tracy? Cagney himself saw this: “I'm easy to imitate, but you never saw anyone imitate Spencer Tracy. You can't mimic reserve and control very well.”
Claudette Colbert, his co-star in “Boom Town,” recalled her big scene, in which she pulled out all the stops: “And after I stop on this high melodramatic note, he nods that big head of his a few times, sticks his chin out, looks up and away and murmurs, 'Yeah, yeah, I wouldn't know about that.' And steals the whole scene! Not a person in the audience will remember what I said. The way that man underplays everybody keeps the audience listening for him to speak.”
Only Hepburn could upstage him, and Curtis tries hard to keep her from doing that. He postpones her entrance into the narrative for 400-some pages, and begins the book with a chapter on the other woman in Tracy's life: Louise Treadwell, who became Mrs. Spencer Tracy in 1923 and held on to the title that she prized for the next 44 years, even though they began to lead separate lives off and on as early as 1933.
Tracy had affairs with Loretta Young, Joan Crawford, Ingrid Bergman, and Gene Tierney, among many others, but he was also an Irish Catholic with an advanced sense of guilt. And one source of that guilt was the congenital deafness of his son, John. Louise devoted her life (and much of Tracy's money) to the clinic that she founded to deal with childhood deafness. Tracy, however, had an emotionally distant relationship with John, and writer-director Joseph L. Mankiewicz believed that he blamed himself in some way for his son's deafness: “'He didn't leave Louise,' Mankiewicz said. 'He left the scene of his guilt.'” But they never divorced, partly because of his Catholicism, and partly because Hepburn wasn't interested in marrying him: “'I can't live with Spence,' she told their friend Bill Self, 'and he won't live with Louise.'” In the early 1950s Louise told a friend, “I think it would be sort of silly after all this time to divorce him.”
The other dominant fact about Tracy's off-screen life was that he was, in the words of director Henry King, “an ugly drunk.” Actor David Wayne recalled the time Tracy laid waste to the taproom of the Lambs Club in New York: “The huge supply of liquor that was stacked behind the bar he swept off and hurled to the floor and about the room. It looked as if a hurricane had struck.” <348> But he alternated his binges with long periods of sobriety, going off the wagon for months, even years, before finally succumbing once again. After he met Hepburn, the sober periods increased their length, but the binges never disappeared, partly because, as Curtis comments, Hepburn “considered the abuse of alcohol a failure of the will” and not a disease. She encouraged him to drink in moderation, always a risk when, as one acquaintance observed, “all he needed was 'a dessert with rum in it' to set him off.”
Curtis sees their relationship as very much to Hepburn's benefit. Dina Merrill, who worked with Tracy and Hepburn on “Desk Set,” said, “She was a mother hen.... It was like he was her child.” Writer Phoebe Ephron said Hepburn told her, “”I'm like a little fly that buzzes around him all the time, and every once in a while he gives me a good swat.” If that suggests either masochism on Hepburn's part or a physically violent relationship, it hasn't gone unnoticed. Curtis mentions the rumors of Tracy's hitting Hepburn, some of them while he was drunk. Hepburn's niece, Katharine Houghton, who starred with them in “Guess Who's Coming to Dinner,” dismisses these reports perhaps a bit too casually: “If he gave her a good whack … it's my suspicion that she asked for it. She was not a frail person.” She adds, “In the family we were all witnesses, from time to time, to her being maddeningly self-righteous and bossy, no doubt with good intentions, but still way out of line.”
Curtis has done Tracy a service in drawing attention to the power and finesse of his work both together with and apart from Hepburn. Ernest Hemingway dismissed the Tracy-Hepburn films as “those toad-and-grasshopper comedies”, meaning it partly as a slur on Tracy, whom he disliked as “a man who could not hold his liquor” and thought miscast in “The Old Man and the Sea” – though he finally changed his mind about that film. But if Tracy is the solid, down-to-earth toad, and Hepburn the flighty, busy grasshopper, Curtis has done a good job of making us appreciate the virtues of the toad.
January 15, 2021
Mama mia, this was a lonnnnnng book. Really, really long. It literally took me months to complete.
Now with that said, I feel I can safely proclaim it the ultimate biography on Spencer Tracy, still considered by many to be one of, if not the very best, of the American screen actors. Since the advent of the ever emotive Method actors, the low-key skillset of the "Spence" has a tendency to be overlooked, but he was really quite wonderful.
"Acting is not the noblest profession in the world, but there are things lower than acting - not many, mind you, but politicians give you something to look down on from time to time."
(Spencer Tracy)
He wasn't much to look at, so he couldn't skate by on his looks. He had a basic early 20th-Century American childhood, then married and scraped by in a plethora of stage productions that took him cross-country. The advent of sound in movies also meant a chance for him, as he was one of the few to have actual acting experience which he had honed down, even in the theatre, to the bare necessities. But it wasn't until MGM got a hold of him that he became a star. Officially on February 10, 1938, the MGM accounting department re-classified him as a STAR. He would remain as their longest tenured above-the-title superstar, long after the others had faded away.
But Mr. Tracy was not a happy man. He hid his uncertainties and lack of confidence behind an Irish temperament which resulted in massive binges that created delays on film sets and earned him a reputation as a trouble-maker. The arrival of Katharine Hepburn probably saved his career, as she settled him down and gave him what he could not find in his own family. It's not a good view of Tracy, but it's an honest one. He never divorced his wife and continued to see his family, but his constant uneasiness made him a difficult man to live with, even for Hepburn. He held himself responsible for his only son's deafness, no doubt due to the way Tracy held his Roman Catholic teachings on a pedestal. The great cinema actor originally wanted to be a priest (and he ended up playing a few on screen).
As I said, this is a huge book. If you are a Spencer Tracy fan, this is your bible. If not, it's a great way to learn more about his life, his movies, his romance with Hepburn, and what made him tick. For me, the book really started getting interesting at the halfway point, when his alcoholism and his MGM contract and Woman Of The Year elevate the previous life story. This made the rest of the book quite enjoyable as quite frankly you just don't know what Tracy was going to do next. He was constantly on the move, taking so many ships across the pond to Europe, that I lost track. It simply never occurred to me that the most American of the silver screen actors was also the most travelled. The book also made me aware of just how few Tracy movies I have seen, just three, so off to the revival screens and downloads for more.
Great actor, unpleasant man. I guess most of the great ones end up that way. If Clark Gable was the steak of the Golden Age of Hollywood, then Spencer Tracy was its baked potato.
"There's something about the great American actor that's like a clipper ship in action, a sort of heart's directness. Spencer has it."
(Katharine Hepburn)
Book Season = Year Round (could take all 12 months to read)
Now with that said, I feel I can safely proclaim it the ultimate biography on Spencer Tracy, still considered by many to be one of, if not the very best, of the American screen actors. Since the advent of the ever emotive Method actors, the low-key skillset of the "Spence" has a tendency to be overlooked, but he was really quite wonderful.
"Acting is not the noblest profession in the world, but there are things lower than acting - not many, mind you, but politicians give you something to look down on from time to time."
(Spencer Tracy)
He wasn't much to look at, so he couldn't skate by on his looks. He had a basic early 20th-Century American childhood, then married and scraped by in a plethora of stage productions that took him cross-country. The advent of sound in movies also meant a chance for him, as he was one of the few to have actual acting experience which he had honed down, even in the theatre, to the bare necessities. But it wasn't until MGM got a hold of him that he became a star. Officially on February 10, 1938, the MGM accounting department re-classified him as a STAR. He would remain as their longest tenured above-the-title superstar, long after the others had faded away.
But Mr. Tracy was not a happy man. He hid his uncertainties and lack of confidence behind an Irish temperament which resulted in massive binges that created delays on film sets and earned him a reputation as a trouble-maker. The arrival of Katharine Hepburn probably saved his career, as she settled him down and gave him what he could not find in his own family. It's not a good view of Tracy, but it's an honest one. He never divorced his wife and continued to see his family, but his constant uneasiness made him a difficult man to live with, even for Hepburn. He held himself responsible for his only son's deafness, no doubt due to the way Tracy held his Roman Catholic teachings on a pedestal. The great cinema actor originally wanted to be a priest (and he ended up playing a few on screen).
As I said, this is a huge book. If you are a Spencer Tracy fan, this is your bible. If not, it's a great way to learn more about his life, his movies, his romance with Hepburn, and what made him tick. For me, the book really started getting interesting at the halfway point, when his alcoholism and his MGM contract and Woman Of The Year elevate the previous life story. This made the rest of the book quite enjoyable as quite frankly you just don't know what Tracy was going to do next. He was constantly on the move, taking so many ships across the pond to Europe, that I lost track. It simply never occurred to me that the most American of the silver screen actors was also the most travelled. The book also made me aware of just how few Tracy movies I have seen, just three, so off to the revival screens and downloads for more.
Great actor, unpleasant man. I guess most of the great ones end up that way. If Clark Gable was the steak of the Golden Age of Hollywood, then Spencer Tracy was its baked potato.
"There's something about the great American actor that's like a clipper ship in action, a sort of heart's directness. Spencer has it."
(Katharine Hepburn)
Book Season = Year Round (could take all 12 months to read)
November 21, 2011
The front cover is the best thing about the book. Fabulous photo. Frankly, his wife Louise is more interesting than he is. She was highly intelligent and wrote beautifully. Really first class stuff. Those who met her thought she was easy to talk to, well-informed, and very good looking.
Supposedly Tracy's flings were caused by his guilt that his son was born deaf. I think his wife's evaluation was better - they had grown apart because they didn't have a whole lot in common. I am not sure being married to a writer would have been any better [think Hemingway or Cheever]but she certainly would have had something to talk to them about.
The book is crammed with names, some of it is interesting, some a bit routine. Tracy was clearly an excellent actor but his drinking caused misery, mostly to himself. Two of the best Hollywood/acting/drinking books were David Niven's - because he knew how to laugh. There is no warmth to this story.
Supposedly Tracy's flings were caused by his guilt that his son was born deaf. I think his wife's evaluation was better - they had grown apart because they didn't have a whole lot in common. I am not sure being married to a writer would have been any better [think Hemingway or Cheever]but she certainly would have had something to talk to them about.
The book is crammed with names, some of it is interesting, some a bit routine. Tracy was clearly an excellent actor but his drinking caused misery, mostly to himself. Two of the best Hollywood/acting/drinking books were David Niven's - because he knew how to laugh. There is no warmth to this story.
January 5, 2013
I don't know why I've been reading more biographies lately, but this is twice in a row I've been burned. I thought this might be a fun way to learn more about an actor I've always admired, but OMG the level of inane boring detail is beyond ridiculous. Not content to merely mention the movies Tracy stars in, it goes into exhaustive detail about the producers, the directors, the politics behind the movies, the dialogue of his character in the movie, the reactions of audiences to the movies, and on and on and on and on. I find myself just wanting to read about Tracy and his personal life, and am fast forwarding through vast sections of book to find tiny paragraphs to keep me reading. If I don't get to the section on Hepburn soon, I'm calling it quits completely.
February 16, 2015
Fantastic bio but also exhaustive in length. The book is extraordinarily well written, which is not usually the case with Hollywood biographies. If you are a Spencer Tracy fan, much like my self, this book is written for you. It's a fun read and I took the time to revisit some great Tracy- Hepburn films as they came up in the biography.
November 29, 2014
Absolutely glorious read. Cried my eyes out when I finished it last night and feel like starting it all over again this morning. Can't say fairer than that!
May 28, 2019
James Curtis has written one meticulously researched book on Spencer Tracy, a man who some consider the greatest actor America ever produced. Those two Oscars and seven other nominations
certainly attest to what his colleagues thought of him.
Spencer Bonaventure Tracy was born in Milwaukee, Wisconsin to an Irish immigrant family. His
father John Tracy was a trucking company executive as soon as automobiles started being mass
produced. As a kid he was a wild youth, enlisted in the Navy along with another youthful friend
William J. O'Brien who later changed his first name to Pat when he went into acting.
That was Tracy's ambition and if he hadn't discovered theater who knows what kind of hellion life
style he might have adopted. He discovered alcohol early on it was a constant demon to him his
whole life though it never interfered with a stage or screen performance.
One early influence was George M. Cohan whose later works on Broadway Tracy appeared in. He
proclaimed and might have been the first one to say that Spencer Tracy was the greatest actor he
ever saw.
The coming of sound to movies had the studios scouring for actors with stage trained voices. Tracy
just came off his greatest stage role in The Last Mile about a group of death row inmates in prison.
His reviews were sensational and earned him a contract with Fox Films.
During his years with Fox with rare exceptions Tracy played mostly rugged adventurer types with a
gangster or two tossed in. He was a B film actor and when he went to MGM in 1935 it would be
more of the same until 1936 when Jeanette MacDonald requested him for her film San Francisco
where he would play a priest. He got his first Oscar nomination for playing Father Mullin and it
opened whole new vistas for him.
Two back to back Oscars came in 1937 and 1938 for Captains Courageous as the Portuguese fisherman Manuel Fidelio and for playing another priest Father Flanagan in Boys Town. His reputation as king of his art was secure.
Tracy was a practicing Catholic and it may have been the reason he drank excessively. He had
married actress Louise Treadwell while on stage and they had two kids, John and Susan. John Tracy was born deaf and Spence couldn't handle it. He drank and philandered, but as both were
good Catholics divorce was not in the cards. Louise devoted herself to her kids and the John Tracy
clinic for the deaf she established. Spence gave of his time and money to fund raise.
In 1941 he was teamed with Katherine Hepburn for the first time in Woman Of The Year and the
philandering was limited to one and only one after that. Yet such was the respect that both were
held in that the gossip columnists never wrote of them in personal terms. They were described as
good friends who liked to make movies together as a screen team. They did 9 of them.
Unlike a lot of his contemporaries Tracy had no problems or qualms about transitioning into character parts as he got older. He disdained the use of make up except on rare occasions..
He was ready to retire in 1959 when he was tapped by Stanley Kramer to do Inherit The Wind a play
about the famous Scopes Monkey Trial of the 20s. He co-starred with Fredric March and these two
acting heavyweights are still a sight to see. All but one of his few remaining films would be with
Stanley Kramer.
His last was Guess Who's Coming To Dinner co-starring Katherine Hepburn and Tracy was dying
as he made it. He had all kinds of heart and pulmonary problems by that time. Within two weeks
of the completion of Guess Who's Coming To Dinner he died.
As he got older and sicker he became a brooding misanthropic soul. He never divulged trade secrets
of his work. "Learn your lines and don't bump into the furniture" was his standard answer to those
who wanted to enter the theater. A bone of contention between Tracy and Hepburn was the fact
that she did a lot of stage work including Shakespeare festivals and she couldn't get Tracy interested in the classics.
There ain't a Spencer Tracy performance that I ever disliked. Even when the film was mediocre, he's always great. Even with no dialog he dominates the screen. This book is a must for fans of
Spencer Tracy.
certainly attest to what his colleagues thought of him.
Spencer Bonaventure Tracy was born in Milwaukee, Wisconsin to an Irish immigrant family. His
father John Tracy was a trucking company executive as soon as automobiles started being mass
produced. As a kid he was a wild youth, enlisted in the Navy along with another youthful friend
William J. O'Brien who later changed his first name to Pat when he went into acting.
That was Tracy's ambition and if he hadn't discovered theater who knows what kind of hellion life
style he might have adopted. He discovered alcohol early on it was a constant demon to him his
whole life though it never interfered with a stage or screen performance.
One early influence was George M. Cohan whose later works on Broadway Tracy appeared in. He
proclaimed and might have been the first one to say that Spencer Tracy was the greatest actor he
ever saw.
The coming of sound to movies had the studios scouring for actors with stage trained voices. Tracy
just came off his greatest stage role in The Last Mile about a group of death row inmates in prison.
His reviews were sensational and earned him a contract with Fox Films.
During his years with Fox with rare exceptions Tracy played mostly rugged adventurer types with a
gangster or two tossed in. He was a B film actor and when he went to MGM in 1935 it would be
more of the same until 1936 when Jeanette MacDonald requested him for her film San Francisco
where he would play a priest. He got his first Oscar nomination for playing Father Mullin and it
opened whole new vistas for him.
Two back to back Oscars came in 1937 and 1938 for Captains Courageous as the Portuguese fisherman Manuel Fidelio and for playing another priest Father Flanagan in Boys Town. His reputation as king of his art was secure.
Tracy was a practicing Catholic and it may have been the reason he drank excessively. He had
married actress Louise Treadwell while on stage and they had two kids, John and Susan. John Tracy was born deaf and Spence couldn't handle it. He drank and philandered, but as both were
good Catholics divorce was not in the cards. Louise devoted herself to her kids and the John Tracy
clinic for the deaf she established. Spence gave of his time and money to fund raise.
In 1941 he was teamed with Katherine Hepburn for the first time in Woman Of The Year and the
philandering was limited to one and only one after that. Yet such was the respect that both were
held in that the gossip columnists never wrote of them in personal terms. They were described as
good friends who liked to make movies together as a screen team. They did 9 of them.
Unlike a lot of his contemporaries Tracy had no problems or qualms about transitioning into character parts as he got older. He disdained the use of make up except on rare occasions..
He was ready to retire in 1959 when he was tapped by Stanley Kramer to do Inherit The Wind a play
about the famous Scopes Monkey Trial of the 20s. He co-starred with Fredric March and these two
acting heavyweights are still a sight to see. All but one of his few remaining films would be with
Stanley Kramer.
His last was Guess Who's Coming To Dinner co-starring Katherine Hepburn and Tracy was dying
as he made it. He had all kinds of heart and pulmonary problems by that time. Within two weeks
of the completion of Guess Who's Coming To Dinner he died.
As he got older and sicker he became a brooding misanthropic soul. He never divulged trade secrets
of his work. "Learn your lines and don't bump into the furniture" was his standard answer to those
who wanted to enter the theater. A bone of contention between Tracy and Hepburn was the fact
that she did a lot of stage work including Shakespeare festivals and she couldn't get Tracy interested in the classics.
There ain't a Spencer Tracy performance that I ever disliked. Even when the film was mediocre, he's always great. Even with no dialog he dominates the screen. This book is a must for fans of
Spencer Tracy.
August 25, 2019
This will probably be the definitive biography. I just finished Mann's biography of Katharine Hepburn, and picked this up to read "the other side", as it were. There is an epilogue in which Curtis discusses Mann's work, and pretty much demolishes the latter's conclusion that Hepburn and Tracy were closeted homosexuals who essentially had a sexless relationship. However, Curtis does skate around their prolonged separations in the 1950s.
Anyway. The strength of the book is his descriptions of Tracy at work, both with and without Hepburn. I thought Tracy sounded a lot like Richard Burton (who admired him). He knew he was talented --- hell, how couldn't he? --- but had a great deal of trouble integrating acting into what might be called a "normal" life. Hepburn rejected the idea of a husband and family, and broke the one marriage she had early on in her career. Tracy never did. He had married Louise Treadwell after a whirlwind courtship when each was a young actor. Their first child, John, was famously born deaf. Louise responded by leaving her career and eventually creating the John Tracy School. It helped both deaf children and their parents. She never forgot how hard the early years with her son were and the crippling isolation she felt as the mother of a special needs child. Thanks to Louise's hard work and relentless dedication to her son, both the boy and countless other families were helped to productive lives. Meanwhile, Tracy descended into an alcoholism that was clearly genetic but nonetheless caused him enormous guilt. He and Hepburn blamed his drinking bouts upon his deep-rooted belief that his sins had caused John's deafness. Tracy was unfaithful to Louise from the beginning of their marriage, a pattern that continued in his life until his own ill health made conquests impossible. The list of actresses at MGM who succumbed to his charms is long; the most important was Hepburn, but he also seduced Ingrid Bergman. Late in life he was confronted with the 1943 class picture of MGM stars. Tracy nudged a co-worker and slyly began indicating which of the women had slept with him by pointing to them.
Louise and Spencer Tracy never divorced, partly because of John and in Curtis' opinion, partly because of Tracy's Irish Catholicism. Tracy seems to have had a firm conception of sin. He discussed it with Katharine Houghton and priest Eugene Kennedy in the last years of his life, and it does seem to have kept him from the final dissolution of his marriage. Hepburn had no real desire to be married, although Louise's famous line "I thought you were a rumor" sent the grieving star into a full-on rage. What struck me, though not Curtis, is that Hepburn's first picture after Tracy's death was The Lion in Winter. Eleanor of Aquitaine is a great part, but the plot of the movie must have struck an uneasy chord. Eleanor and her husband Henry II have lived apart for years, much as the Tracys did. Each man has a mistress. I wonder if Katharine Hepburn ever thought about Louise Tracy.
In any event, Curtis' discussion of Roman Catholicism is cursory, which makes Tracy's adherence to it a little odd for the general reader. Fortunately, his descriptions of the ins and outs of a substantial film career are not. Tracy's progression from Fox studios to Metro and then as a free agent is graphed with great detail and wonderful anecdotes. Curtis also understands the movies Tracy made and what place they occupied in the creation of the Tracy legend. He was an actor's actor, and even in the occasional bad movie he made always gave a good performance.
Very interesting read.
Anyway. The strength of the book is his descriptions of Tracy at work, both with and without Hepburn. I thought Tracy sounded a lot like Richard Burton (who admired him). He knew he was talented --- hell, how couldn't he? --- but had a great deal of trouble integrating acting into what might be called a "normal" life. Hepburn rejected the idea of a husband and family, and broke the one marriage she had early on in her career. Tracy never did. He had married Louise Treadwell after a whirlwind courtship when each was a young actor. Their first child, John, was famously born deaf. Louise responded by leaving her career and eventually creating the John Tracy School. It helped both deaf children and their parents. She never forgot how hard the early years with her son were and the crippling isolation she felt as the mother of a special needs child. Thanks to Louise's hard work and relentless dedication to her son, both the boy and countless other families were helped to productive lives. Meanwhile, Tracy descended into an alcoholism that was clearly genetic but nonetheless caused him enormous guilt. He and Hepburn blamed his drinking bouts upon his deep-rooted belief that his sins had caused John's deafness. Tracy was unfaithful to Louise from the beginning of their marriage, a pattern that continued in his life until his own ill health made conquests impossible. The list of actresses at MGM who succumbed to his charms is long; the most important was Hepburn, but he also seduced Ingrid Bergman. Late in life he was confronted with the 1943 class picture of MGM stars. Tracy nudged a co-worker and slyly began indicating which of the women had slept with him by pointing to them.
Louise and Spencer Tracy never divorced, partly because of John and in Curtis' opinion, partly because of Tracy's Irish Catholicism. Tracy seems to have had a firm conception of sin. He discussed it with Katharine Houghton and priest Eugene Kennedy in the last years of his life, and it does seem to have kept him from the final dissolution of his marriage. Hepburn had no real desire to be married, although Louise's famous line "I thought you were a rumor" sent the grieving star into a full-on rage. What struck me, though not Curtis, is that Hepburn's first picture after Tracy's death was The Lion in Winter. Eleanor of Aquitaine is a great part, but the plot of the movie must have struck an uneasy chord. Eleanor and her husband Henry II have lived apart for years, much as the Tracys did. Each man has a mistress. I wonder if Katharine Hepburn ever thought about Louise Tracy.
In any event, Curtis' discussion of Roman Catholicism is cursory, which makes Tracy's adherence to it a little odd for the general reader. Fortunately, his descriptions of the ins and outs of a substantial film career are not. Tracy's progression from Fox studios to Metro and then as a free agent is graphed with great detail and wonderful anecdotes. Curtis also understands the movies Tracy made and what place they occupied in the creation of the Tracy legend. He was an actor's actor, and even in the occasional bad movie he made always gave a good performance.
Very interesting read.
June 16, 2020
I don't suppose anyone ever chooses to read a biography of someone they don't like or aren't interested in. That said, I was inclined to like this book because I am a Tracy devotee. Curtis' research was deep and wide and unlike others here, the length of this book did not bother me. In fact, all the details boosted my confidence in his work and gave me tremendous insight into Tracy's life and career.
Spencer Tracy was not the sterling man, but he was an astounding actor. Curtis told us about both, and I am grateful.
Spencer Tracy was not the sterling man, but he was an astounding actor. Curtis told us about both, and I am grateful.
November 20, 2011
An amazing book, about an equally amazing actor. I highly recommend this book!
July 22, 2023
When I was a little girl, my dad subscribed to "The Book of the Month Club." He allowed the featured book to be delivered every month and I stealthily read it. One month the book was "Tracy and Hepburn" by Garson Kanin. From daytime talk shows I sometimes watched after elementary school, I knew Garson Kanin was married to Ruth Gordon. I thought Ruth Gordon was absolutely adorable. She could have been the person I wanted to be when I grew up.
So, I read Tracy and Hepburn with interest even though I'd never seen a Spencer Tracy movie. I did know Hepburn from "The Philadelphia Story" and "The African Queen". I read this book as a young, impressionable girl and thought Spencer and Tracy were the greatest people with the greatest love affair ever.
Now I'm an old lady and I read this biography of Spencer Tracy. I don't know why. I still haven't seen a Spencer Tracy movie. I suppose I wanted to revisit my childhood reading without rereading the same book. I wanted another perspective.
This book is a very detailed, researched journey into all of Spencer Tracy's life. It is well written and insightful. It was very long and I it took me months to finish. I left reading this not being such a big fan of the Hepburn/Tracy love story or Spencer Tracy himself. He comes off as a selfish, spoiled person. He lived his life as he wanted at the expense of his wife, lovers and friends.
I now want to watch "Old Man and the Sea", "Boy's Town", and "Guess Who's Coming to Dinner". The book goes so deeply into the production of these films and others that Spencer made. I'm hoping that his acting is as good as his professional reputation.
So, I read Tracy and Hepburn with interest even though I'd never seen a Spencer Tracy movie. I did know Hepburn from "The Philadelphia Story" and "The African Queen". I read this book as a young, impressionable girl and thought Spencer and Tracy were the greatest people with the greatest love affair ever.
Now I'm an old lady and I read this biography of Spencer Tracy. I don't know why. I still haven't seen a Spencer Tracy movie. I suppose I wanted to revisit my childhood reading without rereading the same book. I wanted another perspective.
This book is a very detailed, researched journey into all of Spencer Tracy's life. It is well written and insightful. It was very long and I it took me months to finish. I left reading this not being such a big fan of the Hepburn/Tracy love story or Spencer Tracy himself. He comes off as a selfish, spoiled person. He lived his life as he wanted at the expense of his wife, lovers and friends.
I now want to watch "Old Man and the Sea", "Boy's Town", and "Guess Who's Coming to Dinner". The book goes so deeply into the production of these films and others that Spencer made. I'm hoping that his acting is as good as his professional reputation.
June 8, 2023
An excellent biography of one of the greatest film actors...Spencer Tracy. This book was very dense with detail but was very interesting. I had forgotten that Spencer Tracy had a son who was born deaf and at the time there were very few resources for parents of deaf children. Sign Language wasn't structured and widely utilized till the 1960s so it was very difficult for parents to know how to help their deaf children develop and communicate. Tracy's wife Louise worked tirelessly to fill that vacuum and went on to found the John Tracy Clinic (now the John Tracy Center) to help deaf children and the parents of deaf children. They developed programs and curricula that reached families globally. It was just a very interesting aspect of Spencer Tracy's life that I had not previously known about.
October 26, 2022
Simply Outstanding
Exhaustive research sometimes will result in a textbook rather than a readable biography.
Not this one.
James Curtis has used his research to tell us about a remarkable if somewhat flawed person.
I'm really glad I read this.
Exhaustive research sometimes will result in a textbook rather than a readable biography.
Not this one.
James Curtis has used his research to tell us about a remarkable if somewhat flawed person.
I'm really glad I read this.
May 7, 2020
I thought this is a very calculated book to show Spencer Tracy's flaws.
If the Bio just glorify Lousie, then I am just Ok with that, because author has the cooperation with Susie, her daughter, or just author's personal preference. (Who said author of a Bio must be objective? In fact, I notice hardly any Kate's Bio is objective with ST.)
Last or two weeks, I just open the bio to double-check sth, then I notice several very interesting details. They are so trivial that none of the review once bring up. I felt sick that I began to wonder how many details about Spencer's family life is truth rather than the stories just to appear on the book or media.
Nowadays most fans of Spencer or Kate Hepburn know that after he found his son was born with deaf, he felt it's his sin and he distanced himself from Johnny and his family.
But what the truth behind?
These details follow:
First, after Johnny had learned the ability to lip-read, he still couldn't build a communication with his father, Lousie said Spencer has a habit that whole his life he was unable to discard, and thus prevent Spencer from building communicating with his son. That was, when Spencer talked, he liked to put his hand on his lip that Johnny couldn't read his lip and failed to understand his father. Lousie also comment that she had reminded Spencer several times, but Spencer would put the hand on the lip just after a couple of minutes.
Why the author or Lousie just think that readers would believe such nonsense? Or how could a common person has this kind of habit?
I am not a frantic fan of Spencer. I began to know sth. about him for I am a fan of Kate. But I have been through most of his photo on set or just with his friend, much shows Spencer chat with people. Even Kate once release a video of them then you can see Spencer talks. But none of these photos and video could verify that Spencer Tracy has such habit!
Or if just as Lousie said he could remove this habit, then I thought he will behave like that in some of his movies. But none. He is one of the most talented actors in Hollywood history, he could complete most scene just first try, does anyone notice this habit in his movie?
Second, in this Bio author details the first time Johnny began to talk, he said Mama and Lousie was so enthusiastic. Spencer was supposed to work at that time.
Then the author never brings up what's Spencer's reaction when he learned this BIG NEWS. After just one or two pages, the author said that one family teacher or sb. said Johnny could understand such very simple words like wipe your mouth. Or one or two pages before this, Pat Obrien recalled when Spencer told him that he was moved that at night Johnny was waiting for him.
BUT there is none about how Spencer felt when learning this very important moment of Johnny's life.
The author put too much details in this bio, even how much money Spencer once loaned from someone. Why this is missing? I don’t think he didn't know or Lousie didn’t told him in the first place. that's impossible.
Then another one, Lousie describe that Spencer couldn't talk to Johnny, that he would do antics, he showed off what John could do and he put one makeups.
I can't verify the first two, but makeup, I doubt. Spencer is the kind of actor disliking makeup that he even refused to wore makeup in the film Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde. then is it very likely that he would wore makeup when he was with Johnny?
After I read every blood detail, my conclusion was that this Bio is a calculated one to show his family life, some was fabricated, and some was omitted deliberately. This bio is some kind story told most by Lousie, then you get all the problems and faults attribute to Spencer Tracy. But Spencer didn't have the chance to tell his story for he didn't live long enough, or he couldn't.
I also have some doubt about his drinking.
Most bio told us that Spencer began to drink in 1920s. There is a Prohibition in US from 1920s to early 1930s. I don't think people like Spencer would get alcohol easily in that decade. They need to spend a lot money and try perhaps hard not to be caught by police. In the novel , it is speculated that Gatsby took advantage of Prohibition by making a fortune from Bootlegging.
While I don't doubt when he began to drink, I just want to know more how he did that.
There are also several relatives and good friend of Spence I found interesting.
For Susie, the author gives limited space for her. But the author has her cooperation and should have known at least more story about her.
But author failed to tell me how Susie felt when Spencer was ill or dying in his last 5 years. When he was taken to hospital in 1963, author just told us Lousie got there the first day and nothing about Susie. When Spence was almost dying in 1965, the author even put on the paper that Johnny comment Lousie is not the kind of person who put their emotion on face. But again, not more about Susie. I really want to know about more the relationship between Spence and his children. To me it will provide more insight about Spencer's real relationship with his family and with Lousie. But it never came. It failed to convince me that he still got on well with his family.
But well, Susie showed up in the Academy with Lousie to want to pick up the awards.
Bill Self, the person who claimed to be the friend of Spencer, Kate and Lousie.
the author said Bill ask him to do a bio of Spencer, that they are friend for more than 25 years. Well, seems rather moving. And there is also a lot of intimate things that any one of the three told him, especially that Spence asked him to look for a house and want to live with him or sth that Kate told him.
But he disappeared as well when Spencer was in his last years. And it occured to me that when Kate did the Spencer Tracy Legacy in 1986, Bill wasn't among the honored guest.
btw, I have one photo of one of Spencer's letters concerning his residence in 1951. In this letter he wrote to sb. said that "a certain Touring actress will be pleased to know that the sun hits this property regularly once a week" and "We guarantee that this spot will be as healthful as Connecticut, hurricanes, tidal waves, and all.". This letter began with "Dear Corse" and end with Mr. Spencer Tracy.
I thought the author forgot to tell the reader that Bill is on board of JTC.
Well there are also someone else, but the author failed to convince me that they really cared for Spencer Tracy. Then why Lousie the Saint are surrounded by them? I thought genuine person are more likely to close to the Saint.
I read a story yesterday from Jean Negulesco, a friend of Spencer. When he wrote that after funeral, he and some friends visited Kate and said angrily: "How could Spence do this to us?", I am touched.
And, I have another curiousness towards ST. I know he was a devout Catholic, and it seems natural to me what's his attitude about Second Vatican Council is very interesting and important, which represent the modernization of Catholism. The Council took place in 1962 to 1965. He was ill at that time, I don't think he don't know the Council. One of my catholic friend told me the church changed a lot after that and much traditional Catholics felt betrayed or abandoned by their faith.
But the author never brings it up.
As for Lousie, she is certainly not among human race, because human has their shortcomings.
I felt irritating the author tried very hard to emphasize that Lousie has similar feature that Kate holds. Not for I think Kate is perfect, she has many flaws.
Spencer told his friend Myrna Loy that he found the woman he wants, and he listed some virtues of her. The underlying logic was that he perhaps had some ideal woman in his mind, and the women he met before were not that type, definitely not like Katharine Hepburn.
It took me days to try to make out why author and Lousie stab Spence in the back, not simply in order to build a Saint.
I still give 5 stars because I wish one day the truth about Spence and JTC will come then I could change it.
If the Bio just glorify Lousie, then I am just Ok with that, because author has the cooperation with Susie, her daughter, or just author's personal preference. (Who said author of a Bio must be objective? In fact, I notice hardly any Kate's Bio is objective with ST.)
Last or two weeks, I just open the bio to double-check sth, then I notice several very interesting details. They are so trivial that none of the review once bring up. I felt sick that I began to wonder how many details about Spencer's family life is truth rather than the stories just to appear on the book or media.
Nowadays most fans of Spencer or Kate Hepburn know that after he found his son was born with deaf, he felt it's his sin and he distanced himself from Johnny and his family.
But what the truth behind?
These details follow:
First, after Johnny had learned the ability to lip-read, he still couldn't build a communication with his father, Lousie said Spencer has a habit that whole his life he was unable to discard, and thus prevent Spencer from building communicating with his son. That was, when Spencer talked, he liked to put his hand on his lip that Johnny couldn't read his lip and failed to understand his father. Lousie also comment that she had reminded Spencer several times, but Spencer would put the hand on the lip just after a couple of minutes.
Why the author or Lousie just think that readers would believe such nonsense? Or how could a common person has this kind of habit?
I am not a frantic fan of Spencer. I began to know sth. about him for I am a fan of Kate. But I have been through most of his photo on set or just with his friend, much shows Spencer chat with people. Even Kate once release a video of them then you can see Spencer talks. But none of these photos and video could verify that Spencer Tracy has such habit!
Or if just as Lousie said he could remove this habit, then I thought he will behave like that in some of his movies. But none. He is one of the most talented actors in Hollywood history, he could complete most scene just first try, does anyone notice this habit in his movie?
Second, in this Bio author details the first time Johnny began to talk, he said Mama and Lousie was so enthusiastic. Spencer was supposed to work at that time.
Then the author never brings up what's Spencer's reaction when he learned this BIG NEWS. After just one or two pages, the author said that one family teacher or sb. said Johnny could understand such very simple words like wipe your mouth. Or one or two pages before this, Pat Obrien recalled when Spencer told him that he was moved that at night Johnny was waiting for him.
BUT there is none about how Spencer felt when learning this very important moment of Johnny's life.
The author put too much details in this bio, even how much money Spencer once loaned from someone. Why this is missing? I don’t think he didn't know or Lousie didn’t told him in the first place. that's impossible.
Then another one, Lousie describe that Spencer couldn't talk to Johnny, that he would do antics, he showed off what John could do and he put one makeups.
I can't verify the first two, but makeup, I doubt. Spencer is the kind of actor disliking makeup that he even refused to wore makeup in the film Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde. then is it very likely that he would wore makeup when he was with Johnny?
After I read every blood detail, my conclusion was that this Bio is a calculated one to show his family life, some was fabricated, and some was omitted deliberately. This bio is some kind story told most by Lousie, then you get all the problems and faults attribute to Spencer Tracy. But Spencer didn't have the chance to tell his story for he didn't live long enough, or he couldn't.
I also have some doubt about his drinking.
Most bio told us that Spencer began to drink in 1920s. There is a Prohibition in US from 1920s to early 1930s. I don't think people like Spencer would get alcohol easily in that decade. They need to spend a lot money and try perhaps hard not to be caught by police. In the novel , it is speculated that Gatsby took advantage of Prohibition by making a fortune from Bootlegging.
While I don't doubt when he began to drink, I just want to know more how he did that.
There are also several relatives and good friend of Spence I found interesting.
For Susie, the author gives limited space for her. But the author has her cooperation and should have known at least more story about her.
But author failed to tell me how Susie felt when Spencer was ill or dying in his last 5 years. When he was taken to hospital in 1963, author just told us Lousie got there the first day and nothing about Susie. When Spence was almost dying in 1965, the author even put on the paper that Johnny comment Lousie is not the kind of person who put their emotion on face. But again, not more about Susie. I really want to know about more the relationship between Spence and his children. To me it will provide more insight about Spencer's real relationship with his family and with Lousie. But it never came. It failed to convince me that he still got on well with his family.
But well, Susie showed up in the Academy with Lousie to want to pick up the awards.
Bill Self, the person who claimed to be the friend of Spencer, Kate and Lousie.
the author said Bill ask him to do a bio of Spencer, that they are friend for more than 25 years. Well, seems rather moving. And there is also a lot of intimate things that any one of the three told him, especially that Spence asked him to look for a house and want to live with him or sth that Kate told him.
But he disappeared as well when Spencer was in his last years. And it occured to me that when Kate did the Spencer Tracy Legacy in 1986, Bill wasn't among the honored guest.
btw, I have one photo of one of Spencer's letters concerning his residence in 1951. In this letter he wrote to sb. said that "a certain Touring actress will be pleased to know that the sun hits this property regularly once a week" and "We guarantee that this spot will be as healthful as Connecticut, hurricanes, tidal waves, and all.". This letter began with "Dear Corse" and end with Mr. Spencer Tracy.
I thought the author forgot to tell the reader that Bill is on board of JTC.
Well there are also someone else, but the author failed to convince me that they really cared for Spencer Tracy. Then why Lousie the Saint are surrounded by them? I thought genuine person are more likely to close to the Saint.
I read a story yesterday from Jean Negulesco, a friend of Spencer. When he wrote that after funeral, he and some friends visited Kate and said angrily: "How could Spence do this to us?", I am touched.
And, I have another curiousness towards ST. I know he was a devout Catholic, and it seems natural to me what's his attitude about Second Vatican Council is very interesting and important, which represent the modernization of Catholism. The Council took place in 1962 to 1965. He was ill at that time, I don't think he don't know the Council. One of my catholic friend told me the church changed a lot after that and much traditional Catholics felt betrayed or abandoned by their faith.
But the author never brings it up.
As for Lousie, she is certainly not among human race, because human has their shortcomings.
I felt irritating the author tried very hard to emphasize that Lousie has similar feature that Kate holds. Not for I think Kate is perfect, she has many flaws.
Spencer told his friend Myrna Loy that he found the woman he wants, and he listed some virtues of her. The underlying logic was that he perhaps had some ideal woman in his mind, and the women he met before were not that type, definitely not like Katharine Hepburn.
It took me days to try to make out why author and Lousie stab Spence in the back, not simply in order to build a Saint.
I still give 5 stars because I wish one day the truth about Spence and JTC will come then I could change it.
May 25, 2023
James Curtis' biography of actor Spencer Tracy is a solid work of research. It is highly readable, candid and comprehensive and I do not think that further biographies of the actor will be necessary. It was at times so candid that I was not sure whether I truly liked Mr. Tracy - mostly in the 1940s - but I think that he would have approved of the candor of the book.
Evidently there have been books published about Mr. Tracy and his sexual orientation (as well as Ms. Hepburn's) which Mr. Curtis considers and dismisses entirely. That section may be found at the end of the book.
The primary reason that I read "Spencer Tracy: A Biography" was to learn more about Mr. Tracy's medical history and why he passed away - in today's world - as a young senior. At the end of his life he required close medical supervision and the author was fortunate in having that physician serve as a resource for the biography. I will not offer up any medical theories (I am not a medical expert) but suspect that Mr. Tracy's problems were not alcohol-based alone. Alcohol no doubt made things worse not better however. The American decision to attempt to attempt the era of Prohibition in the 1930s did not assist.
The detailed account of Mr. Tracy's family is deeply appreciated. The relationship between Mr. Tracy and his spouse Louise is a fascinating and complex one and one gets a sense of why they never divorced (and on the other hand, why Mr. Tracy and Ms. Hepburn never married.). It was interesting to learn that Mr. Tracy had previously lived in north central Illinois and had family members who lived there for many years. He made quite a few trips to Chicago over the years due to career commitments and visiting family, and apparently often stayed at the Blackstone Hotel - a nice detail.
There is a comprehensive list of Mr. Tracy's stage and films at the end of the book. Mr. Curtis utilizes endnotes, not footnotes.
Due to the size of the book I read it on an e-reader and recommend this kind of book format in this case. The photographs (some from the Tracy family archives) are crisp and clear and may have never been published.
Lastly, the photograph chosen to serve as the cover to "Spencer Tracy: A Biography" I believe was taken by Irving Penn. It says a great deal about Mr. Tracy within the context of a photograph, and was the perfect choice in this case.
Evidently there have been books published about Mr. Tracy and his sexual orientation (as well as Ms. Hepburn's) which Mr. Curtis considers and dismisses entirely. That section may be found at the end of the book.
The primary reason that I read "Spencer Tracy: A Biography" was to learn more about Mr. Tracy's medical history and why he passed away - in today's world - as a young senior. At the end of his life he required close medical supervision and the author was fortunate in having that physician serve as a resource for the biography. I will not offer up any medical theories (I am not a medical expert) but suspect that Mr. Tracy's problems were not alcohol-based alone. Alcohol no doubt made things worse not better however. The American decision to attempt to attempt the era of Prohibition in the 1930s did not assist.
The detailed account of Mr. Tracy's family is deeply appreciated. The relationship between Mr. Tracy and his spouse Louise is a fascinating and complex one and one gets a sense of why they never divorced (and on the other hand, why Mr. Tracy and Ms. Hepburn never married.). It was interesting to learn that Mr. Tracy had previously lived in north central Illinois and had family members who lived there for many years. He made quite a few trips to Chicago over the years due to career commitments and visiting family, and apparently often stayed at the Blackstone Hotel - a nice detail.
There is a comprehensive list of Mr. Tracy's stage and films at the end of the book. Mr. Curtis utilizes endnotes, not footnotes.
Due to the size of the book I read it on an e-reader and recommend this kind of book format in this case. The photographs (some from the Tracy family archives) are crisp and clear and may have never been published.
Lastly, the photograph chosen to serve as the cover to "Spencer Tracy: A Biography" I believe was taken by Irving Penn. It says a great deal about Mr. Tracy within the context of a photograph, and was the perfect choice in this case.
January 11, 2012
I picked this up because I was desperate to have books on hand during the holidays when the library was closed. I'm not a particular fan of movies and have not, regrettably, seen Tracy's best work. I had no idea he was regarded by many of his peers as America's best actor. I started this 878 page book with no intention of finishing it. However, I did finish it--easily. This is and will be the definitive biography of Tracy. The sources are impeccable. I won't claim that it's wildly exciting--Tracy was only that way on camera. It is an unusually complete story moving steadily through Tracy's life. The horrible studio system, his mastery of each of his 75 movie roles, the admiration he earned from the great actors of a Golden Era and the personal Tracy with his own weaknesses, hypochondria and Catholic guilt make an interesting story. Hepburn is there but I'm inclined to think of their relationship as co-dependent rather than a monumental love. His wife was an extraordinary woman and, understandably, the link between them was never completely broken. Worth the time to read the 878 pages.
December 21, 2011
This is the most definitive biography on Spencer Tracy we will ever have. No one else will have as much access to the private library of Tracy's photos, scrapbooks, datebooks, etc. as well as access to the people who knew, loved and worked with Spencer Tracy as James Curtis did. It's a honking book clocking in at 878 pages of content and if you include the front and back matter it's over 1,000. I felt like I had just run a marathon when I finished it. Its worth the effort and time. The book is chock full of information. Take it one chapter at a time otherwise you'll feel overwhelmed. Everything is covered here but Curtis never feels the need to go into any salacious detail.
See my full review here: http://outofthepastcfb.blogspot.com/2...
See my full review here: http://outofthepastcfb.blogspot.com/2...
July 9, 2013
One of the best biographies I have ever read, if not the best. I am a devout Hepburn/Tracy fan and Curtis did Spencer justice on many levels. Furthermore, it is very well written and researched. I also have to give Curtis props for his note regarding the biographies of Katharine Hepburn at the end.
February 5, 2015
This was about the best biography I have ever read on a celebrity ever. So full of information about all of his movies and co-star and his life in general. Already knowing a lot of his past and his life this book helped to fill in a lot more gaps.
October 18, 2015
Excellent biography which is even more fun if accompanied by YouTube clips of the cited movies. I had no idea he was supposed to be one of the greatest actors. Now I see why.
May 2, 2025
Although nearly 1,000 pages, this book is a pleasurable read, detailing the life and films of the actor some consider the best performer ever. Although not tall or traditionally handsome, Tracy nevertheless quickly found his way as an actor. Aided by a near photographic memory, Tracy exuded a naturalness, underplaying his roles to the point where it never looked like acting.
The book spends much time on Tracy's on-again, off-again alcoholism, his sometimes contradictory Catholic faith, his lengthy estranged yet keeping-up-appearances marriage with Louise Treadwell, the turmoil Tracy went through because of the deafness of his son, and the irony of a frequently moody actor who treated others generously.
After almost a decade touring in plays, Tracy finally hit it big on Broadway in 1930 with "The Last Mile." A movie contract with Fox followed, yet Tracy spent years languishing in second-rate films. Irving Thalberg secured Tracy for the stable of stars at MGM, the nation's most prestigious studio. Stardom followed, including two successive Academy Awards in 1937-38 ("Captains Courageous" and Boystown." Audiences embraced Tracy, at the time a rare leading man not textbook handsome or larger than life.
The last half of the book spends much time discussing Tracy's quarter-century relationship with Katharine Hepburn. Although an independent woman accustomed to giving orders, Hepburn enjoyed playing a submissive role to Tracy, eventually becoming his full-time caregiver as medical woes consumed his final years.
By midlife, Tracy was revered by other actors. Robert Wagner, in a film with the veteran Tracy, made the mistake of complaining about the rigors of shooting on location. Tracy told him to shut up and be thankful to be employed in the most overpaid profession in the world.
The book spends much time on Tracy's on-again, off-again alcoholism, his sometimes contradictory Catholic faith, his lengthy estranged yet keeping-up-appearances marriage with Louise Treadwell, the turmoil Tracy went through because of the deafness of his son, and the irony of a frequently moody actor who treated others generously.
After almost a decade touring in plays, Tracy finally hit it big on Broadway in 1930 with "The Last Mile." A movie contract with Fox followed, yet Tracy spent years languishing in second-rate films. Irving Thalberg secured Tracy for the stable of stars at MGM, the nation's most prestigious studio. Stardom followed, including two successive Academy Awards in 1937-38 ("Captains Courageous" and Boystown." Audiences embraced Tracy, at the time a rare leading man not textbook handsome or larger than life.
The last half of the book spends much time discussing Tracy's quarter-century relationship with Katharine Hepburn. Although an independent woman accustomed to giving orders, Hepburn enjoyed playing a submissive role to Tracy, eventually becoming his full-time caregiver as medical woes consumed his final years.
By midlife, Tracy was revered by other actors. Robert Wagner, in a film with the veteran Tracy, made the mistake of complaining about the rigors of shooting on location. Tracy told him to shut up and be thankful to be employed in the most overpaid profession in the world.
July 10, 2021
In my view, this book is fantastic on many levels. First, you learn everything there is to know about Tracy. Second, I got such a window on the entertainment world, from his beginnings on the stage to his movie career and all the politics behind it. . Third, I learned about his wonderful wife, Louise, who is never given enough credit for his success. She was an actress when they married and believed in him when he was really struggling. Plus, she was a decent, caring woman and so intelligent, who was very close with his family. Fourth, I learned how devoted he was to his family and that he supported them all financially when they were down. This burden would make anyone an alcoholic, although with Spence, it was in his genes - his father was an alcoholic and had to give it up entirely to live a good life. Also, Spence came from the upper middle class. He was well educated. Finally, my thoughts about him and Hepburn: I do not respect Hepburn at all. In my view, any woman who runs after a married man is someone I have no respect for. Her niece says that Hepburn thought she could never hold Tracy's interest. Of course not - she ran after him! And he ran after his wife at the beginning. Writers have romanticized their relationship because that is what Hepburn did after he died. Her friend, Irene Mayer Selznick, could not believe that Hepburn would do this, especially since they spent many years apart. In any event, the characters in this book are fascinating and I am having a wonderful time reading Spencer Tracy.
December 10, 2020
Excellent bio of a unique Hollywood icon
There are all sorts of controversies regarding Spencer Tracy, particularly in regards to his drinking and his longtime relationship with Kate Hepburn. This author resolutely sticks to solid sources - including Tracy's daily diary, and rarely referenced interviews with key people. The result is one great biography, thoroughly researched and beautifully written. The author does suffer a serious blind spot on the subject of Tracy's sexual issues -- but documents his objections to other biographies. However, many men of Tracy's generation lived more ambiguously than we now realize -- many had a mistress and a boyfriend as well as a wife and kids. And they made damn sure to leave no written evidence of the boyfriends. Other than that, this is the thorough bio that Tracy has long deserved. Well worth reading, especially for film lovers.
There are all sorts of controversies regarding Spencer Tracy, particularly in regards to his drinking and his longtime relationship with Kate Hepburn. This author resolutely sticks to solid sources - including Tracy's daily diary, and rarely referenced interviews with key people. The result is one great biography, thoroughly researched and beautifully written. The author does suffer a serious blind spot on the subject of Tracy's sexual issues -- but documents his objections to other biographies. However, many men of Tracy's generation lived more ambiguously than we now realize -- many had a mistress and a boyfriend as well as a wife and kids. And they made damn sure to leave no written evidence of the boyfriends. Other than that, this is the thorough bio that Tracy has long deserved. Well worth reading, especially for film lovers.
November 13, 2023
The best a definitive book on the actor.no grandstanding or pseudo interpretation,just a straight forward biography.katherine Hepburn obviously appears in it,obviously had to be included.it treats his acting work and personal life with the same deft touch.the only thing I couldn't quite fathom is where his drinking started and why,there are hints at guilt but I am not fully convinced.and there is the case of him with katherine Hepburn,I thought possibly that she had a touch of the Marlene Dietrichs where the actress always had to be fussing and mothering somebody to prove her worth.the films themselves are touched on,but not to the point of starting off in detail then losing interest as the career of the actor goes on.only one other biography on the actor Richard burton have had the same sort of detail.do not let the huge scale of the book put you off.well worth your time.just a p.s somebody got their sums wrong the city I read was 1001 pages
September 30, 2021
All 878 pages of this book are worth reading. On page 872, Katharine Hepburn is quoted as saying: "I think Spencer always thought that acting was a rather silly way for a man to make a living. He felt he should have been a doctor or something. We both came from backgrounds totally removed from acting. But he was of such an emotional balance, you know, that he had to be an artist." All of Tracy's troubles, as well as his brilliance on screen, could be said to have sprung out of that "emotional balance." And he knew how to listen.
July 17, 2018
This biography was extremely detailed - so much so that even an avid reader such as I had to slog through it at times. Think the author could have left off many of the details in the initial stages of Spencer Tracy's stage career and possibly even in the later years. So many of these people are gone now and mean little to those not brought up in the world of stage and screen. But the intricate details of his private life and while making many of his movies was entertaining.
July 24, 2021
A rare case, for me, of a review of a book I didn’t finish. The subject was interesting enough, but the author goes into WAY too much detail for me. Combined with the unending number of characters that are constantly being introduced with his constantly bouncing back and forth chronologically…I gave up after about 250pp. Not for me.
December 12, 2021
One of the Best Hollywood Biographies
I’ve always been a big fan of Spencer Tracy but I’ve focused more on Katherine Hepburn. I found this a well informed, respectful and detailed biography that gave me a very good account of Spencer Tracy’s life. This is not a shallow biography but a very substantive account of a person’s life. Excellent.
I’ve always been a big fan of Spencer Tracy but I’ve focused more on Katherine Hepburn. I found this a well informed, respectful and detailed biography that gave me a very good account of Spencer Tracy’s life. This is not a shallow biography but a very substantive account of a person’s life. Excellent.
March 20, 2023
A highly detailed account of this screen legend presented in an exhaustive volume of work that comes across balanced and well researched. While at times it’s detail can be overwhelming, it is engrossing and entertaining nonetheless, as one plows the depth of its pages. Fans of the actor as well as the Hollywood era of moviemaking it illuminates will find it a treat and worth the dive.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 75 reviews