3 of 6

Write now Article Tools

Page 2 of 3

mother moved the child to Holland where it was hoped they would avoid the war that was raging since Holland was then a neutral country. As a practicing ballerina,She helped raise money for the Dutch resistance during the war by secretly giving performances, and while
living and hiding out there in Holland with her mother suffered considerably when The Nazis confiscated much of the Dutch food supplies in winter 1944 in order to support themselves. She developed malnutrition and some of the conditions that were associated with it during this time. People there were reduced to eating tulip leaves, grass and whatever they could to survive This period obviously had a profound effect on young

Audrey, as did the help that eventually came from the organization UNICEF as the war wound down. Audrey and others tasted food for the first time in a very long time when the organization dropped supplies for the war-torn region. It was said later that the combination of 'losing' her father at a very young age and her experiences during the war shaped Audrey's entire life.

Studying ballet in London after the war with the famed instructor Marie Rambert, Audrey was told that she would only be eligible as a teacher or a 'second ballerina' because of her height (she was actually 5ft. 7"), and her muscle structure or lack of. because of her education Audrey carried on and chose other avenues to pursue as her way of expressing herself. She landed a bit part in a British film,"Monte Carlo Baby" and was 'discovered' by Collette for her play "Gigi". This was reportedly a mere 10 months after starving in the Dutch cellars hiding away from the Nazis.

Audrey came to Hollywood for a screen test right after the success with the Broadway hit. She landed the part of Princess Anne in "Roman Holiday" as if it was meant for her only.Her natural charm won over the hearts of many of her subsequent leading men including Gregory Peck (who became a lifelong friend of hers),Albert Finney,Humphrey Bogart,and William Holden. As a true blue blood She was a 'sex goddess' in a way much different than
Marilyn Monroe, who at the time was also a movie star. You could adore Audrey just by looking at her face and seeing the sincerity in her eyes and she would not have to remove a single article of clothing (a quality of beauty lacking in most of today's 'actresses'). She was, as actor/singer Harry Belafonte put it after seeing her on Broadway going in and out of the
theater, "angelic, like some kind of fairy tale

• << previous page
• 1
• 2
• 3
• next page >>

Add your voice

Know something about Biography: Audrey Hepburn?
We want to hear your view. Write now!