Katharine Hepburn, the famously gravel voiced, feisty and stylish actress, died last night at the age of 96.
Hepburn, who had been in ill health for some years, passed away at her home in Old Saybrook, Connecticut. She had suffered from Parkinson's disease.
A friend of the actor, Cynthia McFadden, said she died surrounded by family. "It's been a sad day, but a celebration of her life as well," she said.
The actor won an unrivalled four academy awards during her prolific career spanning more than 50 years. She was nominated for Oscars 12 times, a record that stood until Meryl Streep overtook her in 2003.
Her Oscars were for Morning Glory in 1933, Guess Who's Coming to Dinner in 1967, A Lion in Winter in 1968 and On Golden Pond in 1981.
But Hepburn became equally well-known as a role model for women. Her mother had been a leading figure in the suffrage movement and Hepburn became a Hollywood-style feminist. She was outspoken and independent and wore slacks in the early 1930s with her hair tied up in a knot, dressing for comfort while evolving into a style icon.
She often played strong women on screen, reflecting her own personality. The actor had one of the most distinctive voices ever to grace Hollywood, once described by Tallulah Bankhead as "nickels dropping in a slot machine".
Hepburn once said: "I was fortunate to be born with the characteristics that were in the public vogue."
Her career began on the Broadway stage. She was spotted in the play Warrior's Husband, which brought an offer from the studio RKO. For $1,500 a week, she starred in the 1932 film A Bill of Divorcement with John Barrymore.
Her career was not always in the ascendancy. After a string of flops, she was described by one critic as box office poison. However, she went on to acquire the rights to the comedy Philadelphia Story, featuring James Stewart and Cary Grant, which put her back on top.
She had been rejected for the role of Scarlet O'Hara in Gone with the Wind. But she scored other prize roles in films including The African Queen, opposite Humphrey Bogart and in the comedy Bringing up Baby.
Hepburn came from a wealthy New England family but she was also touched by tragedy. Her brother committed suicide; she found his body while she was still a teenager.
Seven years ago Hepburn moved back to the family mansion in Fenwick, an upper-class borough of Old Saybrook. She lived a reclusive life there and was rarely seen in public.
The director James Prideaux, who worked with Ms Hepburn and was a close personal friend, led the tributes. Her favourite word, he told the TV news network CNN, was "fascinating".
He talked about her sense of humour and said no modern actresses "even comes close".
He said: "There will never be another Katharine Hepburn."
Her biographer, Christopher Andersen, said: "She is the person who put women in pants, literally and figuratively. She is the greatest star, the greatest actress, that Hollywood has ever produced. She really was the the last of that breed of Hollywood royalty. And she was by far the greatest."
The lights will dim on Broadway tomorrow night in her honour, a spokeswoman for the League of American Theaters and Producers said.
Ms McFadden, the executor of Hepburn's estate, said that according to the actor's wishes, there will be no memorial service and burial will be private.
Hepburn married once, briefly, and her name was linked to Howard Hughes as well as other famous figures.
But the biggest love of her life was the actor Spencer Tracy. The pair made nine films together and remained close until his death in 1967. They were together for 27 years, although for many of those years it was hidden from the public. Tracy never divorced his wife.
Their last film together was Guess Who's Coming to Dinner. He died two weeks after its completion and she threw herself into her work.
Hepburn's last film was Love Affair, with Warren Beatty, in 1994.
Yet despite her success, Hepburn always felt she could have done more. "I could have accomplished three times what I've accomplished. I haven't realised my full potential. It's disgusting."