The media manufactured a rivalry between Katherine Hepburn and Ginger Rogers primarily through sensationalist storytelling, fabricated anecdotes, and psychological profiling that framed their professional collaboration in the film Stage Door as an inevitable “explosion”.
According to the sources, the media used the following tactics to create this narrative:
• Fabricating Dramatic Physical Altercations: One of the most prominent stories circulated by the press was that Hepburn threw a glass of wine on Rogers’ new mink coat, prompting Rogers to retort, “It’s real mink; it won’t shrink”. The truth was far less dramatic: a studio executive had accidentally tossed a paper cup containing a few drops of water out of a window as Rogers walked by; Hepburn was not involved in the incident at all.
• Highlighting Inherent “Similarities” as Conflict: The media argued that the two women were “too much alike” to get along. They pointed to physical similarities—both being tall redheads with identical measurements and blue-green eyes—as “fuel to the feud”. They also noted that both women were athletic and came from similar social backgrounds, claiming these parallels would naturally engender friction.
• Contrasting Their Professional Backgrounds: The press framed the rivalry as a clash of status. They questioned if the “Theatre Guildish” Hepburn would ever accept second billing to Rogers, who was then known for “light musical comedy”.
• Psychological Framing: Writers like Faith Service portrayed the two as “diametrically opposed forces”. Hepburn was characterized as a militant “fighter” who took what she wanted, while Rogers was described as a practitioner of “watchful waiting”. The media essentially asked if Hepburn’s “fighting spirit” would dash both women to pieces against Rogers’ “smooth serenity”.
• Reporting “Ructions” on Set: Hollywood “grapevines” reported constant “roaring, red-headed ructions” over costumes, script lines, and promotional stills. It was claimed that Hepburn intentionally “killed” (vetoed) publicity photos where Rogers looked good but she looked bad.
In reality, the sources indicate that there was no feud. The two women had been friends since they were both unknowns at RKO in 1932. On the set of Stage Door, they shared dressing room suites, chatted over coffee, and even protected each other’s image; Hepburn once personally ensured a photo that was unflattering to Rogers was “killed,” even though it was a “swell” photo of herself. Furthermore, they cooperated seamlessly on their wardrobes, agreeing to be dressed by the same designer without conflict.
The media’s manufactured rivalry was like a script written for a drama that the lead actresses refused to perform; while the press described a storm of “fireworks” and “frenzies,” the actual set was characterized by “cooperativeness and good humor”.
