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{{Short description|American actor (1900–1967)}}
{{for|the band|Spencer Tracy (band)}}
{{good article}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=November 2021}}
{{Infobox person
| name               = Spencer Tracy
| image              = Spencer tracy state of the union.jpg
| caption            = Tracy in ''[[State of the Union (film)|State of the Union]]'' (1948)
| birth_date         = {{birth date|1900|04|05}}
| birth_place        = [[Milwaukee]], Wisconsin, U.S.
| death_date         = {{death date and age|1967|06|10|1900|04|05}}
| death_place        = [[Beverly Hills, California]], U.S.
| burial_place       = [[Forest Lawn Memorial Park, Glendale]]
| occupation         = Actor
| years_active       = 1921–1967
| alma mater         = [[Ripon College, Wisconsin|Ripon College]]<br>[[American Academy of Dramatic Arts]]
| spouse             = {{marriage|[[Louise Treadwell]]|1923|1933|end=separated}}
| partner            = [[Katharine Hepburn]] (1941–1967)
| children           = 2
| signature          = Spencer Tracy signature.svg
}}

'''Spencer Bonaventure Tracy''' (April 5, 1900&nbsp;– June 10, 1967) was an American actor. He was known for his natural performing style and versatility. One of the major stars of [[Classical Hollywood cinema|Hollywood's Golden Age]], Tracy was the first actor to win two consecutive [[Academy Awards]] for [[Academy Award for Best Actor|Best Actor]], from nine nominations. During his career, he appeared in 75 films and developed a reputation among his peers as one of the screen's greatest actors. In 1999, the [[American Film Institute]] ranked Tracy as the ninth greatest [[AFI's 100 Years...100 Stars|male star]] of [[Classical Hollywood cinema|Classic Hollywood Cinema]].<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.afi.com/afis-100-years-100-stars/ |title=AFI's 100 Years&nbsp;... 100 Stars |publisher=American Film Institute |date=June 16, 1999 |access-date=February 20, 2012 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130113043532/http://www.afi.com/100years/stars.aspx |archive-date=January 13, 2013}}</ref>

Tracy first discovered his talent for acting while attending [[Ripon College (Wisconsin)|Ripon College]], and he later received a scholarship for the [[American Academy of Dramatic Arts]]. He spent seven years in the theater, working in a succession of [[Repertory theatre|stock companies]] and intermittently on [[Broadway theatre|Broadway]]. His breakthrough came in 1930, when his lead performance in ''[[The Last Mile (play)|The Last Mile]]'' caught the attention of [[Hollywood (film industry)|Hollywood]]. After a successful film debut in [[John Ford]]'s ''[[Up the River]]'' (in which he starred with [[Humphrey Bogart]]), he was signed to a contract with [[Fox Film Corporation]]. Tracy's five years with Fox featured one acting ''tour de force'' after another that were usually ignored at the box office, and he remained largely unknown to movie audiences after 25 films, nearly all of them starring him as the leading man. None of them were hits, although his performance in ''[[The Power and the Glory (1933 film)|The Power and the Glory]]'' (1933) was highly praised at the time.

In 1935, Tracy joined [[Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer]] (MGM), Hollywood's most prestigious studio at the time. His career flourished after his fifth MGM film, ''[[Fury (1936 film)|Fury]]'' (1936), and in 1937 and 1938 he won consecutive Oscars for ''[[Captains Courageous (1937 film)|Captains Courageous]]'' and ''[[Boys Town (film)|Boys Town]]''. Tracy teamed with [[Clark Gable]], MGM's most prominent leading man, for three major box office successes, and by the early 1940s, he was one of MGM's top stars. In 1942, he appeared with [[Katharine Hepburn]] in ''[[Woman of the Year]]'', beginning a professional and personal partnership that led to nine films over 25 years. In 1955, Tracy won the [[Cannes Film Festival Award for Best Actor]] for his performance in the film ''[[Bad Day at Black Rock]]''.

Tracy left MGM in 1955 and continued to work regularly as a freelance star, despite several health issues and an increasing weariness and irritability as he aged. His personal life was troubled, with a lifelong struggle against severe alcoholism and guilt over his son's [[Hearing loss|deafness]]. Tracy and his wife Louise became estranged in the 1930s, but the couple never divorced. His 25-year relationship with Katharine Hepburn was an [[open secret]]. Towards the end of his life, Tracy worked almost exclusively for director [[Stanley Kramer]]. Tracy made his last film with Kramer, ''[[Guess Who's Coming to Dinner]]'' (1967), with filming completed just 17 days before he died.

==Early life and education ==
[[File:Spencer Tracy yearbook photo - 1919.jpg|thumb|upright|left|Tracy at the [[Northwestern Military and Naval Academy]] in 1919]]

Spencer Bonaventure Tracy was born in Milwaukee on April 5, 1900,<ref>{{cite web |url=http://projects.latimes.com/hollywood/star-walk/spencer-tracy/ |title=Los Angeles Times Hollywood Star Walk – Spencer Tracy |website=[[Los Angeles Times]] |access-date=April 20, 2017 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160507044234/http://projects.latimes.com/hollywood/star-walk/spencer-tracy/ |archive-date=May 7, 2016}}</ref> the second son of Caroline (''née'' Brown; 1874–1942) and truck salesman John Edward Tracy (1873–1928). His mother was from a wealthy [[Presbyterian]] Midwestern family, while his father was of [[Irish Catholic]] descent.<ref>Curtis (2011) p. 27.</ref> He had a brother Carroll, who was four years older.<ref>Curtis (2011), p. 29.</ref>

Tracy was a difficult and hyperactive child <ref>Curtis (2011) p. 31.</ref> with poor school attendance.<ref name="curtis 36">Curtis (2011) p. 36.</ref> Raised [[Catholic]], he was placed in the care of [[Dominican Order]] nuns at the age of nine in an attempt to transform his behavior.<ref>Curtis (2011) p. 37.</ref> Later in life, he remarked that he "never would have gone back to school if there had been any other way of learning to read the subtitles in the movies".<ref name="curtis 36"/> He became fascinated with movies, watching the same ones repeatedly and later re-enacting scenes to his friends and neighbors.<ref name="curtis 40">Curtis (2011) p. 40.</ref> He attended several [[Jesuit]] academies in his teenage years, which he claimed took the "badness" out of him and helped him improve his grades.<ref name="curtis 42">Curtis (2011) p. 42.</ref>
{{quote box|bgcolor=#CCDDFF|align=right|width=30%|quote=It helped me develop memory for lines that has been a godsend since I started stage work; it gave me something of a stage presence; and it helped get rid of my awkwardness. Also, I gradually developed the ability to speak extemporaneously.|source=— Tracy was a key member of his college debating team, which he later said helped with his acting career.<ref>Deschner (1972) p. 34.</ref>}}

At [[Marquette University High School|Marquette Academy]], he began attending plays with lifelong friend and fellow actor [[Pat O'Brien (actor)|Pat O'Brien]], awakening his interest in the theater.<ref name="curtis 43">Curtis (2011) p. 43.</ref> With little care for their studies and "itching for a chance to go and see some excitement",<ref name="curtis 43"/> Tracy and O'Brien enlisted in the [[United States Navy|Navy]] together during [[World War I]] when Tracy turned 18. They were sent to the [[Naval Station Great Lakes|Naval Training Station]] near Chicago, where they were still recruits-in-training when the war came to an end.<ref name="curtis 45">Curtis (2011) p. 45. (The quote about joining the Navy comes from a 1937 interview with Tracy.)</ref> Tracy achieved the rank of [[Seaman apprentice|seaman second class]], but never went to sea and was discharged in February 1919.<ref name="curtis 46">Curtis (2011) p. 46.</ref> His father's desire to see one of his sons gain a college degree drove Tracy back to high school to finish his diploma.<ref name="curtis 46"/> Studies at two more institutions, plus the additional allowance of "[[war credits]]", won Tracy a place at [[Ripon College (Wisconsin)|Ripon College]]. He entered in February 1921, declaring his intention to major in medicine.<ref>Curtis (2011) p. 49; Deschner (1972) p. 34.</ref>

Tracy was a popular student at Ripon, where he served as president of his hall and was involved in a number of college activities.<ref name="ripon">{{cite web |title=Spencer Tracy |url=http://www.ripon.edu/library/Archives/exhibits/decades/SpencerTracy.htm |publisher=Ripon College |access-date=November 30, 2011 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110927042111/http://www.ripon.edu/library/Archives/exhibits/decades/SpencerTracy.htm |archive-date=September 27, 2011}}</ref> He made his stage debut in June 1921, playing the male lead in ''[[The Truth (play)|The Truth]]''.<ref>Curtis (2011) p. 53.</ref> He was very well received in the role<ref>Curtis (2011) p. 54.</ref> and quickly developed a passion for the stage; he was reportedly "obsessive about acting to the degree that he talked about little else".<ref>Cutis (2011) p. 55.</ref> He and some friends formed an acting company called the Campus Players, which they took on tour.<ref>Curtis (2011) p. 59.</ref> As a member of the college [[debate team]], Tracy excelled in arguing and public speaking.<ref name="ripon"/> It was during a tour with the debate team that he auditioned for the [[American Academy of Dramatic Arts]] (AADA) in New York City. He was offered a scholarship to attend the school after performing a scene from one of his earlier roles.<ref>Curtis (2011) p. 66; Kanin (1971) p. 10.</ref>

Tracy left Ripon and began classes at AADA in April 1922. O'Brien was also enrolled there and the two shared a small studio apartment. Money was scarce, and the two often lived on meals of rice and pretzels and shared one decent suit between them.<ref>Curtis (2011) p. 67.</ref> Tracy was deemed fit to progress to the senior class, allowing him to join the academy's [[Repertory theatre|stock company]].<ref>Curtis (2011) p. 70.</ref> He made his New York debut in a play called ''The Wedding Guests'', which opened in October 1922.<ref>Curtis (2011) p. 71.</ref> He made his debut [[Broadway theatre|Broadway]] appearance three months later, playing a wordless robot in ''[[R.U.R.]]''<ref>Curtis (2011) p. 72.</ref> He graduated from AADA in March 1923.<ref>Curtis (2011) p. 73.</ref>

==Career==
===Stock theater and Broadway (1923–1930)===
[[File:The-Last-Mile-1930-B.jpg|thumb|left|upright|Tracy (background) in ''[[The Last Mile (play)|The Last Mile]]'' – the 1930 Broadway role that saw him scouted for Hollywood]]
Immediately following graduation, Tracy joined a new stock company based in [[White Plains, New York]], where he was given peripheral roles.<ref>Curtis (2011) p. 6.</ref> Unhappy there, he moved to a company in [[Cincinnati]], but failed to make an impact.<ref>Curtis (2011) pp. 13–15.</ref> In November 1923, he landed a small part on [[Broadway theatre|Broadway]] in the comedy ''A Royal Fandango'', starring [[Ethel Barrymore]]. Reviews for the show were poor and it closed after 25 performances; Tracy later said of the failure, "My ego took an awful beating."<ref>Deschner (1972) pp. 36–37.</ref> When he took a position with a struggling company in New Jersey, Tracy was living on an allowance of 35 cents a day.<ref name="curtis 17">Curtis (2011) p. 17.</ref> In January 1924, he played his first leading role with a company in [[Winnipeg]], but the organization soon closed.<ref name="curtis 18">Curtis (2011) p. 18.</ref>

Tracy finally achieved some success by joining forces with the notable stock manager William H. Wright in the spring of 1924.<ref name="curtis 18"/> A stage partnership was formed with the young actress [[Selena Royle]], who had already made her name on Broadway.<ref>Curtis (2011) p. 21–22.</ref> It proved a popular draw and their productions were favorably received.<ref>Curtis (2011) pp. 24, 76, 82, 85.</ref> One of these performances brought Tracy to the attention of a Broadway producer, who offered him the lead in a new play. ''The Sheepman'' previewed in October 1925, but it received poor reviews and closed after its trial run in [[Connecticut]].<ref>Deschner (1972) p. 37; Curtis (2011) p. 86.</ref> Dejected, Tracy was forced back to Wright and the stock circuit.<ref>Curtis (2011) p. 87.</ref>

In the fall of 1926, Tracy was offered his third shot at Broadway: a role in a new [[George M. Cohan]] play called ''Yellow''. Tracy swore that if the play failed to be a hit he would leave stock and work in a "regular" business instead.<ref name="curtis 91">Curtis (2011) p. 91.</ref> Tracy was nervous about working with Cohan, one of the most important figures in American theater,<ref name="curtis 91"/> but during rehearsals Cohan announced, "Tracy, you're the best goddamned actor I've ever seen!"<ref>Curtis (2011) p. 92; Deschner (1972) p. 39.</ref> ''Yellow'' opened on September 21; reviews were mixed but it ran for 135 performances.<ref>Deschner (1972) p. 39.</ref> It was the beginning of an important collaboration for Tracy: "I'd have quit the stage completely," he later commented, "if it hadn't been for George M. Cohan."<ref>Kanin (1971) p. 35.</ref> Cohan wrote a part specifically for Tracy in his next play, ''The Baby Cyclone''.<ref>Deschner (1972) p. 40.</ref> It opened on Broadway in September 1927 and was a hit.<ref>Curtis (2011) p. 106.</ref>

Tracy followed this success with another Cohan play, ''Whispering Friends'', and in 1929 took over from [[Clark Gable]] in ''Conflict'', a Broadway drama.<ref>Curtis (2011) pp. 109, 114.</ref> Other roles followed, but it was the lead in ''Dread'', written by [[Pulitzer Prize]]-winning dramatist [[Owen Davis]] that gave Tracy high hopes for success.<ref>Curtis (2011) p. 117.</ref> The story of a man's descent into madness, ''Dread'' previewed in Brooklyn to an excellent reception, but on the next day—October 29—the [[Wall Street Crash of 1929|New York stock market crashed]].<ref>Curtis (2011) p. 118.</ref> Unable to obtain funding, ''Dread'' did not open on Broadway. Following this disappointment, Tracy again considered leaving the theater and returning to Milwaukee for a more stable life.<ref>Curtis (2011) p. 119.</ref>

In January 1930, Tracy was approached about a new play called ''[[The Last Mile (play)|The Last Mile]]''. Looking to cast the lead role of a murderer on [[death row]], producer [[Herman Shumlin]] met with Tracy, and later recounted: "beneath the surface, here was a man of passion, violence, sensitivity and desperation: no ordinary man, and just the man for the part."<ref>Curtis (2011) p. 124.</ref> ''The Last Mile'' opened on Broadway in February, where Tracy's performance was met by a standing ovation that lasted 14 curtain calls.<ref>Curtis (2011) p. 130.</ref> The ''[[Commonweal (magazine)|Commonweal]]'' described him as "one of our best and most versatile young actors".<ref name="curtis 132">Curtis (2011) p. 132.</ref> The play was a hit with critics,<ref>Curtis (2011) p. 131; Deschner (1972) p. 43.</ref> and ran for 289 performances.<ref>Curtis (2011) p. 888.</ref>

===Fox (1930–1935)===
[[File:Tracy disorderly conduct cropped.jpg|thumb|left|upright|With [[Dickie Moore (actor)|Dickie Moore]] in ''[[Disorderly Conduct (film)|Disorderly Conduct]]'' (1932), Tracy's seventh film]]

In 1930, Broadway was being scouted to find actors to work in the new medium of [[sound film]]s.<ref name="curtis 132"/> Tracy was cast in two [[Vitaphone]] [[short movie|shorts]] (''Taxi Talks'' and ''The Hard Guy''), but he had not considered becoming a film actor: "I had no ambition in that direction and I was perfectly happy on the stage", he later explained in an interview.<ref name="curtis 132"/> One person who saw Tracy in ''The Last Mile'' was director [[John Ford]].

Ford wanted Tracy for the lead role in his next picture, a prison movie. Production company [[Fox Film Corporation]] was unsure about Tracy, saying that he did not photograph well, but Ford convinced them that he was right for the role.<ref>Curtis (2011) pp. 135–137.</ref> ''[[Up the River]]'' (1930) marked the film debut of both Tracy and [[Humphrey Bogart]]. After seeing the [[Dailies|rushes]], Fox immediately offered Tracy a long-term contract.<ref>Deschner (1972) p. 43.</ref> Knowing that he needed the money for his family, with his young son deaf and recovering from [[polio]], Tracy signed with Fox and moved to California.<ref>Curtis (2011) p. 145; Kanin (1971) p. 109, quotes Tracy talking about signing for Fox: "So with me, it was just to pick up the dough I needed."</ref> He appeared on the stage only once more in his life.

[[Winfield Sheehan]], the head of Fox, committed to making Tracy a bankable commodity.<ref>Curtis (2011) p. 168.</ref> The studio promoted the actor, releasing ads for his second film ''[[Quick Millions (1931 film)|Quick Millions]]'' (1931) with the headline "A New Star Shines".<ref>Curtis (2011) p. 157.</ref> Three films were made in quick succession, all of which were unsuccessful at the box office.<ref>Curtis (2011) p. 161.</ref> Tracy found himself [[Typecasting (acting)|typecast]] in [[Comedy film|comedies]], usually playing a crook or a con man.<ref>Curtis (2011) pp. 170, 177.</ref> The mold was broken with his seventh picture, ''[[Disorderly Conduct (film)|Disorderly Conduct]]'' (1932), and it was the first of his films since ''Up the River'' to return a profit.<ref>Curtis (2011) p. 176.</ref>

In mid-1932, after nine pictures, Tracy remained virtually unknown to the public.<ref>Curtis (2011) p. 178. In a survey conducted by ''Variety'' magazine of the 133 biggest money-makers in the movie industry, Tracy did not make the list.</ref> He considered leaving Fox once his contract was up for renewal, but a raise in his weekly salary to $1,500 convinced him to stay.<ref>Curtis (2011) pp. 183–184.</ref> He continued to appear in unpopular films, with ''[[Me and My Gal]]'' (1932) setting an all-time low attendance record for the [[Roxy Theatre (New York City)|Roxy Theatre]] in New York City.<ref>Curtis (2011) p. 188.</ref> He was loaned to [[Warner Bros.]] for ''[[20,000 Years in Sing Sing]]'' (1932), a prison drama co-starring [[Bette Davis]]. Tracy was hopeful that it would be his break-out role, but despite good reviews, this failed to materialize.<ref>Curtis (2011) p. 202.</ref>

[[File:Spencer Tracy Loretta Young Man's Castle.jpg|thumb|Tracy appeared with [[Loretta Young]] in ''[[Man's Castle]]'' (1933).]]

Critics began to notice Tracy with ''[[The Power and the Glory (1933 film)|The Power and the Glory]]'' (1933). The story of a man's rise to prosperity had a screenplay by [[Preston Sturges]] and Tracy's performance as railroad tycoon Tom Garner received uniformly strong reviews.<ref name="curtis 208">Curtis (2011) p. 208.</ref> [[William Wilkerson]] of ''[[The Hollywood Reporter]]'' wrote: "This sterling performer has finally been given an opportunity to show an ability that has been boxed in by gangster roles&nbsp;... [the film] has introduced Mr. Tracy as one of the screen's best performers".<ref name="curtis 200">Curtis (2011) p. 200.</ref> [[Mordaunt Hall]] of ''[[The New York Times]]'' stated: "No more convincing performance has been given on the screen than Spencer Tracy's impersonation of Tom Garner."<ref>Curtis (2011) p. 209.</ref> ''[[Shanghai Madness]]'' (1933), meanwhile, revealed Tracy to have a previously unseen sex appeal and served to advance his standing.<ref name="curtis 200"/> Despite this attention, Tracy's next two movies went largely unnoticed. ''[[Man's Castle]]'' (1933) with [[Loretta Young]] was anticipated to be a hit, but made only a small profit.<ref>Curtis (2011) p. 223.</ref> ''[[The Show-Off (1934 film)|The Show-Off]]'' (1934), for which he was lent to [[Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer]], proved popular, but his subsequent outings continued to be unsuccessful.<ref>Curtis (2011) p. 231.</ref>

Tracy drank heavily during his years with Fox and gained a reputation as an alcoholic.<ref name="curtis 208"/> He failed to report for filming on ''[[Marie Galante (film)|Marie Galante]]'' in June 1934, and was found in his hotel room, virtually unconscious after a two-week [[Binge drinking|binge]].<ref>Curtis (2011) p. 241.</ref> Tracy was removed from the Fox payroll while he recovered in a hospital,<ref>Curtis (2011) p. 242.</ref> and then sued for $125,000 for delaying the production.<ref>Curtis (2011) p. 244.</ref> He completed only two more pictures with the studio.

The details on how Tracy's relationship with Fox ended are unclear: later in life Tracy maintained that he was fired for his drunken behavior, but the Fox records do not support such an account.<ref>Curtis (2011) pp. 254–255.</ref> He was still under contract with the studio when MGM expressed their interest in the actor.<ref name="curtis 259">Curtis (2011) p. 259.</ref> They were in need of a new male star, and contacted Tracy on April 2, 1935, offering him a seven-year deal.<ref name="curtis 259"/> That afternoon, the contract between Tracy and Fox was terminated "by mutual consent".<ref name="curtis 259"/> Tracy made a total of 25 pictures in the five years he was with Fox Film Corporation, most of which lost money at the box office.<ref>Curtis (2011) p. 234.</ref>

===Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (1935–1955)===

====Growing reputation====
[[File:Spencer tracy fury cropped.jpg|thumb|Tracy in [[Fritz Lang]]'s ''[[Fury (1936 film)|Fury]]'' (1936), his first major hit]]

In the 1930s, MGM was the most respected movie production studio in Hollywood.<ref>Curtis (2011) p. 224.</ref> When Tracy arrived there, he was all but unknown. Biographer [[James Curtis (biographer)|James Curtis]] writes: "Tracy was scarcely a blip on the box office barometer in 1935, a critics' darling and little more".<ref>Curtis (2011) p. 365.</ref> He was, however, well known for being a troublemaker.<ref name="curtis 258">Curtis (2011) p. 258.</ref> Producer [[Irving Thalberg]] was nevertheless enthusiastic about working with the actor, telling journalist [[Louella Parsons]]: "Spencer Tracy will become one of MGM's most valuable stars."<ref name="curtis 260">Curtis (2011) p. 260.</ref>

Curtis notes that the studio managed Tracy with care, a welcome change from the ineptitude and apathy he had known while at Fox, which was like "a shot of adrenaline" for the actor.<ref name="curtis 260"/> His first film under the new contract was the quickly produced ''[[The Murder Man]]'' (1935),<ref>Curtis (2011) p. 261.</ref> which included the feature film debut of [[James Stewart]]. Thalberg then began a strategy of pairing Tracy with the studio's top actresses:<ref>Curtis (2011) p. 326.</ref> ''[[Whipsaw (film)|Whipsaw]]'' (1935) co-starred [[Myrna Loy]] and was a commercial success.<ref name="Curtis 2011 p. 272">Curtis (2011) p. 272.</ref> ''[[Riffraff (1936 film)|Riffraff]]'' (1936) put Tracy opposite [[Jean Harlow]]. Both films were, however, designed and promoted to showcase their leading ladies, thus continuing Tracy's reputation as a secondary star.<ref>Curtis (2011) pp. 266, 293. Deschner (1972) p. 47, quotes [[Louella Parsons]] saying: "Instead of being a star himself, he was a leading man to all MGM's glamour girls."</ref>

''[[Fury (1936 film)|Fury]]'' (1936) was the first film to prove that Tracy could make a success on his own merit.<ref name="curtis 293">Curtis (2011) p. 293.</ref> Directed by [[Fritz Lang]], Tracy played an innocent man who swears revenge after narrowly escaping death by a [[Lynching|lynch mob]]. The film and performance received excellent reviews.<ref>Curtis (2011) p. 291.</ref> It made a profit of $1.3 million worldwide.<ref>Curtis (2011) p. 292.</ref> Curtis writes: "audiences who, just a year earlier, had no clear handle on him, were suddenly turning out to see him. It was a transition that was nothing short of miraculous&nbsp;... [and showed] a willingness on the part of the public to embrace a leading man who was not textbook handsome nor bigger than life."<ref name="curtis 293"/>

[[File:Test Pilot 4 1938.jpg|thumb|Lobby card with [[Clark Gable]] and [[Myrna Loy]] in ''[[Test Pilot (film)|Test Pilot]]'' (1938), one of the three enormously successful films that fixed Gable and Tracy as a team in the public imagination]]
''Fury'' was followed one month later with the release of the big-budget disaster movie ''[[San Francisco (1936 film)|San Francisco]]'' (1936). Tracy played a supporting role alongside [[Clark Gable]] in the film, allowing audiences to see him with the top male star in Hollywood.<ref name="Curtis 2011 p. 272"/> Taking on the role of a priest, Tracy reportedly felt a heavy responsibility in representing the church.<ref>Curtis (2011) p. 277.</ref> Despite having only 17 minutes of screen time, Tracy was highly praised for his performance and received an [[Academy Award for Best Actor|Oscar nomination for Best Actor]].<ref>Curtis (2011) p. 310.</ref> ''San Francisco'' became the highest-grossing picture of 1936.{{citation needed|date=February 2020}} Donald Deschner, in his book on Tracy, credits ''Fury'' and ''San Francisco'' as the "two films that changed his career and gave him the status of a major star".<ref>Deschner (1972) p. 44.</ref>

By this point, Tracy entered a period of self-imposed sobriety and MGM expressed pleasure with Tracy's professionalism.<ref>Curtis (2011) p. 278.</ref> His public reputation continued to grow with ''[[Libeled Lady]]'' (also 1936), a [[screwball comedy]] that cast him with [[William Powell]], Loy and Harlow. According to Curtis, "Powell, Harlow and Loy were among the biggest draws in the industry, and equal billing in such a powerhouse company could only serve to advance Tracy's standing".<ref>Curtis (2011) p. 299.</ref> ''Libeled Lady'' was his third hit picture in the space of six months.<ref>Curtis (2011) p. 308.</ref>

====Oscar wins====

Tracy appeared in four films released in 1937. ''[[They Gave Him a Gun]]'', a crime-drama, went largely unnoticed,<ref name="curtis 316">Curtis (2011) p. 316.</ref> but ''[[Captains Courageous (1937 film)|Captains Courageous]]'' was one of the major film events of the year.<ref name="curtis 316"/> Tracy played a Portuguese fisherman in the adventure movie, based on the novel by [[Rudyard Kipling]]. He was uncomfortable feigning a foreign accent,<ref>Curtis (2011) p. 300.</ref> and resented having his hair curled,<ref>Curtis (2011) p. 305.</ref> but the role was a hit with audiences and Tracy won the [[Academy Award for Best Actor]]. ''Captains Courageous'' was followed by ''[[Big City (1937 film)|Big City]]'' with [[Luise Rainer]] and ''[[Mannequin (1937 film)|Mannequin]]'' with [[Joan Crawford]], the latter of which performed well at the box office.<ref>Curtis (2011) p. 339.</ref> With two years of hit movies and industry recognition, Tracy became a star in the United States. A 1937 poll of 20 million people to find the "King and Queen of Hollywood" ranked Tracy sixth among males.<ref>Curtis (2011) p. 333. The poll was conducted by 55 metropolitan newspapers. Ahead of Tracy in the poll were [[Clark Gable]], [[Robert Taylor (American actor)|Robert Taylor]], [[Tyrone Power]], [[William Powell]] and [[Nelson Eddy]].</ref>

Tracy was reunited with Clark Gable and Myrna Loy for ''[[Test Pilot (film)|Test Pilot]]'' (1938). The film was another enormous commercial and critical success,<ref>Curtis (2011) p. 347.</ref> permanently cementing the notion of Gable and Tracy as a team in the public imagination.

[[File:Captains courageous tracy and bartholomew.jpg|thumb|upright|left|Tracy and [[Freddie Bartholomew]] in ''[[Captains Courageous (1937 film)|Captains Courageous]]'' (1937)]]

Based on the positive response he had received in ''San Francisco'', MGM again cast Tracy as a priest in ''[[Boys Town (film)|Boys Town]]'' (also 1938).<ref>Curtis (2011) p. 343.</ref> Portraying [[Edward J. Flanagan]], a Catholic priest and founder of [[Boys Town (organization)|Boys Town]] in Nebraska, was a role Tracy took seriously: "I'm so anxious to do a good job as Father Flanagan that it worries me, keeps me awake at night."<ref>Curtis (2011) p. 345.</ref> Tracy received strong reviews for his performance, and the movie grossed $4 million worldwide.<ref>Curtis (2011) p. 362.</ref> For the second year running, Tracy received an Academy Award for Best Actor. He was humble about the recognition, saying in his acceptance speech: "I honestly do not feel that I can accept this award&nbsp;... I can accept it only as it was meant to be for a great man—Father Flanagan".<ref>Curtis (2011) p. 363.</ref> Although he did keep his Oscar, a second statuette was struck and immediately sent to Flanagan.<ref>Curtis (2011) p. 364.</ref> Tracy was listed as the fifth biggest box office star of 1938.<ref>Curtis (2011) p. 359.</ref>

Tracy was absent from screens for almost a year before returning to Fox on loan and appearing as [[Henry M. Stanley]] in ''[[Stanley and Livingstone]]'' (1939) with [[Nancy Kelly]]. Curtis maintains that Tracy's non-visibility did little to affect his standing with the public or exhibitors.<ref>Curtis (2011) p. 390.</ref> In October 1939, a ''[[Fortune (magazine)|Fortune]]'' magazine survey of the nation's favorite movie actors listed Tracy in first place.<ref>Curtis (2011) p. 391.</ref>

====Established star====

MGM capitalized on Tracy's popularity, casting him in four movies for 1940. ''[[I Take This Woman (1940 film)|I Take This Woman]]'' with [[Hedy Lamarr]] was a critical and commercial failure,<ref name="curtis 399">Curtis (2011) p. 399.</ref> but the historical drama ''[[Northwest Passage (film)|Northwest Passage]]''—Tracy's first film in [[Technicolor]]—proved popular.<ref name="curtis 399"/> He then portrayed [[Thomas Edison]] in ''[[Edison, the Man]]''. Howard Barnes of the ''[[New York Herald Tribune]]'' was not charmed by the story, but wrote that Tracy, "by sheer persuasion of his acting", made the film worthy.<ref>Deschner (1972) p. 49.</ref> ''[[Boom Town (film)|Boom Town]]'' was the third and final Gable-Tracy picture, also starring [[Claudette Colbert]] and [[Hedy Lamarr]], making it one of the most anticipated films of the year.<ref>Curtis (2011) p. 400.</ref> The film opened to the biggest crowd since ''[[Gone With the Wind (film)|Gone With the Wind]]''.<ref>Curtis (2011) p. 406.</ref>

Tracy signed a new contract with MGM in April 1941, which paid $5,000 a week and limited him to three pictures a year (Tracy had previously expressed a need to reduce his workload).<ref>Curtis (2011) p. 385.</ref> The contract also stated for the first time that his billing was to be "that of a star". Contrary to popular belief, the contract did not include a clause that he receive top billing, but from this point onward, every film Tracy appeared in featured his name first, with the exception of his "guest appearance" in ''[[Thirty Seconds Over Tokyo]]'' (1944).<ref>Curtis (2011) p. 415.</ref>

Tracy returned to the role of Father Flanagan for the sequel ''[[Men of Boys Town]]'' (1941). It was followed by Tracy's only venture into the horror genre, an adaptation of ''[[Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde (1941 film)|Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde]]'' (also 1941), co-starring [[Ingrid Bergman]] and [[Lana Turner]]. Tracy was unhappy with the film, disliking the heavy make-up he needed to portray Hyde.<ref>Curtis (2011) p. 411.</ref> Critical response to the film was mixed and brought Tracy the only negative reviews of his career.<ref>Curtis (2011) pp. 422–423.</ref> Theodore Strauss of ''[[The New York Times]]'' wrote that "Mr. Tracy's portrait of Hyde is not so much evil incarnate as it is the ham rampant."<ref>Deschner (1972) p. 170.</ref> The film was financially successful, however, taking in more than $2 million at the box office.<ref>Curtis (2011) p. 423.</ref>
[[File:Woman of the Year poster.jpg|thumb|270px|[[Lobby card]] for ''[[Woman of the Year]]'' (1942), the first of nine pictures Tracy made with [[Katharine Hepburn]]]]
Tracy was set to star in a film version of ''[[The Yearling]]'' for 1942, but several on-set difficulties and bad weather on location forced MGM to shelve the production.<ref>Curtis (2011) p. 420.</ref> With the end of that project, he became available for the new [[Katharine Hepburn]] film, ''[[Woman of the Year]]'' (1942). Hepburn greatly admired Tracy, calling him "the best movie actor there was".<ref>Berg (2004) p. 146.</ref> She had wanted him for her comeback vehicle, ''[[The Philadelphia Story (film)|The Philadelphia Story]]'' (1940).<ref>Berg (2004) p. 138.</ref> Hepburn was delighted that Tracy was available for ''Woman of the Year'', saying "I was just damned grateful he was willing to work with me."<ref name="berg 171">Berg (2004) p. 171.</ref> The romantic comedy performed well at the box office and received strong reviews.<ref name="curtis 457">Curtis (2011) p. 457.</ref> William Boehnel wrote in the ''[[New York World-Telegram]]'', "To begin with, it has Katharine Hepburn and Spencer Tracy in the leading roles. This in itself would be enough to make any film memorable. But when you get Tracy and Hepburn turning in brilliant performances to boot, you've got something to cheer about."<ref name="curtis 457"/>

''Woman of the Year'' was followed by an adaptation of [[John Steinbeck]]'s ''[[Tortilla Flat (film)|Tortilla Flat]]'' (also 1942) which met with a tepid response.<ref>Curtis (2011) p. 479.</ref> MGM did not hesitate to repeat the teaming of Tracy and Hepburn and cast them in the dark mystery ''[[Keeper of the Flame (film)|Keeper of the Flame]]'' (1943). Despite a weak critical reception the film out-grossed ''Woman of the Year'' confirming the strength of their partnership.<ref>Curtis (2011) pp. 479–480; Kanin (1971) p. 5.</ref>

Tracy's next three appearances were all war-based. ''[[A Guy Named Joe]]'' (1943) with [[Irene Dunne]] surpassed ''San Francisco'' to become his highest-grossing film to date.<ref>Curtis (2011) p. 500.</ref> ''[[The Seventh Cross (film)|The Seventh Cross]]'' (1944), a suspense film about an escape from a Nazi concentration camp, met with critical acclaim.<ref>Curtis (2011) p. 505.</ref> It was followed by the aviation film ''[[Thirty Seconds Over Tokyo]]'' (1944). On the strength of these three releases, the annual [[Top Ten Money Making Stars Poll|Quigley poll]] revealed Tracy was MGM's biggest money-making star of 1944,<ref>Curtis (2011) p. 512.</ref> His only film the following year was his third with Hepburn, ''[[Without Love (film)|Without Love]]'' (1945), a light romantic comedy that performed well at the box office despite muted enthusiasm from critics.<ref name="curtis 515">Curtis (2011) p. 515.</ref>

====Stage and screen====
[[File:Spencer tracy sea of grass.jpg|thumb|upright|''[[The Sea of Grass (film)|The Sea of Grass]]'' (1947)]]

In 1945, Tracy returned to the stage for the first time in 15 years. He had been through a dark patch personally—culminating with a hospital stay—and Hepburn felt that a play would help restore his focus.<ref>Curtis (2011) p. 517 for hospital stay; p. 512 for "Hepburn's strategy".</ref> Tracy told a journalist in April, "I'm coming back to Broadway to see if I can still act."<ref name="curtis 515"/> The play was ''The Rugged Path'' by [[Robert E. Sherwood]]. It first previewed in [[Providence, Rhode Island|Providence]] on September 28, to a sold-out crowd and tepid response.<ref>Curtis (2011) pp. 525–256.</ref> It was a difficult production; director [[Garson Kanin]] later wrote: "In the ten days prior to the New York opening all the important relationships had deteriorated. Spencer was tense and unbending, could not, or would not, take direction".<ref>Kanin (1971) p. 97.</ref> Tracy considered leaving the show before it even opened on Broadway,<ref>Curtis (2011) p. 528.</ref> and lasted there just six weeks before announcing his intention to close the show.<ref>Curtis (2011) p. 531.</ref> It closed on January 19, 1946, after 81 performances.<ref name=Deschner51>Deschner (1972) p. 51.</ref> Tracy later explained to a friend: "I couldn't say those goddamn lines over and over and over again every night&nbsp;... At least every day is a new day for me in films&nbsp;... But this thing—every day, every day, over and over again."<ref>Curtis (2011) p. 530.</ref>

Tracy was absent from screens in 1946, the first year since his motion picture debut that there was no Spencer Tracy release.<ref name=Deschner51/> His next film was ''[[The Sea of Grass (film)|The Sea of Grass]]'' (1947), a melodrama set in the American Old West with Hepburn. Similar to ''Keeper of the Flame'' and ''Without Love'', a lukewarm response from critics did not stop it from being a financial success both at home and abroad.<ref>Curtis (2011) p. 549.</ref> He followed it later that year with ''[[Cass Timberlane]]'', in which he played a judge. It was a commercial success, but Curtis notes that co-star Lana Turner overshadowed Tracy in most of the reviews.<ref>Curtis (2011) p. 559.</ref>

A fifth film with Hepburn, [[Frank Capra]]'s political drama ''[[State of the Union (film)|State of the Union]]'', was released in 1948. Tracy played a presidential candidate in the movie, which was warmly received.<ref name="Curtis 2011 p. 546">Curtis (2011) p. 546.</ref> He then appeared in ''[[Edward, My Son]]'' (1949) with [[Deborah Kerr]]. Tracy disliked the role, and told director [[George Cukor]], "It's rather disconcerting to me to find how easily I play a heel."<ref name="curtis 567">Curtis (2011) p. 567.</ref> Upon its release, ''[[The New Yorker]]'' wrote of the "hopeless miscasting of Mr. Tracy".<ref>Curtis (2011) p. 579.</ref> The film became Tracy's biggest money-loser at MGM.<ref>Curtis (2011) p. 580.</ref>

Tracy finished off the 1940s with ''[[Malaya (film)|Malaya]]'' (1949), an adventure film with [[James Stewart]], and ''[[Adam's Rib]]'' (also 1949), a comedy with Tracy and Hepburn playing married lawyers who oppose each other in court. Tracy and Hepburn's friends, [[Garson Kanin]] and [[Ruth Gordon]], wrote the parts specifically for the two leads. The film received strong reviews and became the highest-grossing Tracy-Hepburn picture to date.<ref>Curtis (2011) p. 587.</ref> Film critic [[Bosley Crowther]] wrote, "Mr. Tracy and Miss Hepburn are the stellar performers in this show and their perfect compatibility in comic capers is delightful to see."<ref>{{cite news|last=Crowther |first=Bosley |title='Adam's Rib,' 'Tight Little Island,' 'Amazing Mr. Beecham' Among Movie Newcomers |newspaper=The New York Times |access-date=August 25, 2011 |url=https://www.nytimes.com/movie/review?res=9E02E5DC1F3BE23BBC4E51DFB4678382659EDE |date=December 26, 1949 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131228065121/http://www.nytimes.com/movie/review?res=9E02E5DC1F3BE23BBC4E51DFB4678382659EDE |archive-date=December 28, 2013 }}</ref>

====Final MGM years====
[[File:Father of the bride 1950 promo.jpg|thumb|left|Tracy and [[Elizabeth Taylor]] in a promotional image for ''[[Father of the Bride (1950 film)|Father of the Bride]]'' (1950). The comedic role of Stanley Banks was one of Tracy's nine Oscar-nominated performances.]]

Tracy received his first Academy Award nomination in 12 years for playing the role of Stanley Banks in ''[[Father of the Bride (1950 film)|Father of the Bride]]'' (1950). In the comedy film, Banks attempts to handle preparations for the upcoming wedding of his daughter ([[Elizabeth Taylor]]). "It's the second strong comedy in a row for Spencer Tracy, doing the title role, and he socks it", ''Variety'' commented.<ref name="curtis 599">Curtis (2011) p. 599.</ref> The film was the biggest commercial success of Tracy's career to date, earning $6 million worldwide.<ref name="curtis 599"/> MGM wanted a sequel, and while Tracy was unsure, he accepted.<ref name="curtis 600">Curtis (2011) p. 600.</ref> ''[[Father's Little Dividend]]'' (1951) was released ten months later and performed well at the box office.<ref name="curtis 609">Curtis (2011) p. 609.</ref> On the strength of the two movies, Tracy polled as one of the nation's top stars once more.<ref name="curtis 609"/>

Tracy portrayed a lawyer in ''[[The People Against O'Hara]]'' (1951) and re-teamed with Hepburn for the sports comedy ''[[Pat and Mike]]'' (1952), the second feature written expressly for them by Kanin and Gordon. ''Pat and Mike'' became one of the duo's most popular and critically acclaimed films.<ref>Berg (2004) p. 198.</ref> Tracy followed it with ''[[Plymouth Adventure]]'' (also 1952), a historical drama set aboard the ''[[Mayflower]]'', co-starring [[Gene Tierney]]. It met with poor critical and box office response and posted a loss of $1.8 million for MGM.<ref>Curtis (2011) p. 637.</ref> Tracy returned to the role of a concerned father in ''[[The Actress]]'' (1953). Producer [[Lawrence Weingarten]] recalled: "That film&nbsp;... got more [acclaim] from the critics than any film I ever made in all the years, and we didn't make enough to pay for the ushers in the theatre."<ref>Curtis (2011) p. 652.</ref> For his performance in ''The Actress'', Tracy won a [[Golden Globe Award for Best Actor&nbsp;– Motion Picture Drama|Golden Globe Award]] and received a nomination for the [[BAFTA Award for Best Actor in a Leading Role|British Academy Film Award]].

MGM lent Tracy to Fox for the well-received Western film ''[[Broken Lance]]'', his only film released in 1954.<ref>Curtis (2011) p. 674.</ref> In 1955, Tracy turned down [[William Wyler]]'s ''[[The Desperate Hours (1955 film)|The Desperate Hours]]'' because he refused to take second-billing to [[Humphrey Bogart]].<ref>Curtis (2011) p. 680.</ref> Instead, Tracy appeared as a one-armed protagonist who faces the hostility of a small desert town in ''[[Bad Day at Black Rock]]'' (1955), a film directed by [[John Sturges]]. For his work, Tracy received a fifth Oscar nomination and was awarded the [[Best Actor Award (Cannes Film Festival)|Best Actor]] prize at the [[Cannes Film Festival]].

Tracy had personally been unhappy with the picture and threatened to leave during production.<ref>Curtis (2011) p. 670 for threatening to leave; p. 680 for negativity toward the film.</ref> This behavior became a regular occurrence for Tracy, who was increasingly lethargic and cynical. He began production on ''[[Tribute to a Bad Man]]'' in the summer of 1955, but pulled out when he claimed that the shooting location in the Colorado mountains gave him [[altitude sickness]].<ref>Curtis (2011) p. 687.</ref> The problems caused by the picture fractured Tracy's relationship with MGM. In June 1955, he was one of the two remaining stars of the studio's peak years (the other being [[Robert Taylor (American actor)|Robert Taylor]]), but with his contract up for renewal, Tracy opted to freelance for the first time in his movie career.<ref>Curtis (2011) p. 689.</ref>

===Independent player (1956–1967)===
Tracy's first post-MGM appearance was in ''[[The Mountain (1956 film)|The Mountain]]'' (1956), released by [[Paramount Pictures]]. The film co-starred [[Robert Wagner]], who played his much younger brother (Wagner had earlier played his son in ''Broken Lance''). The location filming in the French Alps proved a difficult experience, and he threatened to leave the project.<ref>Curtis (2011) p. 695.</ref> His performance earned a BAFTA nomination for Best Foreign Actor. Tracy and Hepburn then paired together for the eighth time in the office-based comedy ''[[Desk Set]]'' (1957), released by Twentieth Century-Fox. He again had to be convinced to stay with the film,<ref>Curtis (2011) p. 723.</ref> one which met with a weak response.<ref>Curtis (2011) p. 738.</ref>

[[File:The Last Hurrah poster.jpg|thumb|Lobby card for [[John Ford]]'s ''[[The Last Hurrah (1958 film)|The Last Hurrah]]'' (1958)]]

Tracy appeared in ''[[The Old Man and the Sea (1958 film)|The Old Man and the Sea]]'' (1958), a project that had been in development for five years. An adaptation of [[Ernest Hemingway]]'s [[The Old Man and the Sea|novella of the same title]], Hemingway's agent, [[Leland Hayward]], had previously written to the author: "Of all Hollywood people, the one that comes the closest to me in quality, in personality and voice, in personal dignity and ability, is Spencer Tracy."<ref name="curtis 644">Curtis (2011) p. 644.</ref> Tracy was delighted to be offered the role.<ref name="curtis 644"/> He was told to lose some of his 210 pounds before filming began but failed to do so.<ref>Curtis (2011) pp. 707, 732.</ref> Hemingway thus reported that Tracy was a "terrible liability to the picture", and had to be reassured that the star was being carefully photographed to disguise his weight problem.<ref>Curtis (2011) p. 732.</ref> Appearing alone on screen for most of the film, Tracy considered ''The Old Man and the Sea'' the toughest part he ever played.<ref>Curtis (2011) p. 725.</ref> In reviewing the performance, [[Jack Moffitt (screenwriter)|Jack Moffitt]] of ''[[The Hollywood Reporter]]'' said it was "so intimate and revealing of universal human experience that, to me, it almost transcended acting and became reality".<ref>Curtis (2011) p. 748.</ref> Tracy received Oscar and BAFTA Award nominations for the work.

After abandoning two projects, including a proposed remake of ''[[The Blue Angel]]'' with [[Marilyn Monroe]],<ref>Curtis (2011) pp. 738–739. The second film was ''Ten North Frederick''.</ref> Tracy's next feature was ''[[The Last Hurrah (1958 film)|The Last Hurrah]]'' (1958). It reunited him with his debut director, John Ford, after 28 years and his childhood friend Pat O'Brien. Tracy took a year to commit to the project, in which he played an Irish-American mayor seeking re-election.<ref name="curtis 741">Curtis (2011) p. 741. John Ford comment: "When I say Spencer Tracy is the best actor we ever had, I'm giving you something of my philosophy on acting. The best is most natural."</ref> The movie was favorably reviewed, but not commercially successful.<ref>Curtis (2011) p. 752.</ref> At the end of 1958, the [[National Board of Review]] named Tracy the year's [[National Board of Review Award for Best Actor|Best Actor]]. He nevertheless began to ponder retirement, with Curtis writing that he was "chronically tired, unhappy, ill, and uninterested in work".<ref>Curtis (2011) p. 745.</ref>

====Stanley Kramer partnership====
[[File:Inherit the wind trailer (3) Spencer Tracy.jpg|thumb|left|250px|''[[Inherit the Wind (1960 film)|Inherit the Wind]]'' (1960), the first of four films Tracy made with [[Stanley Kramer]], depicted the [[Scopes Trial|Scopes "Monkey Trial"]] of 1925.]]

Tracy did not appear on the screen again until the release of ''[[Inherit the Wind (1960 film)|Inherit the Wind]]'' (1960), a film based on the 1925 [[Scopes Trial|Scopes "Monkey Trial"]] which debated the right to teach evolution in schools. Director [[Stanley Kramer]] sought Tracy for the role of lawyer Henry Drummond (based on [[Clarence Darrow]]), from the outset.<ref>Curtis (2011) p. 750.</ref> Starring opposite Tracy was [[Fredric March]], a pairing ''Variety'' described as "a stroke of casting genius&nbsp;... Both men are spellbinders in the most laudatory sense of the word."<ref name="curtis 768">Curtis (2011) p. 768.</ref> The film garnered Tracy some of the strongest reviews of his career—he was nominated for an Academy Award, BAFTA Award and Golden Globe Award for the performance—but it was not a commercial hit.<ref name="curtis 769">Curtis (2011) p. 769.</ref>

In the volcano disaster movie ''[[The Devil at 4 O'Clock]]'' (1961), Tracy played a priest for the fourth time in his career. His co-star, [[Frank Sinatra]], ceded top-billing to guarantee Tracy for the picture.<ref>Curtis (2011) p. 767.</ref> Continuing his pattern of indecisiveness,<ref>Deschner (1972), p. 21.</ref> Tracy briefly pulled out of the production before recommitting.<ref name="curtis 768"/> Critics were unenthusiastic about the film, which was nevertheless Tracy's most successful box-office outing since ''Father of the Bride''.<ref>Curtis (2011) p. 798.</ref>

''Inherit the Wind'' began an enduring collaboration between Stanley Kramer and Tracy—Kramer directed Tracy's three final films. ''[[Judgment at Nuremberg]]'', released at the end of 1961, was their second feature together. The film depicts the "[[Judges' Trial]]", the trial of Nazi judges for their role in the [[Holocaust]]. [[Abby Mann]] wrote the role of Judge Haywood with Tracy in mind;<ref>Curtis (2011) p. 765.</ref> Tracy called it the best script he had ever read.<ref>Curtis (2011) p. 774.</ref> At the end of the film, Tracy delivered a 13-minute speech. He recorded it in one take and received a round of applause from the cast and crew.<ref>Curtis (2011) p. 794.</ref> Upon seeing the film, Mann wrote to Tracy: "Every writer ought to have the experience of having Spencer Tracy do his lines. There is nothing in the world quite like it."<ref>Curtis (2011) p. 796.</ref> The film met with positive reviews and a large audience; Tracy received an eighth Oscar nomination for his performance.<ref>Curtis (2011) p. 803.</ref>

[[Image:Tracy guess whos coming to dinner.jpg|thumb|upright|In ''[[Guess Who's Coming to Dinner]]'' (1967). Tracy died 17 days after filming was completed.]]

Tracy turned down roles in ''[[Long Day's Journey into Night (1962 film)|Long Day's Journey into Night]]'' (1962) and ''[[The Leopard (1963 film)|The Leopard]]'' (1963),<ref>Curtis (2011) p. 797.</ref> and had to pull out of MGM's all-star ''[[How the West Was Won (film)|How the West Was Won]]'' (1962) when it clashed with ''Judgment at Nuremberg''. He was, however, able to record the film's narration track.<ref>Curtis (2011) p. 806.</ref> Tracy was in very poor health by this time, and working became a challenge. In 1962, he took the role of Captain T. G. Culpeper in Kramer's comedy ''[[It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World]]'' (1963), a small but key part that he was able to complete in nine non-consecutive days but which he himself nevertheless considered one of the lowest points in his acting career.<ref>Curtis (2011) p. 811.</ref> The film was released in November 1963. Tracy's name topped the list of performers, and the comedy became one of the highest-grossing American films of the year.<ref>Curtis (2011) p. 818.</ref> As his health worsened, he had to cancel commitments to ''[[Cheyenne Autumn]]'' (1964) and ''[[The Cincinnati Kid]]'' (1965).<ref>Curtis (2011) pp. 818, 822. Both roles eventually went to [[Edward G. Robinson]].</ref> Film offers continued to come, but Tracy did not work again until 1967 when he took the starring role in Kramer's ''[[Guess Who's Coming to Dinner]]'' (1967), Tracy's ninth and final film with Hepburn.

''Guess Who's Coming to Dinner'' explored the topic of interracial marriage, with Tracy playing a liberal-minded newspaper publisher whose values are challenged when his daughter wishes to marry a black man, played by [[Sidney Poitier]]. Tracy appeared happy to be working again, but he told journalists visiting the set that the movie would be his last for he would permanently retire after filming due to his health problems.<ref>Curtis (2011) p. 836.</ref>

To commence filming, Tracy had to be insured for the high premium of $71,000 if he died during filming; Hepburn and Kramer both put their salaries in [[escrow]] until Tracy completed his scenes.<ref>Curtis (2011) p. 839; Berg (2004) p. 243.</ref> In poor health, Tracy could work for only two or three hours each day.<ref>Curtis (2011) p. 847.</ref> He completed his last scene on May 24, 1967.<ref>Curtis (2011) p. 856.</ref> Tracy died 17 days later from a heart attack on June 10.<ref>Hepburn (1991) p. 402; Curtis (2011) p. 803.</ref>

The film was released in December 1967, and although reviews were mixed, Curtis notes that "Tracy's performance was singled out for praise in nearly every instance."<ref name="curtis 873">Curtis (2011) p. 873.</ref> Brendan Gill of ''The New Yorker'' wrote that Tracy gave "a faultless and, under the circumstances, heartbreaking performance".<ref name="curtis 873"/> The movie became Tracy's highest grossing picture.<ref>Berg (2004) p. 249.</ref> He received a posthumous nomination for Best Actor—his ninth—at the [[40th Academy Awards]], along with a Golden Globe Award nomination and a BAFTA win for Best Actor.

==Personal life==

===Marriage and family===
Tracy met actress [[Louise Tracy|Louise Treadwell]] while they were both members of the Wood Players in White Plains, New York—the first stock company Tracy joined after graduating. The couple was engaged in May 1923,<ref>Curtis (2011) p. 12.</ref> and married on September 10 of that year between the matinee and evening performances of his show.<ref>Curtis (2011) pp. 14–15.</ref>

Their son, John Ten Broeck Tracy, was born in June 1924.<ref>Curtis (2011) p. 21.</ref> When John was 10 months old, Louise discovered that the boy was deaf.<ref>Curtis (2011) p. 78.</ref> She resisted telling Tracy for three months. Tracy was devastated by the news<ref>Curtis (2011) p. 84.</ref> and felt lifelong guilt over his son's deafness. He was convinced that John's hearing impairment was a punishment for his own sins.<ref>Curtis (2011) pp. 85, 95, 108, 112, 166, 338, 586, 647.</ref> As a result, Tracy had trouble connecting with his son<ref>Curtis (2011) pp. 96, 565.</ref> and distanced himself from his family. [[Joseph L. Mankiewicz]], a friend of Tracy's, later theorized: "[Tracy] didn't leave Louise. He left the scene of his guilt."<ref>Cutis (2011) p. 338.</ref> A second child, Louise "Susie" Treadwell Tracy, was born in July 1932.<ref>Curtis (2011) p. 177.</ref> The children were raised in their mother's [[Episcopal Church (United States)|Episcopal]] faith.<ref>Curtis (2011) p. 485.</ref>

Tracy left the family home in 1933,<ref>Curtis (2011) p. 205.</ref> and he and Louise openly discussed the separation with the media, maintaining that they were still friends and had not taken divorce action.<ref>Curtis (2011) pp. 206, 216, 226.</ref> From September 1933 to June 1934, Tracy had a public affair with [[Loretta Young]], his co-star in ''Man's Castle''.<ref>Curtis (2011), p. 210 for beginning of affair, p. 235 for break-up. For public nature of the relationship see pp. 213, 215.</ref> He reconciled with Louise in 1935.<ref>Curtis (2011) p. 253.</ref> There was never again an official separation between Tracy and his wife, but the marriage continued to be troubled.<ref>Curtis (2011) p. 319.</ref> Tracy increasingly lived in hotels and by the 1940s, the two were effectively living separate lives.<ref>Curtis (2011) p. 426.</ref> Tracy frequently engaged in extramarital affairs,<ref>Curtis (2011) p. 450, quotes [[Claire Trevor]] saying: "He did have quite a line of conquests. Women loved him." Similar quotations are given from Joseph L. Mankiewicz and Clark Gable.</ref> including with co-stars [[Joan Crawford]] in 1937<ref>Curtis (2011) p. 327.</ref> and [[Ingrid Bergman]] in 1941.<ref>Curtis (2011) p. 413.</ref> He had an affair with [[Myrna Loy]] in 1935 and 1936.<ref>Christopher Andersen, An Affair to Remember: The Remarkable Love Story of Katharine Hepburn and Spencer Tracy, William Morrow et Company, 1997, p.86.</ref><ref>Darwin Porter, Katharine the Great: A Lifetime of Secrets, 2004, p. 372.</ref><ref>Jane Ellen Wayne, The Leading Men of MGM, First Carroll and Graf, 2005, p.207.</ref> In 1990, during a phone interview with educator Alan Greenberg, Loy revealed she was in love with Tracy. "I loved Spence, he was adorable...I loved him and I really did love him. I loved him. I mean I was in love with him and she [Katharine Hepburn] got in the way."<ref>Myrna Loy: loving Spencer Tracy & hating Katherine Hepburn - https://www.youtube.com</ref> Later, during the 1940s, Loy regularly visited Tracy at Beverly Hills in his hotel room.<ref>Myrna Loy Being and Becoming, James Kotsilibas-Davis et Myrna Loy, éditions Knopf 1987, page 154</ref>

===Katharine Hepburn===
{{Main articles|Katharine Hepburn and Spencer Tracy}}
[[File:Without Love promo image.jpg|thumb|upright|Tracy's relationship with his frequent co-star [[Katharine Hepburn]] lasted from 1941 until his death. He never divorced his wife, [[Louise Tracy]]. Promotional image for ''[[Without Love (film)|Without Love]]'' (1945).]]

While making ''Woman of the Year'' in September 1941, Tracy began what was to become a lifelong relationship with [[Katharine Hepburn]]. The actress became devoted to him,<ref>Hepburn (1991) p. 389, "His interests and demands came first"; p. 393: "I wanted him to be happy—safe—comfortable. I liked to wait on him—listen to him—feed him—work for him. I tried not to disturb him&nbsp;... I was happy to do this"; Bacall (2005), p. 488: "Her sole aim was to please him, which she unfailingly did"; Curtis (2011) p. 749, "[Hepburn continued] being all that she could be for him."</ref> and their relationship lasted until his death 26 years later.<ref name=KramerHeeley/> Tracy never returned to live in the family home, although he visited regularly.<ref>{{Cite episode |transcript=Tribute to Katharine Hepburn |title=Tribute to Katharine Hepburn |last=King |first=Larry (host) |author-link=Larry King |access-date=2023-07-07 |series=[[Larry King Live]] |network=[[CNN]] |date=June 30, 2003 |transcript-url=http://transcripts.cnn.com/TRANSCRIPTS/0306/30/lkl.00.html |url=http://transcripts.cnn.com/TRANSCRIPTS/0306/30/lkl.00.html}} See comment from Susie Tracy: "there came a point where he did not live in the house anymore ... But I saw him every weekend and he always came to the ranch".</ref><ref>Berg (2004) p. 171; Kanin (1971) pp. 81–82.</ref>

The MGM moguls were careful to protect their stars from controversy,<ref>Curtis (2011) p. 356.</ref> and Tracy wished to conceal his relationship with Hepburn from his wife,<ref>Curtis (2011) p. 583.</ref> so it was hidden from the public. The couple did not live together until the final years of Tracy's life,<ref name="Curtis 2011 p. 814">Curtis (2011) p. 814.</ref> when they shared a cottage on George Cukor's estate in Beverly Hills.<ref name=KramerHeeley/> In Hollywood, however, the intimate nature of the Tracy-Hepburn partnership was an open secret.<ref>Curtis (2011) pp. 481, 508, 543, 548, 556, 627.</ref> [[Angela Lansbury]], who worked with the pair on ''[[State of the Union (film)|State of the Union]]'', later said: "We all knew, but nobody ever said anything. In those days it wasn't discussed."<ref name=KramerHeeley/><ref>Curtis (2011) p. 556.</ref> Tracy was not someone to express his emotions,<ref>Hepburn (1991) p. 396, wrote: "I have no idea how Spence felt about me&nbsp;... He wouldn't talk about it and I didn't talk about it." Curtis (2011), p. 748, quotes Sally Erskine saying "I thought he showed love&nbsp;... I [just] don't think he ever said anything". see also p. 497.</ref> but Tracy's friend, actress [[Betsy Drake]] believed that he "was ''utterly'' dependent upon Hepburn".<ref>Curtis (2011) p. 747.</ref> Tracy's infidelity apparently continued, however,<ref>Curtis (2011) p. 635. Tracy's friend [[William Self (actor)|William Self]] is quoted as saying: "once in a while Carroll and Spence would talk about some affair he was having or thinking of having while he was very involved with Hepburn",</ref> and he reportedly had an affair with [[Gene Tierney]] during the making of ''[[Plymouth Adventure]]'' in 1952.<ref>Curtis (2011) pp.&nbsp;626–627.</ref>

Neither Tracy nor his wife ever pursued a divorce, despite their estrangement. He told [[Joan Fontaine]], "I can get a divorce whenever I want to, but my wife and Kate like things just as they are."<ref>Curtis (2011) p. 612.</ref> Louise, meanwhile, reportedly commented, "I will be Mrs. Spencer Tracy until the day I die."<ref name="Curtis 2011 p. 546"/> Hepburn did not interfere and never fought for marriage.<ref>Hepburn (1991) p. 405.</ref>

===Character===
Tracy was an avowed Catholic, but his cousin, Jane Feely, said that he did not devoutly follow the religion: "He was often not a practical Catholic either. I would call him a spiritual Catholic."<ref>Curtis (2011) p. 212.</ref> [[Garson Kanin]], a friend of Tracy's for 25 years, described him as "a true believer"<ref>Kanin (1971) p. 250.</ref> who respected his religion.<ref>Kanin (1971), p. 14. "To Spence, [life] was all—save his religion—a surpassing joke."</ref> At periods in his life, Tracy attended Mass regularly.<ref>Curtis (2011) pp. 32, 607; Kanin (1971) p. 166.</ref> Tracy did not believe actors should publicize their political views, but in 1940 lent his name to the "Hollywood for Roosevelt" committee<ref>Curtis (2011) p. 407. Kanin (1971), p. 64 also notes Tracy's admiration for Roosevelt.</ref> and personally identified as a [[Democratic Party (United States)|Democrat]].<ref>Curtis (2011) p. 492 quotes Tracy's friend Lincoln Cromwell describing him as "a dedicated Democrat"; p. 837 quotes his daughter saying "He was a Democrat surrounded by Republicans [the rest of his family]".</ref>

Tracy struggled with alcoholism throughout his adult life,<ref>Curtis (2011) p. 702, quotes Tracy's daughter as saying: "[alcoholism] was something [my father] had to battle all his life."</ref> an ailment that ran in his father's side of the family.<ref>Curtis (2011) p. 34. Tracy's grandmother, father and uncle were all alcoholics.</ref> Rather than being a steady drinker, he was prone to periods of binging on alcohol.<ref>Curtis (2011) pp. 348, 459, 683, 702, 718, 735.</ref> Loretta Young remarked that Tracy was "awful" when he was drunk,<ref>Curtis (2011) p. 232.</ref> and he was twice arrested for his behavior while intoxicated.<ref>Curtis (2011) pp. 213, 256.</ref> Because of this bad reaction to alcohol, Tracy regularly embarked on prolonged periods of sobriety and developed an all-or-nothing routine.<ref>Curtis (2011) p. 464.</ref> Myrna Loy said: "Days of drinking had left him belligerent."<ref>James Kotsilibas-Davis and Myrna Loy, ''Being and Becoming'', Knopf 1987, page 154</ref> Hepburn commented that he would stop drinking for "months, even years at a time" before falling off the wagon without warning.<ref name="all about me">"Katharine Hepburn: All About Me", Directed by David Healy, Top Hat Productions, [[Turner Network Television]], January 18, 1993. (Stated by Hepburn in this documentary.)</ref>

Tracy was prone to bouts of depression and anxiety: he was described by Mrs. Tracy as having "the most volatile disposition I've ever seen—up in the clouds one minute and down in the depths the next. And when he's low, he's very, very low."<ref>Curtis (2011) p. 181. For anxiety and hypochondria, see p. 463.</ref> He was plagued by [[insomnia]] throughout his life.<ref>Kanin (1971) p. 123; Curtis (2011) pp. 508, 662, 670, 727.</ref> As a result, Tracy became dependent on [[barbiturates]] to sleep, followed by [[dexedrine]] to function.<ref>Curtis (2011) p. 481.</ref> Hepburn, who adopted a nursing role towards Tracy,<ref>Kanin (1971) p. 182; Higham (2004) pp. 114, 198.</ref> was unable to understand her partner's unhappiness. She wrote in her autobiography: "What was it?&nbsp;... Never at peace&nbsp;... Tortured by some sort of guilt. Some terrible misery."<ref name="all about me"/><ref>Hepburn (1991) p. 399.</ref>

===Illness and death===
[[File:Forestlawn Tracy.jpg|thumb|190px|Tracy's memorial at [[Forest Lawn Memorial Park, Glendale|Forest Lawn]]]]
Tracy's adult life of alcoholism, smoking cigarettes, taking pills and being overweight left him in poor health by the time he reached his 60s. On July 21, 1963, Tracy was hospitalized after a severe attack of breathlessness.<ref name="curtis 814">Curtis (2011) p. 814</ref> Doctors found that he was suffering from [[pulmonary edema]], where fluid accumulates in the lungs due to an inability of the heart to pump properly.<ref name="curtis 815">Curtis (2011) p. 815.</ref> They also declared his blood pressure dangerously high.<ref name="curtis 816">Curtis (2011) p. 816.</ref> From this point on Tracy remained very weak, and Hepburn moved into his home to provide constant care.<ref>Curtis (2011) pp. 816, 823, 829.</ref> In January 1965, he was diagnosed with [[hypertensive heart disease]] and also began treatment for a previously ignored diagnosis of Type II [[diabetes mellitus|diabetes]].<ref>Curtis (2011) p. 823.</ref> Tracy almost died in September 1965: a stay in the hospital following a [[prostatectomy]] resulted in his kidneys failing, and he spent the night in a coma.<ref>Curtis (2011) pp. 825–826.</ref> His recovery the next day was described by his attending doctor as "a kind of miracle".<ref>Curtis (2011) p. 827.</ref>

Tracy spent most of the next two years at home with Hepburn, living what she described as a quiet life: reading, painting, and listening to music.<ref>Berg (2004) p. 214.</ref> On June 10, 1967, 17 days after completing what was his last film role in ''[[Guess Who's Coming to Dinner]]'', Tracy awakened at 3:00&nbsp;am to make himself a cup of tea in his Beverly Hills apartment. Hepburn described in her autobiography how she followed him to the kitchen: "Just as I was about to give [the door] a push, there was a sound of a cup smashing to the floor—then clump—a loud clump."<ref>Hepburn (1991) p. 402.</ref> She entered the room to find Tracy lying dead from a heart attack. He was 67.<ref>Curtis (2011) p. 861.</ref> Hepburn recalled, "He looked so happy to be done with living, which for all his accomplishments had been a frightful burden for him."<ref>Hepburn (1991) p. 403.</ref> MGM publicist [[Howard Strickling]] told the media that Tracy had been alone when he died and was found by his housekeeper.<ref>Curtis (2011) p. 863.</ref><ref name=apdas>{{cite news |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=BOxXAAAAIBAJ&sjid=4ugDAAAAIBAJ&pg=7388%2C4079799 |work=Spokesman-Review |location=Spokane, Washington |agency=Associated Press |title=Spencer Tracy, two-time Oscar winner, dies at 67 |date=June 11, 1967 |page=2}}</ref>

A [[Requiem Mass]] was held for Tracy on June 12 at the Immaculate Heart of Mary Catholic Church in [[East Hollywood, Los Angeles|East Hollywood]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=1798&dat=19670608&id=CfQeAAAAIBAJ&pg=5834,1452237&hl=en|title=Sarasota Journal |via= Google News Archive Search|website=news.google.com|access-date=September 11, 2016}}</ref> Active pallbearers included [[George Cukor]], [[Stanley Kramer]], [[Frank Sinatra]], [[James Stewart]], and [[John Ford]].<ref>Curtis (2011) p. 866.</ref> Out of consideration for Tracy's family, Hepburn did not attend the funeral.<ref>Curtis (2011) p. 878.</ref> Tracy is interred at [[Glendale, California|Glendale's]] [[Forest Lawn Memorial Park, Glendale|Forest Lawn Memorial Park]], near his wife Louise, son John and daughter Susie.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=1817&dat=19670612&id=qBkfAAAAIBAJ&pg=5480,2036779&hl=en|title=Spencer Tracy Rites Private|publisher=The Tuscaloosa News |via= Google News Archive Search|website=news.google.com|date=June 12, 1967|access-date=September 11, 2016}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.seeing-stars.com/Buried2/ForestLawnGlendale3.shtml |title=Forest Lawn Glendale, part 3: Stars' Graves |last=Wayne |first=Gary |website=www.seeing-stars.com |access-date=September 11, 2016 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160922020347/http://www.seeing-stars.com/Buried2/ForestLawnGlendale3.shtml |archive-date=September 22, 2016 }}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=1320&dat=20000402&id=d0tWAAAAIBAJ&pg=6438,492428&hl=en|title=Spencer Tracy Not an Easy Role Model, he is still an actor's actor|publisher=Gainesville Sun |via= Google News Archive Search|website=news.google.com|date=April 2, 2000|access-date=September 11, 2016}}</ref>

==Reputation and acting style==
Tracy had a solid reputation among his peers and received considerable praise from the film industry.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.theguardian.com/film/2008/jan/27/4 |title=Philip French's screen legends: Spencer Tracy |work=[[The Guardian]] |date=January 27, 2008 |access-date=August 27, 2012 |author=French, Philip |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131118124112/http://www.theguardian.com/film/2008/jan/27/4 |archive-date=November 18, 2013 }}</ref> After his death, MGM head [[Dore Schary]] said that there "can be no question that [Tracy] was the best and most protean actor of our screen".<ref>Deschner (1972) p. 21.</ref> He was referred to as the greatest actor of his generation by [[Clark Gable]],<ref>Swindell (1973), p. 142. "The guy's good and there's nobody in the business who can touch him, so you're a fool to try."</ref> [[James Cagney]],<ref name="kanin 239">Kanin (1971) p. 239. "Spence? He's the most difficult son-of-a-bitch I've ever known. And the best. Certainly the best actor."</ref> [[Humphrey Bogart]],<ref>Kanin (1971) p. 49. "As far as actors go—living ones—I'd say Spence is the best by far&nbsp;... I rate him tops."</ref> [[John Ford]],<ref name="curtis 741"/> [[Garson Kanin]],<ref>Kanin (1971) p. 246. "Spencer was, indubitably, the finest screen actor of his generation."</ref> and [[Katharine Hepburn]].<ref>Hepburn (1991) p. 412. In a letter to Tracy: "There you were—really the greatest movie actor. I say this because I believe it and also I have heard many people of standing in our business say it."</ref> Actor [[Richard Widmark]], who idolized Tracy, called him "the greatest movie actor there ever was" and said that he had "learned more about acting from watching Tracy than in any other way".<ref>{{cite book|last=Roth|first=Lillian & Helen Ross|title=The Player: A Profile of an Art|year=1962|publisher=Simon & Schuster|location=New York|asin=B0006AY01Y|page=305}}</ref>

Tracy was particularly respected for his naturalism onscreen. [[Hume Cronyn]], who worked with Tracy on ''The Seventh Cross'', admired his screen presence: "His method appeared to be as simple as it is difficult to achieve. He appeared to do nothing. He listened, he felt, he said the words without forcing anything."<ref>Curtis (2011) p. 498.</ref> [[Joan Crawford]] likewise expressed her admiration for Tracy's seemingly effortless performances, stating that it was "inspiring" to co-star with him and that "his is such simplicity of performance, such naturalness and humor [...] he walks through a scene [and] makes it seem so easy".<ref name="des 13">Deschner (1972) p. 13; Crawford's comment: "It was inspiring to play opposite Tracy," she said. "His is such simplicity of performance, such naturalness and humor. He walks through a scene.... He makes it seem so easy."</ref> His four-time co-star [[Joan Bennett]] said that she "never had the feeling he was 'acting' in a scene, but the truth of the situation was actually happening, spontaneously, at the moment he spoke his lines".<ref name="des 13"/> Cagney noted that Tracy was rarely the target of impressionists because "you can't mimic reserve and control very well [...] there's nothing to imitate except his genius and that can't be mimicked".<ref>Kanin (1971), p. 239; Curtis (2011) p. 755.</ref>

{{quote box|bgcolor=#CCDDFF|align=right|width=25%|quote=I've never known what acting is. Who can honestly say what it is?&nbsp;... I wonder what actors are supposed to be, if not themselves&nbsp;... I've finally narrowed it down to where, when I begin a part, I say to myself, this is Spencer Tracy as a judge, or this is Spencer Tracy as a priest or as a lawyer, and let it go at that. Look, the only thing an actor has to offer a director and finally an audience is his instinct. That's all.<ref>Deschner (1972) p. 23.</ref>|source=–Tracy giving his opinion on acting.}}

Tracy was praised for his listening and reacting skills; [[Barry Nelson (actor)|Barry Nelson]] said that he "brought the art of reacting to a new height",<ref>Curtis (2011) p. 289.</ref> while [[Stanley Kramer]] declared that he "thought and listened better than anyone in the history of motion pictures".<ref>Deschner (1972) p. 14.</ref> [[Millard Kaufman]] noted that Tracy "listened with every fiber of his entire body".<ref>Curtis (2011) p. 676.</ref> In his memoir, [[Burt Reynolds]] noted Tracy's emphasis on naturalism when, as a rookie actor, he observed Tracy on the set of ''Inherit the Wind''. Reynolds later introduced himself to Tracy as an actor and Tracy replied, "An actor, huh? Just remember not to ever let anyone catch you at it."<ref>Burt Reynolds. "But Enough About Me: A Memoir. G.P. Putnam's Sons 2015. {{ISBN|978-0399173547}}</ref>

Despite the perception that he was able to turn up to a shoot and perform effortlessly, Tracy's acquaintances said that he would carefully prepare for each role in private. [[Joseph L. Mankiewicz]] lived with him during the production of ''Test Pilot'', and recounted that Tracy would lock himself in his bedroom "working extremely hard" each night.<ref>Curtis (2011) p. 337.</ref> Many co-workers commented on his strong work ethic and professionalism.<ref>Deschner (1972) pp. 13, 26, 28.</ref> However, he did not like to rehearse and would quickly lose his "effectiveness" after shooting two or three takes of the same scene.<ref>For lack of rehearsal, see Curtis (2011) p. 672; Kanin (1971) p. 6; Hepburn (1991) p. 394; for minimum takes see Kanin (1971) p. 6; Curtis (2011) p. 621; Deschner (1972) p. 16.</ref> Kanin described him as "an instinctive player, who trusted the moment of creation".<ref>Kanin (1971) p. 6.</ref> Tracy's close friend [[Chester Erskine]] pinpointed his acting style as one of "selection", stating that he strove to give as little as was needed to be effective and reached "a minimum to make the maximum".<ref>Curtis (2011) p. 784.</ref>

Tracy disliked being asked about his technique or what advice he would give to others.<ref>Deschner (1972) p. 17.</ref> He often belittled the profession of acting,<ref>Curtis (2011) p. 196.</ref> once saying to Kanin, "Why do actors think they're so goddamn important? They're not. Acting is not an important job in the scheme of things. Plumbing is."<ref>Kanin (1971) p. 51.</ref> He was also humble about his abilities, telling a journalist, "It's just that I try no tricks. No profile. No 'great lover' act&nbsp;... I just project myself as I am—plain, trying to be honest."<ref name="curtis 567"/> He was known to have enjoyed the quip once made by [[Alfred Lunt]], "The art of acting is: learn your lines and don't bump into the furniture!"<ref>Kanin (1971) p. 7. Deschner (1972) p. 28 attributes the quote originally to Lunt ("Learn your lines and don't bump into the furniture.")</ref> Hepburn, in an interview six years after Tracy's death, suggested that Tracy wished he had held a different profession.<ref name="cavett">{{Cite episode |title=Katharine Hepburn: Part 2 |series=The Dick Cavett Show |series-link=The Dick Cavett Show |network= [[American Broadcasting Company]] |airdate=October 3, 1973}}</ref>

==Assessment and legacy==
[[File:Spencer tracy walk of fame star.jpg|thumb|Tracy's star on the [[Hollywood Walk of Fame]], at 6814 [[Hollywood Boulevard]]<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.walkoffame.com/spencer-tracy |title=Spencer Tracy {{!}} Hollywood Walk of Fame |website=www.walkoffame.com |access-date=August 27, 2016 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161005165757/http://walkoffame.com/spencer-tracy |archive-date=October 5, 2016 }}</ref>]]

In the 21st century, Tracy is best known to general audiences for his association with Katharine Hepburn.<ref name=wp>{{cite news|last=Matthews |first=Charles |title="Spencer Tracy: A Life" by James Curtis |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/entertainment/books/spencer-tracy-a-life-by-james-curtis/2011/10/03/gIQAsi2N4L_story.html |access-date=December 10, 2011 |newspaper=The Washington Post |date=October 21, 2011 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150514225443/http://www.washingtonpost.com/entertainment/books/spencer-tracy-a-life-by-james-curtis/2011/10/03/gIQAsi2N4L_story.html |archive-date=May 14, 2015 }}</ref><ref name="basinger">{{cite news|last=Basinger |first=Jeanine |title=Book Review: Spencer Tracy. 'Hollywood's Favorite Actor' |url=https://www.wsj.com/articles/SB10001424052970204346104576637431635762382 |newspaper=The Wall Street Journal |date=October 29, 2011 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160305075151/http://www.wsj.com/articles/SB10001424052970204346104576637431635762382 |archive-date=March 5, 2016 }}</ref> He continues to receive praise from film scholars: critic [[Leonard Maltin]] calls Tracy "one of the 20th century's finest actors",<ref name="maltin">{{cite web|last=Maltin |first=Leonard |url=http://blogs.indiewire.com/leonardmaltin/spencer-tracy-a-biographybook-review |title=Spencer Tracy: A Biography – Book review |work=Leonard Maltin's Movie Crazy |publisher=Indiewire |date=November 9, 2011 |access-date=March 4, 2012 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120403043259/http://blogs.indiewire.com/leonardmaltin/spencer-tracy-a-biographybook-review |archive-date=April 3, 2012 }}</ref> while film historian [[Jeanine Basinger]] describes his career as a "golden record of movie achievement".<ref name="basinger"/> Charles Matthews, writing for ''[[The Washington Post]]'', argues that "Tracy deserves to be remembered for himself, as a master of acting technique".<ref name="wp"/>

An award for excellence in film acting is bestowed in Tracy's name at the [[University of California, Los Angeles]]. Past recipients of the UCLA Spencer Tracy Award include [[Kirk Douglas]], [[Michael Douglas]], [[Morgan Freeman]], [[Tom Hanks]], [[Anthony Hopkins]], [[James Stewart]], and [[Denzel Washington]].<ref>{{cite news|title=Morgan gets UCLA's Spencer Tracy Award|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=1891&dat=20060222&id=G8MfAAAAIBAJ&pg=5613,2156931|access-date=February 12, 2012|agency=Associated Press|newspaper=The Gadsden Times|date=February 22, 2006}}</ref>

A 1986 [[PBS]] documentary titled ''The Spencer Tracy Legacy'' was hosted by Hepburn.<ref name=KramerHeeley/><ref name=NYTimes030412>{{cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/movies/movie/75818/The-Spencer-Tracy-Legacy/overview |title=The Spencer Tracy Legacy (1986) |access-date=March 4, 2012 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160307001959/http://www.nytimes.com/movies/movie/75818/The-Spencer-Tracy-Legacy/overview |department=Movies & TV Dept. |work=[[The New York Times]] |date=2016 |archive-date=March 7, 2016 }}</ref> It includes clips from Tracy's films, and behind-the-scenes archival footage and home movies of Tracy's private life and career, as well as newly filmed interviews with many of his former co-stars,<ref name=NYTimes030412/> and with his daughter Susie Tracy.<ref name=KramerHeeley>Kramer and Heeley (2015).</ref> In 2009, Tracy provided inspiration for the character Carl in [[Pixar]]'s Oscar-winning film ''[[Up (2009 film)|Up]]''. Director [[Pete Docter]] explained that there is "something sweet about these grumpy old guys".<ref name=exclaim>{{cite news|author=James Keast |title=Pixar Reveals Early Look At Up |work=[[Exclaim!]] |date=February 6, 2009 |url=http://exclaim.ca/music/article/pixar_reveals_early_look_at_up |access-date=October 16, 2011 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150717095535/http://exclaim.ca/Music/article/pixar_reveals_early_look_at_up |archive-date=July 17, 2015 }}</ref> In 2014, a film about Tracy's relationship with Katharine Hepburn was announced to be in development.<ref>{{cite news|last1=McNary |first1=Dave |title=Katharine Hepburn-Spencer Tracy Movie in Development |url=https://variety.com/2014/film/news/katherine-hepburn-spencer-tracy-movie-in-development-1201104207/ |access-date=January 25, 2015 |work=Variety |date=February 14, 2014 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140824054233/http://variety.com/2014/film/news/katherine-hepburn-spencer-tracy-movie-in-development-1201104207/ |archive-date=August 24, 2014 }}</ref>

Several of Tracy's films, particularly his comedies, are regarded as classics of American cinema. He starred in four of the titles on the [[American Film Institute]]'s list of "[[AFI's 100 Years...100 Laughs|100 Years&nbsp;... 100 Laughs]]": ''[[Adam's Rib]]'', ''[[It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World]]'', ''[[Father of the Bride (1950 film)|Father of the Bride]]'' and ''[[Woman of the Year]]''.<ref>{{cite web|title=AFI's 100 Years&nbsp;... 100 Laughs |url=http://www.afi.com/100Years/laughs.aspx |publisher=American Film Institute |access-date=October 9, 2011 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151116134020/http://www.afi.com/100Years/laughs.aspx |archive-date=November 16, 2015 }}</ref> ''[[Guess Who's Coming to Dinner]]'' was included on AFI's list of [[AFI's 100 Years...100 Movies|the 100 greatest American movies]],<ref>{{cite web|title=AFI's 100 Years&nbsp;... 100 Movies |url=http://www.afi.com/100years/movies.aspx |publisher=American Film Institute |access-date=October 9, 2011 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160611142910/http://www.afi.com/100Years/movies.aspx |archive-date=June 11, 2016 }}</ref> while ''[[Captains Courageous (1937 film)|Captains Courageous]]'' was featured on their list of [[AFI's 100 Years...100 Cheers|America's most inspiring movies]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.afi.com/100Years/cheers.aspx |title=AFI's 100 Years&nbsp;... 100 CHEERS |publisher=American Film Institute |access-date=February 12, 2012 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120113094133/http://www.afi.com/100Years/cheers.aspx |archive-date=January 13, 2012 }}</ref>

==Awards and nominations==
{{Main|List of awards and nominations received by Spencer Tracy}}

Tracy was nominated for nine [[Academy Awards]] for [[Academy Award for Best Actor|Best Actor]], a category record he holds with [[Laurence Olivier]]. He was the first of nine actors to win the award twice, and is one of two actors to receive it consecutively, the other being [[Tom Hanks]].<ref>{{cite web | url=http://www.filmsite.org/bestactor.html | title=Academy Awards Best Actor | publisher=filmsite | access-date=February 26, 2012 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130104004518/http://www.filmsite.org/bestactor.html | archive-date=January 4, 2013}}</ref> Tracy was also nominated for five [[British Academy Film Award]]s, of which he won two, and four [[Golden Globe]] Awards, winning once. In addition, he received the [[Cannes Film Festival]] award for [[Best Actor Award (Cannes Film Festival)|Best Actor]] and was once named [[National Board of Review Award for Best Actor|Best Actor]] by the [[National Board of Review]].

Tracy was recognized by the [[Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences]] for the following performances:
* 1937: Nomination for ''[[San Francisco (1936 film)|San Francisco]]''
* 1938: Win for ''[[Captains Courageous (1937 film)|Captains Courageous]]''
* 1939: Win for ''[[Boys Town (1938 film)|Boys Town]]''
* 1951: Nomination for ''[[Father of the Bride (1950 film)|Father of the Bride]]''
* 1956: Nomination for ''[[Bad Day at Black Rock]]''
* 1959: Nomination for ''[[The Old Man and the Sea (1958 film)|The Old Man and the Sea]]''
* 1961: Nomination for ''[[Inherit the Wind (1960 film)|Inherit the Wind]]''
* 1962: Nomination for ''[[Judgment at Nuremberg]]''
* 1968: Nomination for ''[[Guess Who's Coming to Dinner]]'' (posthumous nomination)

==Filmography==
{{Main|Spencer Tracy filmography}}

'''Selected filmography:'''
{{Div col}}
* ''[[Up the River]]'' (1930) with [[Humphrey Bogart]]
* ''[[Quick Millions (1931 film)|Quick Millions]]'' (1931)
* ''[[20,000 Years in Sing Sing]]'' (1932) with [[Bette Davis]]
* ''[[The Power and the Glory (1933 film)|The Power and the Glory]]'' (1933) with [[Colleen Moore]]
* ''[[Man's Castle]]'' (1933) with [[Loretta Young]]
* ''[[Whipsaw (film)|Whipsaw]]'' (1935) with [[Myrna Loy]]
* ''[[Fury (1936 film)|Fury]]'' (1936) with [[Sylvia Sidney]]
* ''[[San Francisco (1936 film)|San Francisco]]'' (1936) with [[Clark Gable]]
* ''[[Libeled Lady]]'' (1936) with [[Jean Harlow]]
* ''[[Captains Courageous (1937 film)|Captains Courageous]]'' (1937) with [[Freddie Bartholomew]] and [[Lionel Barrymore]]
* ''[[They Gave Him a Gun]]'' (1937)
* ''[[Mannequin (1937 film)|Mannequin]]'' (1937) with [[Joan Crawford]] and [[Alan Curtis (American actor)|Alan Curtis]]
* ''[[Test Pilot (film)|Test Pilot]]'' (1938) with [[Clark Gable]] and [[Myrna Loy]]
* ''[[Boys Town (film)|Boys Town]]'' (1938) with [[Mickey Rooney]]
* ''[[Boom Town (film)|Boom Town]]'' (1940) with Clark Gable
* ''[[Edison, the Man]] '' (1940) with Gene Lockhart
* ''[[Northwest Passage (film)|Northwest Passage]]'' (1940) with [[Robert Young (actor)|Robert Young]] and [[Walter Brennan]]
* ''[[Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde (1941 film)|Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde]]'' (1941) with [[Ingrid Bergman]]
* ''[[Woman of the Year]]'' (1942) with [[Katharine Hepburn]]
* ''[[Ring of Steel (film)|Ring of Steel]]'' (1942) as narrator
* ''[[Keeper of the Flame (film)|Keeper of the Flame]]'' (1943) with Katharine Hepburn
* ''[[A Guy Named Joe]]'' (1943) with [[Irene Dunne]]
* ''[[The Seventh Cross (film)|The Seventh Cross]]'' (1944) with [[Hume Cronyn]]
* ''[[Thirty Seconds Over Tokyo]]'' (1944) with [[Van Johnson]]
* ''[[Without Love (film)|Without Love]]'' (1945) with Katharine Hepburn
* ''[[The Sea of Grass (film)|Sea of Grass]]'' (1947) with Katharine Hepburn
* ''[[State of the Union (film)|State of the Union]]'' (1948) with Katharine Hepburn
* ''[[Adam's Rib]]'' (1949) with Katharine Hepburn
* ''[[Malaya (film)|Malaya]]'' (1949) with James Stewart
* ''[[Father of the Bride (1950 film)|Father of the Bride]]'' (1950) with [[Elizabeth Taylor]]
* ''[[Father's Little Dividend]]'' (1951) with [[Joan Bennett]]
* ''[[Plymouth Adventure]]'' (1952) with [[Gene Tierney]]
* ''[[Pat and Mike]]'' (1952) with Katharine Hepburn
* ''[[The Actress]]'' (1953) with [[Jean Simmons]]
* ''[[Broken Lance]]'' (1954) with [[Richard Widmark]]
* ''[[Bad Day at Black Rock]]'' (1955) with [[Robert Ryan]]
* ''[[The Mountain (1956 film)|The Mountain]]'' (1956) with [[Robert Wagner]]
* ''[[Desk Set]]'' (1957) with Katharine Hepburn
* ''[[The Old Man and the Sea (1958 film)|The Old Man and the Sea]]'' (1958)
* ''[[The Last Hurrah (1958 film)|The Last Hurrah]]'' (1958) with [[Jeffrey Hunter]]
* ''[[Inherit the Wind (1960 film)|Inherit the Wind]]'' (1960) with [[Fredric March]]
* ''[[The Devil at 4 O'Clock]]'' (1961) with [[Frank Sinatra]], [[Kerwin Mathews]]
* ''[[Judgment at Nuremberg]]'' (1961) with [[Burt Lancaster]]
* ''[[It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World]]'' (1963) with [[Jonathan Winters]], [[Milton Berle]], [[Mickey Rooney]], [[Sid Caesar]], [[Ethel Merman]]
* ''[[Guess Who's Coming to Dinner]]'' (1967) with Katharine Hepburn
{{div col end}}

==References==
{{reflist|30em}}

==Sources==
* {{cite book|last=Bacall|first=Lauren|title=By Myself and Then Some|year=2005|publisher=It Books|isbn=0-06-075535-0|author-link=Lauren Bacall|url=https://archive.org/details/bymyselfthensome00baca}}
* {{Cite book|author=Berg, Scott A.|title=Kate Remembered: Katharine Hepburn, a Personal Biography|publisher=Pocket|year=2004|isbn=0-7434-1563-9|author-link=A. Scott Berg|url=https://archive.org/details/katerememberedka00berg}}
* {{Cite book|last=Curtis|first=James|title=Spencer Tracy: A Biography|publisher=Hutchinson|location=London|year=2011|isbn=978-0-09-178524-6|author-link=James Curtis (biographer)}}
* {{cite book|last=Deschner|first=Donald|title=The Films of Spencer Tracy|year=1972|publisher=The Citadel Press|location=Secaucus, New Jersey|isbn=0-8065-0272-X|url=https://archive.org/details/filmsofspencertr00desc}}
* {{Cite book |last=Hepburn |first=Katharine |title=Me: Stories of My Life |publisher=Alfred A. Knopf |year=1991 |isbn=0-679-40051-6 |author-link=Katharine Hepburn |url-access=registration |url=https://archive.org/details/mestoriesofmylifhepb00hepb }}
* {{Cite book|last=Higham|first=Charles|title=Kate: The Life of Katharine Hepburn|publisher=W. W. Norton |location=New York City, NY|year=2004|orig-year=1975|author-link=Charles Higham (biographer)|isbn=0-393-32598-9}}
* {{cite book |last=Kanin | first=Garson | title=Tracy and Hepburn: An Intimate Memoir |url=https://archive.org/details/tracyhepburninti00kani |url-access=registration | location=New York | publisher=Viking | year=1971 | isbn=0-670-72293-6|author-link=Garson Kanin}}
* {{cite book |last1=Kramer | first1=Joan |last2=Heeley |first2=David |title=In the Company of Legends | location=New York | publisher=Beaufort Books | year=2015 | isbn=978-0-825-30742-3}}
* {{cite book |last=Swindell| first=Larry| title=Spencer Tracy| location=London| publisher=Coronet Books| year=1973|orig-year= 1969| isbn=0-340-16951-6}}

==Further reading==
* Wise, James (1997). ''Stars in Blue: Movie Actors in America's Sea Services''. Annapolis, MD: Naval Institute Press. {{ISBN|1-55750-937-9}}

==External links==
{{Commons category}}
{{Wikiquote}}
* {{IBDB name}}
* {{IMDb name|75|Spencer Tracy}}
* {{Tcmdb name}}
* [https://www.tcm.com/this-month/article/31570 Profile] at [[Turner Classic Movies]]
* [http://www.traceyclann.com/files/Spencer%20Tracy.htm Genealogical Profile] at [http://www.traceyclann.com/ TraceyClann]
* Chang, David A. [https://content.wisconsinhistory.org/digital/collection/wmh/id/43599 "Spencer Tracy's Boyhood: Truth, Fiction, and Hollywood Dreams"], ''Wisconsin Magazine of History'', vol. 84, no. 1 (Autumn 2000)

{{Navboxes
|title = [[List of awards and nominations received by Spencer Tracy|Awards for Spencer Tracy]]
|list =
{{AcademyAwardBestActor 1928–1940}}
{{BAFTA Award for Best Actor 1960–1979}}
{{Prix d'interprétation masculine 1946–1959}}
{{David di Donatello for Best Foreign Actor}}
{{GoldenGlobeBestActorMotionPictureDrama 1943–1960}}
{{National Board of Review Award for Best Actor}}
}}
{{Tracy Hepburn films}}
{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Tracy, Spencer}}
[[Category:1900 births]]
[[Category:1967 deaths]]
[[Category:20th-century American male actors]]
[[Category:Male actors from Milwaukee]]
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[[Category:American people of Irish descent]]
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[[Category:Best Actor BAFTA Award winners]]
[[Category:Best Actor Academy Award winners]]
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[[Category:Cannes Film Festival Award for Best Actor winners]]
[[Category:Burials at Forest Lawn Memorial Park (Glendale)]]
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[[Category:Catholics from New York (state)]]
[[Category:Marquette University High School alumni]]
[[Category:Members of The Lambs Club]]
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