Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner
Saturday, 8:30 a.m., TCM
Think your job’s high-pressure? Try acting in your first big movie opposite th💙ree screen legends.
That’s what Katharine Houghton faced when she was cast in the 1967 film “Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner,” which starred Sidney Poitier, Spencer Tracy and her aunt Katharine Hepburn. Houghton, then 22, played aಞ white woman who brings her black boyfriend (Poit🌼ier) home to meet her liberal parents (Tracy and Hepburn), who argue about race relations.
Houghton, 71, was blasé about working with the Oscar-win♈ning trio. “I didn’t realize how terrifying it was,” she said.
In a sad turn, Tracy died on June 10, 1967, six months before the movie’s releaꦑse and just two days before the Supreme Court legalized interracial marriage in the landmark Lovin꧃g v. Virginia case.
Directed by Stanley Kramer, the film was nominated for 10 Academy Awards and won two — Best Actress (Hepburn)ꦍ and Best Writing. Houghton spoke with The Post 𒊎about making the film.
How did you get the role?
Stanley was friends with Carl Reiner, who made “Enter Laughing.” I auditioned for that movie. Kramer said, “I’m having a terrible time casting an unknown girl.” Reiner🦂 said, “Who’s in the film?” Kramer said, “Poitier, Tracy and Hepburn.” Reiner said, “Why don’t you audition her niece?”
Was your aunt influential in the decision?
I’m sure she was. It was a huge thing. I asked 🌌Stanley’s wife and she said initially 🃏they thought of another actress, Samantha Eggar. But Kramer really wanted an unknown because he had three big stars. I guess I was adequate enough.
How was it working with her?
We talked a lot about what the film was really about — the generational difference. Being brought up in a very liberal fam♈ily I didn’t really see what the problem🙈 was. My generation just didn’t see that this was a big deal. So she educated me a lot on how people felt across America.
The trailer introduced the cast as “three Academy Award winners and a bright young newcomer.” Was that daunting for you?
The most pressure I felt was from publicity [dep🔥artment] because they wanted me to do all these interviews before the film came out. And Spencer said, “Don’t you dare do one interview because if you’re awful in the movie, you’ll regret it.”
How was your relationship with Poitier?
It was formal because he w🐼as a lot older than I. I felt in awe of him. I remember asking him once if he would read a script I’d written, and I was terrified. He did. I don’t think he thought very much of it, but he was kind enough to read it.
There was a lot of tiptoeing around and praying for him —༒ if he’s going to wake up tomorrow.
- Katharine Houghton on concerns about Spencer Tracy's health during filming
How did Tracy’s health affect the shoot?
There was a lot of tiptoeing around and praying for him — if he’s going to wake up tomorrow. Stanley ๊and my aunt, their primary task was to get him through. I’d never known [Kꦦatharine] to be so stressed out. It was just terrible on her.
How did Tracy’s passing change your excitement about the premiere?
It was heartbreaking. I couldn’t watch the film. Even though I went to that premiere, I didn’t really look at it. I knew I would s🐷tart crying.
When did you first actually watch the film?
The first time was in Italy because I’d been sent there to pick up an award for Spencer. I went to the microphone and said, “Thank you very much” … and I just started to sob. I couldn’t do it. [Italian actress] Anna Magnani came up and embraced me and said, “Darling, in Italy, tears are much more elegant than words.” Lovely woman and fabulous actress and just a kind, sweet person. I felt so completely idiotic and unprofessional, and she just took all that away.
Talk about his final scene.
When he finished the last monologue — which was done over a period of days because he couldn’t work for more than a couple of hours at a time — he went up to Stanley, put his hand on his shoulder and said, “Well, Stanley, now if I drop dead, you’ve got it.” And he was so pleased, so glad, so relieved. Spencer was just ebullient — brimming over with joy. Stanley was, too. They both wept. — Eric Hegedüs
And here’s what else to watch this week:
Training Day
Thursday, 10 p.m., CBS
Kyle (Justin Cornwell) suspects Frank’s (Bill Paxton) tactics will put a kidnapped girl’s life at even greater risk after a former member of Moammar Khada🍎fy’s🧸 Amazonian Guard becomes involved in the deal and ups the ante for her return.
Legion
Wednesday, 10 p.m., FX
Series premiere. Institutionalized schizophrenic David Haller (Dan Stevens, below right, with Katie Aselton) meets Syd (Rachel Keller), a troubled new patient who helps him cope with the realization that the voices he hea❀rs and the visions he sees may be real. Enter Melanie Bird (Jean Smart), an unconventional therapist who asks her team of specialists to open David’s eyes to an extraordinary new world of possibilities.
This Is Us
Tuesday, 9 p.m., NBC
Toby (Chris Sullivan) messes with Kate’s (Chrissy Metz) diet. Miguel (Jon Huertas) and Shelly (Wynn 💞Everett) make Jack (Milo Ventimiglia) and Rebecca (Mandy Moore) fret about their future.
Scandal
Thursday, 9 p.m., ABC
Cyrus’ (Jeff Perry) fate is sealed in the middle of a crisis affecting the entire nation. Meanwhile, Olivia (Kerry Washington, below) and her team are fiercely determine𝔉d to uncover the truth.
Smokey Robinson: The Library of Congress Gershwin Prize for Popular Song
Friday, 9 p.m., PBS
“I don’t like you / But I love you / Seems that I’m always thinking of you / Oh, you treat me badly / I love you madly / You really got a hold on🦂 me.” Who hasn’t danced — or romanced — to a Smokey Robinson tune? He is the recipient of the Gershwin Prize for Popular Song. Smokey will be there, along with CeeLo Green, Corinne Bailey Rae and Esperanza Spalding.
Victoria
Sunday, 9 p.m., PBS
The Tory parliament bristles at the idea🔴 of German consort Prince Albert (Tom Hughes, below left) marrying Victoria (Jenna Coleman, below right). Though unable to give him a title such as duke or king, Victoria makes Albert a Knight of the Garter and they marry after all.
24: Legacy
Sunday, 10:30 p.m., Monday, 8 p.m., Fox
Series premiere. This reboot of the Fox series finds a new hero, US Army Sergeant Eric Carter (Corey Hawkins), fighting an old enemy: Middle Eastern terrorists. Someone attempts to take Carter out following his return from a mission aimed at eliminating a vile terrorist leader. He tasks Rebecca Ingram (Miranda Otto), the former national director of the counterterrorism unit, with the job of uncovering a network of baddies out to get America. Oh. My. God.