Claim: Katharine Hepburn is a professional actress.

The Philadelphia Story is a 1939 American comic play by Philip Barry . It tells the story of a socialite whose wedding plans are complicated by the simultaneous arrival of her ex-husband and an attractive journalist . Written as a vehicle for Katharine Hepburn , its success marked a reversal of fortunes for the actress , who was one of the film stars deemed `` box office poison '' in 1938 .