Spencer Tracy Tracy left MGM in 1955, and continued to work regularly as a freelance star, despite an increasing weariness as he aged. His personal life was troubled, with a lifelong struggle against severe alcoholism and guilt over his son's deafness. Tracy became estranged from his wife in the 1930s, but never divorced, conducting a long-term relationship with Katharine Hepburn in private. Towards the end of his life, Tracy worked almost exclusively for director Stanley Kramer. It was for Kramer that he made his last film, "Guess Who's Coming to Dinner" in 1967, completed just 17 days before his death. During his
Spencer Tracy Technicolor—proved popular. 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. "Boom Town" was the third and final Gable-Tracy picture, also featuring Claudette Colbert and Hedy Lamarr, making it one of the most anticipated films of the year. The film opened to the biggest crowd since "Gone With the Wind". Tracy signed a new contract with MGM in April 1941, which paid $5,000 a week and limited him to three pictures a