FANS REACT TO PASSING OF HOLLYWOOD ROYALTY.

Byline: Susan Abram Staff Writer

HOLLYWOOD - At first, no one knew.

No one on the Hollywood Walk of Fame knew early Sunday afternoon that Katharine Hepburn had died.

But then, Mikey Tyler, 43, a Hollywood native familiar with local rituals, placed some handpicked flowers and a green lantern candle on her star, on Hollywood Boulevard just off of Vine Street.

He had been first to place flowers for the late Gregory Peck a few weeks back, and for Anthony Quinn, too, stealing a few plants from the garden of a nearby record company and candles from the bar he tended. Now he was honoring the beloved Hepburn.

It just seemed disrespectful, he said, for everyone to walk the star-studded strip without acknowledging that another actor from Hollywood's Golden era had passed.

``She's a celebrity, a legend,'' he said. ``This is Hollywood, and this is what we do.''

His gesture came in time for those leaving the matinee performance of ``The Producers'' playing at the Pantages Theatre across the street.

Then reactions came from passers-by: quiet pauses, hands to mouths that opened in shock, then sadness and one-word descriptions for a woman who deserved many - ``legend,'' ``glamour,'' ``independent'' and ``class.''

But, they asked, how could one word capture the life of a legendary star?

``To me, and I'm sure to many American women, she was independent and a role model,'' said Shirley Smith, 56, of Santa Monica, placing her hand on Hepburn's star. ``She came from that era of strong women, like Lucille Ball. We're not seeing anyone like her these days.''

Tourists, some too young to know Hepburn's work, paused as well, remembering that a mom or a grandmother was a fan.

Cristina Villota, who was visiting from Colombia with her family, said the world had witnessed a tremendous loss.

Others said they found it a little eerie to be on Hollywood Boulevard on the same day that a famous person had died.

``It's kind of spooky,'' said Kiran Mal of England, snapping a quick picture.

Helen Minor, 48, was visiting from Cleveland with her family. She had almost passed Hepburn's star before realizing the news.

Suddenly, scenes from favorite Hepburn classics began to unreel in her mind: Hepburn and Henry Fonda in ``On Golden Pond,'' Hepburn and Spencer Tracy in ``Adam's Rib,'' ``The African Queen'' with Humphrey Bogart.

``I liked her style,'' Minor said. ``She spoke so well. To me, the real talented are dying off. They really did something for Hollywood. They had glamour back in Hollywood then, and she had that natural beauty.''

John Johnson, 25, of Pikeville, Ky., who snapped a photo of Hepburn's star with an instant camera for relatives back home, said he knew from what others said about the actress that someone special had died.

``It's hard for the younger people to appreciate those who started it all,'' Johnson said. ``This is an actress who has paid her dues.''

Susan Abram, [phone]

susan.abram(at)dailynews.com

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