Since appearing on a Larry King tribute to Miss Hepburn the other night, this column has been deluged with stories about the actress who lived 96 years, many in the white heat of public limelight. Nowhere will she be missed more than in the little town founded in the 1600s off Long Island Sound. Kate, more than anyone, represents the Yankee values of New England. She was much loved in this town, shopping locally, endowing playgrounds and giving the community fire trucks.

As I watch the glorious July 4 parade down Main Street today, I'll be evoking the memory of the most famous actress of our time (not my idea, the idea of the American Film Institute that named her the No. 1 Female Star) and I'll be thinking of the Kate I knew in her closing years and adored onscreen and onstage in her younger years. She transcended acting to become a beacon of enlightenment, independence, the values of hard work and being true to oneself.

HERE'S A STORY from producer Martin Poll. "I knew Kate before she made 'The Lion in Winter.' Every morning she played tennis with the pro Harvey Snodgrass at the Beverly Hills Hotel from 7 to 7:30 a.m. I'd book him from 7:30 to 8. I'd always get there early to watch and laugh at her comments when she missed a serve.

"Next to the court was a shower. She'd enter and sing while I played. I was preparing a movie based on Roman Gary's novel 'The Ski Bum' to star Peter O'Toole. Joe Levine was financing.

"I had already personally bought rights to 'The Lion in Winter' and James Goldman was doing the screenplay. He sent me his brilliant work. I called Abe Lastfogel at William Morris; he was Kate's agent as well as mine. Spencer Tracy had died just three days before. I asked Abe to give the screenplay to Kate. He said she was going away to get away from the press. He had no idea if she'd read the screenplay.

"Two days later Abe called. He was amazed. He said Kate wanted to do the movie. Would I call her? I took the number where she was hiding. She answered the phone herself and said, 'My dream has always been to play Eleanor of Aquitaine. Can we make this movie right away as I have a start date for 'The Madwoman of Chaillot?'

"Kate asked me if I'd drop 'The Ski Bum' because she said she might get hit by a bus and never get to play Eleanor. She asked who could portray Henry in the James Goldman movie? I said, 'If you agree, I'll give the screenplay to Peter O'Toole.' Kate said, 'Marvelous!'

"So I sent it. Peter called the next day at 8 a.m. I was shocked; he was not an early riser. We met at 9 a.m. and he said his dream had always been to play Henry II. I had been up all night and was afraid to read the second act fearful I'd be disappointed. I waited until 6 a.m. to finish the screenplay. When I told him I was thinking of Kate Hepburn as Eleanor, he said, 'Don't tease or joke with me!' He went on, saying, 'Kate saw me in the play "The Long, the Short and the Tall" and she was the one who convinced Sam Spiegel to give me the role of Lawrence of Arabia. I owe my life to Kate. I even named my daughter Katharine and spelt it the way she did.'

"I called Kate and got her on the phone with Peter.

"Then, I got Joe Levine and told him 'The Ski Bum' was not ready and the budget would be out of control because of weather. Eventually we made a deal for Joe to finance 'The Lion in Winter' and get it made before Kate's 'The Madwoman of Chaillot.'

"The first rehearsal at the Haymarket Theater, a heavy metal door slammed on Kate's thumb. She refused to go to emergency saying, 'They'll put stitches in, it won't heal on time and I can't wear bandages. My father was a doctor. I'll care for this myself.' It healed without stitches. We filmed at The Bray Studios outside London. She had a house on the ocean and swam in the cold sea, drying her hair at the fireplace. She was always first on the set. She told Peter he best be on time as 'I will always be ready.' Peter, who adored and respected her, rode a bicycle to her house each morning and followed her car to work to ensure they arrived together on time.

"Director Tony Harvey was amazed. During rehearsals he called her 'Miss Hepburn' to which she said only, 'Tony, it's Kate!' In Arles, France, he came down with flu and she doctored him every day. They became friends for life."

AND HERE'S a gem passed on by PR guy Gary Stevens: Another esteemed Katharine, Katharine Cornell, was obsessed with the correct spelling of her first name. If any publication ever used an "e" instead of an "a" her attorney was sure to arrive, demanding an immediate retraction and apology.