Matinee Monday: Grace Kelly

1929-1982


Grace Patricia Kelly was born November 12, 1929 in Philadelphia Pennsylvania. She had the desire from a very young age to be an actress someday. After graduating high school, Grace moved to New York where she began to model. She made her debut on broad way soon after and did a little TV work. Grace wanted to pursue acting more in motion pictures so she picked up and moved to Southern California. In 1951 at the age of 22 she starred in her first movie Fourteen Hours. She followed that up the next year in High Noon with Gary Cooper and Lloyd Bridges. In 1954 she played Lisa Fremont in Alfred Hitchcock’s thriller Rear Window, where she played opposite James Stewart a wheel chair bound photographer who witness’s a murder across the way in his apartment building. In 1954 she won an Academy Award for the movie Country Girl with actor Bing Crosby. And in 1955 she teamed up once again with Hitchcock in To Catch a Thief with Cary Grant, and in 1956 High Society with Frank Sinatra and Bing Crosby. During 1954’s Cannes Film Festival Grace met a handsome man Prince Rainier of Monaco. And on April 18th 1956 they were married in an elaborate ceremony.After settling into her new life as a Princess, Grace gave birth in 1957 to their first child, Caroline. A little over a year later they announced the birth of their first and only son, Albert.After their wedding, Prince Rainier banned Grace’s films from showing in Monaco. In 1962, Grace was interested in starring again in Hitchcock’s Marnie, but her husband was against this. The people of Monaco shared his opinion because they didn’t want their Princess playing a thief and a scandalous character. Soon after in 1965, Grace gave birth to their third child, daughter Stephanie.In 1977 Grace was offered another movie role, but again was told no by her husband. Later that year she returned on stage to do poetry readings. She was involved deeply with many causes and eventually the Princess Grace Foundation was formed to support local artisans. In 1981, the Prince and Princess celebrated their 25th wedding anniversary.On September 13, 1982 while on a drive with her daughter Stephanie, Grace suffered a stroke which caused their car to drive down the steep mountainside. She was pulled from the car alive, but died the next day due to trauma caused by the accident. Stephanie was injured as well and there was speculation that she was even driving the car that killed her mother. Those rumors still exist today.

Grace was buried on September 18, 1982 in a family vault. She is interred at the Cathedral of St Nicolas, Monaco.

During her eulogy, James Stewart said this of Grace, “You know, I just love Grace Kelly. Not because she was a princess, not because she was an actress, not because she was my friend, but because she was just about the nicest lady I ever met. Grace brought into my life as she brought into yours, a soft, warm light every time I saw her, and every time I saw her was a holiday of its own. No question, I'll miss her, we'll all miss her, God bless you, Princess Grace.”

Prince Rainier never remarried after her death and was buried next to her following his death in 2005.







FAMOUS QUOTES:

“I hated Hollywood. It’s a town without pity. I know of no other place in the world where so many people suffer from nervous breakdowns, where there are so many alcoholics, neurotics, and so much unhappiness.”

“Hollywood amuses me. Holier-than-thou for the public and unholier-than-the-devil in reality.”

OTHER NOTED MOVIE ROLES

Dial M for Murder 1953

Mogambo 1953

The Bridges at Toko-Ri 1954

The Swan 1956

I really enjoyed Grace Kelly. My favorite movie with her is Rear Window with James Stewart. Her favorites actors were Ingrid Bergman and Joseph Cotten. Her favorite singer was Jo Stafford. Grace Kelly was beautiful. She was down to earth, graceful and a true lady. Even though she starred in some TV roles and brief movies, she will forever be known as Princess Grace. She was taken way too soon, but her legacy will always live on.