Grace Kelly
Grace Patricia Kelly was an American actress who gained fame in the 1950s for her captivating performances in classic films. Born in Philadelphia, she pursued her acting aspirations after high school, starting in New York City before moving to Hollywood. Kelly starred in notable movies like "High Noon," "Rear Window," and "To Catch a Thief," earning an Academy Award for her role in "The Country Girl." Her work with director Alfred Hitchcock solidified her status as a Hollywood icon.
In 1956, Kelly's life took a dramatic turn when she married Prince Rainier III of Monaco, becoming Princess Grace. She stepped away from acting to focus on her royal duties and philanthropy, including support for the arts and humanitarian efforts as the president of the Red Cross of Monaco. Tragically, Princess Grace died in a car accident in 1982, following a stroke while driving. She is remembered not only for her beauty and talent but also for her commitment to her family and community.
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Subject Terms
Grace Kelly
- Born: November 12, 1929
- Birthplace: Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
- Died: September 14, 1982
- Place of death: Monte Carlo, Monaco
Identification American film actor who became the princess of Monaco
Hollywood films catapulted Grace Kelly to stardom and served as a prelude to her role as the princess of Monaco. Her union with Prince Rainier III produced an heir to the throne and thus ensured the continuance of an independent principality.
Grace Patricia Kelly was born the third of four children to John and Margaret Kelly. Her father built the family fortune as a bricklayer and rose to prominence in Philadelphia’s social circles. Grace Kelly had an early desire to be an actor, and after graduating from high school in 1947, she followed her acting dreams to New York City. She worked briefly as a model, graduated from the American Academy of Dramatic Arts, and did a short stint in television before moving to California to pursue a film career.
Kelly’s first film role, in Fourteen Hours (1951), was followed by a larger role as Amy Kane in High Noon (1952), where she shared the screen with Gary Cooper and Lloyd Bridges. Kelly appeared with Clark Gable and Ava Gardner in the 1953 African drama Mogambo. She rose to greater prominence with her role opposite James Stewart in Alfred Hitchcock’s thriller Rear Window (1954). She did a second Hitchcock film, Dial M for Murder (1954), opposite Ray Milland, and her next film, The Country Girl (1954), earned her a best-actress Oscar. She starred in two more films in 1954, Green Fire and The Bridges at Toko-Ri. She costarred with Cary Grant in Hitchcock’s To Catch a Thief (1955), and in 1956 she filmed The Swan as well as High Society, the last of her Hollywood films. Kelly’s work with Hitchcock assured her a place among the legends of Hollywood. Hitchcock tried repeatedly and unsuccessfully to duplicate the Kelly persona in other women actors.
In 1955, Kelly traveled to France for the Cannes Film Festival and the showing of The Country Girl. It was at the film festival that she met Prince Rainier of Monaco, her future husband. Grace and her family sailed to Monaco for the wedding on board the USS Constitution. “The Wedding of the Century” was held on April 18, 1956, at the Cathedral of Saint Nicholas in Monte Carlo. Because Kelly had broken her contract with the studio, the couple allowed a film of their wedding to be released as a movie in the United States.
Kelly’s marriage to Rainier produced three children: Princess Caroline (b. 1957), Prince Albert (b. 1958), and Princess Stephanie (b. 1965). Princess Grace relinquished her acting career, although she later aided in the production of at least two films. She also served as the president of the Red Cross of Monaco, supported the arts, championed breastfeeding, and raised funds for developing countries.
Impact
Beauty, elegance, and sensuality were Grace Kelly’s trademarks on the screen. As Princess Grace, she is remembered as a beloved wife and mother, philanthropist, and goodwill ambassador. On September 13, 1982, Princess Grace and her daughter, Stephanie, were involved in a car crash on a mountain road above Monaco, the same stretch of roadway featured in the film To Catch a Thief. Princess Grace apparently suffered a stroke while driving. She died of her injuries the following day, while Stephanie was badly injured but survived. The princess’s funeral was held at the Cathedral of Saint Nicholas, where her body was interred.
Bibliography
Curtis, Jenny, and Francine Hornberger, eds. Grace Kelly: A Life in Pictures. New York: Barnes and Noble Books, 1998. Chronicles Kelly’s life from childhood until her death with more than 120 photographs.
Englund, Steven. Grace of Monaco. New York: Doubleday, 1984. A biography highlighting her contributions to the principality.
Wayne, Jane Ellen, et al. The Golden Girls of MGM: Greta Garbo, Joan Crawford, Lana Turner, Judy Garland, Ava Gardner, Grace Kelly, and Others. New York: Avalon, 2004. Explores Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer’s female stars of Hollywood’s golden age by using photographs and essays that detail the stars’ filmographies.