Grace Kelly

Birthday: 12 November 1929, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA

Birth Name: Grace Patricia Kelly

Height: 169 cm

Grace Patricia Kelly was born on November 12, 1929 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, to wealthy parents. She was the daughter of Margaret Katherine (Majer), a physical education instructor, and John Brendan Kelly, Sr., a three-time Olympic Gold winner for rowing. Her uncle was playwright George Kelly. She was of half Irish and half German descent. Her girlhood was uneventful for the most part, but one of the things she desired was to become an actress which she had decided on at an early age. After her high school graduation in 1947, Grace struck out on her own, heading to New York's bright lights to try her luck there. Grace worked as a model and made her debut on Broadway in 1949. She also made a brief foray into the infant medium of television.Not content with the work in New York, Grace moved to Southern California for the more prestigious part of acting -- motion pictures. In 1951, she appeared in her first film entitled Fourteen Hours (1951) when she was age 22. This was a small role, but a start nonetheless. The following year, she landed the role of Amy Kane in High Noon (1952), a Western starring Gary Cooper and Lloyd Bridges which turned out to be very popular. In 1953, Grace appeared in only one film, but this was another popular one. The film was Mogambo (1953) where Grace played Linda Nordley. The film was a jungle drama in which fellow cast members, Clark Gable and Ava Gardner turned in masterful performances. This was also one of the best films ever released by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer. Although she got noticed with High Noon, her work with director Alfred Hitchcock, which began with Dial M for Murder (1954) made her a star. Her standout performance in Rear Window (1954) brought her to prominence. As Lisa Fremont, she was cast opposite James Stewart, who played a photographer who witnesses a murder in an apartment across the courtyard while convalescing in a wheelchair. Grace stayed busy in 1954 appearing in five films. Grace would forever be immortalized by winning the Academy Award for Best Actress for her portrayal of Georgie Elgin opposite Bing Crosby in The Country Girl (1954). In 1955, Grace once again teamed with Hitchcock in To Catch a Thief (1955) co-starring Cary Grant. In 1956, she played Tracy Lord in the musical comedy High Society (1956) which also starred Frank Sinatra and Bing Crosby. The whimsical tale ended with her re-marrying her former husband, played by Crosby. The film was well received and also turned out to be her final acting performance.In the summer of 1954, Kelly and Cary Grant were on the French Riviera, working on To Catch a Thief. It was probably the scene after Grace speeds along the Moyen Corniche to quickly get to the "picnic grounds", and away from a tailing police car, that she had time to look at the Mediterranean and the countryside along the coast. "Whose gardens are those?" she asked screenwriter John Michael Hayes. "Prince Grimaldi's". She would not meet the prince until the following year. In New York in March 1955, she received a call from Rupert Allan, Look magazine's west coast editor, who had become a friend since writing three cover stories on her. The French government wanted her to attend the Cannes Film Festival that May. She had some good reasons to go. One: The Country Girl (1954) would be shown at the festival. Two: she had really loved working on the Riviera the summer before. She met Prince Rainier of Monaco during the Cannes festival. He needed a wife, because with no heir to the throne, Monaco would again be part of France, after his death, all its citizens would have to pay French taxes. And Kelly thought it was time for her to select a husband, one who would finally meet with her parents' approval.Her biographers show that the life of a princess was not exactly living happily ever after. Old friends from Philadelphia as well as people she had known in Hollywood reported how glad she was to talk about her life in America and to be speaking English. And then on a cliff road she had known so well since her first visit to the Riviera, there was the fatal crash. The spot is often said to be the same spot where the picnic scene from To Catch a Thief was filmed in 1954. However, Kelly's own son, Prince Albert of Monaco, has categorically denied this on Larry King Live and elsewhere; according to him, the accident did not even happen on the same road, let alone at the same spot.For the rest of her life, she was to remain in the news with her marriage and her three children. On September 14, 1982, Grace Kelly died at age 52 in an automobile accident in her adoptive home country Monaco. Show less «

My real difficulty was to become a normal person again, after having been a movie actress for so lon...Show more »

My real difficulty was to become a normal person again, after having been a movie actress for so long. For me, at the time I was living in New York and Hollywood, a normal person was someone who made movies. Show less «

The studios are tenacious. When they want someone or something, they always get it in the end. I end...Show more »

The studios are tenacious. When they want someone or something, they always get it in the end. I ended up signing a contract with MGM. I signed because they offered me the chance of shooting in Africa, but I signed it at the desk of the airport, when the engines of the plane were already turning. Show less «

Although, I've played a wide variety of roles, I've never had the chance to act in a story written s...Show more »

Although, I've played a wide variety of roles, I've never had the chance to act in a story written specially for me. It's a pity as they are the only stories that really let you reveal your personality. Show less «

Before my marriage, I didn't think about all the obligations there were awaiting me. My experience h...Show more »

Before my marriage, I didn't think about all the obligations there were awaiting me. My experience has proved useful and I think that I have a natural propensity to feel compassion for people and their problems. Show less «

Mogambo (1953) had three things that interested me. John Ford, Clark Gable, and a trip to Africa wit...Show more »

Mogambo (1953) had three things that interested me. John Ford, Clark Gable, and a trip to Africa with expenses paid. If Mogambo had been made in Arizona, I wouldn't have done it. Show less «

I hated Hollywood. It's a town without pity. I know of no other place in the world where so many peo...Show more »

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. Show less «

At times, I think I actually hate Hollywood. I have many acquaintances there, but few friends.

It would be very sad if children had no memories before those of school. What they need most is the ...Show more »

It would be very sad if children had no memories before those of school. What they need most is the love and attention of their mother. Show less «

My love of flowers opened a lot of doors for me. I've made many friends because of their passion of ...Show more »

My love of flowers opened a lot of doors for me. I've made many friends because of their passion of flowers and their vast knowledge in this field. Show less «

[on Gary Cooper] He's the one who taught me to relax during a scene and let the camera do some of th...Show more »

[on Gary Cooper] He's the one who taught me to relax during a scene and let the camera do some of the work. On the stage you have to emote not only for the front rows, but for the balcony too, and I'm afraid I overdid it. He taught me the camera is always in front row, and how to take it easy... Show less «

Of course, I think about marriage, but my career is still the most important thing for me. If I inte...Show more »

Of course, I think about marriage, but my career is still the most important thing for me. If I interrupt it now to get married, because I don't believe in a part-time family life, I would risk passing the rest of my existence wondering whether or not I would have been able to become a great actress. Show less «

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

When Ava Gardner gets in a taxi, the driver knows at once she's Ava Gardner. It's the same for Lana ...Show more »

When Ava Gardner gets in a taxi, the driver knows at once she's Ava Gardner. It's the same for Lana Turner or Elizabeth Taylor, but not for me. I'm never Grace Kelly. I'm always someone who looks like Grace Kelly. Show less «

I've always treated my children as beings in their own right. I respect their feelings and aspiratio...Show more »

I've always treated my children as beings in their own right. I respect their feelings and aspirations entirely. Show less «

Mr. Hitchcock taught me everything about cinema. It was thanks to him that I understood that murder ...Show more »

Mr. Hitchcock taught me everything about cinema. It was thanks to him that I understood that murder scenes should be shot like love scenes and love scenes like murder scenes. Show less «

I avoid looking back. I prefer good memories to regrets.

My father had a very simple view of life: you don't get anything for nothing. Everything has to be e...Show more »

My father had a very simple view of life: you don't get anything for nothing. Everything has to be earned, through work, persistence and honesty. My father also had a deep charm, the gift of winning our trust. He was the kind of man with whom many people dream of spending an evening. Show less «

My parents, despite their serious attitude toward life in general, and that of their children in par...Show more »

My parents, despite their serious attitude toward life in general, and that of their children in particular, were very broadminded people. There was no such thing as a bad profession for them. As I was their daughter, they knew that, whatever profession I chose, I would do it well. That was enough for them. There was always trust among the Kellys. Show less «

When I married Prince Rainier, I married the man and not what he represented or what he was. I fell ...Show more »

When I married Prince Rainier, I married the man and not what he represented or what he was. I fell in love with him without giving a thought to anything else. Show less «

I'm basically a feminist. I think that women can do anything they decide to do.

Fairy tales tell imaginary stories. Me, I'm a living person. I exist. If the story of my life as a r...Show more »

Fairy tales tell imaginary stories. Me, I'm a living person. I exist. If the story of my life as a real woman were to be told one day, people would at last discover the real being that I am. Show less «

I would like to say to my future fellow citizens that the Prince, my fiance, has taught me to love t...Show more »

I would like to say to my future fellow citizens that the Prince, my fiance, has taught me to love them. I already know a lot about them from the way he has described them to me, and my dearest desire today is to find a little place in their hearts. Show less «

I would like to be remembered as someone who accomplished useful deeds, and who was a kind and lovin...Show more »

I would like to be remembered as someone who accomplished useful deeds, and who was a kind and loving person. I would like to leave the memory of a human being with a correct attitude and who did her best to help others. Show less «

I'll tell you one of the reasons I'm ready to leave. When I first came to Hollywood five years ago, ...Show more »

I'll tell you one of the reasons I'm ready to leave. When I first came to Hollywood five years ago, my makeup call was at eight in the morning. On this movie, it's been put back to seven-thirty. Every day, I see Joan Crawford, who's been in makeup since five, and Loretta Young, who's been there since four in the morning. I'll be goddamned if I'm going to stay in a business where I have to get up earlier and earlier and it takes longer and longer for me to get in front of a camera. Show less «

I came to success very quickly. Perhaps too quickly to value its importance.

If there is one thing that is foreign to me it is shopping for pleasure. On the other hand, I believ...Show more »

If there is one thing that is foreign to me it is shopping for pleasure. On the other hand, I believe that it is right to honour all those who create beautiful things and give satisfaction to those who see me wearing them. Show less «

Grace Kelly

Grace Kelly's FILMOGRAPHY

Grace Kelly'S roles

Feedback about this page?