Grace Kelly

Lore & Background

Grace Kelly was born into a prominent Catholic family in Philadelphia. Her father, John B. Kelly Sr., won three Olympic gold medals for sculling and owned a successful brickwork contracting company. Her mother, Margaret Majer, taught physical education at the University of Pennsylvania. Kelly graduated from the American Academy of Dramatic Arts in 1949 and began appearing in New York City theatrical productions and television broadcasts. She made her film debut in Fourteen Hours (1951) and gained stardom from her roles in High Noon (1952) and Mogambo (1953), the latter earning her an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress nomination. She won the Academy Award for Best Actress for The Country Girl (1954). Other notable works include The Bridges at Toko-Ri (1954), High Society (1956), and three Alfred Hitchcock suspense thrillers: Dial M for Murder (1954), Rear Window (1954), and To Catch a Thief (1955).

Kelly retired from acting at age 26 to marry Prince Rainier III. They had three children: Princess Caroline, Prince Albert, and Princess Stéphanie. Her charity work focused on children and the arts. In 1964, she established the Princess Grace Foundation to support local artisans. Her organization for children's rights, AMADE Mondiale, gained consultive status within UNICEF and UNESCO. Her final film role was narrating The Children of Theatre Street (1977), which was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Documentary Feature. She died at age 52 from injuries sustained in a car crash.

Reader's Guide

Grace Kelly's significance lies in her dual legacy as a celebrated Hollywood actress and a modern princess. Her film career, though brief, produced iconic performances in classics such as Rear Window and The Country Girl, for which she won the Academy Award for Best Actress. Her marriage to Prince Rainier III transformed her into a global figure of elegance and philanthropy. As Princess of Monaco, she established the Princess Grace Foundation and AMADE Mondiale, focusing on children and the arts. Her death in a car crash at age 52 cut short a life of public service. The Princess Grace Awards, established by her son Prince Albert in 1984, continue to recognize emerging performers in film, theatre, and dance. Her ranking 13th on the American Film Institute's 25 Greatest Female Stars list underscores her enduring impact on cinema.

Did You Know?

• Grace Kelly was born into a family with German noble ancestry, including descent from the Schenk von Stauffenberg family.
• She was rejected by Bennington College in July 1947 due to low mathematics scores.
• Her father, John B. Kelly Sr., won three Olympic gold medals for sculling and ran for mayor of Philadelphia in 1935.
• Her final film role was narrating The Children of Theatre Street (1977), which was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Documentary Feature.

Notable Quotes (Wikiquote)

"Kelly (1954) attributed to her in: Charlotte Chandler (2005) It's Only a Movie: Alfred Hitchcock: A Personal Biography. p. 212 : Kelly had mentioned this to Hitchcock during the preparations of the movie Rear Window." — Grace Kelly "I certainly don't think of my life as a fairy tale." — Grace Kelly "For a woman, forty is torture, the end. I think turning forty is miserable." — Grace Kelly "To create harmony in the home is the woman's right and duty." — Grace Kelly