Grace Kelly
“Cool, luminous elegance that carried her from Hollywood stardom to a literal throne.”
In 1954, Grace Kelly shed her glamorous image to play the weary, deglamorized wife of an alcoholic in 'The Country Girl,' winning the Academy Award for Best Actress over Judy Garland. Two years later, in 1956, she left Hollywood entirely to marry Prince Rainier III and become Princess of Monaco.
Philadelphia Roots
Born into a wealthy, athletic Irish-Catholic family, Grace was the daughter of an Olympic rowing champion. Against her father's wishes she pursued acting, studying at New York's American Academy of Dramatic Arts and modeling to pay tuition.
Hitchcock's Muse
Alfred Hitchcock cast her in three films, prizing her cool, refined beauty and the warmth he sensed beneath it. 'Dial M for Murder,' 'Rear Window,' and 'To Catch a Thief' cemented her as the definitive Hitchcock blonde.
Princess of Monaco
After winning her Oscar she met Prince Rainier III and married him in 1956, trading stardom for royal life. She devoted herself to charity and the arts until her death in a 1982 car accident.
Career Timeline
- 1929Born Grace Patricia Kelly in Philadelphia
- 1949Graduates American Academy of Dramatic Arts, New York
- 1951Film debut in 'Fourteen Hours'
- 1952Co-stars with Gary Cooper in 'High Noon'
- 1953Oscar nomination for 'Mogambo'
- 1954Three Hitchcock collaborations begin with 'Dial M'
- 1955Wins Best Actress Oscar for 'The Country Girl'
- 1955Meets Prince Rainier III at Cannes Festival
- 1956Marries Rainier; becomes Princess of Monaco
- 1956Final film 'High Society' released
- 1982Dies after car crash near Monte Carlo
Biggest Hits
- She made just eleven films before retiring at age 26 to marry into royalty.
- Her wedding to Prince Rainier was watched by an estimated 30 million television viewers.
The Moment You Remember
Her first appearance in Rear Window, leaning in for a slow-motion kiss as James Stewart dozes, distilled her particular magic, an image of luminous, unhurried elegance that defined her stardom.
Portrait: Sterling Publications (publicity photo) · Public domain · via Wikimedia Commons