Grace Kelly.

things may have seemed to come easily for Grace Kelly and that's just what she wanted the world to see but being an actress and princess did not shield her from experiencing problems and broken dreams her life may have been harder than any of us realized but she had the winning combinations of strength and sensitivity dignity and warmth which helped her to conquer many challenges coming up an intimate portrait of one of the most universally loved leading ladies who fulfilled our favorite fairy tale Grace Kelly East Falls is a modest former mill town on the banks of the Schuylkill River just outside Philadelphia but up the hill at 3 9:01 Henry Avenue is an impressive brick home built in the early 1920s in one of the most desirable neighborhoods in town it was home to the builder himself Johnny B Kelly his wife and their four children born on November 12 1929 grace was the third of those four children Peggy was the eldest her brother Jack Jr was next and lizanne was the baby of the family born four years after grace in 1935 the charismatic John B Kelly ran for mayor of Philadelphia on the Democratic ticket he lost by a small margin but came in closer than any Democrat had done before he was aggressive and competitive and he tried to instill these values in his son and daughters Grace's father was one of 10 children born to strict Irish Catholic immigrants he began as a bricklayer but soon started his own contracting firm Kelly for brickwork and managed to build the business into the largest brick firm on the East Coast he quickly amassed a small fortune but he was a local celebrity before that and the city remembers him today by age 29 Kelly was a champion scholar and won the gold medal in the 1920 Olympics Grace's mother Margaret major Kelly was also a woman of great achievement when it was still considered unusual for a woman to attend college she graduated from Temple University in physical education and eventually became the first female to head the women's physical education department at the University of Pennsylvania grace spent her early years at the very proper Catholic school Ravenhill Academy it was at this young age that she was first thrust into the public eye together with her mother and sisters she frequently modeled fashions at local high society fundraising events the Kelly clan were devout Catholics attending church regularly at st. Bridget's in Philadelphia despite their hard earned wealth it could not gain them entrance into mainline society but social appearances were very important to the proud Kelly's in 1939 at the wedding of their cousin Grace and her elder sister Peggy were flower girls grace is dressed in pale blue and it's apparent that even at age 10 grace knew how to play to a camera four years later the sweet looking flower girl would blossom into a popular addition at Stevens high school Grace's demeanor was for the most part very proper but like most teenagers she also had a mischievous side well one day we were wrapped in Grace's convertible and we were going down to hockey practice and it was a beautiful day balmy full day and she started the car and we were going down she got on the seat and started driving the car with her feet she took off her shoes and drove the car well I was a I was frightened but she was in complete control of the car and then we all hollered and screamed and laughed she slid down in the seat and took over in high school she began acting and dancing in school plays and community theater and her yearbook remarkably predicted that she would become a famous star of screen and radio even then her beauty did not go unnoticed especially at the local boys academy at Penn Charter she always had a lot of boyfriends I didn't feel she was wow she was just attractive and she was kind of a star at Penn Charter I don't think she ever missed any of the dances or was without a date on the weekends after graduating from Stephens High School in June 1947 grace in typical Kelly fashion decided she would become an actress her greatest desire was to attend the prestigious American Academy of Performing Arts in New York City a school that boasted such famous alumni as Katharine Hepburn Lauren Bacall and Spencer Tracy Grace's uncle George Kelly was a Pulitzer prize-winning playwright whom grace had always admired though enrollment had closed the reputation of her uncle George made the Academy reconsider slipping grace into the school they asked her to audition with a selection from her uncle's play the torchbearers they liked what they saw and she was accepted her family perhaps to indulge her let her go to New York convinced she would be back in a month while studying at the academy Grace lived at the Barbizon a dignified residential hotel for young single women Marilyn Marsh then a struggling young performer became roommates with Grace Marilyn recalls that grace had a little recording machine in her room where grace would listen to her own voice over and over trying to improve her speech with typical Kelly discipline the nasal Philadelphian accent was replaced by lilting mere British perfect diction a friend at the academy suggested she could earn good money by modeling not surprisingly the attractive blonde with the appeal of the girl next door began appearing on magazine covers and international advertising campaigns with luster cream shampoo Ipana toothpaste old gold cigarettes and beauty creams by the time grace graduated from the Academy she was doing fashion spreads for newsreels at $400 a week fabulous money in 1947 one of the first things she did with her earnings was to pay back her father for her school tuition and bills at the Barbizon it was important to grace that she proved to her father that she could be self-sufficient at the age of 19 grace finished classes at the academy her graduation performance was in the Philadelphia Story amazingly this is a role she would recreate on the silver screen seven years later in the musical high society the first professional acting job was at the Bucks County Playhouse in New Hope Pennsylvania appearing in a summer stock production of her uncle George's play the torchbearers and later a play called the heiress Misskelley won favorable reviews and set her sights on Broadway a few months later grace indeed made her Broadway debut in Strindberg's tragedy the father but her early success in the theater did not last long she would go on 38 casting calls over the next two years before she would again be hired on Broadway however grace was quickly discovered by the emerging television industry the first time I ever saw Grace Kelly she was appearing in the play the father and I thought she was one of the most beautiful and delightful actresses I had ever seen called her into the office the very next day to read for the role of Bethel merriday Sinclair Lewis book which we were doing on the Philco Goodyear Playhouse castor and that was our beginning in short order she starred in over 60 live teller dramas such as Studio One and the Philco television Playhouse who's this girl oh just a girl but what's her name oh I don't even remember her name that's taken at Bar Harbor before the war she was visiting friends there I'm jelly stuffing I don't even remember her name jealous of everyone you knew before you met me in 1951 this television exposure helped her to land her first role in the film 14 hours her role was a small one yet it brought the first of many offers for long-term studio contracts grace turned them all down she did not want to give up her hard-earned independence and still had her heart set on the stage from Hollywood grace went to Colorado to do summer stock theater at the highly respected Elitch Gardens then one day in early August she received a telegram from film producer Stanley Kramer he thought she'd be right to play the female lead in a Western called high noon amazingly she had been hired without even an audition the wheels of fate were set in motion for Hollywood's next great star I mean it if you won't go with me now I'll be on that train when it leaves me I have to stay Grace starred in her first major motion picture opposite Gary Cooper the movie won two Academy Awards but grace was very dissatisfied with her own performance to a friend she said you look into Gary Cooper's face and you see everything he is thinking I looked into my own face and saw nothing I knew what I was thinking but it didn't show grace was considered for the part thanks to a young agent at MCA Jay Canton he immediately saw something special in his young actress I didn't look in a crystal ball but I I really had a feeling that this that this young lady was going to really go right to the top she she seemed to have a charisma about herself and she seemed to have a lot of confidence in herself and she seemed to just generally she knew what she wanted and she she really didn't seem to doubt herself it's yes I really felt she was gonna become a big star undaunted by her lackluster reviews grace returned to New York and enrolled with a distinguished acting teacher Sanford Meisner for training obviously paid off director John Ford was casting a new Clark Gable picture which would be filmed in Africa grace wanted very much to appear in maganda the allure of starring with this screen legend of Hollywood made grace reluctantly agree to sign a seven-year contract with MGM although the press probed for details of a possible Kelly Gable romance their relationship remained platonic but this was not the last time the press would link Grace to her co-stars she was after all one of the most desirable women in Hollywood grace was pleased with her performance in maganda and the press seemed to agree she was nominated for Oscar as Best Supporting Actress she didn't win but there was no doubt her star was on the rise Alfred Hitchcock had seen an earlier screen test and found Grace's delicate refinement very attractive he cast her in his upcoming movie dial M for murder and soon she became one of his favorite actresses she excelled in this suspenseful drama bringing the successful stage play to the screen grace was the only female in the cast and almost every man on the set became enamored with the 23 year old beauty her penchant for older men gave Hollywood gossip columnist plenty to talk about when grace was romantically linked with married co-star Ray Milland eventually it was she who ended the relationship as production came to a close Hitchcock revealed that he had already selected grace for the starring role in his next movie rear window it co-starred Jimmy Stewart and was to start immediately but grace faced a dilemma she was also offered the lead role in on the waterfront opposite the handsome Marlon Brando grace made the decision to continue with mr. Hitchcock as the character Lisa Fremont Grace Kelly brought to life an enchanting combination of Fire and Ice which was to captivate audiences for the rest of her career and you won't be able to take your eyes off the glowing beauty of Grace Kelly who shares the heart and curiosity of James Stewart in this story of a romance shadowed by the terror of a horrifying secret a Grace Kelly tidal wave swept over the country when the rear window opened in the summer of 1954 she was so stunningly beautiful and just so electrifying you just couldn't take your eyes off of her I don't think I've ever seen a human being as ethereal as beautiful as grace Hoss Gracie's next film was the bridges at toko-ri this time her leading man was heartthrob William Holden and soon a romance sparked between the two once again celebrity tabloids scandalized Grace's affair with another married Costa especially when they were cast together in her next movie the country girl although their relationship was kept quiet on the set the rumours took their toll on grace grace even sought professional counseling to deal with the pressure of life as a celebrity when Grayson Holden broke up she managed to focus all of her energy on what was to be the most demanding role of her career extraordinary the way she went from one film to another in a very short period of time always working with important leading men always working with important directors I also thought that the agency that I was working for MCA at the time did a wonderful job in terms of getting her loan-outs from MGM when they wanted her for their own productions and no wonder there was no stopping the Kelly phenomenon just a short time ago she had been modeling for magazines and advertisements now those same magazines were putting her on their covers with feature articles detailing her life grace went to Columbia that spring to film green fire in which she played a South American coffee plantation owner she falls in love with an emerald prospector played by Stewart Granger it was not her ideal career choice but grace was contractually obligated to MGM this was why she had wanted to avoid signing a studio contract however for her next project she would need no coercion Hitchcock had persuaded Cary Grant to come out of retirement to film to catch a thief in the summer of 1954 he also insisted on employing his favorite actress Grace Kelly just days after finishing green fire a fifth movie in only eight months she flew to the south of France to begin filming it was a marvelous experience for grace who this time fell in love with the location she found the South of France enchanting playing opposite her debonair co-star Cary Grant the role of Francie Stephens is considered Grace's most provocative the dialogue had a series of suggestive double entendre that Hitchcock admitted were made all the more titillating when uttered by someone as wholesome as Grace Kelly diamond have you ever had a better offer in your whole night one with everything beyond the beauty which was palpable grace had class and style she was a lady you felt that underneath that facade there was passion which she expressed in her acting but she did it in such a a womanly and ladylike manner that she she was enchanting several sequences of the film was shot in and around the Principality of Monaco in this agonizingly ironic scene grace is driving along the same stretch of road where her car crashed down an embankment almost 30 years later grace returned to Hollywood to complete her scenes in to catch a thief the end of the production was marked by the garlis celebration of Alfred Hitchcock's 50th film she now had a few months off from the film commitments at this point in her life she was openly in love with dashing fashion designer Oleg Cassini who had pursued her to the South of France but graces domineering parents did not approve of the divorce oleg cassini for their daughter and the romance with Oleg would soon end but if Grace's personal life was suffering her professional success may have helped ease the pain in March of 1955 Grace Kelly won the Best Actress Award for the country gun I can only thank you with all my heart Grace had now achieved the ultimate measure of success in her field but soon a twist of fate would force grace to make one of the most important decisions of her life Monaco is a picturesque country of one square mile nestled on the exotic south coast of France often called the jewel of the Riviera rich in history the Principality dates back to the 13th century when it came under the rule of the Grimaldi family in 1955 Grimaldi's descendants 32 year-old Prince Rainier was the ruling Monica and considered one of Europe's most eligible bachelors grace was invited to head the US delegation that year at the Conn Film Festival on her way to the south of France she was asked to participate in a photo session at Monaco's palace with Prince ringing grace felt that she did not have enough time but reconsidered when she was told that the prince had already rearranged his schedule to accommodate her this meeting destined to change both their lives almost did not take place Grace's hotel lost electric power that morning and the prince was delayed for an hour when Rainier finally arrived he took grace for a walk around the palace grounds just that quickly romance was in back in America grace wrote Renier a thank-you note he quickly replied with a letter their courtship born in an instant would continue quietly by mail far from the prying eyes of the press returning to Hollywood grace began her next picture the Swan ironically she plays the part of a princess who hopes to marry a visiting Prince played by Alec Guinness meanwhile Grace and Renee's private courtship grew stronger as they continued to correspond Renee and grace both came from powerful families sharing similar Catholic values they were also basically shy people thrust into the public eye these common bonds seemed to help further solidify their growing love for one another all of Europe knew that the prince was ready to find a wife according to a treaty with France Rainey a did not produce an heir the Principality would revert back to France at the time of his death a glamorous American actress might be just the thing to encourage tourism and help rebuild a Monaco sagging post-war economy meanwhile at age 26 grace was also anxious to find a suitable marriage partner the Christmas of 1955 brought special excitement to the Kelly family in Philadelphia Renee was coming for a visit the press was having a heyday inquiring about the purpose of his first trip to America Renier gave the impression that he was merely going to America for a tour and a physical checkup you're actively seeking a wife would you care to comment on that reignier arrived at the Kelley home on Christmas Day this time Grace's new suitor pass the Kelly's strict standards mrs. Kelley later observed that she knew then and there that his intentions were not just those of a smitten young man there was purpose in every word and movement she said just three days later Grenier proposed and grace accepted within two weeks a press conference was held in her family home to make the official announcement that the couple would be married in April Grace was swept away when the press asked what would now become of her career she said that her marriage had become the most important part of her life I've been in love before but never in love like this she said she called me up I was living in New York at the time she called me up and said she had something very important to tell me I just didn't have a clue as to what it was and she came into the office and said I'm getting married and I said wonderful congratulations and then she told me that she who she was going to become engaged to and I was astounded I was very pleased for her and then suddenly the news came well this would kind of put a damper on her on her acting career and a shadow of gloom fell over my face but at the same time I realized that this is what she wanted Grace's last film before her marriage was high society her co-stars included old friend Bing Crosby mercury hisses hey ask you a very personal question anything you want to add you and I will won't offend you know how were your love scenes with Grace Kelly with la Princesse just happens ed that you've touched on a subject that's very close to my heart because although the movie this girl was mad for me she was fascinated with everything I did you could have become a serious composer or a diplomat or or anything you wanted to be and what have you become a jukebox hero I don't know how that piece of film got in it Prince Rainier rented a home in Bel Air for a few weeks to be near Grace in Hollywood the couple gave many press conferences about their future plans during this time it didn't escape many people's observations that she was about to take on the grandest role of her life Alfred Hitchcock upon hearing the news Reilly commented I am very happy that Grace has found herself such a good part while Greece finished high society the Prince returned to Monaco to finalize plans for the wedding the entire palace was painted and redecorated in preparation for the grand event her last official appearance as Grace Kelly the actress was to present Ernest Borgnine with an Academy Award it was a bittersweet moment for all of Hollywood there was speculation then hope that perhaps she could combine the two careers and continue performing I think it's unrealistic I hated to see her leave the screen or the acting profession simply because she was so good but one just wished her well a few weeks later grace would begin the transatlantic journey to as she stated fulfill her destiny Grace Kelly's wedding plans made headlines around the world on April 4th 1956 grace arrived at Pier 84 in New York Harbor along with her family bridesmaids her miniature poodle Oliver and over 80 pieces of luggage 66 passengers had to be bumped off the SS Constitution to make room for the wedding party over 4000 news people had applied for passage and while most were turned away there were enough reporters on board to capture almost every moment of the trip thousands of well-wishers were there to send her off in a fashion that was somewhat less than royal grace the trooper handled the uncomfortable situation with her usual composure when the captain announced the lifeboat room over 100 people tried to share Grace's lifeboat it was said that Greece found the whole affair rather amusing she kind of let herself go on the ship and really had a great time and it was kind of like in a peculiar way being at camp because we were all together for about five days gradually everybody started unwind and we def programs and laughs and jokes and parties into the night it was a lot of fun realizing she had left behind her life in America forever as the ship neared Monaco grace became more introspective the wedding party arrived in Monaco Harbor after 8 days at sea and an anxious rainy a met his bride-to-be on board his own yacht the day of javante over 20,000 people lined the streets surrounding the port this was a day Monaco and the world would never forget cannon sounded planes flew overhead and thousands of red and white carnations fell from the sky to welcome the American film star all of Monaco's strained to catch a glimpse of their future princess as grace stepped ashore but her wide-brimmed white hat hid most of her face much to the disappointment of the crown there were seven exhausting days of parties and preparations over 1,600 reporters and photographers from around the world flooded the tiny country little else seemed to matter it took two ceremonies to unite grace and her prince in royal matrimony only immediate family and close friends were allowed in the throne room to witness the civil ceremony which began on the morning of April 18th it was broadcast to all of Europe grace looked demure in her pale pink two-piece dress grey nearly may have been royalty but that day like a typical bridegroom he appeared endearingly nervous during the 40-minute service grace listen to the recitation of her hundred and forty two official titles counterparts of Rania's a garden reception was held on the palace grounds for all of Monaco's adult citizens entertainment included folk singing and dancing followed by a resplendent show of fireworks the next morning guests began to fill Monaco's cathedral of saint nicholas for the church wedding the moment everyone had been waiting for had finally arrived grace was escorted down the aisle on the arm of her proud father she never looked lovelier her wedding dress was designed by Helen Rose MGM's Academy award-winning costume designer three dozen seamstresses had labored for over six weeks on yards and yards of taffeta silk and Brussels lace Grace's gown was emulated by Brides everywhere reignier had designed his own and fit fashioned after the uniform of Napoleon's marshals the six hundred guests included dignitaries from around the world royalty finding true love amidst a fairytale backdrop came to life in what was called the wedding of the century after several hours of receptions and appearances the newlyweds boarded the dear Avanti and sailed off into the sunset they were off on a seven week honeymoon cruise around the Mediterranean grace and rainy ade were anxious for this time to get to know each other beyond all of the formalities they were simply two young people in love eager to spend some time alone grace had very little time to prepare for her new role as Princess of Monaco she had the gargantuan task of adjusting to marriage royal status and protocol a new language and a 225 room palace homesickness estrangement from family and friends these adjustments would be monumental for any woman but Princess Grace was not just any woman and soon there was yet another adjustment that needed to be made what will happen in the event twins are born a boy second and a girl first who would be the ruling monarch the normal successor would be the eldest the children he lives with the girl but that doesn't mean that she will rule because she can always design or abdicate in favor of her younger brother and he would then rule are twins expected not that I know of the palace began preparing for the arrival of the first royal heir Princess Caroline was born on January the 23rd 1957 exactly nine months and four days after Grace and Renee's wedding 21 cannon blasts were fired to announce the birth of the little princess a national holiday was declared school was dismissed gambling ceased for the day and free champagne was served throughout the Principality just over a year later another celebration was heralded by a hundred and one cannon blasts signifying the birth of a boy grace had produced a son for Monaco who could now supersede Caroline as heir to the throne the new little prince was named Albert suddenly people wanted to know more about this exquisite far-off country tourism dollars doubled after Grace's arrival and the number of daily visitors skyrocketed to over 1 million the prince had an official agenda that at times excluded grace and she sometimes felt lonely she frequently corresponded to her friends back home to her former roommate Marilyn she wrote please let me know what you're doing and all the news and gossip you can think of I love to hear what is happening where I am NOT in 1962 the press announced that grace had been offered the lead in Alfred Hitchcock's Marni Grace had been showered with film offers ever since her wedding but she always had to decline this time even Prince Rennie sensing her frustration consented to her working with Hitchcock once again grace was excited as they discussed her taking the role but it was not meant to be the citizens of Monaco were not happy with the news they could not imagine their dignified princess on the silver screen sadly grace was forced to choose her responsibilities to Monaco over a renewed career after the birth of Stephanie in 1965 she dedicated herself to combining motherhood with social duty she became one of the first celebrities to publicly support the La Leche League which promotes breastfeeding I would have liked to nurse my babies for a longer period of time but in the beginning when they needed me and are there no compromises state had to wait online compelled by the Kelly Drive instilled by her father she also spent much of her time improving the institutions of Monaco she created an assistant center which set up volunteers to visit residents at the home for the agent in Monaco and every year she held a Christmas party for the local orphans the glamorous princess always made sure the holidays were special for all of the citizens of Monaco the creation of the Garden Club gave her a chance to share her love of flowers though these were very productive years for grace it wasn't all roses time was passing for the woman whose trademark had been her astonishing good lives Rainey and graces increasingly divergent interests naturally took them apart perhaps more than either one of them had wanted but Grace and Renee were each other's best acid and they continued to work together in reviving Monaco as a cultural center the Princess Grace foundation was established to encourage local artisans the foundation still exists and sponsors cultural events such as ballets and operas the film you are going to see is about the children of theatre Street in Leningrad in 1977 grace ended her long absence from film by narrating the 90-minute feature documentary about the Kirov ballet school in Russia the children of theatre Street the Omak film was nominated for an Academy Award grace had finally found fulfillment by using the talent she'd put aside for so long with Monaco's blessing she also began a long series of poetry readings in Europe and America the crazy one to dominate the day and the lesser one to dominate the night she was happy to work with well-respected actors and she won much praise from the Cystic community back home the press became an even bigger intrusion into the lives of Grace's photogenic children Caroline Albert and Stephanie had to learn from an early age that theirs was a life of social duty and family obligation and exposure but despite this intrusion grace and Renier made sure that the children always had strong family ties in 1982 the prince and princess celebrated their 26th wedding anniversary with the children getting older this could have been the perfect time to rediscover the love that brought them together but sadly this was not meant to be on September 13th 1982 Princess Grace and her daughter Stephanie were driving from Rock Asia their country home to nearby Monaco at about 10:00 a.m. the car swerved off the treacherous mountain road and went over an embankment initial news stories reported that the accident was minor and that grace had only broken her leg but the reality was much more serious grace had suffered extreme brain damage and was in a coma she died the following day when Prince Rainier and his children having been told nothing more could be done for her took her off life support while the world was stunned by her sudden death there were extensive investigations into the exact cause of the accident it was finally determined that grace suffered a stroke or aneurysm of the brain which caused her to lose control of the car while driving along the treacherous roadway nearly 100 million people around the world watched her funeral on television sometime after Grace's death a memorial was held for her by her Hollywood friends at a church in Beverly Hills Jimmy Stewart delivered the eulogy 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 tragically grace never lived to witness Caroline's marriage to Stefano Casiraghi which produced her first three grandchildren princess Stephanie has had success as a clothing designer model and singer she is now the mother of a boy and a girl and Prince Albert the child who is said most to resemble his mother is expected to take his father's place someday he has been groomed for the position since the day he was born Grace's 11:00 feature films have endured the test of time and most are considered classics today she left behind a loving family and a country which will always bear the imprint of her presence and the heartache of her absence after her death Renier spoke about his loss he had the regrets any loving spouse might have he deeply wished he could have spent more time with his wife Princess Grace was buried in the Grimaldi family crypt inside the Cathedral hundreds of visitors continued to visit the site every day two years after her death a rose garden near the Monaco Palace was dedicated to Princess Grace it is a fitting tribute to a woman who had a passion in life for flowers grace was just a little girl when she wrote this poem about a flower and perhaps even herself little flower you're a lucky one you've soaked in all the lovely Sun you stand and watch it all go by and never once to bat an eye while others have to fight and strain against the world and it's every pain of living but you must to have wars to fight the cold big darkness of every night of a bigger vine which seeks to grow and is able to stand the rain and snow and yet you never let it show on your pretty face

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Id: PpM5jto4lec

Length: 44min 10sec (2650 seconds)

Published: Thu Dec 12 2013