Some trivia about Princess Grace from
IMDb:
- Chosen by Empire magazine as one of the 100 Sexiest Stars in film history (#5). [1995]
- Ranked #51 in Empire (UK) magazine's "The Top 100 Movie Stars of All Time" list. [October 1997]
- Hoped to return to acting in
Alfred Hitchcock's
Marnie (1964), but the people of Monaco didn't want their princess playing a thief and romancing
Sean Connery.
- Has three children with
Prince Rainier of Monaco:
Princess Caroline of Monaco (1957),
Prince Albert of Monaco (1958) and
Princess Stephanie of Monaco (1966).
- Her movies were banned in Monaco by order of
Prince Rainier of Monaco.
- The inscription at her burial site in Monaco's cathedral does not refer to her as a princess. It uses the title "uxor principis" (prince's wife), which is traditional in the House of Grimaldi.
- Interred at the Cathedral of St. Nicholas, Monaco-ville, Monaco.
- Assisted in the pre-production status of
Grace Kelly (1983) (TV) starring
Cheryl Ladd as Grace Kelly.
- Actress
Rita Gam was among her bridesmaids.
- Born at 5:31 AM EST.
- In 1993, the USA and Monaco simultaneously released a commemorative postage stamp honoring her. However, USA federal law forbids postage stamps depicting foreign heads of state, so the USA stamp listed her as "Grace Kelly", while the Monaco stamp listed her as "Princess Grace".
- Part of
Prince Rainier of Monaco's attraction to marrying a movie star was to increase tourism in his tiny, cash-poor principality, and the Kelly family was turned off by his demands that a substantial dowry accompany Grace to Monaco. A figure of $2,000,000 was finally agreed upon, which was diverted from Grace's inheritance so that her brother and two sisters wouldn't be shortchanged.
- Kelly's wedding gown was the most expensive garment that MGM designer
Helen Rose had ever made. It used twenty-five yards of silk taffeta and one hundred yards of silk net. Its 125-year-old rose point lace was purchased from a museum and thousants of tiny pearls were sewn on the veil.
- Was considered for the role of Maggie the Cat in
Cat on a Hot Tin Roof (1958) that was eventually played by
Elizabeth Taylor.
- The so-called "wealthy" family Grace was born into was actually an immigrant family of bricklayers who had barely a generation of new-found business success. Grace's father and brother were both Olympic gold-medal scullers. Grace's cousin, former US Secy of Navy John Lehman, Jr. now chairs the Princess Grace Foundation, which supports young performing talent.
- Attended and graduated from the American Academy of Dramatic Arts, New York.
-
The Country Girl (1954), the film that won Kelly an Oscar, was first offered to
Jennifer Jones, who had to turn it down due to pregnancy.
- When she left Hollywood, several roles she was slated to play were eventually filled by
Lauren Bacall (
Designing Woman (1957) and
The Cobweb (1955)). Director
George Stevensalso wanted her for
Giant (1956).
- Niece of playwright
George Kelly.
- Measurements: 34-24-35 (1955 pin-up), (Source: Celebrity Sleuth magazine)
- Irish/German. Father Jack Kelly was the son of Irish immigrants. Mother Margaret Major was German.
- On January 1959 the Austrian government awarded her a medal of merit for aid to Hungarian refugees escaping Russian invasion, given through Monaco's Red Cross.
- She was one of many famous tenants of the Barbizon Hotel for Women when she lived in New York. Other tenants included
Candice Bergen,
Liza Minnelli,
Cloris Leachman,
Ali MacGraw, and
Edith 'Little Edie' Bouvier Beale.
- She was voted the 27th Greatest Movie Star of all time by Entertainment Weekly.
- Referenced in the songs "Grace Kelly", by Die Ärzte; "Grace Kelly Blues" by Eels (
Mark Everett); and "Grace Kelly with Wings" by Piebald.
- The very first actress to appear on a postage stamp, in 1993.
-
Hedda Hopper reported that
Judy Garland's loss of the Academy Award to Grace for
The Country Girl (1954) was the result of the closest Oscar vote up till that time that didn't end in a tie, with just six votes separating the two. In any event, it was a heartbreak from which
Judy Garland never really recovered and which has remained a matter of some controversy ever since.
- Summoned
Sydney Guilaroff, the chief hairstylist at MGM Studios, to style her hair for her marriage to
Prince Rainier of Monaco in 1956.
- She was voted the 12th Greatest Movie Star of all time by Premiere Magazine.
- Was named #13 Actress on The American Film Institute's 50 Greatest Screen Legends
- The road accident which led to her death was apparently caused by a stroke she suffered while driving.
- Was romantically involved with fashion designer
Oleg Cassini.
- Is portrayed by
Cheryl Ladd in
Grace Kelly (1983) (TV)
- Is one of the many movie stars mentioned in
Madonna's song "Vogue"
- Broke off her engagement to
Oleg Cassini to marry
Prince Rainier of Monaco
- Bought a silver frame as a wedding gift to
Prince Charles and
Princess Diana in 1981.