Grace Kelly

AKA:

Princess Grace of Monaco

Birth Name:

Grace Patricia Kelly

Birth Date:

November 12, 1929

Birth Place:

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Death Date:

September 14, 1982

Place of Death:

Monaco Hospital, La Colle, Monaco

Age:

Cause of Death:

Cerebral hemorrhage

Cemetery Name:

Cathedral of Our Lady Immaculate

Claim to Fame:

Historical Figure

Grace Kelly, also known as Grace of Monaco, was an American actress and Princess of Monaco as the wife of Prince Rainier III from their marriage on April 18, 1956, until her death in 1982. Prior to her marriage, she achieved stardom in several significant Hollywood films in the early to mid-1950s. Kelly made her film debut in Fourteen Hours (1951) and gained stardom from her roles in Fred Zinnemann's western film High Noon (1952), and John Ford's adventure-romance Mogambo (1953), the latter of which earned her the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress nomination. She won the Academy Award for Best Actress for her performance in the drama The Country Girl (1954). Other notable works include the war film The Bridges at Toko-Ri (1954), the romantic comedy High Society (1956), and three Alfred Hitchcock suspense thrillers: Dial M for Murder (1954), Rear Window (1954), and To Catch a Thief (1955). During her short career she only made 11 films yet she received an Academy Award and three Golden Globe Awards, and was ranked 13th on the American Film Institute's 25 Greatest Female Stars list. Kelly retired from acting at age 26 to marry Rainier and began her duties as Princess of Monaco. But if we can be honest here for a minute, to the public, the legendary Hollywood screen siren Grace Kelly always managed to maintain the image of cool elegance and perfect happiness. And why not? She was the perfect embodiment of beauty, talent, style, elegance, royalty, sexual charisma and a real live princess. But in private, Grace Kelly was deeply troubled and disappointed with her arrogant, petulant prince with his multiple affairs, her headstrong daughters, her decision to leave a successful screen career at the height of her popularity, and her infidelities with a succession of handsome men. Proving once again that fairy tale endings are just that – fairy tales. Sadly she died at the young age of 52 of a horrific car crash and multiple strokes.

Fun Facts

In her youth growing up in the wealthy Kelly family in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania Dick Boccelli was one of her teenage boyfriends. “Grace knew I didn’t but that didn’t matter to her. She had a great personality, a good sense of humor, was bright, sharp and fun to be with.” Dick later became the drummer for Bill Haley and the Comets.

Living at the Barbizon Hotel for Women on Sixty-Third Street in New York City, Grace’s goal was to become self-supporting. With acting classes in the morning and modeling gigs in the afternoon, Grace became very successful very quickly. She was paid handsomely (sometimes as much as $2,000 per photo shot) promoting bug sprays, Old Gold cigarettes, Lux Toilet Soap, and live commercials hocking the latest appliances from Electrolux.

In her final year in Hollywood, Grace, nominated for Best Actress for her performance in The Country Girl, was up against Judy Garland for her role in A Star is Born. After the Oscars were awarded, Grace was sharing the post-awards ceremony with Marlon Brando (Best Actor for On the Waterfront). Afterwards, while sharing a bed with Brando at her Beverly Hills Hotel Bungalow the phone rings, and a famously slurred voice screams into the phone, “This is Judy Garland – JUDY FUCKING GARLAND YOU BITCH! You took what was rightfully mine. Tonight was my last chance for the Oscar. You’ll have many more chances in the future. This was it for me. I’ll NEVER FORGIVE YOU!” And Judy slammed down the phone.

Speaking of Brando there is a rumor that Grace enjoyed the company of men. Not true – she enjoyed the company of a LOT of men. So in the interest of time here is a condensed list of hookups: Bing Crosby, Tony Curtis, Clark Gable, William Holden, Ray Milland, Gene Lyons, Oleg Cassini, David Niven, Frank Sinatra, Prince Aly Khan (millionaire playboy who was married to Rita Hayworth), the Shah of Iran and Spencer Tracy. Not on that list include Cary Grant, Gary Cooper, and Jimmy Stewart. Co-stars yes but not lovers.

Two weeks after the official announcement of their engagement, the Los Angeles Herald Examiner published the first of a ten-part series entitled “My Daughter Grace Kelly: Her Life and Romances” by Mrs. John B. Kelly. Circulated to Hearst newspapers all across the country, Grace’s mother produced a stream of revelations regarding the men, ALL the men, in her life (no wonder it was a 10-part series). Even Prince Rainier would later confide, “how could her own mother do that?” What. A. Bitch.

Cemetery Information:

Final Resting Place:

Cathedral of Our Lady Immaculate

4 Rue Colonel Bellando Castro

Monaco-Ville 98000, ,

Monaco

Europe

Grave Location:

Grimaldi Family Vault

Grave Location Description

The tombs of Princess Grace and Prince Rainier are inside, lying next to each other and can be found to the left of the pulpit. The church is in very good condition and has an attractive architecture and is definitely worth the visit. Appropriate dress attire is strictly enforced and there is technically no photography allowed inside.