museum. There were also thousands of tiny pearls sewn on the veil.
Her biographers revealed that her life as a princess was not particularly living the “ happily ever after.” Life long friends from Philadelphia and those she had known in Hollywood indicated that she was always happy to talk about her life in America and to be speaking English. By becoming a princess, she gave up her career. For the rest of her life, she was to remain in the news with her marriage and her three children. She never acted again, though she received comeback offers on a regular basis. She sat on the board of 20th Century-Fox for several years, and occasionally lent her presence to documentaries like The Children of Theatre Street (a 1977 film about the Kirov Ballet School). Grace’s cousin, former US Secretary of Navy John Lehman, Jr. now chairs the Princess Grace Foundation, which supports young performing talent. And then on a cliff road she had known so well since her first visit to the Riviera, there was the fatal crash. The spot is said to be the same spot where the picnic scene was filmed in 1954.
TRIVIA:
Before Rainier, she dated and presumed in love with fashion designer Oleg Cassini. 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. 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” The film that won Kelly an Oscar (“The Country Girl”) 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. She was considered for the role of Maggie the Cat in ‘Cat on a Hot Tin Roof (1958) that was played by Elizabeth Taylor. Director George Stevens also wanted her for “Giant” (1956) At least twice she was first choice over Elizabeth Taylor.
She 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. Her movies are banned in Monaco by order of Prince Ranier. Grace’s cousin, former US Secy of Navy John Lehman, Jr. now chairs the Princess Grace Foundation, which supports young performing talent. Her movies are banned in Monaco by order of Prince Ranier.
PERSONAL QUOTES:
“Looked like she was a cold dish with a man until you got her pants down, then she’d explode.” - Gary Cooper “Hollywood amuses me. Holier-than-thou for the public and unholier-than-the-devil in reality.” “I’ll tell you one of the reasons I’m ready to leave. When I first came to Hollywood five years ago, my makeup call was at eight in the morning. On this movie it’s been put back to seven-thirty. Every day I see Joan Crawford, who’s been in makeup since five, and Loretta Young, who’s been there since four in the morning. I’ll be goddamned if I’m going to stay in a business where I have to get up earlier and earlier and it takes longer and longer for me to get in front of a camera.”
GRACE KELLY’S FILMS & TV:
Life with Judy Garland: Me and My Shadows (2001), Off the Menu: The Last Days of Chasen’s (1998), Great Romances of the 20th Century: Elizabeth Taylor and Richard Burton (1997), The Fifties (1997), The Good, the Bad & the Beautiful(1996), Fame in the Twentieth Century (1993) Grace Kelly: The American Princess (1991), The 1950’s: Music, Memories & Milestones (1988), Maria Callas: An Operatic Biography (1987), Terror in the Aisles (1984). Rearranged (1982), Notre Dame de la Croisette (1981), The American Film Institute Salute to James Stewart (1980), Bing Crosby: His Life and Legend (1978), The Children of Theatre Street (1977), That’s Entertainment, Part II (1976), Costa del Sol malagueña (1972), Monte Carlo: C’est La Rose (1968) Poppies Are Also Flowers (1966), Invitation to Monte Carlo (1959), The Wedding in Monaco (1956), High Society (1956), The Swan (1956), Screen Snapshots: Hollywood, City of Stars (1956), The 28th Annual Academy Awards (1956), To Catch a Thief (1955), The 27th Annual Academy Awards (1955), The Bridges at Toko-Ri (1955), Green Fire (1954), The Country Girl (1954), Miss America Pageant (1954), Rear Window (1954), Dial M for Murder (1954), Mogambo (1953), High Noon (1952), Don Quixote (1952), Fourteen Hours (1951).
TV GUEST APPEARANCES:
“Omnibus” (1980), Biography (1961), Toast of the Town (1948) several, Kraft Television Theatre (1947) several, The Philco Television Playhouse (1948) several, Lux Video Theatre (1950) several, Studio One (1948) several, Hollywood Screen Test (1948).
A Personal Look at “Old Blue Eyes”
FRANK SINATRA - Birth Name Francis Albert Sinatra
Height 5’ 8”
Nickname: The Voice, Chairman of the Board, Ol’ Blue Eyes, Swoonatra
Born: December 12th, 1915 - Hoboken, New Jersey
Date of death: May 14th, 1998 - Los Angeles, California, (heart & kidney disease; bladder cancer; senility) Buried in Cathedral City’s “Desert Memorial Park” in Palm Springs, California, May 20th, 1998
May 15, 1998
Well, Frank,
Last night you departed the physical body – you are gone and I am still here – So many film heroes and legends are now gone. No doubt you are one of the all time GREAT legends. Microwave equipped trucks; film and TV crews line Cedars Hospital as well as your home in Beverly Hills. Certainly you will go down in film and entertainment history as one of the all time GREATS in the not only the film industry but more so the music industry. Your acting ability equaled your fabulous singing voice. The romantic legend you created with your voice is unequaled but what a disappointment in person!
As a young girl, more interested in swinging in my swing set my Dad had built than listening to the “Crooner” teenage girls were “swooning” over, how could I ever imagine that one day I would get to know this grown man singer? TV was practically unheard of in those days with only a few homes having them. I recall one friend’s radio had a small piece of glass about 3” X 6” for future television. We got the news from the radio and movie news, which were filled with teenage girls lined up outside of concert halls where you preformed. Yes! You were the FIRST to have that kind of adulation. You set the standard! Many people would assume it was Elvis Presley but you were the pioneer in the area of “swoons” and rightfully so. Your voice for decade after decade remained one of the very best. You were good – really good! I can’t say the same about you in person.
Drugs and other problems at Hollywood High lead me to think moving to a smaller community for my daughter’s last year of high school would be wise. Debbie was my first and foremost concern, not my fading career – what career - a would-be-never-made-it starlet – an ex-fashion and TV commercial model, a glorified prop – an “extra” or “U5” (under five lines.)
With multiple talents and abilities, I assumed I could obtain some sort of employment to get us through Debbie’s last year of High School. I didn’t see how I could afford college. She expressed no interest in attending; therefore, I wanted her last year to be as special as possible.
Debbie was certainly attractive but more than her looks, I was so proud of the way she turned out as a teenager. She was kind and understanding
