Trivia about Grace Kelly

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  • How did Grace Kelly react to the news of Bing Crosby's death?

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General Trivia about Grace Kelly

  • In 1973, Princess Grace and Prince Rainier III bought her ancestral home, a 2-room cottage on a 35-acre holding at Drumilra (a.k.a. Drumirla, Drimulra, Drimurla, Drimula, Droim Iolra, Dhroim Iolra) outside Newport Village on Leg O'Mutton Lake in Ireland for the sum of £7,800. Her paternal grandfather was born and lived there before emigrating to the United States.
  • Grace Kelly 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.
  • Grace Kelly was not pleased over ABC television's plans to air a miniseries about her life starring Cheryl Ladd.
  • Cy Coleman wrote a Dutch language musical about the life of Grace Kelly that was produced in Amsterdam in 2001. On Grace Kelly, Money and Dreams, a documentary about the musical and the the special theater built for it, had its premiere in 2002.
  • Grace Kelly was named for her aunt Grace, who had died in her early 20s.
  • Artist Andy Warhol made a screen print of Grace Kelly in 1984.
  • A 1997 British television documentary by investigative reporters David Carr-Brown and David Cohen claims that Grace joined the Order of the Solar Temple months before her death in 1982. The cult, headed by Joseph di Mambro, is said to have named her a High Priestess of the Order. Grace reportedly gave the group nine million dollars, but had second thoughts afterwards and demanded her money back. However, the Order of the Solar Temple did not exist until 1984, and there is no evidence (neither external nor internal to the Solar Temple or the similarly named, but separate, Sovereign Order of the Solar Temple) that shows that Grace was a member.
  • Grace Kelly was the first actress to appear on an American postage stamp.
  • In the television sitcom Grace Under Fire, Brett Butler played a character named Grace Kelly.
  • Grace was one of 1,558 celebrities honored with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame on 8 Feburary 1960, when the Walk of Fame was started.
  • Samuel Barber's "Adagio for Strings" was played at Grace's funeral.
  • The 1973 Mercedes hearse used to transport Princess Grace's body is on display at the National Museum of Funeral History in Houston, Texas, USA.
  • Grace's first royal portrait was by Ralph Cowan, for which she wore a gown by Luis Estevez gown of imported white Chantilly lace.
  • When she pursued her acting career in the early 1950s, Grace Kelly lived at Manhattan House, a white brick, 21-story, 10-tower complex at 200 E. 66th St. that occupies an entire city block of New York City's Upper East Side.
  • A street in Monaco is named for Princess Grace: Avenue Princess Grace.
  • Princess Grace had an art studio at Roc d'Agel where she worked on her pressed flower art.
  • One of Princess Grace's most prized possessions was the Imperial Blue Serpent Fabergé Egg, created in 1887 by Peter Carl Fabergé.
  • Grace Kelly has been romantically connected to Gary Cooper, JFK, Bing Crosby, Marlon Brando, Clark Gable, Prince Aly Khan, The Shah of Iran, Ray Milland, Oleg Cassini, and William Holden, among others.
  • A photograph of Grace taken by Milton H. Greene in 1954 shows the actress wearing Greene's suede jacket. Before her marriage to Rainier, she reportedly called Greene and said that MGM wanted to buy the negatives from the sitting. Greene refused.
  • Although she was severely nearsighted, Grace Kelly hardly ever wore glasses in public. In her interview with Merv Griffin, she confessed, "I'm very shortsighted."
  • Grace Kelly was to appear in The Poppy is also a Flower/Poppies are also Flowers, an anti-drug movie by the United Nations.
  • Grace Kelly was educated at Philadelphia's Raven Hill Academy and Stevens School, and at the American Academy of Dramatic Arts in New York City.
  • The American Film Institute ranked Grace Kelly as #13 in its list of all-time great female stars.
  • James Stewart gave the eulogy at Grace's funeral:

    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 Kelly received a Weimaraner as a wedding gift from her brother Jack. She also had a poodle named Oliver and a great dane.
  • Dutch designer Marcel Wanders created two wallpaper designs inspired by Grace Kelly: Grace and Kelly.
  • Grace owned linens from D. Porthault.
  • On 4 December 2007, an 18 Karat Gold and Diamond Bracelet-Watch, by Van Cleef & Arpels from 1949 that had once belonged to Grace, was auctioned at Sotheby's sale of Magnificent Jewels in New York. Its value was estimated to be $15,000-$20,000.
  • The Café de Paris in Picadilly Circus, London was one of Grace Kelly's favorite restaurants.
  • Founder and head of the Ford Modeling Agency, Eileen Ford, had the opportunity to represent Grace as a model.

    Somebody asked me if I wanted to represent her and I said 'No.' That was really stupid because she was one of the most beautiful women ever born. But I was in my 20s and very, very opinionated. Grace Kelly was a very commercial model, she had no interest in being a fashion model. None at all.

  • Princess Grace was a supporter of Josephine Baker. When Baker was refused service at New York City's The Stork Club, Grace refused to dine there ever again.
  • In 1998, Fabergé introduced a perfume called Grace de Monaco. It was a tribute to the princess and a portion of proceeds were donated to the Princess Grace Foundation.
  • Grace Kelly had two uncles in the performing arts: Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright George Edward Kelly (1887-1974) and vaudeville comedian Walter "Judge" Kelly (1873-1939)
  • At least two flowers have been named for Princess Grace. Antoine Meilland named a bright pink rose "Grace de Monaco" in honor of her marriage to Prince Rainier III. Klaas de Jong named a lily "Lys Princess Grace" in the 1970s after meeting her at the Amsterdam International Flower Show.
  • Grace was a strong swimmer, having taken lessons at the Penn Athletic Club in Rittenhouse Square on Saturday mornings as a child. As a princess, she had a swimming pool installed on Monaco's palace grounds.
  • Grace Kelly
    A fan waiting outside Kelly's apartment for a sight of her idol
    As a movie star, Grace kept an apartment at 988 Fifth Avenue in New York City.

Trivia about Grace Kelly's Wedding to Prince Rainier III

  • On the night before she met Rainier, the electrical workers of France went on strike. Most of Grace's clothing was still wrinkled from travel, so she wore a hideous black dress with large flowers in it, and stick some artificial flowers in her hair.
  • The entire adult population of Monaco—3,000—was invited to the celebration following the wedding.
  • Grace and Rainier had two weddings: a civil wedding (18 April 1956) and a religious wedding (19 April 1956).
  • After the civil ceremony, a gala was given for the couple and the entire Monegasque population was invited.
  • Grace wore a Lanvin ballgown to the Monaco Opera on 18 April, following the civil ceremony. The gown, made of hand-embroidered white silk organdy, had a V-shaped decollette, a high waistline, a full bustle in the back, and was decorated with 800,000 sequins and 1,500 pearls and rhinestones.
  • Aristotle Onassis gave Prince Rainier III and Princess Grace "Deo Juvante II", a 147-foot yacht, as a wedding present. The couple traveled around the Mediterranean on the yacht for their honeymoon.
  • Princess Grace and Prince Rainier III spent part of their honeymoon at Mallorca's Hotel Formentor.
  • The people of Monaco gave Grace and Rainier a cream and black Rolls Royce convertible as a wedding gift. After the religious wedding ceremony, the couple drove through the streets of Monaco in it.
  • When their engagement was announced in 1956, Grace drank vodka on the rocks and Rainier had a sidecar.
  • Rainier gave Grace a Van Cleef & Arpels pearl necklace for their engagement in 1955. She can be seen wearing it in Van Cleef & Arpels by Sylvie Raulet on page 36.
  • As a wedding present, Rainier gave Grace a Van Cleef & Arpels set of a necklace, bracelet, and earrings.
  • The House of Creed was commissioned by Rainier to create a perfume, Fleurissimo, especially for Grace as a wedding present. Fleurissimo was subsequently worn by fellow style icons Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis and Madonna.
  • Singers Georgia Gibbs and Channing Pollock were featured performers at Grace's wedding to Rainier.
  • Grace carried Rev. J.M. Lelen's Bride's Manual: A Manual of Catholic Devotion with Mass for the Marriage Ceremony and the Nuptial Blessing during her wedding to Prince Rainier. The book was a gift from family friend Mrs. John F. McCloskey of Chestnut Hill and was decorated by MGM's wardrobe department.
  • The shoes paired with Grace's wedding dress were from Evins, New York, and were designed by David Evins. A copper penny was built into the right shoe for good luck. A popular belief is that Grace wore flats so that she would not be much taller than Rainier, these shoes actually have 2 1/2"-inch heels.
  • For her wedding, Grace's hair was styled by Sydney Guilaroff.
  • Joseph Hong of Neiman Marcus designed the bridesmaids' dresses, and Priscilla Kidder (a.k.a. Priscilla of Boston) made them. They were made of yellow silk organdy—a shade called sunlight—over a yellow silk taffeta underdress.
  • Of Grace's wedding, fashion designer Oscar de la Renta said:

    On her wedding day, Grace Kelly gave new meaning to the word icon. Her whole look, from the regal veil to the feminine lace details and the conservative gown, made her an ageless bride.

  • Prince Rainier III designed the uniform that he wore to the wedding himself.
  • Artist and theatrical producer Gant Gaither escorted Grace to Monaco for the wedding. He wrote the book Princess of Monaco: the Story of Grace Kelly about her.
  • As a wedding present from MGM, Grace received her entire wardrobe from High Society, as well as her magnificent wedding dress.

Trivia about Grace Kelly's Impact on Fashion

  • The column gown with spaghetti-straps that Grace Kelly wore to accept her Best Actress Oscar was designed by Edith Head. It was the most expensive Oscar gown to date, as the aquamarine silk fabric itself cost $4,000.
  • Grace wore Swarovski crystals in High Society.
  • When Grace broke her arm, she reportedly used an Hermès scarf as a sling.
  • The Kelly bag, by Hermès was originally introduced in 1935 as the sac à dépêches. It was renamed for Grace Kelly after she was photographed carrying one while stepping off a plane. Kelly reportedly used the bag to help conceal her pregnancy from photographers, and she reportedly owned quite a few of the bags.
    In 2007, Hermès Parfums released a fragrance called Kelly Calèche, which pays homage to the Kelly bag and the Calèche fragrance.
  • Grace was notorious for purchasing accessories, mostly shoes and gloves.
  • A scarf crossed under the chin and knotted at the side or nape of the neck is called a "Grace Kelly".
  • In 1966, Gucci created the iconic Flora silk scarf for Princess Grace.
  • Grace wore a Van Cleef & Arpels tiara to her daughter Caroline's wedding.
  • A Helen Rose dress from High Society and a green Givenchy suit that Grace had worn to a state dinner with the Kennedys were auctioned in 2007 at Sotheby's.
  • For the 25th anniversary of Grace's death, six top American fashion designers—Oscar de la Renta, Carolina Herrera, Ralph Lauren, Zac Posen, Ralph Rucci and Vera Wang—created one-of-a-kind gowns inspired by clothing that Grace had worn. The gowns were exhibited at Saks Fifth Avenue in New York City, and auctioned off to benefit the Princess Grace Awards by Sotheby's on 24 October 2007.
    In addition to these outfits, a green Givenchy sleeveless dress with matching fringed bolero jacket worn on a visit to the White House with President John F. Kennedy and Jacqueline Kennedy, and a Helen Rose gray-over-rose chiffon gown appliqued with rhinestones and pink and white embroidered flowers from High Society were worn.
  • On 15 October 2007, Estée Lauder launched their limited edition shade of lipstick—Princess Grace Coral—in honor of Princess Grace. The color was inspired by the color of lipstick she wore on her wedding day. Grace and Estée Lauder were friends.
  • Grace had handmade leather sandals from Canfora in Capri.
  • Although Grace was very private and didn't even want her measurements to be made known, her comp cards as a fashion model included these measurements:
    • Size: 10-12 (in 1950s dress sizes)
    • Bust: 34"
    • Height: 5'9"
    • Waist: 24"
    • Hips: 35"
    • Weight: 118 lbs
    • Hat: 22
    • Shoe: 6B
  • Mark Cross leather goods received a boost from Grace Kelly when she carried an overnight case from them in Rear Window. The case was designed by Max Holzman.
  • Grace was a patron of Gucci, Christian Dior, Balenciaga, Chanel, Madame Grés, and Yves Saint Laurent.
  • Despite her love of clothing, she rarely discarded anything, and did not frequently purchase new clothing.

Trivia Pertaining to Grace Kelly's Films & Acting Career

  • Grace Kelly's first commercial featured her spraying a can of insecticide around a room.
  • Early in Grace Kelly's career, when she was auditioning for plays, many casting directors found her to be too tall (she was reportedly 5'6"-5'7").
  • Her first Broadway role was playing Raymond Massey's daughter in August Strindberg's The Father. Reviewer Brooks Atkinson of the New York Times wrote, "Grace Kelly gives a charming, pliable performance of the bewildered and brokenhearted daughter."
  • Grace was cast in High Noon after director Stanley Kramer saw her acting off-Broadway.
  • Grace's Academy Award acceptance speech for Best Actress Oscar for The Country Girl was very short:

    The thrill of this moment keeps me from saying what I really feel. I can only say thank you with all my heart to all who made this possible for me. Thank you!

  • Grace lost the 1953 Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress (Mogambo) to Donna Reed (From Here to Eternity).
  • Admissions officers at the American Academy of Dramatic Arts described Grace's voice as "nasal" and "improperly placed". She took speech classes while attending the Academy. However, even when she made it to Hollywood, many directors and casting agents still found Grace's voice quite unusual.
  • Grace was offered a role in Mogambo with Clark Gable and Ava Gardner, but MGM wouldn't take her unless she signed a contract. It was a seven-year contract and the first major one that Grace signed.
  • Grace drove a Sunbeam Alpine Sports Roadster in To Catch a Thief.
  • Although there are rumors that Grace Kelly's singing voice in High Society "was dubbed by Niki Schenck, the 17-year-old daughter of Nick Schenck, the boss of MGM's parent company", biographer Donald Spoto (High Society: The Life of Grace Kelly) asserts that:

    On the contrary: the MGM archives are quite clear about the date (February 9, 1956) when Grace and Bing Crosby recorded the Cole Porter song in the studio—and the dates on which the playback accompanied the filming of that scene (March 13 and 14).

    The rarely seen Nicola Schenck, who was 22 (not 17) in 1956, never sang or dubbed for anyone, in any movie.

  • When Grace married Prince Rainier, she had not fulfilled the terms of her contract with MGM.
  • Grace Kelly was not the only Best Actress Oscar winner to play Georgie Elgin in The Country Girl. Frances McDormand took on the role onstage in 2008, alongside Morgan Freeman and Peter Gallagher in the Bing Crosby and William Holden roles, respectively. Mike Nichols directed.
  • Ever generous, Princess Grace contributed the foreword to Donald Spoto's book, The Art of Alfred Hitchcock.
  • She served on the board of directors of Fox.
  • According to Hedda Hopper, Grace Kelly's Oscar win for The Country Girl over Judy Garland for A Star is Born was the closest Oscar race to date. Grace won with just six votes more than Judy.
  • The engraving on Grace Kelly's Academy Award statuette reads

    Academy First Award
    to
    Grace Kelly
    for her performance in
    "The Country Girl"

  • When she was still alive, Grace's Academy Award was on a simple table in a private living room. These days, it is kept in Prince Albert's private rooms.

Many thanks to Steph for her suggestions and trivia facts.