scriptgirl
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The city of Philadelphia, in the 1920’s, was preparing for its Sequi-Centennial International Exposition. The Exposition was to be a commemoration of the nation’s 150th anniversary, opening on May 31, 1926. However, the celebration was met with many obstacles including rain (107 of the 184 days), poor attendance, and budget cuts. By the time that the exposition closed on November 6, a 5 million-dollar deficit had been established.1
However, the city did not experience complete failure during the 1920’s. Philadelphians were meeting much success in music, entertainment, and sports. The Mummers of South Philadelphia and Kennsington as well as jazz greats Bessie Smith and Lucky Roberts were making sweet music. Also, the opera companies and the Philadelphia orchestra were providing entertainment for the city. In the world of sports, the Philadelphia Athletics dominated the realm of baseball through their victory at the World Series in 1929. Adding to their fame, the team’s manager and owner, Connie Mack, was given the Philadelphia Award for 1929. Along with baseball, Philadelphia was also known for it’s Olympic oarsman, Jack Kelly. He won the single sculls at Antwerp in 1920, and it is with Mr. Kelly that we begin our story.2
Grace’s parents, John B. (Jack) Kelly and Margaret (Majer) Kelly met at the Turngemeide swimming pool, located at Broad Street and Columbia Avenue, in 1916. Mrs. Kelly was an athletic coach for coeds at the University of Pennsylvania and was taking part in a recreational swim at the pool. Jack, a member of the swim team at Turngemeide, saw Margaret for the first time and immediately fell in love. The two were married on January 30, 1924, at which point Mrs. Kelly converted to Catholicism- Jack was a devout Irish Catholic.3
On November 12, 1929, after only five years of marriage, Mrs. Kelly gave birth to her third child at Hahnemann Hospital.4 Older siblings were sister Peggy and brother John B. (Kell), and later Lizanne- the youngest of the Kellys.5
After the birth, Grace was brought home to her new place of residence at 3901 Henry Ave., in the East Falls section of Philadelphia. The house, often referred to as a mansion, was built by Grace’s father, a champion oarsman and prosperous bricklayer.6 Growing up, according to Mrs. Kelly, Grace was "a shy child, but there was a kind of inner tranquility and quiet resourcefullness."7 She was often taken ill with a cold or asthma, causing her mother to require that she stay indoors while her sisters and brother played outside.8
Upon arriving at the proper school age, Grace was sent to the Ravenhill convent school (1934), in the parish of Saint Bridget’s.9 She attended the school for nine years, until she transferred in 1943 to the Stevens School in Germantown. There, Grace finished her high school years and graduated in May 1947.10 As a student, Grace received very good grades, and is noted as "the brightest of the four Kelly children" by author Arthur H. Lewis.11
Although she was a bright student, little Grace was always interested in performing. A childhood friend, (formerly Alice Godfrey) Mrs. Charles Waters, Jr. of 218 Morlyn Ave, Bryn Mawr, believes that she took part in Grace’s stage debut. Grace and Alice, both age 6 at the time, played angels in a production that was written and directed by their older sisters. The Godfreys' basement served as their theater.12 However, Grace’s first real theatrical experience occurred at the age of 12. She played one of the leads in Don’t Feed the Animals, a play produced by the Old Academy Players in East Falls.13 "We’ve never had a kid like her," recalled Mrs. Ruth Emmert, a veteran member of the Players, in a newspaper interview.14 Her former fellow Players from the old Academy agree, saying that "no matter how sick she was, she always came to rehearsals."15
Grace went on to fulfill her dreams of stardom by attending the American Academy of Dramatic Arts in New York. There, she worked to support herself by taking such jobs as a photographer’s model and an actress in television commercials.16 She posed for such companies as Ipana, beer ads, and Old Golds, for which she also did TV commercials.17
After graduating from the American Academy of Dramatic Arts, Grace performed in her first professional debut. The production was a revival of her Uncle George Kelly’s comedy, The Torch Bearers, at the Bucks County Playhouse in New Hope, Pennsylvania (July 1949). A few months after her performance with the Playhouse in The Heiress, Grace made her Broadway debut. On November 16, 1949, at the Court Theatre, Grace Kelly played the captain’s daughter in The Father.18
Grace continued to work in live productions as well as often appearing in such television shows as The Philco Television Playhouse (NBC), Studio One (CBS), and The Hallmark Hall of Fame (NBC), among others.19 However, it was in 1950 when she landed her first movie role as "a woman bent on divorce" in 20th Century Fox’s Fourteen Hours.20 She continued to act in films, frequenting the screen in High Noon, Mogambo (1953), Dial M for Murder (1953), Rear Window, The Country Girl (1954), in which she won an Oscar, and High Society (1956), a musical adaptation of The Philadelphia Story.21
Then, on April 18, 1956, as if life couldn’t get any more glamorous for her, the young actress was wedded to Prince Rainier III of Monaco. The wedding was held at the Cathedral of Saint Nicholas, with the Bishop of Princedom, Monsignor Gilles Barthe, presiding. The couple met in Montecarlo during the filming of Grace’s 1954 movie, To Catch a Thief (Paramount Pictures). Her "long blond hair and beautiful blue eyes took the prince" and it was at this point that the prince decided that he wanted Grace to be his princess.22
The royal couple, although reported by Lewis as not always being happy together,23 had three children during their marriage: Caroline (1957), Albert (1958), and Stephanie (1965).24 Princess Grace, along with her family, often traveled to Philadelphia in order to visit relatives or attend charity galas. In fact, in April of 1965, the royal family traveled to the U.S. for the wedding of her sister Peggy’s daughter, Margaret Ann (Meg) Davis to Richard F. Roe. The wedding was held at Saint Bridget’s Church in East Falls, and Princess Caroline performed as flower girl.25
However, on September 12, 1982, a tragedy occurred. Princess Grace and her daughter Stephanie were out for a drive on the streets of Monaco, when Grace suffered a stroke at the wheel. The automobile crashed, injuring Grace, age 52, and her 17-year-old daughter. The two women were taken hospital where it was determined that Princess Stephanie had suffered only a fractured neck vertebra. Unfortunately, Grace was not so lucky. Princess Grace was diagnosed as being brain dead, after which she was placed on life support. Approximately 30 hours after the accident (Tuesday, September 13th), the decision was made to remove the princess from life support, causing her to pass away minutes later. A funeral was held in Monaco on that Saturday, at which "royalty, entertainers, relatives, and friends from around the world arrived to pay their final respects."26
Back in Philadelphia, a memorial mass was being held in honor of the princess and former Philadelphian. It is estimated that 1,800 people attended the mass at the Cathedral of Saints Peter and Paul, located on the Parkway. Dignitaries and Kelly family members, who were unable to make the trek to Monaco, as well as members of the Philadelphia community, came to pay their respects to the cherished icon.27
Grace Kelly, native Philadelphian turned movie star turned princess, never forgot her where she came from. She loved her hometown and visited it often. But why was Princess Grace loved so much by her fellow Philadelphians? It was because she was a woman of deep and living faith, who always remembered where she came from."28
Grace Kelly: A Philadelphian at Heart
Jennifer Munch
Grace Kelly. Just mentioning her name brings a twinkle to many peoples' eyes. She is most commonly remembered as a beautiful woman and a talented actress. However, there is more to Grace Kelly than her looks and career. She is a member of the Kelly family, whose roots can be traced back to the City of Brotherly Love- Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.Jennifer Munch
The city of Philadelphia, in the 1920’s, was preparing for its Sequi-Centennial International Exposition. The Exposition was to be a commemoration of the nation’s 150th anniversary, opening on May 31, 1926. However, the celebration was met with many obstacles including rain (107 of the 184 days), poor attendance, and budget cuts. By the time that the exposition closed on November 6, a 5 million-dollar deficit had been established.1
However, the city did not experience complete failure during the 1920’s. Philadelphians were meeting much success in music, entertainment, and sports. The Mummers of South Philadelphia and Kennsington as well as jazz greats Bessie Smith and Lucky Roberts were making sweet music. Also, the opera companies and the Philadelphia orchestra were providing entertainment for the city. In the world of sports, the Philadelphia Athletics dominated the realm of baseball through their victory at the World Series in 1929. Adding to their fame, the team’s manager and owner, Connie Mack, was given the Philadelphia Award for 1929. Along with baseball, Philadelphia was also known for it’s Olympic oarsman, Jack Kelly. He won the single sculls at Antwerp in 1920, and it is with Mr. Kelly that we begin our story.2
Grace’s parents, John B. (Jack) Kelly and Margaret (Majer) Kelly met at the Turngemeide swimming pool, located at Broad Street and Columbia Avenue, in 1916. Mrs. Kelly was an athletic coach for coeds at the University of Pennsylvania and was taking part in a recreational swim at the pool. Jack, a member of the swim team at Turngemeide, saw Margaret for the first time and immediately fell in love. The two were married on January 30, 1924, at which point Mrs. Kelly converted to Catholicism- Jack was a devout Irish Catholic.3
On November 12, 1929, after only five years of marriage, Mrs. Kelly gave birth to her third child at Hahnemann Hospital.4 Older siblings were sister Peggy and brother John B. (Kell), and later Lizanne- the youngest of the Kellys.5
After the birth, Grace was brought home to her new place of residence at 3901 Henry Ave., in the East Falls section of Philadelphia. The house, often referred to as a mansion, was built by Grace’s father, a champion oarsman and prosperous bricklayer.6 Growing up, according to Mrs. Kelly, Grace was "a shy child, but there was a kind of inner tranquility and quiet resourcefullness."7 She was often taken ill with a cold or asthma, causing her mother to require that she stay indoors while her sisters and brother played outside.8
Upon arriving at the proper school age, Grace was sent to the Ravenhill convent school (1934), in the parish of Saint Bridget’s.9 She attended the school for nine years, until she transferred in 1943 to the Stevens School in Germantown. There, Grace finished her high school years and graduated in May 1947.10 As a student, Grace received very good grades, and is noted as "the brightest of the four Kelly children" by author Arthur H. Lewis.11
Although she was a bright student, little Grace was always interested in performing. A childhood friend, (formerly Alice Godfrey) Mrs. Charles Waters, Jr. of 218 Morlyn Ave, Bryn Mawr, believes that she took part in Grace’s stage debut. Grace and Alice, both age 6 at the time, played angels in a production that was written and directed by their older sisters. The Godfreys' basement served as their theater.12 However, Grace’s first real theatrical experience occurred at the age of 12. She played one of the leads in Don’t Feed the Animals, a play produced by the Old Academy Players in East Falls.13 "We’ve never had a kid like her," recalled Mrs. Ruth Emmert, a veteran member of the Players, in a newspaper interview.14 Her former fellow Players from the old Academy agree, saying that "no matter how sick she was, she always came to rehearsals."15
Grace went on to fulfill her dreams of stardom by attending the American Academy of Dramatic Arts in New York. There, she worked to support herself by taking such jobs as a photographer’s model and an actress in television commercials.16 She posed for such companies as Ipana, beer ads, and Old Golds, for which she also did TV commercials.17
After graduating from the American Academy of Dramatic Arts, Grace performed in her first professional debut. The production was a revival of her Uncle George Kelly’s comedy, The Torch Bearers, at the Bucks County Playhouse in New Hope, Pennsylvania (July 1949). A few months after her performance with the Playhouse in The Heiress, Grace made her Broadway debut. On November 16, 1949, at the Court Theatre, Grace Kelly played the captain’s daughter in The Father.18
Grace continued to work in live productions as well as often appearing in such television shows as The Philco Television Playhouse (NBC), Studio One (CBS), and The Hallmark Hall of Fame (NBC), among others.19 However, it was in 1950 when she landed her first movie role as "a woman bent on divorce" in 20th Century Fox’s Fourteen Hours.20 She continued to act in films, frequenting the screen in High Noon, Mogambo (1953), Dial M for Murder (1953), Rear Window, The Country Girl (1954), in which she won an Oscar, and High Society (1956), a musical adaptation of The Philadelphia Story.21
Then, on April 18, 1956, as if life couldn’t get any more glamorous for her, the young actress was wedded to Prince Rainier III of Monaco. The wedding was held at the Cathedral of Saint Nicholas, with the Bishop of Princedom, Monsignor Gilles Barthe, presiding. The couple met in Montecarlo during the filming of Grace’s 1954 movie, To Catch a Thief (Paramount Pictures). Her "long blond hair and beautiful blue eyes took the prince" and it was at this point that the prince decided that he wanted Grace to be his princess.22
The royal couple, although reported by Lewis as not always being happy together,23 had three children during their marriage: Caroline (1957), Albert (1958), and Stephanie (1965).24 Princess Grace, along with her family, often traveled to Philadelphia in order to visit relatives or attend charity galas. In fact, in April of 1965, the royal family traveled to the U.S. for the wedding of her sister Peggy’s daughter, Margaret Ann (Meg) Davis to Richard F. Roe. The wedding was held at Saint Bridget’s Church in East Falls, and Princess Caroline performed as flower girl.25
However, on September 12, 1982, a tragedy occurred. Princess Grace and her daughter Stephanie were out for a drive on the streets of Monaco, when Grace suffered a stroke at the wheel. The automobile crashed, injuring Grace, age 52, and her 17-year-old daughter. The two women were taken hospital where it was determined that Princess Stephanie had suffered only a fractured neck vertebra. Unfortunately, Grace was not so lucky. Princess Grace was diagnosed as being brain dead, after which she was placed on life support. Approximately 30 hours after the accident (Tuesday, September 13th), the decision was made to remove the princess from life support, causing her to pass away minutes later. A funeral was held in Monaco on that Saturday, at which "royalty, entertainers, relatives, and friends from around the world arrived to pay their final respects."26
Back in Philadelphia, a memorial mass was being held in honor of the princess and former Philadelphian. It is estimated that 1,800 people attended the mass at the Cathedral of Saints Peter and Paul, located on the Parkway. Dignitaries and Kelly family members, who were unable to make the trek to Monaco, as well as members of the Philadelphia community, came to pay their respects to the cherished icon.27
Grace Kelly, native Philadelphian turned movie star turned princess, never forgot her where she came from. She loved her hometown and visited it often. But why was Princess Grace loved so much by her fellow Philadelphians? It was because she was a woman of deep and living faith, who always remembered where she came from."28
