Advertisement - Continue Reading Below

1

1950s

White, Clothing, Fashion model, Retro style, Leg, Beauty, Photo shoot, Model, Dress, Fashion, pinterest
Rex USA

Grace Kelly was born in 1929 to John B. Kelly, Sr. and Margaret Katherine Majer, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

Advertisement - Continue Reading Below

2

1950s

Hair, Face, Photograph, Eyebrow, Hairstyle, Beauty, Black-and-white, Lip, Photo shoot, Eye, pinterest
Rex USA

Her father was an Olympic gold medalist for rowing and her mother taught physical-education at the University of Pennsylvania. Later, her father became a self-made millionaire in the brick business.

Advertisement - Continue Reading Below

3

1950s

Nose, Ear, Lip, Earrings, Eye, Hairstyle, Eyebrow, Eyelash, Style, Organ, pinterest
Getty Images

The names of Grace's three siblings are the equally classic Margaret, John, and Elizabeth.

Advertisement - Continue Reading Below

4

1953

Pink, Beauty, Magenta, Leg, Textile, Photography, Photo shoot, Dress, Satin, Costume, pinterest
Getty Images

Grace Kelly's nickname amongst family and close friends was "Graciebird."

Advertisement - Continue Reading Below

5

1953

Photograph, White, Shoulder, Beauty, Hairstyle, Black-and-white, Dress, Retro style, Monochrome photography, Standing, pinterest
Getty Images

Grace began her acting career in plays and participated in fashion events while attending Ravenhill Academy and Stevens School as a young girl.

Advertisement - Continue Reading Below

6

1954

Hairstyle, Sleeve, Shoulder, Bridal clothing, Textile, Photograph, Joint, White, Gown, Dress, pinterest
Getty Images

In 1947, Kelly made the fateful trek from Philadelphia to New York City, a move not common for upper class girls like herself, expected to graduate and find husbands.

Advertisement - Continue Reading Below

7

1954

Hair, Photograph, Face, Hairstyle, Black-and-white, Beauty, Eyebrow, Lip, Monochrome photography, Monochrome,
Getty Images

There, she enrolled at the prestigious American Academy of Dramatic Arts.

Advertisement - Continue Reading Below

8

1954

Hair, Face, Eyebrow, Lip, Hairstyle, Beauty, Chin, Portrait, Blond, Skin, pinterest
Getty Images

Fellow students include Spencer Tracy and Kirk Douglas.

Advertisement - Continue Reading Below

9

1955

Hair, Face, Photograph, Hairstyle, Eyebrow, Black-and-white, Beauty, Chin, Lip, Portrait, pinterest
Getty Images

For her final performance at the Academy, Kelly took on the role of Tracy Lord in The Philadelphia Story.

Advertisement - Continue Reading Below

10

1955

Hair, Face, Beauty, Lip, Hairstyle, Eye, Blond, Photography, Photo shoot, Fashion accessory, pinterest
Getty Images

She would later play this role once again in the 1956 film adaptation, High Society.

Advertisement - Continue Reading Below

11

1955

Lip, Eye, Wrist, Watch, Bracelet, Vintage clothing, Eyelash, Street fashion, Portrait photography, Portrait, pinterest
Getty Images

While in school, Kelly worked as a model, booking work for Old Gold cigarettes and appearing on magazine covers including Cosmopolitan and Redbook.

Advertisement - Continue Reading Below

12

1955

Photograph, White, Beauty, Black-and-white, Dress, Arm, Photography, Monochrome, Hand, Monochrome photography, pinterest
Getty Images

Grace Kelly earned an Academy Award for Best Actress in a Leading Role for her role in The Country Girl, a decidedly unglamorous role for the beautiful actress. She beat out Judy Garland for her role in A Star is Born.

Advertisement - Continue Reading Below

13

1955

Hair, Photograph, Black-and-white, Hairstyle, Monochrome photography, Retro style, Beauty, Monochrome, Snapshot, Fashion, pinterest
Getty Images

Prior to her win, Grace Kelly was nominated for Best Actress in a Supporting Role in the 1953 film Mogambo. That year, she lost to Donna Reed in From Here to Eternity.

Advertisement - Continue Reading Below

14

1955

Hair, Face, Eyebrow, Lip, Beauty, Skin, Hairstyle, Eye, Nose, Chin, pinterest
Getty Images

Before any Academy Awards, Kelly tried her hand at stage acting on Broadway before turning her sites on Hollywood.

Advertisement - Continue Reading Below

15

1955

Hair, Face, Photograph, Black-and-white, Beauty, Monochrome, Lip, Hairstyle, Eyebrow, Monochrome photography, pinterest
Getty Images

In 1952, she starred with Gary Cooper in High Noon, a seminal moment that helped land her a seven-year contract with Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer.

Advertisement - Continue Reading Below

16

1955

Hair, Face, Hairstyle, Blond, Chin, Lip, Beauty, Eyebrow, Nose, Forehead, pinterest
Corbis

In the total of her acting career, Grace Kelly would appear in 11 films and star in over forty television broadcasts—a relatively small number in light of her immense and enduring fame.

Advertisement - Continue Reading Below

17

1956

Photograph, Fur clothing, Headgear, Natural material, Vintage clothing, Fur, Animal product, Monochrome, Hair accessory, Rose,
Getty Images

Inarguably, her most successful and famed film relationship was with director Alfred Hitchcock.

Advertisement - Continue Reading Below

18

1956

Photograph, Dress, Gown, Wedding dress, Clothing, Bride, Bridal clothing, Standing, Black-and-white, Shoulder,
Getty Images

Here, Kelly waits backstage with Audrey Hepburn to present an award at the 28th Annual Academy Awards.

Advertisement - Continue Reading Below

19

1956

Hair, Hairstyle, Retro style, Beauty, Black-and-white, Monochrome, Lip, Fashion, Photo shoot, Blond, pinterest
Rex USA

In a fateful decision, Kelly said no to the the role of Edie Doyle in the award-winning On the Waterfront in favor of working with the famed auteur.

Advertisement - Continue Reading Below

20

1956

Hair, Photograph, Beauty, Hairstyle, Eyebrow, Retro style, Black-and-white, Lip, Monochrome photography, Fashion, pinterest
Rex USA

In total, Kelly appeared in three suspenseful films for Hitchcock, Rear Window, Dial M for Murder, and her final, in 1955, To Catch a Thief.

Headshot of Jennifer Algoo

Jennifer Algoo is the Visuals Director at Harper's BAZAAR.  She is a graduate of the School of Visual Arts and has previously worked at Patrick McMullan Co. as well as completing internships at Martha Stewart Weddings, Vogue and CosmoGirl! Magazine.   Jennifer covers royal, celeb and art content as well as overseeing all visual assets on BAZAAR.com.  When she's not obsessing over the royals you can find her attempting to solve cold cases as an armchair detective, traveling and experimenting with new recipes.  

Advertisement - Continue Reading Below

Advertisement - Continue Reading Below

Advertisement - Continue Reading Below