Claim: Grace Kelly worked under famed director Alfred Hitchcock.

Grace Patricia Kelly -LRB- November 12 , 1929September 14 , 1982 -RRB- was an American actress who became Princess of Monaco after marrying Prince Rainier III , in April 1956 .   After embarking on an acting career in 1950 , at age 20 , Kelly appeared in New York City theatrical productions and more than 40 episodes of live drama productions broadcast during the early 1950s Golden Age of Television . In October 1953 , she gained stardom from her performance in the film Mogambo , which won her a Golden Globe Award and an Academy Award nomination in 1954 . Subsequently , she had leading roles in five films , including The Country Girl -LRB- 1954 -RRB- , for which her deglamorized performance earned her an Academy Award for Best Actress . Other films include High Noon -LRB- 1952 -RRB- with Gary Cooper , Dial M for Murder -LRB- 1954 -RRB- with Ray Milland , Rear Window -LRB- 1954 -RRB- with James Stewart , To Catch a Thief -LRB- 1955 -RRB- with Cary Grant , and High Society -LRB- 1956 -RRB- with Frank Sinatra and Bing Crosby .   Kelly retired from acting at the age of 26 to marry Rainier and began her duties as Princess of Monaco . They had three children : Caroline , Albert II , and Stéphanie . Kelly retained her American roots , maintaining dual U.S. and Monégasque citizenship . She died on September 14 , 1982 , a day after suffering a stroke while driving her car , which caused a crash .