Grace Kelly

 Edith Head, who was in charge of Grace Kelly's wardrobe in "The Country Girl" (1954), said, "I had to take one of the most beautiful woman in the world and make her look plain and drab." Head used brown wool clothes, cardigan sweaters, and low-heeled Capezio shoes to make Kelly appear dowdy.

Bing Crosby initially turned down the role of Frank as he didn't want to play opposite what he considered a lesser actress. Kelly's Oscar nomination for Best Supporting Actress for "Mogambo" (1953) helped change his mind and he was quickly won over by her dedication and professionalism during the making of this movie. Crosby proposed to Kelly a short time after making this film, but she turned him down. They would later star in "High Society" (1956) where their characters are divorced in the beginning of the film and then marry for a second time at the end of the film.

Paramount borrowed Kelly from MGM for the lead role. MGM initially refused to loan her until Kelly threatened to quit acting altogether if they didn't let her play the role. In return for the opportunity, MGM required her to star in "Green Fire" (1954), one of Kelly's least favorite films. She said about her role, "This is not what I wanted to be an actress for."

Kelly's Oscar win was a huge Oscar upset as the favorite seemed to be Judy Garland for her performance in "A Star Is Born" (1954). So confident were some at Garland's winning the award that a camera crew was dispatched to the hospital room where the actress was recovering from the birth of her son. Groucho Marx sent Garland a telegram that read that it was "the biggest robbery since Brinks."

Happy Birthday, Grace Kelly!