HAPPY BIRTHDAY, PRINCESS GRACE

Princess Grace would have been seventy-seven years old today. A stately, gracious and beautiful lady who passed from this weary earth on September 14th, 1982 at fifty-three years old after suffering a stroke on the back road from Paris to Monaco. I've actually traveled on that same road and I want to tell you that this no ordinary road. It has more twists and curves than a Disneyland thrill ride. The tourist bus my friend Joan and I were on was really rocking that night because the bus driver was in a hurry! Thank goodness the return trip that night was a lot more relaxing! Princess Grace was an incredible leader for her people and had made some really wonderful movies. I am reading this morning that she actually had an affair with Clark Gable in the filming of "Mogambo" and was romanced seriously by Bing Crosby during the filming of "The Country Girl". Bing had just lost his first wife, Dixie when the picture was being made. Prince Rainer was very anxious to have an heir for the throne because there was widespread legal opinion that if Monaco had no heir, it's kingdom would cease to be and it would once gain become part of France. All of this was settled back in 2002 when a formal treaty with France was signed with Monaco that will guarantee the tiny country's principality and independence forever regardless of direct heir. Prince Albert (now on the throne) is still a bachelor so that's good news for the country as they say! Princess Grace, I understand did one last thing for show business just months before she died narrating the story of "The Nativity" in 1982. If anyone sees this item in DVD-- please let me know. Today is also the 55th anniversary of the opening on Broadway of Lerner & Lowe's "Paint Your Wagon". The least successful of all of their shows, it does contain however some wonderful songs. The 1969 film version directed by Joshua Logan and adapted By Paddy Chayefsky was very very different from the Broadway play and a colossal flop at the box office. Only one movie musical did worse than this turkey: It was "Shangrala" written by Burt Bacharach and Hal David. Does anyone remember any of those songs. Well, I remember the one called "The World Is A Circle" But here is the odd thing about the movie version of "Paint Your Wagon"-- besides Lee mega hit " Let it Be"-- can that be possible? Well it was! A funny bit of moviie trivia. Imagine that ! Grace Kelly being romanced by Bing Crosby (no spring chicken even back then) and crusty old Lee Marvin's singing upsetting the Beatles! Who says that fact ain't stranger than fiction!? Not me! Keep the prayers up that the insurance issue will come through for me, everyone. I need all the prayers I can get!