Her Family’s “Least Likely to Succeed”
Kelly grew up in a close-knit Catholic community in Philadelphia. During her years at Ravenhill Academy, a Catholic girls’ school, the young Kelly modeled at local charity events along with her mother and sisters. In 1942, when she was 12, she performed the lead role in the play Don’t Feed the Animals.
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Whereas her graduation yearbook listed her favorite actress as Ingrid Bergman, she was unofficially voted as her family’s “least likely to succeed.” Due to her low mathematics scores, Kelly was rejected by Bennington College in 1947. Not that she cared, though. After all, her goal wasn’t to become a scholar – she was California dreamin’.