Marilyn Monroe (June 1, 1926 - August 5, 1962) was an American film actress. She was
born Norma Jean Mortenson in Los Angeles, California, but later took her mother's name Baker
and called herself Norma Jean Baker. Marilyn Monroe was her screen name.
Biography
Passed among several homes as a girl, sexually abused as a teenager, Norma Jean thought little
of herself. Yet she also had a gritty, opportunistic side, and dreamed of being a big movie
star. She knew she had a soft voice and she climbed the ladder. She was both more intelligent
and more unhappy than her screen goddess image ever suggested.
Marilyn Monroe was also Playboy's first centerfold. She did not pose for Playboy, however. The
photos were taken for a calendar several years earlier and Hugh Hefner purchased them for his
men's magazine.
Marilyn died in her Los Angeles home at age 36, supposedly a suicide from drug overdose, but
circumstances surrounding her death have led many to believe that her death was not a suicide.
Rather, some believe that she was killed because of her involvement with members of the
Kennedy family. Decades after her death people still speculate.
Gladys Baker, Marilyn's mother, was released from a sanitarium years after Marilyn's death.
After her release she moved into her daughter Berniece's house in Florida. Afterward she moved
to a nursing home where she died on congestive heart failure on March 11th, 1984 at
eighty-two years old. She was never certain who Marilyn Monroe or Norma Jeane were when asked.
A woman so fascinated by movie stars, did not even know she gave birth to one of the most
famous women in history.
Marriages
Marilyn was married three times throughout her life. The first was to Jim Dougherty when she
was 16 years old. Marilyn's guardian, Grace Goodard, who was moving away with her own new
husband, wanted Marilyn to get married so she would not go back to an orphanage. She later
divorced him in 1946, as she wanted to create a career for herself in movies and Jim did not
want her to.
In 1952 she married baseball great Joe DiMaggio. That union lasted 9 months. Joe wanted
Marilyn to be a housewife and have children. Marilyn always wanted children, but did not want
to give up her career.
It's indicated by some that Joe had beaten Marilyn a number of times during their short
marriage. One incident happened after her skirt blowing scene in The Seven Year Itch. After
storming off the set during the scene, Joe returned home and after Marilyn's arrival later
that evening, he allegedly assaulted Marilyn for the humiliation he felt during her "display."
Monroe's last husband was playwright Arthur Miller.
To save their marriage, Arthur created the movie The Misfits as a Valentine for Marilyn.
Shooting the movie was rough, and soon after the film wrapped they divorced. Arthur went on to
marry Inge Morath, a photographer who was on the set of the movie to document its creation.
After Marilyn's death, Arthur opened a play called After the Fall with a character named
Maggie who was very similar to Marilyn. The play upset all of Arthur and Marilyn's friends.
Arthur's career in America was soon shattered. He now has a play in the works called Finishing
the Picture which is centered around the making of The Misfits. Marilyn's character spends
the play in a tranquillised haze in a hotel room, drinking and suffering a nervous breakdown.
DiMaggio never stopped loving Marilyn, and after she died, he sent fresh roses to her crypt 3
times a week for 20 years. He took over her funeral arrangements, and refused to allow her
'killers' to attend. No Hollywood figures attended, and no Kennedys were invited. Her first
husband, Jim Dougherty, was working for the Los Angele Police Department that day, and Arthur
Miller did not attend. Joe DiMaggio's last words were, "I'll finally get to see Marilyn."
Marilyn's make-up stylist, Whitey, promised Marilyn that he would make her up when she died.
Marilyn even gave him a money clip with the words, "Whitey Dear, While I'm still warm, Marilyn.
" Joe reminded him of his promise when she died. He fulfilled that promise with the help of a
bottle of whiskey.
Numerous books with photographs of Marilyn have been published over the years and once every
two or three years "new, never before published" photos surface. For those interested not only
in photos but in her life, Goddess, the Secret Lives of Marilyn Monroe, written by Anthony
Summers is suggested reading.
A myth that Marilyn Monroe was born with six toes resulted from the publication of photographs
taken by the photographer Joseph Jasgur in March 1946. The pictures were published in the
book The Birth of Marilyn: The Lost Photographs of Norma Jean (1991) by Jasgur and Jeannie
Sakol. Two of the pictures can be interpreted as showing six toes, although they can also be
explained as tricks of the light. Since there is no corroborating evidence from other
photographs or written records, the story is commonly dismissed as an urban legend.
Marilyn Monroe is interred in the Westwood Village Memorial Park Cemetery in Westwood,
California.
Trivia
The song Candle in the Wind (1973), which was written by Bernie Taupin and sung by Sir Elton
John, was based upon the life and passing of Marilyn Monroe.
Albert Einstein was a fan of Marilyn's.
When Prince Rainier of Monaco was looking for a famous wife to marry, Marilyn was suggested to
him. He later married actress Grace Kelly, whose fame turned Monaco into the famous landmark
it is today.
Marilyn's features are copyrighted to her estate, and are not allowed to be copied exactly.
Hugh Hefner bought a crypt next to Marilyn for $85,000 and the other crypt next to her was
sold for $125,000. There are no empty spots available near Marilyn.
Films
Dangerous Years
The Shocking Miss Pilgrim (uncredited)
Scudda Hoo Scudda Hay Just one of the (unmentioned) girls in the background.
Ladies of the Chorus
Love Happy
A Ticket to Tomahawk (uncredited)
The Asphalt Jungle
All About Eve
The Fireball
Right Cross (uncredited)
Home Town Story
As Young as You Feel
Love Nest
Let's Make It Legal
Clash by Night
We're Not Married!
Don't Bother to Knock
Monkey Business Cary Grant as a forgetful professor. Marilyn is his secretary.
O. Henry's Full House
Niagara
Gentlemen Prefer Blondes featuring Marilyn performing Diamonds are a Girl's Best Friend.
How to Marry a Millionaire
River of No Return co-starring Robert Mitchum
There's No Business Like Show Business
The Seven Year Itch with Tom Ewell. Remember the "flying dress"?
Bus Stop
The Prince and the Showgirl which also starred Sir Laurence Olivier.
Some Like It Hot Tony Curtis and Jack Lemmon in drag meet Marilyn when they join an all-girl orchestra.
Let's Make Love
The Misfits, written by Marilyn's husband Arthur Miller and co-starring Clark Gable. This was both Monroe's and Gable's last film.
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