Marilyn Monroe

• 1. Childhood Shadows

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  Norma Jeane Mortenson was born on the 1st of June 1926, at Los Angeles General Hospital in the Boyle Heights neighborhood. Her mother Gladys Pearl Baker had been married to an abusive man named John Newton Baker before divorcing him in 1923. The couple moved their children Robert and Berniece to Kentucky shortly after the divorce. Monroe first learned about her sister when she was twelve years old and met her for the first time during her late teens. After Gladys worked as a film negative cutter at Consolidated Film Industries, she married Martin Edward Mortensen in 1924. This union lasted only a few months yet they did not legally divorce until four years later. Most biographers agree that Mortensen was unlikely to be Monroe's father since their separation occurred well before she became pregnant. Biographers Fred Guiles and Lois Banner suggest Charles Stanley Gifford might have been her real father. A DNA comparison conducted in 2022 between Monroe and one of Gifford's descendants supported this theory. Gladys placed young Norma Jeane with evangelical Christian foster parents Albert and Ida Bolender in Hawthorne. She lived there for six months until forced to move back to the city for employment. In January 1934, Gladys suffered a mental breakdown diagnosed as paranoid schizophrenia. She spent the rest of her life in and out of hospitals while rarely contacting her daughter. Monroe became a ward of the state under Grace Goddard who took responsibility for both affairs. For sixteen months she continued living with the Atkinsons and may have been sexually abused during this period. Always shy she developed a stutter and became withdrawn. In September 1935 Grace placed Monroe in the Los Angeles Orphans Home where she felt abandoned despite positive peer descriptions. The orphanage staff encouraged her to live in a family so Grace became her legal guardian in 1936 but did not take her out until summer 1937. Her second stay with the Goddards lasted only a few months because Doc allegedly molested her. She then lived briefly with relatives and friends in Los Angeles and Compton.

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• 2. Pin-Up To Screen

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  In April 1944 James Dougherty was shipped out to the Pacific where he remained for most of the next two years. After his departure Monroe moved in with his parents and began working at the Radioplane Company munitions factory in Van Nuys. In late 1944 she met photographer David Conover who had been sent to shoot morale-boosting pictures of female workers. Although none of her pictures were used she quit working at the factory in January 1945 and began modeling for Conover and his friends. Defying her deployed husband and his disapproving mother she moved on her own and signed a contract with Blue Book Model Agency in August 1945. The agency deemed Monroe's figure more suitable for pin-up than high fashion modeling. By early 1946 she had appeared on thirty-three magazine covers for publications such as Pageant U.S. Camera Laff and Peek. As a model she occasionally used the pseudonym Jean Norman. Through Emmeline Snively the agency owner Monroe signed a contract with an acting agency in June 1946. After an unsuccessful interview at Paramount Pictures she received a screen-test by Ben Lyon a twentyth Century-Fox executive. Head executive Darryl F. Zanuck gave her a standard six-month contract to avoid her being signed by rival studio RKO Pictures. Her contract began in August 1946 and she and Lyon selected the stage name Marilyn Monroe. The first name was picked by Lyon who was reminded of Broadway star Marilyn Miller while the surname came from Monroe's mother's maiden name. In September 1946 she divorced Dougherty who had been opposed to her career. She spent her first six months at Fox learning acting singing and dancing while observing the film-making process. Her contract was renewed in February 1947 and she received bit parts in Dangerous Years and Scudda Hoo! Scudda Hay!. The studio enrolled her in the Actors' Laboratory Theatre teaching techniques of the Group Theatre. Despite enthusiasm her teachers thought her too shy and insecure to have a future in acting. Fox did not renew her contract in August 1947 so she returned to modeling while doing odd jobs like working as a dancing pacer behind scenes.

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• 3. Studio Wars

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  Monroe became one of twentyth Century-Fox's biggest stars yet her contract remained unchanged since 1950. She earned far less than other stars of her stature and could not choose projects. Studio head executive Darryl F. Zanuck held strong personal dislike for her believing she would not earn revenue in serious roles. Under pressure from owner Spyros Skouras Zanuck canceled production of any serious films to focus exclusively on entertainment. In January 1954 he suspended Monroe when she refused to begin shooting another musical comedy called The Girl in Pink Tights. This suspension made front-page news prompting immediate action to counter negative publicity. She married Joe DiMaggio at San Francisco City Hall on the 14th of January 1954. Fifteen days later they flew to Japan combining a honeymoon with his business trip. From Tokyo she traveled to Korea where she sang for over sixty thousand U.S. Marines over four days during a USO show. After returning to the United States she was awarded Photoplays Most Popular Female Star prize. Monroe settled with Fox in March receiving a new contract plus a bonus of one hundred thousand dollars. She also secured a starring role in the film adaptation of The Seven Year Itch. In April 1954 Otto Preminger's western River of No Return released as the last film she had filmed prior to suspension. She called it a Z-grade cowboy movie but it proved popular with audiences. The first film she made after suspension was There's No Business Like Show Business which she strongly disliked yet the studio required her to complete due to dropping The Girl in Pink Tights. It failed upon release in late 1954 with her performance considered vulgar by many critics. In September 1954 she began filming Billy Wilder's comedy The Seven Year Itch opposite Tom Ewell. The studio staged advance publicity by filming a scene on Lexington Avenue in Manhattan where air blew up the skirt of her white dress. Nearly two thousand spectators watched the shoot lasting several hours. The subway grate scene became iconic while The Seven Year Itch became one of the biggest commercial successes of the year after its June 1955 release. This publicity marked the end of her marriage to DiMaggio who had been physically abusive and controlling.

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• 4. Marriages And Medication

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  After returning from New York City to Hollywood in October 1954 Monroe filed for divorce following only nine months of marriage. She left Hollywood for the East Coast where she and photographer Milton Greene founded Marilyn Monroe Productions MMP. This action later became instrumental in collapsing the studio system. Monroe stated she was tired of sex roles asserting no longer under contract since Fox had not fulfilled duties like paying promised bonuses. A year-long legal battle between her and Fox began in January 1955. The press ridiculed her while she was parodied in Broadway play Will Success Spoil Rock Hunter? featuring lookalike Jayne Mansfield playing a dumb actress starting own production company. After founding MMP she moved to Manhattan spending 1955 studying acting with Constance Collier attending method acting workshops at Actors Studio run by Lee Strasberg. She grew close to Strasberg and his wife Paula receiving private lessons due to shyness becoming family member. She replaced old coach Natasha Lytess with Paula making them important influence throughout rest of career. Monroe underwent psychoanalysis as Strasberg believed actors must confront emotional traumas using them in performances. She continued relationship with DiMaggio despite ongoing divorce process while briefly dating actor Marlon Brando who maintained intermittent relationship until death. Beginning more serious affair with playwright Arthur Miller after October 1955 when divorce finalized and Miller left wife Mary Slattery. Studio urged ending it citing FBI investigation into communism allegations yet Monroe refused leading FBI opening file on her. Years later FBI found no evidence linking Monroe to Communist Party concluding subject views positively leftist but not generally known among movement workers. By end of year Monroe and Fox signed new seven-year contract since MMP could not finance films alone. Fox paid four hundred thousand dollars for four films granting right to choose projects directors cinematographers. She remained free to make one film per completed Fox project through MMP. On the 29th of June 1956 she legally changed name to Marilyn Monroe. The press wrote favorably about decision fighting studio calling Time magazine her a shrewd businesswoman.

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• 5. Final Productions

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  Monroe returned to Hollywood in July 1958 acting opposite Jack Lemmon and Tony Curtis in Billy Wilder's comedy Some Like It Hot. She considered role Sugar Kane another dumb blonde accepting due to Miller encouragement plus offer ten percent profits beyond standard pay. Film production became legendary difficult requiring dozens retakes where Curtis famously said kissing her like kissing Hitler due number retakes. Monroe privately likened production sinking ship commenting why worry I have no phallic symbol lose. Many problems stemmed from disagreements between her and Wilder regarding how play role angering him by altering scenes worsening stage fright suggesting deliberate ruining several scenes act way. In end Wilder happy with performance saying anyone can remember lines real artist come set know lines yet give performance did. Some Like It Hot critical commercial success released March 1959 earning Golden Globe Best Actress Leading Role Musical Comedy prompting Variety call comedienne combination sex appeal timing unbeatable voted best films ever made polls BBC American Film Institute Sight & Sound. After Some Like It Hot took hiatus until late 1959 starring musical comedy Let's Make Love choosing George Cukor directing while Miller rewrote weak script accepted part solely behind contract Fox. Production delayed frequent absences from set during shoot had affair co-star Yves Montand widely reported press used film publicity campaign. Let's Make Love unsuccessful release September 1960 described Crowther appearing untidy lacking old dynamism Hedda Hopper called most vulgar picture done. Truman Capote lobbied for Holly Golightly Breakfast at Tiffany's role went Audrey Hepburn producers feared complicating production. Last completed film John Huston's The Misfits 1961 which Miller wrote providing dramatic role playing Roslyn receiving quickie divorce Reno befriending aging cowboys Clark Gable Eli Wallach Montgomery Clift. Filming Nevada desert July November 1960 difficult marriage effectively over beginning relationship on-set photographer Inge Morath. Monroe resented basing Roslyn partly herself thinking character inferior male roles struggling rewriting scenes night before filming health failing pain gallstones severe drug addiction makeup applied asleep under influence barbiturates. August filming halted week hospital detox despite problems Huston said acting real thing going deep within find bring consciousness. Separated after filming ended obtaining Mexican divorce January 1961. The Misfits released following month failing box office reviews mixed complaining choppy character development Bosley Crowther calling completely blank unfathomable turning structure upon her received favorable reviews twenty-first century.

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• 6. Death And Legacy

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  During final months lived at 12305 Fifth Helena Drive Brentwood neighborhood Los Angeles housekeeper Eunice Murray staying overnight evening the 4th of August 1962. Murray woke three o'clock a.m. August 5 sensing wrong seeing light under bedroom door unable get response finding locked door called psychiatrist Ralph Greenson arriving shortly breaking window into bedroom. Found nude dead bed covered sheet hand clamped telephone receiver physician Hyman Engelberg arrived around three fifty a.m. pronouncing dead four twenty-five a.m. Los Angeles Police Department notified died between eight thirty p.m. ten thirty p.m. August 4 toxicology report showed cause acute barbiturate poisoning. Eight milligrams per hundred milliliters chloral hydrate plus four point five mg pentobarbital Nembutal blood thirteen mg pentobarbital liver found empty medicine bottles next bed possibility accidental overdose ruled out dosages several times lethal limit. Deputy coroner Thomas Noguchi classified probable suicide based facts prone severe fears frequent depressions abrupt unpredictable mood changes overdosed past possibly intentionally lack indication foul play. Sudden death front-page news United States Europe historian Lois Banner said suicide rate Los Angeles doubled month following circulation newspapers expanded Chicago Tribune received hundreds phone calls public requesting information French artist Jean Cocteau commented should serve terrible lesson spying tormenting film stars former co-star Laurence Olivier deemed complete victim ballyhoo sensation Bus Stop director Joshua Logan one most unappreciated people world. Funeral held Westwood Village Memorial Park Cemetery August 8 private attended closest associates arranged DiMaggio Miracle business manager Inez Melson. DiMaggio only ex-husband attending barring most Hollywood believing responsibility for death. Hundreds spectators crowded streets cemetery entombed Corridor Memories decades conspiracy theories including murder accidental overdose contradict suicide cause speculation gained mainstream attention Norman Mailer Marilyn Biography published 1973 widespread enough District Attorney John Van de Kamp conduct threshold investigation 1982 see criminal investigation opened no evidence foul play found.

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