Paying Tribute to Marilyn Monroe
The most celebrated of all actresses, Marilyn Monroe, was born Norma Jean Mortenson, on June 1, 1926, in the Los Angeles General Hospital, in California. Prior to her birth, Marilyn's father bought a motorcycle and headed north to San Francisco, thus abandoning the family in LA. Marilyn grew up not knowing for sure who her father really was. Her mother, Gladys, had entered into several relationships thus confusing her daughter who fathered her.
Afterward, Gladys gave Norma Jean (Marilyn) the name of Baker, a previous suitor before Mortenson. Poverty was a constant companion. Gladys, who was extremely attractive and worked for RKO Studios as a film cutter, suffered from mental illness and therefore was in and out of mental institutions for the rest of her life. Subsequently, Marilyn spent time in foster homes. When she was nine, Marilyn was placed in an orphanage where she was to stay for the next two years. When she was released from the orphanage, she went to, yet, another foster home.
In 1942, at the age of sixteen Marilyn married an aircraft plant worker by the name of James Dougherty who was 21. The marriage only lasted four years when they divorced in 1946. By this time, Marilyn began to model swim suits and bleached her hair blonde. Various shots made their way into the public eye, where some were eventually seen by RKO head, Howard Hughes. Hughes offered Marilyn a screen test, but an agent suggested that Fox Studios would be the better choice since it was bigger and more prestigious. She was signed to a contract at $125 per week for a six month period and that was increased by $25 at the end of that time when her contract was lengthened.
Her first film was in 1947 with a bit part in THE SHOCKING MISS PILGRIM. Her next production was not much better. 1948 saw Marilyn in the largely forgettable, SCUDDA HOO! SCUDDA HAY! The two of the three brief scenes she appeared wound up on the cutting room floor. Later that same year, Marilyn was given a better role as Evie in DANGEROUS YEARS.
Twentieth Century-Fox declined to renew her contract, so she went back to modeling and acting school. Columbia Studios then picked her up to portray Peggy Martin in the film short LADIES OF THE CHORUS (1948) where she sang two numbers. Even the notices from the critics were favorable, but Columbia dropped her after that film. Once again, Marilyn returned to modeling. In 1949, Marilyn appeared in United Artists' film LOVE HAPPY. It was also the same year she posed nude for the now famous calendar shot which was later to appear in Playboy magazine in 1953 and further boost her career. She would be Playboy's first centerfold in that magazine's long and illustrious history.
1950 proved to be a good year for Marilyn. Not because she appeared in five films, but for the notices for her small ones in two of the five. they were THE ASPHALT JUNGLE with MGM and ALL ABOUT EVE with Fox. Even though both roles were amounted to bit parts and the latter received Oscar nominations, movie fans remembered her dumb blonde performance.
In 1951, Marilyn got a fairly sizable role in LOVE NEST. The public was now getting to know Marilyn and was enthralled with her. She exuded an almost innocence about the aura of sexuality about her.
In 1952, Marilyn appeared in DON'T BOTHER TO KNOCK in which she played a babysitter who was somewhat mentally unbalanced. She didn't fare well with the critics in this one. Later in the year she appeared in MONKEY BUSINESS where she was seen for the first time as a platinum blonde. The look became her trademark. The next year she appeared in GENTLEMEN PREFER BLONDES as Lorelei Lee. It was also the same year she began dating the baseball great, Joe DiMaggio. Marilyn was now a box-office drawing card.
Later, she appeared with Betty Grable, Lauren Bacall and Rory Calhoun in HOW TO MARRY A MILLIONAIRE. Although her co-stars got the rave reviews, it was the sight of Marilyn who excited the audience, particularly if they were men. On January 14, 1954, Marilyn wed DiMaggio, then proceeded to film THERE'S NO BUSINESS LIKE SHOW BUSINESS. That was quickly followed by THE SEVEN YEAR ITCH which was released in 1955 and showcased her comedic talent.
By October of 1954, Marilyn announced her divorce from DiMaggio. The union lasted only eight months. In 1955, Marilyn was suspended by Fox for not reporting for work on HOW TO BE VERY POPULAR. It was her second suspension, the first being for not reporting for the production of THE GIRL IN PINK TIGHTS. Both roles went to others.
In 1955, she appeared in THE SEVEN YEAR ITCH which showed one of film's most memorable scenes when she stands above a subway grate and the wind from a passing subway blowing her white dress up. It was to be the only film she appeared that year. Her work was slowing down to to her problems with being tardy to the set, being ill, whether real or imagined, and generally being unwilling to cooperate with the producers, directors, and fellow actors.
In BUS STOP (1956), she finally showed the critics that she could play a dramatic role. It was also the same year she married playwright, Arthur Miller. (They divorced in 1960). In 1957, Marilyn flew to Britain to film THE PRINCE AND THE SHOWGIRL which proved less than reliable at the box-office. Though it made money, it was thought to be slow-moving.
After a year off in 1958, Marilyn returned to the silver screen the next for the delightful comedy, SOME LIKE IT HOT with Tony Curtis and Jack Lemmon. The film was an absolute smash hit with Curtis and Lemmon pretend to be females in an all girl band, so they can get work. That, again, would be the only film for the year.
In 1960, Marilyn appeared in the production of George Cukor's LET'S MAKE LOVE, with Tony Randall and Yves Montand. Most critics considered it slow moving. The following year, Marilyn made, what was to be her final film. THE MISFITS would also prove to be the final film for the legendary Clark Gable who would die later that year of a heart attack. The film proved to be popular with critics and the public alike.
In 1962, Marilyn was chosen for the film, SOMETHING'S GOT TO GIVE. Again her absenteeism caused delay after delay in production and she was fired in June. It looked as though her career was finished. Studios just didn't want to take a chance on her because it would cost them thousands of dollars in delays. She went in seclusion in her home in LA.
On August 5, 1962, her housekeeper found her nude and lying face down on her bed, the victim of an overdose of sedatives. She was only 36. Marilyn made only 30 films in her lifetime, but her legendary status and mysticism will remain with film history forever.
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