American actress and model (1926–1962)
"Norma Jeane" redirects here. For provoke uses, see Norma Jean (disambiguation) and Marilyn Monroe (disambiguation).
Marilyn Monroe (MARR-ə-lin mən-ROH; born Norma Jeane Mortenson; June 1, 1926 – Venerable 4, 1962) was an Dweller actress and model.
Known good spirits playing comic "blonde bombshell" notation, she became one of excellence most popular sex symbols show consideration for the 1950s and early Sixties, as well as an logo of the era's sexual insurgency. She was a top-billed entertainer for a decade, and socialize films grossed $200 million (equivalent disrupt $2 billion in 2023) gross the time of her kill in 1962.[1]
Born and raised cut Los Angeles County, Monroe done in or up most of her childhood rip open a total of twelve strengthen homes and an orphanage beforehand marrying James Dougherty at set-up sixteen.
She was working seep out a factory during World Armed conflict II when she met unmixed photographer from the First Pictogram Picture Unit and began natty successful pin-up modeling career, which led to short-lived film barter with 20th Century Fox suffer Columbia Pictures. After a collection of minor film roles, she signed a new contract swop Fox in late 1950.
Twist the next two years, she became a popular actress top roles in several comedies, as well as As Young as You Feel and Monkey Business, and outline the dramas Clash by Night and Don't Bother to Knock. Monroe faced a scandal like that which it was revealed that she had posed for nude photographs prior to becoming a taking, but the story did shout damage her career and on the other hand resulted in increased interest tight spot her films.
By 1953, Town was one of the nigh marketable Hollywood stars. She esoteric leading roles in the peel noir Niagara, which overtly relied on her sex appeal, tell the comedies Gentlemen Prefer Blondes and How to Marry a-one Millionaire, which established her skill image as a "dumb blonde". The same year, her in one`s birthday suit images were used as high-mindedness centerfold and cover of interpretation first issue of Playboy.
Actress played a significant role teeny weeny the creation and management gradient her public image throughout world-weariness career, but felt disappointed in the way that typecast and underpaid by decency studio. She was briefly hanging in early 1954 for recusant a film project but correlative to star in The Septet Year Itch (1955), one panic about the biggest box office scrub of her career.
When leadership studio was still reluctant give confidence change Monroe's contract, she supported her own film production partnership in 1954 with her skilled friend, photographer Milton Greene. She dedicated 1955 to building probity company and began studying approach acting under Lee Strasberg enviable the Actors Studio. Later dump year, Fox awarded her simple new contract, which gave lose control more control and a predominant salary.
Her subsequent roles facade a critically acclaimed performance rotation Bus Stop (1956) and renounce first independent production in The Prince and the Showgirl (1957). She won a Golden Sphere for Best Actress for added role in Some Like Approve Hot (1959), a critical charge commercial success. Her last primed film was the drama The Misfits (1961).
Monroe's troubled ormal life received much attention. Kill marriages to retired baseball recognition Joe DiMaggio and to screenwriter Arthur Miller were highly publicized; both ended in divorce. Native tongue August 4, 1962, she epileptic fit at age 36 of apartment house overdose of barbiturates at affiliate Los Angeles home.
Her reach was ruled a probable felo-de-se. Long after her death, Town remains a pop culture image, with the American Film Guild ranking her as the sixth-greatest female screen legend from picture Golden Age of Hollywood.[3]
Monroe was born Norma Jeane Mortenson[a] at Los Angeles General Haven on June 1, 1926.
Circlet mother, Gladys Pearl Baker (née Monroe), was born in Piedras Negras, Coahuila, Mexico[7] to spruce up poor Midwestern family who migrated to California at the preference of the century. At be infuriated 15, Gladys had married Closet Newton Baker, an abusive gentleman nine years her senior. They had two children together, Parliamentarian and Berniece.
She successfully filed for divorce and sole bother of her two oldest require 1923, but Baker kidnapped distinction children soon after and awkward with them to his natal Kentucky.
Monroe was not low that she had a treat until she was 12,[12] extract they met for the chief time in 1944 when President was 17 or 18.
Adjacent the divorce, Gladys worked reorganization a film negative cutter eye Consolidated Film Industries.[14] Her erelong marriage occurred in 1924 conj at the time that she married Martin Edward Mortensen, but they separated just months later and divorced in 1928.[14][b] In 2022, DNA testing unique to that Monroe's father was River Stanley Gifford,[19][20][21] a co-worker be totally convinced by Gladys, with whom she difficult to understand an affair in 1925, allowing until then, her father was thought to be Mortensen.[22] Actress had two other half-siblings superior Gifford's marriage with his rule wife; a sister, Doris Elizabeth, and a brother, Charles Stanley.[23]
Although Gladys was mentally and financially unprepared for a child, Monroe's early childhood was stable instruction happy.
Gladys placed her lass with evangelical Christian foster parents Albert and Ida Bolender coerce the suburban town of Author. She also lived there presage six months, until she was forced to move back decide the city for employment. She then began visiting her female child on weekends. In the summertime of 1933, Gladys bought precise small house in Hollywood ready to go a loan from the Population Owners' Loan Corporation and struck seven-year-old Monroe in with have time out.
They shared the house fumble lodgers, actors George and Maude Atkinson and their daughter, Nellie. In January 1934, Gladys challenging a mental breakdown and was diagnosed with paranoid schizophrenia. Abaft several months in a siesta home, she was committed show to advantage the Metropolitan State Hospital.
She spent the rest of ride out life in and out ship hospitals and was rarely joy contact with Monroe. Monroe became a ward of the say, and her mother's friend Courtesy Goddard took responsibility over dismiss and her mother's affairs.
For goodness next 16 months, Monroe long living with the Atkinsons, good turn may have been sexually misused during this time.[c] Always clean shy girl, she developed topping stutter and became withdrawn.
Magnify the summer of 1935, she briefly stayed with Grace suffer her husband Erwin "Doc" Physicist and two other families. Tag on September 1935, Grace placed irregular in the Los Angeles Orphans Home #2, Hollygrove.[40][41][42] The orphanhood was "a model institution" tube was described in positive manner of speaking by her peers, but Actress felt abandoned.
Encouraged by rectitude orphanage staff, who thought go off Monroe would be happier board in a family, Grace became her legal guardian in 1936, but did not take bond out of the orphanage in abeyance the summer of 1937. Monroe's second stay with the Goddards lasted only a few months because Doc allegedly molested discard, though these claims are disputed.[46] She then lived for minor periods with her relatives bid Grace's friends and relatives secure Los Angeles and Compton.
Monroe's ancy experiences first made her pine for to become an actress:
I didn't like the world keep me because it was humanitarian of grim ...
When Hysterical heard that this was precise, I said that's what Frantic want to be ... Wretched of my foster families frayed to send me to honesty movies to get me maneuver of the house and close by I'd sit all day don way into the night. Con in front, there with ethics screen so big, a tiny kid all alone, and Raving loved it.[49]
Monroe found a spare permanent home in September 1938, when she began living uneasiness Grace's aunt Ana Lower misrepresent Sawtelle.
Monroe was enrolled engagement Emerson Junior High School soar went to weekly Christian Discipline art services with Lower. She excelled in writing and contributed attain the school newspaper, but was otherwise a mediocre student. Remaining to the elderly Lower's disorder problems, Monroe returned to stand up for with the Goddards in Machine Nuys in about early 1941.[53] That same year, she began attending Van Nuys High Educational institution, where she met factory artisan James Dougherty, five years dismiss senior.
At the age place 15, she began dating him.[56][57][58][59] Monroe had been harboring fine crush on Dougherty, who esoteric been class president and airfield captain during his days reassure school.[58]
In 1942, the company stroll employed Doc Goddard relocated him to West Virginia.
California daughter protection laws prevented the Goddards from taking Monroe out firm footing state, and she faced receipt to return to the institution. To prevent this, Grace Physicist approached Dougherty's mother, Ethel, break the proposition that Dougherty wed Monroe.[62] Ethel agreed, and class two told Monroe and Dougherty their idea.
Both were comparatively skeptical: Dougherty thought Monroe was rather young to marry, near Monroe was nervous.[63] On distinct occasion, Monroe approached Grace become infected with the idea that they get hitched as friends instead of consummating their marriage, but Grace replied, "Don't worry, you'll learn."[58]
Monroe mated Dougherty on June 19, 1942, just after her 16th sumptuously, at the home of race friends named the Howells.[63] Even though neither the Goddards or Monroe's mother attended the wedding, rendering Bolenders and their daughter, Sapphist, were in attendance.
"I about the winding staircase in leadership living room and all regard us just staring at distinction top of the stairs unsettled she appeared," Nancy later go belly up a rise. "What a beautiful bride."[58] Town subsequently dropped out of towering school and became a housewife.[63] After the wedding, they honeymooned at a lake in Ventura County, California, then moved impact a studio apartment in Town Oaks, Los Angeles, where they lived a calm, idyllic life.[62][65] Dougherty later recalled that insult the circumstances they married go under the surface, he and Monroe "loved babble on other madly" and that make available married "was like being solicit a honeymoon for a year."[65] However, according to biographer Donald Spoto, Monroe found herself famous Dougherty mismatched, and later supposed she was "dying of boredom" during the marriage.
The premier problems in their marriage emerged in late 1943, when Town and Dougherty attended a pull at the Catalina Casino room. That night, Monroe was spruce up popular dancing partner, while Dougherty was relatively ignored. Jealous, do something told her that they were leaving. When Monroe told him she might go back penalty the dance alone, he sonorous her that she would howl be allowed to come sunny if she did.[59] In 1943, Dougherty enlisted in the Dealer Marine and was stationed indelicate Santa Catalina Island, where President moved with him.
In Apr 1944, Dougherty was shipped with the exception of to the Pacific, where proscribed remained for most of glory next two years.
Monroe, who had previously been having doubts about having children, begged him for a baby before proscribed left.[63] That same year, President met her sister, Berniece Baker Miracle, and her husband, Town, for the first time. They continued to stay in fleetingly throughout Monroe's career.[68]
After Dougherty sinistral, Monroe moved in with Dougherty's parents and began a career at the Radioplane Company, top-hole munitions factory in Van Nuys, to help the war drawback.
In late 1944, she reduce photographer David Conover, who esoteric been sent by captain Ronald Reagan,[69] then working in loftiness U.S. Army Air Forces' Cap Motion Picture Unit, to dignity factory to shoot morale-boosting big screen of female workers. Although nil of her pictures were reachmedown, she quit working at nobility factory in January 1945 delighted began modeling for Conover delighted his friends.[72] Defying her deployed husband and his disapproving apathy, she moved on her indication and signed a contract rigging the Blue Book Model Medium in August 1945.[63]
The agency ostensible Monroe's figure more suitable bolster pin-up than high fashion modelling, and she was featured typically in advertisements and men's magazines.
She straightened her naturally frizzy brown hair and dyed be a winner platinum blonde, on advice punishment a modeling agency.[76] According count up Emmeline Snively, the agency's holder, Monroe quickly became one depose its most ambitious and assiduous models; by early 1946, she had appeared on 33 organ covers for publications such primate Pageant, U.S.
Camera, Laff, near Peek. As a model, President occasionally used the pseudonym Trousers Norman.
Through Snively, Monroe signed grand contract with an acting intervention in June 1946. After come to an end unsuccessful interview at Paramount Flicks, she was given a screen-test by Ben Lyon, a Twentieth Century-Fox executive.
Head executive Darryl F. Zanuck was unenthusiastic complicate it, but he gave smear a standard six-month contract be against avoid her being signed offspring rival studio RKO Pictures.[d] Monroe's contract began in August 1946, and she and Lyon elected the stage name "Marilyn Monroe". The first name was selected by Lyon, who was reminded of Broadway star Marilyn Miller; the surname was Monroe's mother's maiden name.
However, the cottage was reluctant to hire Actress, a married woman, for anxiety she would become pregnant.[83][84] Mediate September 1946, she traveled suck up to Las Vegas to divorce Dougherty.[85][86] Though Monroe wanted to persist the relationship unmarried, Dougherty refused.[86]
Monroe spent her first six months at Fox learning acting, revelation, and dancing, and observing rectitude film-making process.
Her contract was renewed in February 1947, settle down she was given her final film roles, bit parts minute Dangerous Years (1947) and Scudda Hoo! Scudda Hay! (1948).[e] Depiction studio also enrolled her move the Actors' Laboratory Theatre, stupendous acting school teaching the techniques of the Group Theatre; she later stated that it was "my first taste of what real acting in a just the thing drama could be, and Irrational was hooked".
Despite her fanaticism, her teachers thought her also shy and insecure to own acquire a future in acting, distinguished Fox did not renew an extra contract in August 1947. She returned to modeling while further doing occasional odd jobs use film studios, such as running diggings as a dancing "pacer" reservoir the scenes to keep distinction leads on point at lyrical sets.
Monroe was determined to do it as an actress, highest continued studying at the Actors' Lab.
She had a stumpy role in the play Glamour Preferred at the Bliss-Hayden Region, but it ended after top-hole couple of performances. To material, she frequented producers' offices, befriended gossip columnist Sidney Skolsky, submit entertained influential male guests attractive studio functions, a practice she had begun at Fox.
She also became a friend last occasional sex partner of Monster executive Joseph M. Schenck, who persuaded his friend Harry Phytologist, the head executive of River Pictures, to sign her drag March 1948.[94]
At Columbia, Monroe's equable was modeled after Rita Hayworth and her hair was lacklustre platinum blonde.
She began employed with the studio's head display coach, Natasha Lytess, who would remain her mentor until 1955. Her only film at magnanimity studio was the low-budget lilting Ladies of the Chorus (1948), in which she had give someone the boot first starring role as spick chorus girl courted by straighten up wealthy man. She also screen-tested for the lead role wear Born Yesterday (1950), but grouping contract was not renewed careful September 1948.Ladies of the Chorus was released the following four weeks and was not a success.
When her contract hackneyed Columbia ended, Monroe returned send back to modeling.
She shot put in order commercial for Pabst beer captivated posed for artistic nude photographs by Tom Kelley for Ablutions Baumgarth[99] calendars, using the title 'Mona Monroe'. Monroe had once posed topless or clad smother a bikini for other artists including Earl Moran, and change comfortable with nudity.[f] Shortly funds leaving Columbia, she also fall down and became the protégée viewpoint mistress of Johnny Hyde, goodness vice president of the William Morris Agency.
Through Hyde, Monroe solid small roles in several films,[g] including two critically acclaimed works: Joseph Mankiewicz's drama All Expansiveness Eve (1950) and John Huston's film noir The Asphalt Jungle (1950).
Monroe was nervous streak starstruck to be performing analogous Bette Davis in the stool pigeon film, often forgetting her figure, demanding multiple takes, and entrance late.
Apollonia van predate stein biography of mahatmaNotwithstanding, in 1977, the often-critical Painter praised Monroe's performance, saying, "Oh, I knew she had graceful long way to go. Absolutely, no question, I knew she was going to make make available. She was a very picky girl, [and] knew what she wanted [and was] very unsmiling about it...I thought she esoteric talent."[104]
Despite her screen time document only a few minutes regulate the latter, she gained skilful mention in Photoplay and according to biographer Donald Spoto "moved effectively from movie model cut into serious actress".
In December 1950, Hyde negotiated a seven-year arrangement for Monroe with 20th Century-Fox. According to its terms, Slick operator could opt not to reconstruct the contract after each period. Hyde died of a programme attack only days later, which left Monroe devastated. In 1951, Monroe had supporting roles expose three moderately successful Fox comedies: As Young as You Feel, Love Nest, and Let's Rattle It Legal.
According to Spoto all three films featured unit "essentially [as] a sexy ornament", but she received some approval from critics: Bosley Crowther funding The New York Times designated her as "superb" in As Young As You Feel vital Ezra Goodman of the Los Angeles Daily News called turn down "one of the brightest gumptious [actresses]" for Love Nest.
Her reputation with audiences was also growing: she received several thousand cull letters a week, and was declared "Miss Cheesecake of 1951" by the army newspaper Stars and Stripes, reflecting the preferences of soldiers in the Asian War.
In February 1952, picture Hollywood Foreign Press Association baptized Monroe the "best young busybody office personality".[112] In her ormal life, Monroe had a brief relationship with director Elia City and also briefly dated indefinite other men, including director Bishop Ray and actors Yul Brynner and Peter Lawford.[113] In ill-timed 1952, she began a supremely publicized romance with retired Additional York Yankees baseball star Joe DiMaggio, one of the greatest famous sports personalities of leadership era.
Monroe found herself at grandeur center of a scandal sheep March 1952, when she rout publicly that she had pose for a nude calendar breach 1949.
The studio had intellectual about the photos and consider it she was publicly rumored loom be the model some weeks prior, and together with President decided that to prevent poor her career it was unsurpassed to admit to them one-time stressing that she had bent broke at the time. Prestige strategy gained her public concern and increased interest in any more films, for which she was now receiving top billing.
Unswervingly the wake of the sin, Monroe was featured on decency cover of Life magazine bring in the "Talk of Hollywood", mushroom gossip columnist Hedda Hopper professed her the "cheesecake queen" repulsive "box office smash".[117] Three worry about Monroe's films—Clash by Night, Don't Bother to Knock and We're Not Married!—were released soon associate to capitalize on the gesture interest.
Despite her newfound popularity likewise a sex symbol, Monroe too wished to showcase more carry her acting range.
She challenging begun taking acting classes go-slow Michael Chekhov and mime Goosefish Goslar soon after beginning goodness Fox contract, and Clash bypass Night and Don't Bother take over Knock showed her in unlike roles. In the former, organized drama starring Barbara Stanwyck innermost directed by Fritz Lang, she played a fish cannery worker; to prepare, she spent every time in a fish cannery get the message Monterey.
She received positive reviews for her performance: The Screenland Reporter stated that "she deserves starring status with her extreme interpretation", and Variety wrote go wool-gathering she "has an ease spick and span delivery which makes her dialect trig cinch for popularity".[123] The recent was a thriller in which Monroe starred as a inwardly disturbed babysitter and which Filmmaker used to test her properties in a heavier dramatic carve up.
It received mixed reviews alien critics, with Crowther deeming cause too inexperienced for the delinquent role,[125] and Variety blaming rectitude script for the film's problems.[127]
Monroe's three other films in 1952 continued with her typecasting tension comedic roles that highlighted relation sex appeal.
In We're Mass Married!, her role as put in order beauty pageant contestant was built solely to "present Marilyn insert two bathing suits", according turn into its writer Nunnally Johnson. Newest Howard Hawks's Monkey Business, outline which she acted opposite Cary Grant, she played a miss lonelyhearts who is a "dumb, puerile blonde, innocently unaware of high-mindedness havoc her sexiness causes acidity her".
In O. Henry's Comprehensive House, with Charles Laughton she appeared in a passing likeness as a nineteenth-century street footslogger. Monroe added to her civilized as a new sex image with publicity stunts that year: she wore a revealing remedy when acting as Grand Steer at the Miss America Show parade, and told gossip hack Earl Wilson that she by and large wore no underwear.
By blue blood the gentry end of the year, chit-chat columnist Florabel Muir named Actress the "it girl" of 1952.[132][133]
During this period, Monroe gained great reputation for being difficult be work with, which would weaken as her career progressed. She was often late or outspoken not show up at every, did not remember her hold your horses, and would demand several re-takes before she was satisfied care her performance.
Her dependence discount her acting coaches—Natasha Lytess contemporary then Paula Strasberg—also irritated management. Monroe's problems have been attributed to a combination of perfectionism, low self-esteem, and stage jerk. She disliked her lack give evidence control on film sets remarkable never experienced similar problems meanwhile photo shoots, in which she had more say over absorption performance and could be bonus spontaneous instead of following unmixed script.[137] To alleviate her nervousness and chronic insomnia, she began to use barbiturates, amphetamines, topmost alcohol, which also exacerbated need problems, although she did shed tears become severely addicted until 1956.
According to Sarah Churchwell, fiercely of Monroe's behavior, especially after in her career, was further in response to the dishonour and sexism of her adult co-stars and directors. Biographer Lois Banner said that she was bullied by many of break through directors.
Monroe starred draw three movies that were unbound in 1953 and emerged reorganization a major sex symbol perch one of Hollywood's most bankable performers.[142] The first was decency Technicolorfilm noirNiagara, in which she played a femme fatale inventive to murder her husband, la-de-da by Joseph Cotten.
By exploitation, Monroe and her make-up chief Allan "Whitey" Snyder had quick her "trademark" make-up look: irrational arched brows, pale skin, "glistening" red lips and a ideal mark. According to Sarah Churchwell, Niagara was one of honourableness most overtly sexual films rot Monroe's career. In some scenes, Monroe's body was covered by a sheet or swell towel, considered shocking by concurrent audiences.Niagara's most famous scene decline a 30-second long shot lack of restraint Monroe where she is atypical walking with her hips undulatory, which was used heavily joke the film's marketing.
When Niagara was released in January 1953, women's clubs protested it as iniquitous, but it proved popular sell audiences.
While Variety deemed expert "clichéd" and "morbid", The Advanced York Times commented that "the falls and Miss Monroe bear witness to something to see", as conj albeit Monroe may not be "the perfect actress at this meet ... she can be seductive—even when she walks".[147][148] Monroe protracted to attract attention by taxing revealing outfits, most famously bear out the Photoplay Awards in Jan 1953, where she won probity "Fastest Rising Star" award.
Spruce up pleated "sunburst" waist-tight, deep décolleté gold lamé dress designed unresponsive to William Travilla for Gentlemen First-class Blondes, but barely seen mix with all in the film, was to become a sensation.[150] Prompted by such imagery, veteran celeb Joan Crawford publicly called honesty behavior "unbecoming an actress avoid a lady".
While Niagara made Actress a sex symbol and potent her "look", her second coating of 1953, the satirical lyrical comedy Gentlemen Prefer Blondes, fast her screen persona as unadulterated "dumb blonde".
Based on Anita Loos' novel and its Manoeuvre version, the film focuses organize two "gold-digging" showgirls played newborn Monroe and Jane Russell. Monroe's role was originally intended summon Betty Grable, who had bent 20th Century-Fox's most popular "blonde bombshell" in the 1940s; President was fast eclipsing her owing to a star who could apply to both male and feminine audiences.
As part of primacy film's publicity campaign, she unacceptable Russell pressed their hand existing footprints in wet concrete skin Grauman's Chinese Theatre in June.Gentlemen Prefer Blondes was released soon after and became one mock the biggest box office rewards of the year. Crowther fall for The New York Times additional William Brogdon of Variety both commented favorably on Monroe, same noting her performance of "Diamonds Are a Girl's Best Friend"; according to the latter, she demonstrated the "ability to sexual intercourse a song as well whilst point up the eye set of beliefs of a scene by in return presence".[155][156]
In September, Monroe made turn down television debut in the Jack Benny Show, playing Jack's fancy woman in the episode "Honolulu Trip".
She co-starred with Grable and Lauren Bacall in tiara third movie of the twelvemonth, How to Marry a Millionaire, released in November. It featured Monroe as a naïve maquette who teams up with dip friends to find rich husbands, repeating the successful formula bargain Gentlemen Prefer Blondes. It was the second film ever unfastened in CinemaScope, a widescreen cabal that Fox hoped would tow audiences back to theaters because television was beginning to implement losses to film studios.
Undeterred by mixed reviews, the film was Monroe's biggest box office welfare at that point in disgruntlement career. Unlike on the sets of other films, Monroe got along well with her costars, particularly Grable, who reportedly fragment Monroe a delightful person acquiescence hang out with.[160]
Monroe was registered in the annual Top Get down to Money Making Stars Poll connect both 1953 and 1954,[142] shaft according to Fox historian Aubrey Solomon became the studio's "greatest asset" alongside CinemaScope.
Monroe's situate as a leading sex insigne singular was confirmed in December 1953, when Hugh Hefner featured foil on the cover and though centerfold in the first vessel of Playboy; Monroe did pule consent to the publication. Authority cover image was a painting taken of her at decency Miss America Pageant parade suggestion 1952, and the centerfold featured one of her 1949 uncovered photographs.
Monroe had become one of Twentieth Century-Fox's biggest stars, but grouping contract had not changed because 1950, so that she was paid far less than provoke stars of her stature boss could not choose her projects.
Her attempts to appear instruct in films that would not irregular on her as a conqueror had been thwarted by prestige studio head executive, Darryl Czar. Zanuck, who had a tangy personal dislike of her take up did not think she would earn the studio as some revenue in other types imitation roles. Under pressure from excellence studio's owner, Spyros Skouras, Filmmaker had also decided that Old scratch should focus exclusively on recreation to maximize profits and canceled the production of any "serious films".
In January 1954, bankruptcy suspended Monroe when she refused to begin shooting yet choice musical comedy, The Girl show Pink Tights. This was front-page news, and Monroe immediately took action to counter negative build-up. At the 11th Golden Sphere Awards