Marilyn+Monroe

Marilyn Monroe was born in Los Angeles on June 1, 1926. Her birth name was Norma Jeane Mortenson. Her mother soon changed her surname to Baker, which was her mother’s first husband’s name. Monroe, which she used when she became famous, was her mother’s maiden name. Unfortunately, her mother, Gladys Baker, was considered ‘unstable’ and couldn’t care for young Norma Jeane. She was bounced in and out of foster care, lived with several relatives—only for short periods of time—and even in a Los Angeles orphanage for some time. Numerous attempts were made at adoption, but her mother would never give her up for good. In 1933, when Norma Jeane was only seven years old, she was sent to live with Grace McKee, a friend of her mothers. Some say it was Grace who fostered her love of the film industry. Two short years later Grace married Ervin Silliman “Doc” Goddard, and Norma Jeane was sent to live at the Los Angeles Orphans Home. When Norma Jeane was eleven the Goddards: Doc, Grace, and Doc’s daughter from a previous marriage, took her in; soon after, though she was sent to live with a great-aunt. In 1942 Norma Jeane was once again back at the Goddard’s. In late 1942 the Goddards decided they were going to move to Virginia. Instead of returning to foster care Norma Jeane, at age sixteen, married the first of three husbands, James “Jim” Dougherty. During World War II Dougherty was in the Merchant Marine. During this time Norma Jeane got a job at the Radioplane Munitions Factory. While there a photographer took a picture of her for an article in the military magazine //Yank//. The photographer told her she should apply to the Blue Book Modeling Agency. She did, and because she heard they were looking for light haired models she died her brown hair golden blonde. She researched people like Jean Harlow and Lana Turner, two popular American actresses of the 1930’s. Soon enough she was one of the agencies most successful models. Her career in modeling caught the attention of a Twentieth Century Fox executive, Ben Lyon. He aided her in her break into acting. He disliked the name Norma Jeane and originally wanted her stage name to be Carole Lind, for Carole Lombard (a popular actress of the 30’s) and Jenny Lind (a Swedish opera singer), but the name didn’t fit. Norma Jeane decided to take her mothers maiden name of Monroe, like her idol Jean Harlow did, and she and Lyon tried many variants of Norma Jeane Monroe. Lyon decided there were too many actresses named Jean, or a variation of the name, and he wanted a name with alliteration. Finally Lyon came up with Marilyn, after Marilyn Miller (a popular 20’s Broadway actress). At first Norma Jeane didn’t like the name Marilyn, but Lyon convinced her that the name Marilyn Monroe “had a ‘nice flow’, and would be ‘lucky’ due to the double ‘M’”. Monroe then signed a short term contract with Twentieth Century Fox. During that time she had only a few roles, only one of which she was credited in. Her contract with Twentieth Century Fox soon ran out, and for a while Monroe struggled greatly finding work. Then she signed a six month agreement with Columbia Pictures during which time she was cast in the musical //Ladies of the Chorus//, and a studio head had her overbite corrected. A Marx Brothers film she starred in in 1949, //Love Happy,// grabbed the attention of Johnny Hyde, a talent agent. Hyde agreed to represent her and got her an audition with John Huston. Because of this audition Monroe was cast in //The Asphalt Jungle//. This brought about a few other starring roles, which eventually led to a seven year contract with Twentieth Century Fox. Around this time her agent also arranged for her to have a small nose reduction. Monroe attended the Actors Studio in 1955 in an attempt to discourage typecasting. While there she studied under Lee Strasberg who once stated “I have worked with hundreds and hundreds of actors and actresses, and there are only two that stand out way above the rest. Number one is Marlon Brando, and the second is Marilyn Monroe.” Monroe films grossed a sum of over $200 million in their first runs. On August 5, 1962 Monroe’s psychiatrist, Ralph Greenson, found her dead in her home. The Los Angeles County Coroners proclaimed her death a “probable suicide” due to “acute barbiturate poisoning.” Her eulogy was given by former teacher, Lee Strasburg, and for twenty years after her death second husband Joe DiMaggio had a half dozen red roses were delivered to her grave.

Analysis:
Marilyn Monroe was, and still is an American icon. She was known for being the ‘dumb blond’ and often used it humorously in her films. Later in her career, in an effort to discourage typecasting for dumb blond roles, Monroe attended the Actors Studio. She also received acting lessons from Constance Collier. Collier was an English actor and acting coach. She became a notorious sex symbol. Marilyn Monroe starred in over thirty movies in her life time, and her voice or songs have been used in at least thirty nine movies/sound tracks since. Over the years Marilyn Monroe has been mimicked in many ways. One of her most famous images, from her 1955 film //The Seven Year Itch//, features her wearing a white halter top dress and standing on a side walk grate, with her dress blown up by it. Countless times people have spoofed this image, in movies such as //Blond Ambition,// and //The House Bunny.// She is referenced in numerous songs and her image has been used in ad campaigns for anything from Volkswagens to Visas to Hubba Bubba bubble gum. Lindsay Lohan’s clothing line, 6126, is named for Monroe’s birthday, which is June 1, 1926. Sir Elton John’s song “Candle in The Wind” references Marilyn Monroe. The band //The Misfits// took their name from her 1961 film of the same name. In 1999 E! took an online poll to find the Sex Symbol of The Century, and Marilyn Monroe won, and in 1998 Monroe was one of //Ladies Home Journal//’s One Hundred Most Important Women of the Twentieth Century. Also in 1998, she was voted one of //Time//’s Most Important People of the Twentieth Century, and //Playboy//’s Number One Sex Star of the Century. Monroe was voted //Empire//’s Sexiest Female Movie Star in 1995, and in 2005 she was voted //Premiere//’s Number Two Greatest Movie Star of All Time. She was second only to Cary Grant. There were two opera’s composed in tribute to Marilyn Monroe. The first in 1979 by Lorenzo Ferrero entitled //Marilyn.// The next in 1993, also called Marilyn, by Ezra Laderman and Norman Rosten. In 1955 Marilyn Monroe formed her own production company with Milton Greene. More recently there has been a push by FilmEngine to create a film based on the suspicion surrounding Marilyn Monroe’s untimely death. The film will dramatize the rumors that coroner Lionel Grandison was supposedly forced to forge Monroe’s death certificate, saying it was a suicide instead of murder. Marilyn Monroe supported our troops, and while honeymooning with then husband Joe DiMaggio in Japan she entertained the troops in Korea. Her name on her USO ID card was Norma Jeane DiMaggio, rather that Marilyn Monroe, or even Marilyn DiMaggio. Marilyn Monroe was also a supporter of women’s rights. She once said, “Women who seek to be equal with men lack ambition.” Her rise from a life of constant change and hardship in youth to the renowned fame she now has is awe inspiring.