Marilyn Monroe
11 Curiosities to know about Marilyn’s life.
1- Marilyn Monroe Exposed Sexual Predators.
In 1952, in the article “Wolves I Have Known,” Marilyn described the various types of violence she suffered in auditions from the beginning of her acting career.
She spoke about the manipulation and perversion that defined Hollywood’s powerful tycoons. “The first real wolf I encountered should have been ashamed of himself because he was trying to take advantage of a mere kid,” said the actress.
Despite being so young and naive, Marilyn realized that this was not the way to get a job as an actress and did not let herself be manipulated by those trying to take advantage of her.
2- Marilyn Fought for Equal Pay.
Upon discovering that Frank Sinatra, her partner in the film “The Girl in Pink Tights”, was paid 3 times as much as she was, the actress walked off the set.
Consequently, she was suspended by the movie studio, and the film was canceled.
When Marilyn returned from suspension, she was granted a higher salary and guaranteed stardom in future films.
3- Marilyn Founded Her Own Film Production Company.
In 1955, Marilyn wanted to take her career beyond the label “Fatal Blonde.” She created Marilyn Monroe Productions with her friend and photographer Milton Greene, which allowed her to negotiate both her fee and provide input regarding the roles she played. Half of her staff were women, which was unusual at the time and was a major milestone.
The company garnered ample critical success, with one critic saying its 1957 romance Bus Stop “effectively dispels once and for all the notion that she is merely a glamour personality.” It also received Globe and Oscar nominations in the acting category.
4- Marilyn Propelled Ella Fitzgerald’s Career.
The owner of the famous Mocambo nightclub was hesitant to hire Ella because he felt she was not “glamorous” enough. Marilyn contacted the club and promised that if they hired Fitzgerald, she would attend every performance in the front row. And so it was, the illustrious singer of “true jazz” burst onto the Mocambo.
“I owe Marilyn Monroe a real debt…she called the owner and told him she wanted me booked immediately,” said Ella Fitzgerald.
She not only secured the singer a week-long gig but kept her promise, showing up each night and bringing superstars Judy Garland and Frank Sinatra for the buzziest opening night.
5- Marilyn Supported LGBTQ+ Causes.
Monroe was a famous Hollywood star and sex symbol. Her sexuality was questioned, and she even had doubts about herself. In her autobiography, Marilyn reveals that she discovered she was not a lesbian after having doubts caused by a situation where she had no reaction to being kissed by a man.
“A man who once kissed me said that it was very possible that I was a lesbian because I apparently did not react to men, that is, to him. I didn’t contradict him because I didn’t know what I was. After I fell in love, I already knew what I was. I was not a lesbian.” – stated the actress.
During an interview with W.J Whaterby in 1960, Marilyn defended a co-worker, Montgomery Clift, from media offenses and gave voice to the fight for sexual freedom and rights for LGBTQ people.
“People don’t open themselves up to be humiliated for their sexuality. (…) People love to put labels on each other. That’s the only way they feel safe. Some people tried to ‘turn’ me into a lesbian. I laughed. No sex is wrong if there is love.”
6- Marilyn Received Several Awards.
Remembered as a sex symbol that defined beauty in the 20th century, Marilyn always dreamed of being respected as a serious actress and she succeeded. She received several awards throughout her career, including 3 Golden Globes, one of which was for Best Actress.
7- Marilyn was incredibly generous.
She helped various children’s charities, such as The Milk Fund for Babies and March of Dimes. This same compassion continued even after her death. In her will, she left 25% of her estate to her former psychiatrist, Dr. Kris, for the continuation of her work in institutions.
8- Marilyn and her various names
Marilyn’s birth certificate revealed that her name was Norma Jeane Mortenson, while her baptismal record shows a different name: Norma Jeane Baker. When she was a model, she varied between the names Jean Norman and Mona Monroe.
In 1956, when she was already famous, she legally changed her name to Marilyn Monroe.
9 – Marilyn had a patriotic spirit
While on her honeymoon with Joe DiMaggio, Marilyn received an invitation from Major General Charles W. Christenberry to go to Korea to “entertain” the soldiers.
Monroe accepted and left the honeymoon. This trip to Korea represented, for her, a thanking of the debt owed to the thousands of American soldiers who flooded the Hollywood studios with letters begging them to place her in roles with greater prominence.
Many of the soldiers had never seen a Marilyn Monroe movie because they had been on deployment, but even so, they knew her from her appearance on the cover of the first issue of Playboy magazine.
“There were seventeen thousand soldiers in front of me yelling at the top of their lungs. I stood there smiling at them. It had started snowing, but I felt warm as if I were standing in the bright sun,” the star recounted in a book co-authored with screenwriter BEN Hecht.
10- Marilyn left an impression on the Queen of England – Elizabeth II.
In 1956, Marilyn left a movie set and caught a private flight to London for a royal engagement. She planned her outfit strategically: an elegant gold lame gown with a low-cut neckline, matching cape, and opera gloves.
Although informants worried Queen Elizabeth II would not approve of her bold look, the two had a pleasant, albeit brief meeting. The Queen enjoyed Marilyn so much that she developed a fascination and watched all her movies, according to an anonymous author and “friend” of the queen.
11- Marilyn felt alone and vulnerable
Marilyn was born fatherless, and her mother had mental problems. For this reason, she lived most of her life in orphanages and was adopted by 12 families.
She always felt very alone, vulnerable and unloved. She had three husbands – writer James Dougherty, baseball player Joe Dimaggio, and playwright Arthur Miller – and yet she claimed “I don’t lack men, what I lack is love.
Monroe drank and took medication. This caused her to have low self-esteem and mood swings. In 1962, she even ingested a fatal amount of tranquilizers.
HERSTORY Makes History 18, November 2022