Marilyn was ranked sixth by the American Film Institute among the greatest female screen legends from Hollywood’s Golden Age. During her film career, her private life received much attention and was highly publicized.

Early years

Marilyn was born to Gladys Pearl Baker at the Los Angeles County Hospital. Her mother belonged to a poor Midwestern family. She worked at Consolidated Film Industries as a film cutter. When Gladys was 15 years of age, she married John Newton Baker. 

He was nine years her senior and was an abusive man. Their marriage didn’t last long and she successfully filed for divorce. Baker kidnapped their two children who were granted her custody. He then moved to Kentucky with them. 

Modelling and her first film

On the 19th of June, 1942, Marilyn married James Dougherty just after she turned 16. She became a housewife, but she experienced extreme boredom. Dougherty was listed in the Merchant Marine in 1943. In 1944, he was sent to the Pacific for two years. Marilyn started working at the Radioplane Company, where she met a photographer called David Conover. 

She began modelling for him and signed a contract in 1945 with the Blue Book Model Agency. She was featured mostly in men’s magazines. Eventually, she straightened her hair and dyed it blonde to increase her chances of being employable. As her husband was against her career, she divorced him in September 1946. A year later, she got her first film role in Dangerous Years.

Fame in Hollywood

After her bit roles in a few films, she emerged as a sex symbol after her major releases. By 1953, she was one of the most bankable performers in Hollywood. Among her major films was Niagara, which featured her as a femme fatale. 

In Gentlemen Prefer Blondes, she grabbed the role that was originally intended for actress Betty Grable. This film was among the biggest box office successes of 1953. In the same year, her third movie called How to Marry a Millionaire was released. The film was also a great box office success.

Career decline

During the filming of The Misfits, her health declined. She became severely addicted to drugs and was in a hospital detox for a week. Upon its release, The Misfits failed at the box office and got mixed reviews. Later, she spent four weeks in a hospital for depression and was helped by Joe DiMaggio, her ex-husband. In the spring of 1962, she returned to the public eye and began shooting for Something’s Got to Give. 

Death

Marilyn lived in Brentwood, a neighbourhood in Los Angeles, during her final months. On the evening of the 4th of August, 1962, her housekeeper was staying overnight at her home. The housekeeper Eunice Murray woke up at 3:00 am on the 5th of August and felt something was wrong. 

She saw light coming from under the door of Marilyn’s bedroom but was unable to get a response. Psychiatrist Ralph Greenson was called, who broke into the bedroom through a window. Marilyn was found dead in her bed. The cause of death was reported as acute barbiturate poisoning.

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Maybe she would’ve continued acting and might’ve even enjoyed an Oscar-winning career. There are many things about her that would remain a mystery. However, there are some interesting and lesser-known facts about her that everyone must know:

1. She was well-read

Marilyn Monroe owned over 400 volumes of books at the time of her death. This included many first editions. Her bookshelf was quite impressive and fascinating. She was very fond of photographs among the many thousands that showed her reading. 

Once a director had found her reading Letters to a Young Poet by R.M. Rilke. He curiously asked her how she had chosen it. She admitted that she went to the Pickwick bookstore on nights when she had nothing else to do. Then she opened books at random. Once she liked a page or paragraph from the book, she’d buy it.

2. Marilyn was not comfortable in front of the camera

The fact that she was an experienced actress didn’t make her camera-friendly. Don Murray, an Oscar-nominated actor had worked with her in Bus Stop. He had noted that when she was in front of the camera, she was never fully comfortable. 

This was extremely surprising, given the fact that she was a talented actress. Don Murray further stated that she would forget many of the mechanical techniques. In his opinion, this showed her lack of confidence despite being loved by the camera.

3. Her first marriage was arranged

Marilyn Monroe was born Norma Jean Baker. She was frequently in state care, foster homes, and with several family friends as a child. When she was a child, her mother and her father had been committed to a psychiatric facility. If Marilyn had not married, she would have ended up in an orphanage. 

When she was 15 years of age, she was staying with a family friend called Grace Goddard. A 20-year-old James Dougherty was considered for an arranged marriage. Dougherty later said that Marilyn was awfully young, but they talked and got along pretty well. 

4. No one believed Gladys Baker was her mother

Her mother, Gladys Baker, was diagnosed with bipolar disorder. As she was frequently in and out of psychiatric care, she took Marilyn to a foster family. For the rest of her childhood, she was in several foster care homes and orphanages. 

As a result, she never had a close relationship with her mother. When Gladys Baker told everyone that Marilyn Monroe was her daughter, no one believed her. They dismissed what she told, thinking that it was one of the delusions resulting from her schizophrenia.

5. Her glow on camera was not quite natural

Marilyn Monroe applied a layer of Vaseline or Nivea Creme before putting on her makeup. She believed it would give her an extraordinary glow on film. She also stayed out of the sun as far as possible. As she liked to feel blond all over, she was against a deep tan. She had once said that sun-tanned skin wasn’t that attractive or even healthier.

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