Marilyn Monroe

Marilyn Monroe (born Norma Jeane Mortenson June 1, 1926 – August 5, 1962), was an American actress of the 20th century. Her sizzling screen presence and mysterious death at the age of 36 would make her a perennial sex symbol, and later a pop icon.

Trivia

• Marilyn decorated her last house in Fifth Helena Drive with Mexican furniture from her trip to Mexico. That was also the only home she had by herself, after so many years living in hotels or others' homes. It was shown to her by her pyschiatrist, Dr. Greenson, because it was close to his own in both appearance and location (she frequently attended sessions at his private residence.)
• Childhood pictures show that Marilyn was born a blonde, but her hair turned "mousy" brown as she grew up. She dyed her hair several different shades of blonde as an adult.
• The song Candle in the Wind (1973), which was written by Bernie Taupin and performed by Elton John, was about Monroe. In 1997, Elton John rewrote the song for Diana, Princess of Wales and performed it at her funeral.
• James Cunningham outlined her life in his song Norma Jean wants to be a movie star in 1974.
• Unlikely fans included Albert Einstein, Ayn Rand, Jean-Paul Sartre, Edith Sitwell, and Vladimir Nabokov.
• A piercing on the upper lip, in the same place as Marilyn's beauty mark, is called a "Monroe" piercing.
• Actor Colin Farrell has admitted that, as a child, he would put sweets under his pillow for Monroe when she came down to visit from heaven.
• When Prince Rainier III of Monaco was looking for a famous wife to marry, Marilyn was suggested, but as he was a devout Catholic, the oft-married, non-Catholic, somewhat scandalous Monroe could not have ever been a serious contender. He married Grace Kelly, instead, whose Catholicism and prim beauty (despite her own tawdry affairs in Hollywood) gave Monaco an additional aspect of the right kind of fame it sought.
• Marilyn's features are copyrighted to her estate, and are not allowed to be copied exactly.
• Marilyn is rumored to have had as many as 8 abortions during her tragically short lifetime.
• Marilyn had a mild stutter, which was most severe during her teens. She commented in an interview, "I stuttered... Later on, in my teens, when I was at Van High School, they elected me secretary of the English class, and every time I had to read the minutes I?d say, ?Minutes of the last m-m-m-meeting.? It was terrible." ^{http://www.go-star.com/antiquing/monroe2.htm}
• Her first screen test was shot by legendary cinematographer Leon Shamroy.
• The $200.00 check that Eunice Murray attempted to cash after Monroe's death is on display at the Hollywood Entertainment Museum at the old Max Factor Building in Hollywood.
• Hugh Hefner bought a crypt next to Marilyn for $85,000 and the other crypt next to her was sold for $125,000. There are no empty spots available near Marilyn.
• A myth that Marilyn was born with six toes resulted from the publication of photos taken by Joseph Jasgur in March 1946. The pictures were published in The Birth of Marilyn: The Lost Photographs of Norma Jean by Jasgur and Jeannie Sakol. Two pictures can be interpreted as showing six toes, although they can be explained as tricks of light. Since there is no corroborating evidence from other photographs or written records, the story is commonly dismissed as an urban legend.
• Marilyn was named Miss Artichoke in 1948.
• Marilyn had to wear two pairs of white underwear under her famous white dress for the "subway grate" scene in The Seven Year Itch, as bystanders could see a little bit too much. The scene was refilmed back at the Fox studios, for crowds in New York City were distracting.
• Director Billy Wilder (who made two movies with Marilyn: The Seven Year Itch and Some Like It Hot) said that Marilyn had breasts like granite and a brain like Swiss cheese. Wilder has also said Marilyn was a genius, so one could say it was an on/off relationship.
• Was once a roommate of actress Shelley Winters.
• People rarely looked past the image Marilyn portrayed, but she was said to be quite intelligent - it was hidden behind her image as a dumb blonde with beautiful features. She herself always regretted not being able to continue with high school and wrote poems and was very much involved in literature.
• Celebrity photographer George Barris claims he took the last pictures of Marilyn. However, it was confirmed Allan Grant took the last pictures of Marilyn during her interview with Life magazine on July 7, 1962.
• Among the men Marilyn allegedly had affairs with: John F. Kennedy, Henry Fonda, Robert F. Kennedy, Frank Sinatra, Marlon Brando, Yves Montand and Elia Kazan.
• Frank Sinatra gave Marilyn a Maltese ^{http://www.allstarz.org/users/beautifulmarilyn/facts.html} puppy that she named "Maf Honey". The Maf was supposedly short for "Mafia".
• She had a beauty mark above her lip, which some people falsely believe to be fake. http://ask.yahoo.com/ask/20030825.html
• In 1953, Marilyn Monroe appeared as the first Playboy centrefold.
• Marilyn attended Van Nuys High School, in Los Angeles.
• Author Truman Capote wanted Marilyn to play the part of Holly Golightly for the film adaptation of his book Breakfast At Tiffany's. The role would eventually go to Audrey Hepburn.
• Voted "Sexiest Woman of the Century" by People Magazine in 1999.
• Appears on the sleeve of The Beatles LP Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band

Salary:

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• Something's Got to Give (1962) $100,000
• The Misfits (1961) $250,000
• Some Like It Hot (1959) $200,000 + 10% gross over $4 million.
• The Seven Year Itch (1955) $1,500/wk
• Gentlemen Prefer Blondes (1953) $1,250/wk
• We're Not Married! (1952) $750/wk
• All About Eve (1950) $500/wk, 1-wk guarantee
• The Asphalt Jungle (1950) $1,050
• Scudda Hoo! Scudda Hay! (1948) $75/week