Marilyn Monroe: Behind the Scenes
Today, in the 21st century, many people are considered Hollywood legends. Marilyn
Monroe is just one of them. Do you remember Marilyn for her sexy look, or for her well-known affair with President Kennedy? She had many other lovers and husbands while she struggled to maintain a successful career. She also had many adoring fans and look-alikes. In fact, she still does, but no matter how many people try to be her, they will never succeed. Marilyn Monroe is and was a Hollywood legend.
Although many people dreamed of having Marilyn’s life, or should I say Norma Jeane’s life, they wouldn’t have wanted her childhood. Marilyn’s birth mother, Gladys Baker, was a film negative cutter, who was often hospitalized for mental illness. Because of this, Marilyn was tossed between various foster homes and orphanages (“Marilyn Monroe” 329). Even though she had a rough time growing up she made the best of it. She once said, “No one ever told me I was pretty when I was a little girl. All little girls should be told their pretty, even if they’re not.” (“Marilyn Monroe” Online 1).
Since Marilyn didn’t have much of a childhood, she started her career at a very young age. At 14, she began posing for pin-up photographs for the armed forces. Later, Howard Hughes offered her a screen test, but instead, she signed with 20th Century Fox. After a year, she was dropped due to inexperience, so she took acting lessons. For the next four years, Marilyn made 20 films, which emphasized her husky voice, figure, and her blonde sexiness. With these 20 films, she was gradually making a national reputation as Marilyn Monroe instead of Norma Jeane Baker (“Marilyn Monroe” 329).
When Marilyn started her career, she also became very interested in men, which led her to be married by the age of fourteen. Her first husband’s name was Jim Dougherty. This was a very short marriage, when Marilyn got her “big break” career wise she divorced him (“Marilyn Monroe” 329).
A short time later, Monroe married baseball star Joe Di Maggio. For their honeymoon, they visited troops in Korea; Marilyn was entertaining the entire time instead of being with her new husband. Nine months later, Marilyn divorced Di Maggio (“Marilyn Monroe” 329).
While she was struggling to get through divorces, Marilyn’s career struggled as well. She was constantly late and nervous at the studio (“Marilyn Monroe” 329). She said, "I don't want to play sex roles any more. I'm tired of being known as the girl with the shape" (“Marilyn Monroe” Online 1). To solve the problem, she moved to New York, where she studied at the actor’s studio. This was a short move because Hollywood persuaded her to come back not soon after (“Marilyn Monroe” 329). "Hollywood is a place where they'll pay you a thousand dollars for a kiss and fifty cents for your soul” (“Marilyn Monroe” Online 1).
Once she was back in Hollywood, making films again, Marilyn fell for the playwright Authur Miller. She was later married again for a third time (“Marilyn Monroe” 329). She was quoted, "He [Arthur Miller] wouldn't have married me if I had been nothing but a dumb blonde” (“Marilyn Monroe” Online 1). Her new husband wrote one of her movies, The Misfits (her last film). Although Marilyn appeared to be happily married, she was suffering from intense depression. Before her films opening, she divorced Miller and collapsed in a mental hospital (“Marilyn Monroe” 329).
Marilyn was released from the hospital and bounced back to happiness when she met John F. Kennedy. They were introduced by Kennedy’s brother-in-law, Peter Lawford, at a Beverly Hills party. John F. Kennedy, also known as Jack, was married to
Jacqueline Bouvier (Arnold 72).
Marilyn and Jack knew they had to be together the moment they met. So they would sneak away to various places such as the Lawford’s beach house in Santa Monica. Marilyn once said, in jest, that she made love to Jack for therapeutic reasons. “He has a bad back,” she said, giggling. “I made him feel better.” When JFK was running for president, Marilyn campaigned for him. By this time, their relationship was well known. As the relationship became more intense, Marilyn became more aware that Kennedy was only interested in the movie goddess side of her (“Memories” 124). She became more afraid of losing him and would sometimes redo her hair and make-up four or five times before dates. But, she still believed that she would be his wife after Jack’s first term. Forcing marriage on the President was the cause for the couple’s break-up (“Memories” 130).
Marilyn was once again going to enter herself into a metal hospital, but Bobby Kennedy was there to catch her fall. She was still in love with the President, but it was clear that she also had interest in his brother, Bobby (“Memories” 130).
In May of 1962, Marilyn flew to New York to sing happy birthday to John F. Kennedy. She had a special dress made just for the occasion. When Marilyn went onstage, 20,000 people went wild. After the bash the President would no longer accept her calls or her letters. Marilyn immediately fell to Bobby for support even though he was married also (“Memories” 170).
Now, instead of Marilyn dreaming of being the First Lady, it was about marrying the Attorney General. Things were back on top again until Marilyn found out she was pregnant. The baby was either Jack’s or Bobby’s, but Bobby Kennedy ended up taking the responsibility (“Memories” 170).
On July 20, Marilyn had an abortion. After Bobby found out, he had nothing to do with her. This devastated her, and her obsession took over her life (“Memories” 170).
On the day of Marilyn’s death, August 4, 1962, Bobby came to her house and they had a violent argument about the relationship. Bobby had ended it for good (“Memories” 170).
That night, Marilyn was supposed to go to the Lawford’s for dinner, but she didn’t because Bobby was going to be there. Instead she stayed home and took sleeping pills mixed with alcohol. Her last phone call was to Peter Lawford, asking him to tell everyone goodbye for her. She didn’t have a chance to hang up the telephone for she was already dead (“Memories” 170).
After Marilyn had died, no one claimed her body. Finally, Joe Di Maggio stepped in to claim his ex-wife’s body. The funeral wasn’t opened to Hollywood or the press on account that Joe Di Maggio thought it was their fault Marilyn was gone (Spoto, 729).
One would think Marilyn has many more secrets buried and lost forever. Her death was a tragedy and a shock to everyone. She was known for saying, "It's all make believe, isn't it" (“Marilyn Monroe” Online 1). But no matter what, Marilyn Monroe will always be a Hollywood legend. She was one of the first and certainly will not be the last.