People all over the world know who Marilyn Monroe was. If you just mention her name, you are likely to get many kinds of reactions. Many people saw the glamorous dumb blonde with the untimely death. But who was the real Marilyn Monroe, and what was her life like?

Marilyn Monroe was born on June 1^st, 1926. Her mother was Gladys Pearl Monroe Baker Mortensen. Gladys named her daughter, Norma Jeane, after the actress Norma Talmadge. Norma Jeanes’s father left Gladys after the pregnancy. About two weeks after Norma Jeane was born, Gladys gave her to a foster family. There was no one to care for Norma Jeane while she worked and she could not quit her job at Columbia Studios. On June 13, 1926, Norma began living with Albert and Ida Bolender, who lived sixteen miles from Gladys. Norma stayed in their care, seeing her mother on the weekends, for seven years. Norma grew to feel alone and unwanted, She once said, "I was told that I was a mistake. My mother didn't want to have me. A divorced woman has enough problems in getting a man, I guess, but one with an illegitimate baby... I wish, I still wish, she had wanted me."

The Bolenders were a deeply religious family. They believed going to movies, dancing, smoking and card playing were works of demons. Norma spent her time praying that she would not wake up in hell. Norma worked hard to please her foster parents, but she recalled that in her child hood she never felt quite ready, acceptable or presentable for the Bolenders. The religious Bolenders believed that there was nothing more dangerous than praise, which can lead to complacency, idleness, or spiritual torpor. Norma was always told that she could have done better. The Bolenders also did not believe in flattery, Norma remembered that in her childhood, she was never told she was pretty. In childhood, Norma Jeane’s closest playmate was a stray dog she brought home and named Tippy. The Bolenders allowed her to keep the puppy so long as she cared for it. However, just after her seventh birthday, An angry neighbor, annoyed at Tippys barking, killed the dog with a shotgun. The Bolenders called Norma’s mother, she helped Norma Jeane bury her pet, and she then paid the Bolenders their last month’s fee, and took her daughter to a small apartment she leased for the summer. They then moved into a house that August.

Living with her mother was very different for Norma. Gladys had friends over, played cards, danced, singed and went to movies. Norma remembered "Because of that religious upbringing I’d had, I was kind of shocked---I thought they were all going to hell. I spent hours praying for them. (Spoto, 16-29) Finally warming to her new life, Norma Jeane immersed herself in movies. She idolized Jeane Harlow and imagined Clark Gable as her long lost father. (Gable resembled her real father). In 1935,when Norma was nine, Norma Jeane’s mother was admitted to a hospital where she was diagnosed with severe depression and insanity. Norma Jeane’s Aunt Grace was named Norma Jeane’s Guardian. However, Grace married Erwin "Doc" Goddard, he refused to continue caring for the child in their home. Grace had no choice but to take Norma Jeane to the Los Angeles Orphans Home Society. Norma Jeane was confused and scared. Insisting that she was not an orphan, neither mother nor father dead, she refused to enter the building. Norma Jeane eventually had to be carried into the orphanage. Grace promised her that the stay would only be temporary. Superintendent Dewey took extra care to make Norma Jeane feel special and welcomed. Norma Jeane hated the orphanage and longed to be with her mother. One rainy day Norma tried to leave the orphanage to find Grace. Mrs. Dewey stopped her. Mrs. Dewey showered more attention on Norma Jeane, inviting her into her inner office and showing her how to apply makeup. Grace did not forget about Norma Jeane, she lavished candies and little gifts on Norma Jeane and on days off, she took her to the movies with her stepchildren. Norma was beginning to feel loved and cared for. (Gregory, Speriglio, 12)

Norma was soon taken in by Grace’s mother, Ana Lower. She was an older woman. Ana loved Norma Jeane like her own and assured her that she would have a good life is she changed her negative thought processes to positive ones. Aunt Ana was afflicted with degenerative heart disease. Her death later in life affected Norma greatly. Grace had moved into a larger home with her family and decided that it would be best to have Norma move in with them. She started attending Van Nuys High School, where she was actively involved in sports. Norma Jeane’s body was rapidly developing; she was soon the envy of every girl at her school. She saved her pennies for lipstick and mascara. She also began highlighting the flesh-colored mole on her face with a black eyeliner pencil. Norma Jeane liked all the attention she was getting from the boys, but she did not quite understand it. She was bewildered about the facts of life and could not quite connect her attractiveness to sex. She once said, "As a young girl, the truth was that I was as unresponsive as a fossil... I used to lie awake at night and wonder why the boys

came after me." In 1942, Grace’s husband was transferred to Huntington, West Virginia. He did not want to take Norma Jeane with them. Grace decided that the best option was to marry off the fifteen-year-old. Their neighbors and long time friends, the Dougherties, had as son, James Dougherty. At first, Norma Jeane did not like James; he was too polite and too old, 21. Soon he became attractive to her and gradually he won her over. He and Norma had started dating in January 1942, by March, they were going steady, and by May, they were engaged. (Gregory, Speriglio, 20)

Eighteen days after her sixteenth birthday Norma Jeane married James Dougherty. The security she had with her husband during the early days of their marriage game Norma Jeane the confidence to seek out her father and confront him. Norma made the difficult telephone call to C. Stanley Gifford, whom she believed was her father. When she identified herself, he hung up instantly. James wanted to protect her now more than ever; he was happy to play father, lover, and husband. Soon James, a merchant marine, had to be transferred away. Norma Jeane missed her husband and became frustrated. She got a job at the Radio Plane Company in Burbank. She was a hard worker and was awarded a certificate for excellence. Early in 1945, Jim was home on his first leave, her accomplishments at the plant made Jim uneasy. He also did not like her dreams of being a great movie star one day. He wanted a wife and a mother for his children. Norma Jeane bottled up her desires after his initial reaction. James was shipped away again, and Norma was left alone again. Angry over her husbands’ absence and wanting attention she began to go to bars and comfort herself in the company of men. Sex was a simple attempt to win approval. Norma Jeane vowed she would never depend on Jim again. (Gregory, Speriglio, 28)

In the wartime effort, actor Ronald Reagan, was looking for fresh faces. He assigned photographer David Conover to help with the search. In the plant, Conover noticed Norma Jeane, and she was chosen to be photographed that day. Norma Jeane loved the attention and Conover was inspired by her girl-next-door-look----the girl the GIs would want to come home to---and by her natural modeling ability. Conover scheduled another session and advised her to quit her dreary job for a career in modeling. Norma Jeane began to take classes for Emmeline Snively at the Blue Book Modeling Agency. Norma Jeane soon became one of the agency’s busiest models, giving her the confidence to quit her job at radio plane. In the past, Norma was confident in her looks, but suddenly she became more sensitive about her looks and invested more in trying to improve her image for the camera. A photographer told her nose was too long; and was told to change the way she smiled and to hold her lips a certain way to give the illusion of a shorter nose. Later in life, she had subtle plastic surgery to correct her nose and build a stronger chin. Jim returned from overseas to find that all activity centered on Norma Jeane’s photo session and bookings. He refused to believe that his wife was well on her way to a successful career in modeling. Norma naively hoped that her husband would accept the new life-style. However, he objected to her career and the situations she was put in. On September 12, 1946, the marriage was officially terminated.

Emmiline Snively convinced Norma Jeane that she would get much more work as a blonde. In July 1946, Norma Jeane went to the Twentieth Century-Fox lot and announced herself to the secretary of the head talent, Ben Lyon. He too, was impressed by her fresh, girl-next-door-look. She took an obligatory screen test and was quickly signed. Norma Jeane was so elated she broke down and cried. Ben suggested that she needed a stage name, something more glamorous than Norma Jeane Dougherty. He spotted the name Marilyn Miller, the star of Sally and Sunny, two of his favorite musicals. At first Marilyn was not convinced, Marilyn sounded strange and superficial to her. She finally agreed. Norma Jeane had fond subconscious memories of her grandmother, Della Monroe. She decided to use her surname. Her new name was Marilyn Monroe. Creating a new name now allowed her to create a new identity, no one had to know about her past.

After six months, Marilyn was signed for her first film role in Scudda-Hoo! Scudda-Hay!, staring June Haver. It was later retitled Summer Lightning. She was to play a High School girl, and to appear in only two shots, a scene in which she and another starlet were boating. The director filmed a close up of her for this scene, but it was cut. In the second scene she can only be glimpsed and heard for only a second. (Spoto, 120)

Marilyn caught the roving eye of Joseph m. Schenck, an executive producer who had co-founded Twentieth Century Pictures with Darryl Zanuck. Marilyn began to have an affair with him. Darryl noticed the affair and began to despise Marilyn. He believed if anyone she should be with him. Marilyn, however, equally despised him. The hate between them would continue throughout her career at Twentieth as Zanuck annoyed her constantly with scripts she detested.

In the second six months of her contract with Twentieth, Marilyn was cast in her first speaking role, a small part in Dangerous Years. Immediately final shooting wrapped in 1947, she was officially dropped from her contract. Marilyn at this time was friends with Shelley Winters, after Marilyn’s dismissal Shelley convinced her to get involved with theater groups. She eventually appeared as second lead in the play Glamour Preferred. Finally in March 1948, Marilyn was placed under contract with Columbia Pictures. However after the first six months of her Columbia contract, she was cast only in Ladies of the Chorus. Columbia dropped the option to renew. Once again without work, Marilyn resorted to dancing at a burlesque show until she got a call for another movie. She was cast in the Marx Brothers’ new film Love Happy.

Soon without work again, Marilyn posed for a nude calendar to pay her bills. She then got under contract with Twentieth again. Later, while working on Clash by Night, in 1952, she telephoned the photographer and asked for twenty-five copies, she passed them out to friends and the media. Marilyn Monroe soon became the most talked about actress in town. She appeared in A Ticket to Tomahawk and The Fireball, Later renamed The Challenge in 1950.

Johnny Hyde, vice president of William Morris, the most powerful agency in Hollywood, became involved with Marilyn Monroe; he was old enough to be her father. Marilyn loved him dearly, yet refused to marry him. Hyde started Marilyn on the road to success, She appeared in a small but important role in The Asphalt Jungle; and she was cast in All About Eve. In December 1951, Johnny Hyde died of a coronary. Marilyn became depressed and drowned herself grief, and guilt.

Marilyn began to focus solely on work. Her contract with Twentieth was renewed. She worked on As Young as you Feel, Love Nest, Let’s Make It Legal, Don’t Bother to Knock, Hometown Story, We’re not Married, O. Henry’s Full House, Monkey Business, and Clash by Night before 1953. Marilyn began dating Joe DiMaggio during her work on Monkey Business. Joe DiMaggio was a famous baseball player who had retired by this time. In 1952, Marilyn Monroe was cast in her first staring, dramatic role, Niagara. Marilyn was then cast in Gentlemen Prefer Blondes, with Jane Russell; River of No Return, another dramatic role, and There’s No Business Like Show Business. Marilyn then married Joe in January 1954. Their marriage was rocky, Joe wanted his woman to become a housewife, and he did not like the roles she was working. Joe also felt overshadowed. Now Marilyn was getting all the publicity. Marilyn began working on the Seven Year Itch, a critical accomplishment for Marilyn. DiMaggio originally approved of Marilyn’s character. However, as he observed the shooting of the first scene, in which, to catch some relief from the heat, Marilyn’s character lets the wind from the subway-grating blow her dress into the air, exposing her underwear. This was the end of their marriage, the studio, sensing their problems, and set on publicity, arranged for a divorce. The marriage lasted only nine months. Neither wanted a divorce, but it seemed inevitable. Outside forces drove them apart. They did remain close friends for the rest of her life.

In 1955, Marilyn became involved with, Pulitzer Prize winner, Arthur Miller. Miller resembled her childhood idol, Abraham Lincoln. At the time she was working on Bus Stop, this was another critical achievement for Marilyn. She poured everything she had into her role, and it showed. Miller and Marilyn were married in July 1956. They flew to London where Marilyn began work on The Prince and the Showgirl. Miller and Marilyn marriage was a sad, lonely one. Miller often would go days on end before speaking one word to her. Before she began work on Some Like It Hot, Marilyn suffered an ectopic pregnancy. Marilyn was severely depressed and returned from the hospital to find no support from her husband. Marilyn and Miller rarely left the house. Marilyn would beg her husband to go and catch a movie. Neither promising nor refusing, Miller would purposely keep his wife’s hopes up during the evening. Then after Marilyn had dressed, applied makeup and combed her hair, Miller would emerge from his study to dash his wife’s’ hopes one more time. Marilyn began working on Let’s Make Love. Then finally The Misfits, a role created for her by her husband, Arthur Miller. In this ovie, she played opposite her childhood dream father, Clark Gable. During the movie, Marilyn Monroe collapsed of a severe flu. Miller reluctantly visited Marilyn in the hospital because her illness might destroy his movie. Joe DiMaggio did visit her and her health improved greatly. She took time off from the movie to spent time with him. During The Misfits, Marilyn and Millers marriage ended. Soon after The Misfits was finished, Clark Gable died. She began blaming herself for his death. She became dangerously depressed. She punished herself for Gable’s death, which brought to the surface past guilt over "killing" Johnny Hyde. She felt guilty about not visiting her mother, guilty about divorcing James Dougherty and DiMaggio. And, for the breakup of her marriage to Arthur Miller. (Gregory, Speriglio, 163)

Her worsening condition alarmed many people. In February, she was admitted, at her therapist request, into the psychiatric division of New York Hospital. Marilyn freely signed her admission papers, but she did not realize that she would be locked in a padded cell, reserved for the most disturbed patients. Marilyn became scared that she had at last become the heir of the mental illness she believed had bedeviled her ancestors. She spent days writing to her friends, begging them to help her get out. Joe DiMaggio was one of them, and he did all he could. Finally, it was arranged for Marilyn to be taken out. Nevertheless, Joe knew that her condition was unstable and he managed to make her agree to enter a more comfortable hospital if he would stay with her daily. Marilyn stayed until March. (Spoto, 463).

Marilyn Monroe was desperately seeking love and attention. She became briefly involved with Joe DiMaggio. Then came affairs with Frank Sinatra, Teddy Kennedy, and Bobby Kennedy. Although all these men proclaimed their love for Marilyn, they all ended in broken promises. In February 1962, Marilyn Monroe began working on Something’s Got to Give. Marilyn still slightly unstable became very sick. She requested days off. The studio did not believe that she was actually sick and fired her from the set and sued her. Her last day on the set was June 1^st 1962, her birthday. Soon after the studio asked her back but she refused. During this time in her life, she was tired of being disappointed. She became highly suspicious of everyone. And she had a right to be. But things were beginning to look up for Marilyn. There was the possibility of getting back together with Joe DiMaggio.

On August 5, 1962, Marilyn Monroe was found dead in her bedroom. The preliminary judgement was that death occurred because of a possible overdose of barbiturates, then probable suicide. There is much controversy over the death of Marilyn Monroe. For example, there was no trace of the medicine in her stomach or any other organs. In addition, her refill for the drugs had long run out. It is thought that the medicine was rectally entered, by an enema. One thing is for sure; Marilyn did not commit suicide. There are many reasons, however it is too much too talk about here. It is still disputed who actually murdered Marilyn Monroe. Many witnesses have died or lost credibility.

Marilyn Monroe’s Death virtually signified the end of conventional Hollywood. Biographer John Kobal said, "And she’s the last great movie star…She’s the last. She’s the end of what we mean when we say Hollywood and that’s it." Thousands were shocked by her death. Joe DiMaggio seized command of all funeral arrangement and all celebrities were barred to keep the last rites private. For twenty years after her death, Joe had flowers delivered weekly to her burial place.

Marilyn Monroe lived a sad life, plagued by childhood inferiority complexes. Deep in her heart, she was still the little foster child, constantly reminded that "she could have done better". Marilyn Monroe was a beautiful, giving woman. When someone was in need, she did not hesitate to give everything she had. But people took advantage of her goodness. Always afraid of being alone, that people did not love her. She talked about how when she was a little girl, she dreamed that she would be rich and famous and everybody would love her, and that would make the big difference in her life. But she left herself out of her dream, everybody loved her but her. I believe biographer John Kobal said it best when he said, "I can’t understand and I despise all that rubbish that makes if there isn’t a tragedy, than there isn’t a star. No, the tragedy comes alright, and it is sad. Because what they weren’t trained to do, none of these people including Marilyn, was how to handle it. But who can handle the whole world at your foot?"