Norma Jeane Baker (1926 – 1962), better known as Marilyn Monroe, was a legendary American actress and singer. Both his life and his death remain the subject of great fascination.
Early career on magazine covers
Daughter of Gladys Pearl Monroe and an unknown father, Norma Jeane Baker was born on the 1 st June 1926 in Los Angeles, California. Her mother suffers from psychological disorders and health problems and is, for long periods, unable to take care of her daughter who is placed in foster care. For her first seven years, she was cared for by Albert and Ida Bolender. In 1933, she lived for a year with her mother, who was hospitalized the following year for a hysterical attack. Marilyn then settles down with Grace McKee, her mother's best friend, and her husband, but he tries to abuse her. Grace places Marilyn with her aunt and one of her cousins, Jack Monroe, sexually assaults her.
In 1942, when Marilyn was barely 16, she married James "Jim" Dougherty, one of her neighbors who worked in a radio-controlled drone factory. After giving up her studies in 1943, Marilyn worked in her husband's factory, notably inspecting parachutes; spotted by military photographers, she appeared in 1944 in an American army campaign to illustrate the participation of women in the war effort. She begins to cover pin-up magazines and then gives up her job to devote herself to her modeling career.
Contract with 20th Century Fox
In 1945, Marilyn Monroe made her first commercial. In 1946, she divorced Jim. Her mind turned towards the cinema, she undertakes to dye herself blonde and draws her famous mole in pencil. On July 26, 1946, she signed her first contract with 20th Century Fox and changed her name to Marilyn Monroe. She then turns in several films then, in 1948, signs with Columbia for several months. His film with Columbia being a failure, his contract was not renewed. She obtains several roles but, lacking money, poses naked under the name of Mana Monroe.
Marilyn turns in several successful films and, in 1950, she lands a seven-year contract with 20th Century Fox. In 1951, she resumed studies of art and literature at the University of Los Angeles. In March 1952, she caused a scandal for having posed naked in a calendar, but Marilyn declared to the press that she did it to pay her rent and this affair only added to her notoriety. Around the same time, she began a romance with living baseball legend Joe DiMaggio. In the following years, she made many films, notably playing alongside Cary Grant in Honey, I feel younger . She also plays in Gentlemen Prefer Blondes and How to Marry a Millionaire . Critics rave about her and those who work with her describe her as sweet and intelligent.
At the height of its popularity
On January 14, 1954, Marilyn Monroe married Joe DiMaggio and declared that she wanted to devote herself to her marriage, but the couple argued frequently and divorced eight months later. On December 31, 1954, she founded Marilyn Monroe Productions, Inc. , a production company with which she hopes to launch her new career in New York; she was then officially suspended by Fox. In 1955, she took acting lessons and began an affair with playwright Arthur Miller. The film Seven years of reflection being a success, Fox negotiates a new contract with it, more advantageous than the precedent. On June 2, 1956, Marilyn married Arthur Miller.
In the 60s, Marilyn was at the height of her popularity, but she began to have health problems and consulted a psychiatrist almost every day. She continues to tour but her health regularly prevents her from performing. She begins to use sleeping pills and alcohol and becomes more and more dependent. In January 1961, she divorced Arthur Miller and was then committed to a psychiatric clinic. After three weeks, she is released from the hospital and goes to rest in California. On March 5, 1962, the foreign press awarded her the Golden Globe for international star for the second time, but she was drunk when she received her award and the images were not broadcast.
Overdose of sleeping pills
In April 1962, Marilyn Monroe begins filming the last film she owes to Fox but faints in the studio. In May, she attended John Fitzgerald Kennedy's birthday party in New York, where she performed the famous Happy Birthday, Mister President. Resuming filming, she showed great nervousness and was unable to learn her lines; the studio ends up choosing a new actress and taking Marilyn to court, but actor Dean Martin refuses to resume filming without her. Negotiations finally allow Marilyn to obtain a new contract with Fox.
At the end of July 1962, Marilyn confides to her hairdresser that she has just had an abortion. She was then under the influence of tranquilizers and several doctors prescribed sleeping pills. Marilyn Monroe died on the night of August 4 to 5, 1962 from an overdose of sleeping pills. The coroner will note on his file “probable suicide”; the death of this international and eternal movie star will never be elucidated.