BIOGRAPHY 2

By October of 1954, Marilyn announced her divorce from DiMaggio (VIDEO 1 - VIDEO 2). The union lasted only eight months. In 1955 she was suspended by Fox for not reporting for work on How to Be Very, Very Popular (1955). It was her second suspension, the first being for not reporting for the production of "The Girl In Pink Tights". Both roles went to others. Her work was slowing down, due to her habit of being continually late to the set, her illnesses (whether real or imagined) and generally being unwilling to cooperate with her producers, directors, and fellow actors.

In Bus Stop (1956), however, Marilyn finally showed critics that she could play a straight dramatic role. It was also the same year she married playwright, Arthur Miller (they divorced in 1960). In 1957 Marilyn flew to Britain to film The Prince and the Showgirl (1957) which proved less than impressive critically and financially. It made money, but many critics panned it for being slow-moving. After a year off in 1958, Marilyn returned to the screen the next year for the delightful comedy, Some Like It Hot (1959) with Tony Curtis and Jack Lemmon. The film was an absolute smash hit, with Curtis and Lemmon pretending to be females in an all-girl band, so they can get work. This was to be Marilyn's only film for the year.

In 1960 Marilyn appeared in George Cukor's Let's Make Love (1960), with Tony Randall and Yves Montand. Again, while it made money, it was critically panned as stodgy and slow-moving. The following year Marilyn made what was to be her final film. The Misfits (1961), which also proved to be the final film for the legendary Clark Gable, who died later that year of a heart attack. The film was popular with critics and the public alike.

In 1962 Marilyn was chosen to star in Fox's Something's Got to Give (1962). Again, her absenteeism caused delay after delay in production, resulting in her being fired from the production in June of that year. It looked as though her career was finished. Studios just didn't want to take a chance on her because it would cost them thousands of dollars in delays. She was only 36.

Marilyn made only 30 films in her lifetime, but her legendary status and mysticism will remain with film history forever.

IMDb Mini Biography By: Denny Jackson


Spouse
Arthur Miller (29 June 1956 - 20 January 1961) (divorced)
Joe DiMaggio (14 January 1954 - 27 October 1954) (divorced)
James Dougherty (19 June 1942 - 13 September 1946) (divorced)


Trade Mark

Lisp, breathless voice

Platinum blonde hair

Voluptuous figure.



Trivia
Voted 'Sexiest Woman of the Century' by People Magazine. [1999]

Was 1947's Miss California Artichoke Queen.

In her autobiography "My Story," she recounted her guardian told her she was a direct descendant of James Monroe. Her mother's maiden name was Monroe, but there is no evidence she was a descendant of the president.

Was roommates with Shelley Winters when they were both starting out in Hollywood.

Ranked #8 in Empire (UK) magazine's "The Top 100 Movie Stars of All Time" list. [October 1997]

Voted Empire's (UK) "sexiest female movie star of all time" in 1995.

Playboy "Sweetheart" of the Month, December 1953.

When she died in 1962 at age 36, she left an estate valued at $1.6 million. In her will, Monroe bequeathed 75% of that estate to Lee Strasberg, her acting coach, and 25% to Dr. Marianne Kris, her psychoanalyst. A trust fund provided her mother, Gladys Baker Eley, with $5,000 a year. When Dr. Kris died in 1980, she passed her 25% on to the Anna Freud Centre, a children's psychiatric institute in London. Since Strasberg's death in 1982, his 75% has been administered by his widow, Anna, and her lawyer, Irving Seidman.

The licensing of Marilyn's name and likeness, handled world-wide by Curtis Management Group, reportedly nets the Monroe estate about $2 million a year.

Was named the Number One Sex Star of the 20th Century by Playboy magazine in 1999.

Started using the name Marilyn Monroe in 1946, but did not legally change it until 1956.

Appeared on the first cover of Playboy in 1953.

Had a dog named Tippy when she was a child. In her final, unfinished film, Something's Got to Give (1962), the dog was also named Tippy.

Interred at Westwood Memorial Park, Los Angeles, California, USA, in the Corridor of Memories, crypt #24.

Hundreds of items of memorabilia auctioned off in late October, 1999 by Christie's, with her infamous 'JFK' birthday-gown fetching over $1 million.

Childhood photos show she was born blonde, but her hair turned "mousy" as she grew older.

Chosen by Empire magazine as one of the 100 Sexiest Stars in film history (#2). [1995]

Hugh M. Hefner owns the burial vault next to hers.

Died with the phone in her hand.