Marilyn Monroe, born Norma Jeane Mortenson on June 1, 1926, is one of the best-loved movie stars and sex goddesses of all time, although she died much too young at the age of thirty-six. Marilyn overcame multiple foster homes and an early, war-time marriage to become the wife of two of America’s most famous men: first, the baseball all-star Joe DiMaggio, and then the playwright Arthur Miller. Not surprisingly, she even caught the eye of President John F. Kennedy to whom she famously sang “Happy Birthday” in 1962 in front of an overflow crowd at New York City’s Madison Square Garden. A life-time struggle with self-confidence, tumultous marriages, ill health, and drug and alcohol addictions, Marilyn’s movie career suffered in the last years before her death. The filming of her last movie, Something’s Got to Give, was never completed. She died during production. In death as in life, Marilyn Monroe fascinates. This book is a brief history of her short life. It is filled with photos of Marilyn throughout her life. Marilyn worked with some of the best directors of her day and pushed herself to excel in comedic, dramatic, and musical roles. She was only the second female movie star to create her own production company. Marilyn may have played the dumb blonde, but that was just one more role.
