Norma Jeane Mortenson was born on June 1st, 1926 in Los Angeles! Her childhood was mainly spent in orphanages & foster homes which seems far removed from the spotlights and glamour of Hollywood! She married at the age of 16 and was working at a factory during WWII before she was discovered by a photographer from the First Motion Picture Unit and became a pin-up model which led to short lived film contracts with 20th Century Fox & Columbia Pictures. After freelancing for a bit, she signed a longer contract with Fox in 1951 and scored a successful run of roles in both comedies and dramas which showed off her talents as an actress!
Her breakthrough year was in 1953 when she scored leading roles in the film noir classic, “Niagara“, the musical comedy “Gentlemen Prefer Blondes“ (Which made her a global star) & the romantic comedy, “How To Marry A Millionaire“! Of course posing for Playboy that year, she made her first TV appearance, and the top money making star of the year! Not too shabby! She would of course go on to form her own production company in 1954 with her friend, Milton Greene! In 1955 she starting taking her acting very seriously when she started taking acting lessons which led to her receiving multiple critics awards and nominations for her subsequent films!
Despite her troubled private life and tragic death at the age of 36 in 1962, she still remains a huge pop culture Icon and one of the most influential stars of all time!
If you are looking to watch some of her films, here are the ones I suggest:
“The Asphalt Jungle“ (1950) & “All About Eve“ (1950) were her first prominent film roles and she made a huge impression despite such small roles!
“Niagara“ (1953) Her star-making role! This an opportunity to see Monroe shine as the ultimate “Femme Fatale“!
“River Of No Return“ (1954) A western musical which showcased her sultry singing voice. Not one of her favorites and certainly not her greatest film, but still a worthwhile film to watch!
“Some Like It Hot“ (1959) Most likely her most famous role and many consider her greatest! Even though she struggled with anxiety and was pregnant at the time, you would not know it from watching her shine in this film!
“The Misfits“ (1961) My pick for her greatest film performance! Unfortunately it was her last! This film caused her a lot of stress because of her substance use, her marriage with screenwriter Arthur Miller was falling apart, health struggles, etc.
