Pinup Girl of the Month: January: Marilyn Monroe

My pinup girl of the month is Marilyn Monroe. So many have written about her so I decided to tell her story  in the form of photos. Marilyn was beautiful from head to toe and was an amazing model-the camera adored her! I figured how fitting it would be to end my birthday month celebrations by spotlighting my favorite girl~Marilyn Monroe.

Photo from Retro-snap.

Norma Jean Mortenson (later Baker) born on July 1, 1926. She grew up with a mentally instable mother and eventually lived in many foster/family homes before she married at age sixteen. Some believe her desperate need to be loved stemsfrom this childhood experience.

Photo from China Daily.

Norma Jeane first marriage to James Dougherty  from 1942-1946. In was in many ways an arranged marriage since Norma was only sixteen at the time and she had no stable home life. This was an alternative to continuing to live in foster homes.

Photo from Fashion on Rock.

Norma Jeane began her modeling career after being discovered working in a Radioplane Munitions Factory. She decided to pursue acting afterwards and in time changed to name to "Marilyn Monroe". 

Photo from marilynettelounge.

Meeting talent agent Johnny Hyde brought her in the Hollywood limelight. Not only did she get her nose and chin worked on by plastic surgeons because of Hyde but she also landed roles in films such as The Asphalt Jungle and All About Eve. Afterwards, Hyde was able to secure a seven year contract with 20th Century Fox before he passed away in 1950.

Photo from supersyl08.

1953 saw Marilyn in her first major film appearance in the film Niagara. She  working with Allan "Whitey" Snyder, a makeup artist. They developed a very close working relationship and would work on her makeup 1946 to 1962-he did her makeup for her funeral. Her signature look fully blossomed during the making of this film.



Photo from I know, right?

It was in the 1950's were Marilyn's star rose in Hollywood. Films like Gentlemen Prefer Blondes, How to Marry a Millionaire, and The Seven Year Itch made Monroe a movie star. She was loved and adored by millions but I wonder if she really felt loved. Many people have stated that there wasn't a day that went by that she felt completely loved. Perhaps the old saying, "If you don't love yourself, how can you truly love others" comes to play. And one also has to remember, Norma Jeane was played the role of Marilyn everyday and oozing sensuality and sexuality on a daily basis. That is a tough feat to follow for any woman. I mean, a girl needs down time to just be herself-so I often wonder if she has many chances just to be herself-Norma.

Photo from sfmuseum.

In 1954 Marilyn married baseball hero, Joe DiMaggio, but their marriage ended that same year. It's believed that Joe really could not handle all the attention that was given to her especially all the men who would just view her as a sex object. In 1961, he re-entered her life and they had planned to re-marry. Unfortunately, she passed on in 1962 and instead of planning a wedding he planned her funeral. He did not allow any of the Hollywood elite to come (feeling many just used her and were not a good influence to her), had roses placed at her grave three times a week for twenty years and never remarried. A short lived love story for Marilyn but one that shows that it's all about the quality of time one spends with a person and the the quantity. Unlike so many others, Joe never spoke about their relationship in order to ensure that she would not be exploited anymore. What a guy!!

Photo from With Love, Marilyn Monroe

In 1956, Marilyn married playwright Arthur Miller that was to last five years until 1961. It was also around the mid 1950's where Marilyn attended the Actors Studio to study "Method" acting with Lee and Paula Strasberg. It was during these years that she filmed "Bus Stop", The Prince and the Showgirl, Some Like It Hot, and Let's Make Love.

Photo from All things classic...on the rocks with a twist.

Marilyn's last completed film was in 1962, The Misfits. It was plagued with all sorts of troubles from high temperatures, the failing marriage with Aurthur Miller, the use of alcohol and pills, lateness, and the illnesses of her fellow cast mates. Yet, the film I have to say is her best. I believe its the best because I get to see a glimpse into who Marilyn was-she wasn't just played the part-she poured who she was into it so in a way it wasn't acting but  it was Marilyn herself.

Photo from CNN Entertainment

Marilyn was found dead on August 5th, 1962. She was young and beautiful and when you think about it, her career as Marilyn Monroe wasn't a very long one. Many of her fans imagine all the great work she could have created if she were alive today.

My love affair with Marilyn began when I was fifteen. I was of course drawn in by her beauty and then by her talents as an actress. What really captured my heart was how strong and yet how fragile she was as a person. I admired her perseverance. She did have struggles with anxiety, self-worth, tardiness, etc but those things something that showed me that she was a normal girl just like we all are. We all have problems and we all struggle to deal with them.

I will say it out loud. NO, I do not believe Marilyn committed suicide. I believe her life although it needed to be purged of bad habits and bad influences was on a path that was going somewhere beautiful and special. I believe at thirty-six years old she finally blossomed into her womanhood and she knew what she wanted and what made her happy. I really believe she was going to start fresh with Joe and was looking into adoption as well.

I do believe that her involvement with certain shady public figures led to her demise. I believe unfortunately she knew things she probably shouldn't have known. I believe that those who killed her believe her recent problems with pills was a great way to have her eliminated. I also believe that those who did partake in her demise (which I believe is more than one person) did get their karma in the end.

We forget that it is important to remember someone's life rather than the way they died. Is it really important how they died but the fact that they are no longer with us? Marilyn left an incredible and joyful body of work that we can all still "oohhh and ahhhh" over and she also left us with hundreds and hundreds of amazing photos. The camera loved her and so do I.



This post is dedicated to Norma Jeane Baker whose star still shines brightly for all to see.

xox