Saturday Evening Post, 1956/05/05
Saturday Evening Post
- The New Marilyn Monroe - Part 1
pays magazine: USA
paru le 5 mai 1956
article: 1ère partie "The New Marilyn Monroe"
en ligne sur saturdayeveningpost.com
The New Marilyn Monroe
This three-part series by Pete Martin was originally published in The Saturday Evening Post, May 5–19, 1956:
By Pete Martin
Originally published on May 5, 1956
A Post editor’s surprisingly candid report on the girl with the horizontal walk. He reveals things about the phenomenal blonde that even Marilyn herself doesn’t know.
The new Marilyn Monroe in Hollywood after returning from
her self-imposed exile in New York. Not quite 30,
she possesses what is possibly the most
photographed face and figure in history. (Gene Lester, © SEPS)
I said to Marilyn Monroe, “Pictures of you usually show you with mouth open and your eyes half closed. Did some photographer sell you the idea that having your picture taken that way makes you look sexier?”
She replied in what I’d come to recognize as pure Monroese. “The formation of my lids must make them look heavy or else I’m thinking of something,” she told me. “Sometimes I’m thinking of men. Other times I’m thinking of some man in particular. It’s easier to look sexy when you’re thinking of some man in particular. As for my mouth being open all the time, I even sleep with it open. I know, because it’s open when I wake up. I never consciously think of my mouth, but I do consciously think about what I’m thinking about.”
Tucked away in that paragraph like blueberries in a hot muffin were several genuine Monroeisms. I had studied the subject long enough to be able to tell a genuine Monroeism from a spurious one.
When I asked her, “Has anyone ever accused you of wearing falsies?” she came through with a genuine Monroeism.
“Yes,” she told me, her eyes flashing indignantly. “Naturally,” she went on, “it was another actress who accused me. My answer to that is, quote: Those who know me better know better. That’s all. Unquote.”
Another Monroeism followed hard on the heels of that. I said, “I’ve heard that you wowed the marines in Korea when you climbed up onto a platform to say a few words to them, and they whistled at you and made wolf calls.”
“I know the time you’re talking about,” she said. “It wasn’t in Korea at all; it was at Camp Pendleton, California. They wanted me to say a few words, so I said, ‘You fellows down there are always whistling at sweater girls. Well, take away their sweaters and what have you got?’ For some reason they screamed and yelled.”
Another example came forth when Marilyn was asked if she and the playwright, Arthur Miller, were having an affair. “How can they say we’re having a romance?” she replied. “He’s married.”
Still another Monroeism had emerged from a press conference in the Plaza Hotel, in New York City. It was held to announce her teaming with Sir Laurence Olivier in an acting- directing-producing venture — a get-together described by one of those present as “one of the least likely duos in cinematic history.” The big Monroeism of that occasion was Marilyn’s answer to the query, “Miss Monroe, do you still want to do The Brothers Karamazov on Broadway?”
“I don’t want to play The Brothers,” she said. “I want to play Grushenka from that book. She’s a girl.”
Listening to her as she talked to me now, I thought, Nobody can write dialogue for her which could possibly sound half as much like her as the dialogue she thinks up for herself.
Nunnally Johnson, who produced the film, How to Marry a Millionaire, costarring Marilyn, told me, “When I talked to her when she first came on the lot, I felt as if I were talking to a girl under water. I couldn’t tell whether I was getting through to her or not. She lived behind a fuzz curtain.”
Johnson also directed How to be Very, Very Popular, and when Sheree North took Marilyn’s place in that film, he announced: “Sheree will not use the Monroe technique in How to be Very, Very Popular. She will play the entire role with her mouth closed.”
Marilyn’s last sentence to me: “I never consciously think of my mouth, but I do consciously think about what I’m thinking about” seemed a trifle murky, but I had no time to work on it, for, without pausing, she said, “Another writer asked me, ‘What do you think of sex?’ and I told him, ‘It’s a part of nature. I go along with nature.’ Zsa Zsa Gabor was supposed to write an article for a magazine on the subject: ‘What’s Wrong With American Men,’ and I did marginal notes for it. The editor cut out my best lines. I wrote, ‘If there’s anything wrong with the way American men look at sex, it’s not their fault. After all, they’re descended from the Puritans, who got off the boat on the wrong foot — or was it the Pilgrims? — and there’s still a lot of that puritanical stuff around.’ The editor didn’t use that one.”
I carefully wrote down every word she said to me. She told me that she’d rather I wouldn’t use a tape-recording machine while interviewing her. “It would make me nervous to see that thing going round and round,” she insisted. So I used pencils and a notebook instead. But I didn’t use them right away.
I had to wait for her to walk from her bedroom into the living room of her apartment, where I sat ready to talk to her. It took her an hour and a half to make that journey. At 3:45, Lois Weber, the pleasant young woman who handled the Monroe New York publicity, admitted me to the apartment Marilyn was occupying. She pushed the buzzer outside of a door on the eighth floor of an apartment building on Sutton Place South, and a voice asked, “Who is it?”
“It’s me,” said my chaperone.
The lock clickety-clicked open, but when we went in, Marilyn was nowhere in sight. She had retreated into a bedroom. Her voice said to us through the door, “I’ll be out in just seven minutes.”
A publicity man to whom I’d talked at Marilyn’s studio in Hollywood had warned me, “She’ll stand you up a couple of times before you meet her. Then she’ll be late, and when I say late, I mean real late. You’ll be so burned at her before she walks in that you’ll wrap up your little voice-recording machine and get ready to leave at least three times — maybe four times — before she shows. But somebody will persuade you to wait, and finally Marilyn will come in, and before you know it, she’ll have you wrapped up too. For she’s warmhearted, amusing and likable, even if her lateness is a pain in the neck. And after that, if somebody says, ‘That was mighty thoughtless of old Marilyn, keeping you waiting like that,’ you’ll want to slug him for being mean.
“What you won’t know,” that studio publicity man went on, “is that while you’re having hell’s own headache waiting for her, whatever publicity worker is trying to get her to see you is having an even bigger headache. Marilyn will be telling that publicity worker that her stomach is so upset that she’s been throwing up for hours; she hasn’t been able to get her make-up on right; or that she’s got a bum deal in the wardrobe department and hasn’t anything to wear.”
So, in an effort to be witty, when Marilyn said, through the closed door, “I’ll be out in just seven minutes,” I said, “I’ll settle for eight.” Time was to prove it the unfunniest remark I’ve ever made. One hour later I asked Lois Weber, “What do you suppose she’s doing in there?”
“You know how it is,” my publicity-girl chaperone said soothingly, “a girl has to put on her face.”
“What has she got, two heads?” I asked politely. A half hour later I suggested that Lois Weber go into the next room and see what was causing the delay.
Waiting for Lois Weber, I roamed the apartment. On a table lay a play manuscript. Typed on its cover was: Fallen Angels, by Noel Coward. Among the books which seemed in current use were Bernard Shaw’s Letters to Ellen Terry, Shaw’s Letters to Mrs. Patrick Campbell, Gertrude Lawrence as Mrs. A., by Richard Aldrich.
Mute evidence of Marilyn’s widely publicized drama studies at the Actors’ Studio, where she was said to be seeking out the secrets of artistic acting, was a copy of James Joyce’s Ulysses. Several lines of dialogue from that volume had been penciled on a piece of paper, obviously to be recited by or to a group of drama students; then the piece of paper had been thrust part way into the book. Lying on the floor was a large recording of John Barrymore as Hamlet.
That dialogue from Ulysses and the Barrymore recording represented one of the reasons why I was there. I’d read that Marilyn had gone “long hair” and “art theaterish,” and I wanted to see for myself. Just seeing it in print didn’t make it true.
Millions of words had been written about the alluring blonde in whose living room I sat, but most of those words had been of the “authorized” or “with-Marilyn’s-blessing” variety. Several millions of them had appeared in fan magazines — after having first been O.K.’d by the 20th Century-Fox publicity department.
I’d read a lot of those words, but I still felt that I didn’t understand this dame and I was sure that a lot of other people felt the same way about her and that, like myself, they’d been asking themselves for years, “What’s she really like?”
On top of that, they were probably asking themselves other questions — as I was doing. “Why did she blow her marriage with Joe DiMaggio? Why did she walk out on a movie career which was paying her heavy money? Why did she duck California in favor of New York? Why, after she holed up there, did she attend the art-for-art’s-sake Actors’ Studio — surely an unlikely place for a girl who, up to that time, had done most of her acting with her hips?”
I hoped that when I talked to her she would tell me the answers to some of these things. Maybe I’d even see the “new Marilyn Monroe” I’d heard existed.
Lois Weber came back to report: “She thinks the maid must have gone off with the top of her tapered slacks. She’s running around without a top on.”
In an effort to keep me from brooding, Lois Weber said, “The azalea people down in Wilmington, North Carolina, want her for a personal appearance in April, but I told them they’d have to call me in April. Who knows where she’ll be then?”
The minutes crawled by and I thought of various things that people had told me about Marilyn before I’d begun my marathon wait in her Sutton Place apartment. Every male friend I had told I was doing a story about Marilyn had asked me, “Can I go along to hold your notebook?” or “You call that work?” or “You get paid for that?” or “Can’t I go along and hold the flash bulbs?” Apparently they felt that if they failed to go into a blood-bubbling, heman routine at the drop of her name, their maleness was suspect. When Marilyn appeared breathless and friendly as a puppy, I told her of this phenomenon. “How do you explain it?” I asked. “Have you become a symbol of sex?”
She gave my query thought before answering. “There are people to whom other people react, and other people who do nothing for people,” she said. “I react to men, too, but I don’t do it because I’m trying to prove I’m a woman. Personally I react to Marlon Brando. He’s a favorite of mine. There are two kinds of reactions. When you see some people you say, ‘Gee!’ When you see other people you say, ‘Ugh!’ If that part about my being a symbol of sex is true, it ought to help at the box office, but I don’t want to be too commercial about it.” Quite seriously she said, “After all, it’s a responsibility, too — being a symbol, I mean.”
I told her I’d heard that among the titles bestowed upon her were Woo-Woo Girl, Miss Cheesecake, The Girl With the Horizontal Walk. “I don’t get what they mean by ‘horizontal walk,’” she said. “Naturally I know what walking means — anybody knows that — and horizontal means not vertical. So what?” I thought of trying to blueprint it for her; then decided not to.
The Hollywood publicity worker who had warned me that she would be “real late” had talked to me quite frankly about Marilyn; he had pulled no punches; but since it is unfair to quote a publicity worker by name, I’ll call him Jones. And since “flack” is Hollywood slang for publicity man, I’ll call him Flack Jones.
Jones worked for 20th Century-Fox during the years before Marilyn staged her walkout. Since then he has moved on to bigger — if not better — things. He has opened his own public-relations office, with branches in Paris and Rome. He is bald as a peeled egg. He is as broad as a small barn door; a junior-executive-size Mister Five-by-Five. He wears black-rimmed glasses instead of the clear tortoise-shell plastic variety.
“A thing that fascinates me is this,” I told Flack Jones: “the first time I ever saw her I was sitting with a friend in the Fox commissary and this girl came in without any make-up on. She was wearing a blouse and skirt, and she sat against the wall. She bore no resemblance to anybody I’d ever seen before, but, to my amazement, my friend said, ‘That’s Marilyn Monroe.’ What I want to know is: Does she have to get into her Marilyn Monroe suit or put on her Marilyn Monroe face before she looks like Marilyn Monroe?”
“This is true of all platinum blondes or whatever you call the highly dyed jobs we have out here,” Flack Jones said. “If their hair isn’t touched up and coiffured exactly right; if they’re not gowned perfectly and their make-up is not one hundred per cent, they look gruesome. This is not peculiar to Monroe; it’s peculiar to every other synthetic blonde I’ve ever known in picture business. There are very few natural blondes in Hollywood and, so far as I know, there have been no natural platinum blondes in mankind’s history, except albinos. They are strictly a product of the twentieth century. They’re created blondes, and when you create a blonde you have to complete your creation with make-up and dramatic clothes, otherwise you’ve got only part of an assembly job.”
I also talked to a member of the Fox Studio legal staff, who told me a Monroe story I found provocative. “One day,” he said, “she was in this office, and I said to her, ‘It would be better for you to sign this contract this year instead of next. It will save you money.’ She looked at me and said, ‘I’m not interested in money. I just want to be wonderful.’ Then she walked out.” The legal light looked at me helplessly and shrugged. “What do you suppose she meant by that?” he asked. I said I had no idea, but that I’d try to find out.
And I asked a friend high enough up in the Fox hierarchy to know the answer, “Why do you think your studio let her come back to work for it after she walked out and stayed in New York for fifteen months?”
“Our attitude was that she’d never work on our lot again,” he announced firmly; then he grinned, “unless we needed her.”
One of my longer talks was with Billy Wilder, who directed her in the film The Seven Year Itch.
“What do you want to know?” he asked when I went to see him in his Beverly Hills home.
“One of the interesting things about this Monroe girl, to me,” I said, “is she seemed in danger of spoiling what had begun as a successful career by running away from it. I began to ask myself: How long can a movie actress afford to stay away from moviemaking and still remain a star? The mere strangeness of her staying away gets her a terrific press for a while and makes everyone in the country conscious of her, but is it possible to stay away so long that you’re forgotten? Was that about to happen to Marilyn?”
“I don’t think there was any danger of Marilyn sinking into oblivion,” Wilder said. “A thing like her doesn’t come along every minute.”
I asked, “What do you mean ‘a thing like her’?”
“She has what I call flesh impact,” he told me. “It’s very rare. Three I remember are Clara Bow, Jean Harlow and Rita Hayworth. Such girls have flesh which photographs like flesh. You feel you can reach out and touch it.”
“I’ve heard that it’s a moot question as to whether Marilyn’s an actress or not,” I said.
“I’ve heard that, too,” he replied. “Before we go further I must tell you that I like the girl, but it’s also moot whether you have to be an actor or an actress to be a success in pictures. I’m sure you’ve heard the theory that there are two kinds of stars — those who can act and those who are personalities. I’ll take a personality any time. Something comes down from the screen to you when you see them, in a way that it doesn’t always come from the indifferently paid actors, although they may be perfect at their jobs.”
“It’s nothing against them or for them,” Flack Jones said, when I repeated Wilder’s idea to him. “It’s the way this business is put together. If the public likes a personality, he or she goes over. You take Tab Rock,” he said (only Tab Rock is not the name he used). “Old Tab’s a terrific personality. I doubt if he’s ever made a flop picture, but he’s never made a really good picture. This fellow can’t pick up his hat without instruction, yet he’s always picking up villains and throwing them across a bar singlehanded. He can clean up any barroom on the frontier, but he can’t clean up a kitchen. He’s a nice guy, but no one has ever called him an actor. You take Lloyd Nolan now, or Van Heflin. That’s acting for you. You believe them. There are lights and shades and meaning to what they do. But when old Tab Rock comes on the screen, he’s got to throw somebody around to prove his art. He can do this quicker than anybody in Hollywood, and this is his great value.”
“He sounds brave,” I said.
“No one is braver or more scornful about it,” Flack Jones said. “His bravery is without parallel in the industry. He’s the only man I ever saw who could take a forty-five and go to the Near East and clean the whole mess up in a day or two. He never fails. That’s the difference between a personality and an actor.”
When I talked to Wilder I said that I’d read that when Marilyn had announced that she wanted to appear in a movie version of The Brothers Karamazov, some people hooted.
“The hooters were wrong,” Wilder told me. “She meant that she wanted to play the part of Grushenka in that book, and people who haven’t read the book don’t know that Grushenka is a sex pot. People think this is a long-hair, very thick, very literary book, but Dostoevsky knew what he was doing and there is nothing long-hair about Grushenka. Marilyn knows what she’s doing too. She would be a good Grushenka.
“It was after she said that she wanted to be in The Brothers Karamazov,” Wilder went on, “that she started going to the Actors’ Studio School of Dramatic Arts in New York. She didn’t do it for publicity. She’s sincerely trying to improve herself, and I think she should be admired for that. She could have sat here in Hollywood on her pretty little fanny and collected all of the money any ordinary actress would ever want, but she keeps trying.
“Right now, as of today, no matter what she thinks, Marilyn’s great value is as a personality, not as an actress. [Wilder told me these things while Marilyn was still in New York being groomed by the Actors’ Studio. It may be that what happened to her during her Eastern schooling in new dramatic ways may change his opinion, but 1 haven’t talked to him since her return to Hollywood.] If she sets out to be artistic and dedicated, and she carries it so far that she’s willing to wear Sloppy-Joe sweaters and go without make-up and let her hair hang straight as a string, this is not what has made her great to date. I don’t say that it’s beyond the realm of possibility that she can establish herself as a straight dramatic actress — it is possible — but it will be another career for her, a starting all over.”
Back in New York, when Marilyn made that long, long journey from her bedroom to her living room in her apartment, I said to her, “I’ve heard your childhood referred to as ‘the perfect Cinderella story.’”
“I don’t know where they got that,” she told me. “I haven’t ended up with a prince, and I’ve never had even one fairy godmother. My birth certificate reads Norma Jean Mortenson. I was told that my father was killed in an automobile accident before I was born, so that is what I’ve always told people. There was no way I could check on that because my mother was put into a mental institution when I was little, and I was brought up as an orphan.”
I had read that she spent her childhood being farmed out to foster parents and to orphanages, but, talking to her, I discovered that there’d been only one orphanage, although it was true about the foster parents. “I have had eleven or twelve sets of them,” she told me, “but I don’t want to count them all again, to see whether there were eleven or twelve. I hope you won’t ask me to. It depresses me. Some families would keep me longer; others would get tired of me in a short time. I must have made them nervous or something.”
She thought of something else. “I had one pair of foster parents who, when I was about ten, made me promise never to drink when I grew up, and I signed a pledge never to smoke or swear. My next foster family gave me empty whisky bottles for playthings. With them I played store. I guess I must have had the finest collection of empty whisky bottles any girl ever had. I’d line them up on a plank beside the road, and when people drove along I’d say, ‘Wouldn’t you like some whisky?’ I remember some of the people in the cars driving past my ‘whisky’ store saying, ‘Imagine! Why, it’s terrible!’ Looking back, I guess I used to play-act all the time. For one thing, it meant I could live in a more interesting world than the one around me.
“The first family I lived with told me I couldn’t go to the movies because it was sinful,” Marilyn said. “I listened to them say the world was coming to an end, and if I was doing something sinful when it happened, I’d go down below, below, below. So the few times I was able to sneak into a movie, I spent most of the time that I was there praying that the world wouldn’t end.”
The famous British photographer, Cecil Beaton, shoots Marilyn.
Says the lady: “It’s a responsibility — being a symbol of sex, I mean.”
(Hans Knopf, © SEPS)
Apparently I had been misinformed about her first marriage, to a young man named Jim Dougherty. I’d got the idea that she’d married him while they were both in Van Nuys High School; that she’d got a “crush” on him because he was president of the student body there, and a big wheel around school.
“That’s not true,” she told me. “In the first place, he was twenty-one or twenty-two — well, at least he was twenty-one and already out of high school. So all I can say is that he must have been pretty dumb if he were still in high school when I married him. And I didn’t have a crush on him, although he claimed I did in a story he wrote about us. The truth is the people I was staying with moved East. They couldn’t afford to take me because when they left California they’d stop getting the twenty dollars a month the county or the state was paying them to help them clothe and feed me. So instead of going back into a boarding home or with still another set of foster parents, I got married.
“That marriage ended in a divorce, but not until World War Two was over. Jim is now a policeman. He lives in Reseda, in the San Fernando Valley, and he is happily married and has three daughters. But while he was away in the merchant marines I worked in the dope room of a plane factory. That company not only made planes, it made parachutes.
“For a while I’d been inspecting parachutes. Then they quit letting us girls do that and they had the parachutes inspected on the outside, but I don’t think it was because of my inspecting. Then I was in the dope room spraying dope on fuselages. Dope is liquid stuff, like banana oil and glue mixed.
“I was out on sick leave for a few days, and when I came back the Army photographers from the Hal Roach Studios, where they had the Army photographic headquarters, were around taking photographs and snapping and shooting while I was doping those ships. The Army guys saw me and asked, ‘Where have you been?’
“’I’ve been on sick leave,’ I said. “Come outside.’ they told me. ‘We’re going to take your picture.’
“‘Can’t,’ I said. ‘The other ladies here in the dope room will give me trouble if I stop doing what I’m doing and go out with you.’ That didn’t discourage those Army photographers. They got special permission for me to go outside from Mr. Whosis, the president of the plant. For a while they posed me rolling ships; then they asked me. ‘Don’t you have a sweater?’
“‘Yes,’ I told them, ‘it so happens I brought one with me. It’s in my locker.’ After that I rolled ships around in a sweater. The name of one of those Army photographers was David Conover. He lives up near the Canadian border. He kept telling me, ‘You should be a model,’ but I thought he was flirting. Several weeks later, he brought the color shots he’d taken of me, and he said the Eastman Kodak Company had asked him, ‘Who’s your model, for goodness’ sake?’
“So I began to think that maybe he wasn’t kidding about how I ought to be a model. Then I found that a girl could make five dollars an hour modeling, which was different from working ten hours a day for the kind of money I’d been making at the plane plant. And it was a long way from the orphanage, where I’d been paid five cents a week for working in the dining room or ten cents a month for working in the pantry. And out of those big sums a penny every Sunday had to go into the church collection. I never could figure why they took a penny from an orphan for that.”
“How did you happen to sign your first movie contract?” I asked.
She tossed a cascade of white-blond tresses from her right eye and said, “I had appeared on five magazine covers. Mostly men’s magazines.”
What, I asked, did she mean by men’s magazines? “Magazines,” she said, “with cover girls who are not flat-chested. I was on See four or five months in a row. Each time they changed my name. One month I was Norma Jean Dougherty — that was my first husband’s name. The second month I was Jean Norman. I don’t know what all names they used, but I must have looked different each time. There were different poses— outdoors, indoors, but mostly just sitting looking over the Pacific. You looked at those pictures and you didn’t see much ocean, but you saw a lot of me.
“One of the magazines I was on wasn’t a man’s magazine at all. It was called Family Circle. You buy it in supermarkets. I was holding a lamb with a pinafore. I was the one with the pinafore. But on most covers I had on things like a striped towel. The towel was striped because the cover was to be in color and the stripes were the color, and there was a big fan blowing on the towel and on my hair. That was right after my first divorce, and I needed to earn a living bad. I couldn’t type. I didn’t know how to do anything. So Howard Hughes had an accident.”
I wondered if I’d missed something, but apparently I hadn’t. “He was in the hospital,” she went on, “and Hedda Hopper wrote in her column: ‘Howard Hughes must be recuperating because he sent out for photographs of a new girl he’s seen on five different magazines.’ Right after that Howard Hughes’ casting director got my telephone number somehow, and he got in touch with me and he said Howard Hughes wanted to see me.
“But he must have forgotten or changed his mind or something,” she said, “because instead of going to see him, I went over to the Fox Studio with a fellow named Harry Lipton, who handled my photography modeling. Expensive cars used to drive up beside me when I was on a street corner or walking on a sidewalk, and the driver would say, ‘I could do something for you in pictures. How would you like to be a Goldwyn girl?’ I figured those guys in those cars were trying for a pick-up, and I got an agent so I could say to those fellows, ‘See my agent.’ That’s how I happened to be handled by Harry Lipton.”
Harry took her to see Ivan Kahn, then head of Fox’s talent department, and also to see Ben Lyon, who was doing a talent-scouting job for Fox.
I asked her how it happened that she changed her name from Norma Jean Dougherty to Marilyn Monroe.
“It was Ben Lyon who renamed me,” she said. “Ben said that I reminded him of two people, Jean Harlow and somebody else he remembered very well, a girl named Marilyn Miller. When all the talk began about renaming me, I asked them please could I keep my mother’s maiden name, which was Monroe; so the choice was whether to call me Jean Monroe or Marilyn Monroe, and Marilyn won.”
I asked Flack Jones, “What happened when she came to your studio?”
“She came twice,” he said. “The first time was in 1946. We did our best with her, but she just hadn’t grown up enough. She was great as far as looks went, but she didn’t know how to make the most of her looks — or what to do with them. That came with practice. Not that you have to mature mentally to be a star. In fact, it can be a holdback. It might even defeat you. Stars who are mature mentally are in the minority. But actually we had no stories lying around at that time in which she would appear to advantage. So we tried her out in a picture or two in which she played bit parts — secretaries, the pretty girl in the background. Then we let her go, and she went over to RKO and did a picture with Groucho.”
“I didn’t see the film,” I said, “but you’d think with the Marx Brothers chasing her, like a bosomy mechanical bunny romping about the sound stage a couple of jumps ahead of the greyhounds, the fun would have been fast and furious.”
“The trouble was that while the Marx Brothers always chased a dame in their pictures,” Flack Jones told me, “they never caught the dame. And usually the dame never became a star, so the whole thing was a waste of time. It was amusing while you were watching it, but the girls usually outran the Marx boys and a career.”
The author interviewing Marilyn. Says Pete Martin:
“Every male friend I told I was doing a story about
her asked me, ‘Can I go along to hold your notebook?'”
(Hans Knopf, © SEPS)
Marilyn gave me her own version of Flack Jones’ story:
“Most of what I did while I was at Fox that first time was pose for stills. Publicity made up a story about how I was a baby sitter who’d been baby-sitting for the casting director and that’s how I was discovered. They told me to say that, although it strictly wasn’t true. You’d think that they would have used a little more imagination and have had me at least a daddy sitter.”
Flack Jones had filled me in on some more Monroe chronology: “After she left us she went to Metro and appeared in The Asphalt Jungle, directed by John Huston,” he said. “Marilyn’s role was small. She was only a walk-on, but she must have looked good to Darryl Zanuck, for when he saw it, he re-signed her. Asphalt Jungle was one of those gangster things. There was a crooked legal mouthpiece in it, a suave fellow, played by Louis Calhern. Marilyn was his ‘niece’; which was a nice word for ‘keptie.’ She’d say a few lines of dialogue; then she’d look up at him with those big eyes and call him ‘Uncle.’”
“When did you first notice her impact on the public?” I asked.
“Once we got her rolling, it was like a tidal wave,” he said. “We began to release some photographs of her, and as soon as they appeared in print, we had requests for more from all over the world. We had the newspapers begging for art; then the photo syndicates wanted her; then the magazines began to drool. For a while we were servicing three or four photos to key newspapers all over the world once a week — and that was before she had appeared in a picture.
“Once this building-up process started,” Flack Jones explained, “other people got interested in her. We called up the top cameramen around town who had their own outlets, and we told them what we had, and we asked them if they’d like to photograph her. They said, ‘Ho, boy, yes.’
“We told them what the deal was,” Flack Jones went on. “We said, ‘We think this girl has a great future; she’s beautiful, her chassis is great, and are you interested?’ Each guy had his own idea of what he wanted, and he let his imagination play upon her. This is the way such things get done. They’re not created by one person. They’re the creation of all of the press representatives who cover Hollywood for all the publications in the world, which means about three hundred and fifty people.
“Everybody in the studio publicity department worked on her.” Jones ticked them off on his fingertips, “The picture division, the magazine division, the fan-magazine division, the planters who plant the columnists, the radio planters, and so forth. Then, when you make a motion picture, a ‘unit man’ or ‘unit woman’ is assigned to cover its shooting, and he or she handles publicity for that film alone. In addition, the whole department works on the same picture. Our department is highly specialized, but each specialist makes his contribution to the personality we’re erecting in the public’s mind.”
“I’ve met a couple of press agents who’ve been unit men on Marilyn’s films,” I said.
“But the unit man is not always the same for a certain star’s pictures,” Jones said. “Sonia Wilson’s been unit woman on Monroe pictures, and Frankie Neal’s been a unit man on her pictures, but Roy Craft has been her unit man more than anyone else. Roy likes her. He gets along with her fine.”
There was something else I wanted to know. “In addition to distributing her photographs,” I asked, “did you have her show up at different places where you thought her appearance would do her good?”
“We took her to all of the cocktail parties we thought were important,” Flack Jones said. “For instance, one picture magazine had its annual cocktail party, and we told Marilyn she ought to show so we could introduce her to various editors, columnists and radio and TV people. She waited until everybody had arrived; then she came in in this red gown. That gown became famous. She’d had sense enough to buy it a size or two too small, and it had what Joe Hyams calls ‘break-away straps.’
“When she came in, everybody stopped doing what they were doing and their eyes went, ‘Boing, boing,’” Flack Jones went on. “The publisher of the magazine who was picking up the tab for the party shook hands with her a long, long time. After a while he turned to one of his associate editors and said, ‘We ought to have a picture of this little girl in our book.’ Then he looked at her again and said, ‘Possibly we should have her on the cover.’”
Flack Jones grinned. “So that’s the way things went,” he said. “Some months there were as many as fifteen or sixteen covers of her on the newsstands at once. She came back to the Fox lot in 1950 to appear in All About Eve, but she was not anyone’s great, big, brilliant discovery until we got our still cameras focused on her and started spreading those Marilyn Monroe shots all over the universe.”
“What did she do in All About Eve?” I asked. “I don’t remember.”
“She’s the dumb broad who walks into a party at Bette Davis’ place leaning on George Sanders’ arm,” he said. “There’s dialogue which shows you that Sanders is a critic, like George Jean Nathan; and he brings this beautiful dish Marilyn in, and he sights a producer played by Gregory Ratoff. Sanders points at Ratoff and says to Marilyn, ‘There’s a real live producer, honey. Go do yourself some good.’ So Marilyn goes off to do herself some good while Sanders stays in his own price class with Bette.”
“Do you remember the first day she came to work?” I asked.
“Do I remember?” he said. “She was in an Angora sweater out to there. While we were shooting her in photography, the word got around and the boys rushed across the hall to get an eyeful. Next we did some layouts with her for picture magazines. We put her in a negligee, and she liked it so much that she wouldn’t take it off. She walked all over the lot in it, yelling, ‘Yoo hoo’ at strangers as far away as the third floor of the administration building. Pretty soon the whole third floor was looking down at her. The first and second floors looked too.”
Flack Jones did an abrupt shift into the present tense, “It’s a bright, sunny day; the wind is blowing and she has Nature working with her. It has taken Nature quite a while to bring her to the ripe-peach perfection she reaches on that day, but it finally makes it. The wind does the rest. She walks all over the lot, has a ball for herself, and so does everybody else.”
Then he shifted back again, “After that we took her to the beach with a lot of wardrobe changes. But the basic idea was that this is a beautiful girl with a great body, and that idea was always the same, although we had different approaches to it. We had color shots, we had black-and-white shots, we had mountain shots, we had field shots, faked water-skiing shots — every type of approach we could think of. Picnicking, walking — anything a person does, we let her do it. When we began to see what she did best, we concentrated on it.
“Women always hate the obvious in sex,” Flack Jones said, “and men love it.” Apparently he had given this matter a lot of thought. He had even worked out a philosophy about it. “Guys are instinctively awkward and blundering and naïve — even worldly-wise ones — and subtlety in sex baffles them. Not only that, but they don’t have the time. Women who are not supporting a husband have all the time in the world for it. But men have other things to do, like making a dollar; and they like their love-making without preliminaries which last four or five hours. Instinctively Marilyn knows this. She is very down-to-earth, very straightforward.”
I asked Marilyn when I talked to her back on Sutton Place, “Do you think men like their sex subtle or fairly obvious?” This was a double check. I already had the male answer.
It seemed to me that she hedged. “Some men prefer subtleties and other men don’t want things so subtle,” she said. “I don’t believe in false modesty. A woman only hurts herself that way. If she’s coy she’s denying herself an important part of life. Men sometimes believe that you’re frigid and cold in the development of a relationship, but if they do, it’s not always your fault. Religion has to do with it and how you’re brought up. You’re stuck with all that.”
I remembered something else Wilder had told me before Marilyn’s recent return to Hollywood to make the film version of the New York stage hit Bus Stop. “You take Monroe, now,” he remarked. “Aside from whether she’s an actress or not, she’s got this lovely little shape, it twitches excitingly, and the public likes to watch it, either coming toward them or going away. There are two schools of thought about her — those who like her and those who attack her — but they both are willing to pay to watch her. Their curiosity is good for eighty cents or a dollar and a quarter or whatever the price of the ticket.”
He shook his head thoughtfully. “And she went back East to study at a slow-take arty place, where they feature understatement. Here’s a girl who’s built herself a career on overstating something, and she’s made up her mind to understate. It won’t be long before we’ll know whether she’s right and whether she needs the wardrobe department and the hairdressing department as much as she needs artistic lines to say. It’ll be interesting to watch and I hope it works out the way she wants it to, but the lines that the public really wants from her so far are not written in English. They are her curves.”
The voice of Flack Jones echoed in the back of my head. “I forgot to tell you. When she finished that Marx Brothers picture, she went over to Columbia for a couple of shows, but she didn’t click, and they released her too. After that she was around town for a while going broke. It was then that she posed for that famous nude calendar — the composition of glowing flesh against a red velvet background which threw the public into a tizzy when they learned about it.”
I asked Marilyn to tell me the story of that nude calendar herself, and she said, “When the studio first heard about it, everybody there was in a frenzy. They telephoned me on the set where I was working in a quickie called Don’t Bother to Knock. The person who called asked me, ‘What’s all this about a calendar of you in the nude? Did you do it?’
“‘Yes,’ I said. ‘Is there anything wrong with it? So they’ve found out it’s me on that calendar. Well, what do you know!’
“‘Found out!’ he almost screamed. ‘There you are, all of you, in full color!’ Then he must have gotten mixed up, for first he said, ‘Just deny everything’; then he said, ‘Don’t say anything. I’ll be right down.’”
© All images are copyright and protected by their respective owners, assignees or others.
copyright text by Saturday Evening Post.
Saturday Evening Post, 1956/05/19
Saturday Evening Post
- The New Marilyn Monroe - Part 3
pays magazine: USA
paru le 19 mai 1956
article: 3ème partie "The New Marilyn Monroe"
en ligne sur saturdayeveningpost.com
Blonde, Incorporated
By Pete Martin
Originally published on May 19, 1956
The story of Marilyn’s brief marriage to Joe DiMaggio, her battle with Hollywood, and her surprising new career.
Milton Greene, vice-president of Marilyn Monroe Productions, playwright Terence
Rattigan, Sir Lawrence Olivier and Marilyn in New York. The occasion: To announce
plans for a movie version cf a Rattigan play, costarring Olivier and Monroe. (Hans Knopf, © SEPS)
I put this question to my friend and confidant, whom I call Flack Jones: “How did Joe DiMaggio happen to come into Marilyn’s life?” Jones is one of my principal sources of Marilyn Monroe information. As a skilled and articulate employee of the publicity department of the 20th Century-Fox motion-picture studio, he had worked closely with Marilyn for several years before her highly publicized departure from Hollywood to live in New York and “learn to be an actress.”
“Marilyn met him in a café one night on a blind double date,” Jones said. “DiMaggio had heard about her and wanted to meet her. They met through friends and had dinner. Everything went just fine and dandy, until ultimately their friendship ripened into a romance which led to their marriage.
“But to complicate things, late in 1952 she decided to mix her first holdout with her romance,” Flack Jones said. Then he corrected himself, “It must have been ’53, for she had made River of No Return and How to Marry a Millionaire. Anyhow, she decided — or else her confidential advisers had persuaded her — that she was worth more money. But instead of stalking into Darryl Zanuck’s office, slapping her next script down and saying, ‘I won’t do it!’ she simply hid out. She sneaked down alleys, didn’t answer her phone and couldn’t be reached by anybody.
“This was before she ran off and married Joe DiMaggio, and the studio was taking a firm tone with her — a very firm tone. But when the romance reached full flower, the studio had to do a fast switch,” Jones said. “Here we were, issuing communiqués about this ‘silly and stubborn girl who was ill-advised enough not to come back and take this important part’ in whatever the picture was — Pink Tights, I think — when all of a sudden she ups and marries Joe, the All-American Boy. After that, if we kept on beefing about her absence, the studio would be the big bully in the plot so far as the public was concerned.
“Then, to add to the studio’s confusion, the pair went off to Korea to entertain the troops. How are you going to snap a blacksnake whip at a girl’s calves for doing a thing like that? Snow White has married Prince Charming and they’ve gone off to Korea together to entertain the servicemen. So the studio started talking sweet in a hurry.
“However, the sharp-eyed and cynical could tell that that marriage was in danger as early as their arrival in the Orient,” Flack Jones went on. “The press interviewed Marilyn in Tokyo, and a story was radioed back which said that Marilyn had talked about this and about that, and — oh yes — there was a man in the far corner of the room whose name was Joe DiMaggio. It didn’t take much of a genius to figure that situation was the beginning of the end. Then, after an interval, the lovebirds flew back to Beverly Hills.”
“Did the studio start having its troubles making her report for work before she married DiMaggio or after she married him?” I asked.
“We were having trouble before,” Flack Jones told me.
“When was the first fly in the Monroe-Fox ointment?” I asked.
“I don’t know the exact time,” he said. “But it was not peculiar to Monroe alone. It’s peculiar to life in Hollywood. It almost invariably happens when money and success make an impact on a male or female ego. We expect it to set in when the fan mail of the party in question zooms up to over two thousand a week. It’s almost as much of a sure thing as the thermostat in your house turning on the heat. Two thousand fan letters a week is when we begin to say. ‘We’ll be having troubles with this doll.”
“What form does it usually take?” I asked. “‘I want more dough,’ or ‘I don’t like my contract.’ or ‘My script stinks’?”
“A better way to answer your question is to say that when they realize they’ve got weight to throw around, they start throwing it,” Flack Jones said. “They don’t do those things you mentioned right away; they do less serious things first. They complain about wardrobe, or, if it’s a musical, they complain about the songs or the dances, or, if it’s a plain comedy or a straight drama, they gripe about how a certain scene is being directed. Whatever’s handy, that’s what they complain about. It makes no sense, but it’s a means of saying that they have some weight now, and they want you to know it.”
“What’s the next move?” I asked.
Flack Jones rubbed his fingers over his scalp thoughtfully and said, “Ordinarily it’s a preliminary test of strength, like bracing the front office for more dough for your dramatic coach.
“When she found out that she had that much weight, she decided to go out for herself, and she did. Some people think that she has always been a naive, flibbertigibbet girl moving through life. This is utter nonsense. She wasn’t that way when she first was under contract; she was a grown person then. She kept her dates, she was always on time.”
From now on,” Jones said, “what I say is merely my own opinion, but I think that it was then that she discovered that there are people in Hollywood who respect other people who kick their teeth in. That’s not just Hollywood for you. Most people do.”
“Let’s cut to the split-up between Joe and Marilyn,” I said. “As I recall it, first there were rumors of strife, then things reached an impasse.”
“Joe and Marilyn had a rented house on Palm Drive, in Beverly Hills,” Jones said. “We had a unique situation there with the embattled ex-lovebirds both cooped in the same cage. Marilyn was living on the second floor and Joe was camping on the first floor. Then a famous attorney, Jerry Giesler, was brought into the act for Marilyn, although why they had to employ such a great lawyer to handle a simple divorce case I don’t know. The public was all worked up, the press was, too, and they’re circling the house like Indians loping around a wagon tram, waiting for somebody to poke a head out. The next move was Giesler’s announcement that came Wednesday, at eleven o’clock, Marilyn would hold a press conference in his office.
“In the Fox publicity department,” Jones said, “we concluded that if you call a press conference in a lawyer’s office, it presupposes an obligation to say something, and what could Snow White say when she was breaking up with Prince Charming, or Cinderella say when she was splitting from the All-American Boy? Any press conference would only bring more characters out to chase Marilyn from her house to Giesler’s office. And once they got there, if anybody issued one of those ‘They’re just a young couple who couldn’t make a go of it’ statements, it would only irritate everybody.
“So the studio issued a statement of its own in advance. We said that Marilyn wasn’t going to hold any press conference, but she’d be leaving for work at ten o’clock from her house, to fulfill her commitment on Seven Year Itch, based on the Broadway play of the same name and costarring Tom Ewell, in Cinemascope. Once we’d got in that plug, we said that while we didn’t promise an interview, the boys would get some pictures. So forty or fifty of the press congregated. In addition, there were several hundred volunteer reporters and photographers in the trees and trampling the lawn.
“Then an unbelievable thing happened,” Flack Jones said. He grinned when he thought of it. “They were all there to get a picture of Marilyn going to work, because it would be the first picture since her announcement that she wanted a divorce, and all at once, in front of the house a great, big, beautiful automobile pulled up. In it was a friend of Joe’s from San Francisco. As I’ve said, Joe’s been in that house for three days on the first floor, with Marilyn on the second. There was a back alley, and a rejected husband could have snuck out of that back alley and disappeared if he’d wanted to. But Joe faced up to his responsibilities and took them like a man. So what do the press and newsreels get? A bonus! Out of the front door comes Joe, grim-lipped, walking the last long mile, with his pal carrying his suitcase.
“The press stopped him on the lawn, but Joe had no comment to make. They got pictures of him as he climbed into the car slowly, and one guy asked, ‘Where you going, Joe?’
“‘I’m going home,’ Joe said.
“‘We thought this was your home, Joe,’ chirped the press like a Greek chorus.
“San Francisco has always been my home,’ Joe said. He stood there waving farewell, then he drove away.”
Looking at Flack Jones, I could see that he was still marveling at a scene which no press agent would have thought of inventing in his wildest dreams. He said, “I’ve always admired Joe for that. A lot of guys would have sneaked out the back way and gone to San Francisco, avoiding that encounter in the front yard. Not old Joe.
“About ten minutes later, Marilyn came down the stairs, sobbing, on Giesler’s arm. She was all broken up. Everybody was shoving and pushing. A lady columnist kicked the crime reporter for the Los Angeles Mirror in the shins. He turned on her and asked, ‘Who do you think you’re kicking?’ and she said, ‘I’ll kick you in the pants if you don’t get out of my way.’ All in all, there was quite a hubbub. The newsreel guys were grinding away, and somebody asked, ‘How about Joe, Marilyn?’ and Marilyn said, between sobs, ‘1 can’t talk! I can’t!’ And she got in a car and drove off.”
Later, when I talked to Marilyn in New York, I guided our conversation around to a story written by Aline Mosby, of the United Press. The story was about how Marilyn had told her that she had bought Joe a king-size, eight-foot bed because she didn’t approve of separate bedrooms. “People say it’s chic to have separate bedrooms,” Marilyn told me. “That way a man can have a place for his fishing equipment and guns as well as sleeping, and a woman can have a fluffy, ruffly place with rows and rows of perfume bottles. The way I feel, they ought to share the same bedroom. With a separate-bedroom deal, if you happen to think of something you want to say, it means you have to go traipsing down the hall, and you may be tired. For that matter, you may forget what you started out to say. Besides, separate bedrooms are lonely. I think that people need human warmth even when they’re asleep and unconscious.”
There were other things I wanted to ask her. “I’ve heard that in Asphalt Jungle you displayed a highly individual way of walking that called attention to you and made you stand out. I’ve heard a lot of people try to describe the way you walk, and some of those descriptions are pretty lurid. How do you describe it?”
She leaned forward, placed her elbows on a table and cupped her chin in her palms. She was very effective that way. “I’ve never deliberately done anything about the way I walk,” she said. “People say I walk all wiggly and wobbly, but I don’t know what they mean. I just walk. I’ve never wiggled deliberately in my life, but all my life I’ve had trouble with people who say I do. In high school the other girls asked me, ‘Why do you walk down the hall that way?’ I guess the boys must have been watching me and it made the other girls jealous or something, but I said, ‘I learned to walk when I was ten months old, and I’ve been walking this way ever since.’”
In California I had asked Flack Jones, “What would you say Marilyn does best? Is her walk her greatest asset?” Jones regarded the feathery top of a slender, swaying palm tree, as if searching for an answer. “She does two things beautifully,” he said. “She walks and she stands. Also, as I’ve already told you she has wit enough to buy her clothes one or two sizes too small, and with a chassis like hers, this infuriates women and intrigues guys. From a woman’s standpoint, there is no subtlety in such gowns. I remember when Marilyn came to a party. In a number which fitted her like a thin banana peel and the other women there thought it outrageous. Comments were made about that gown in a gossip column.”
“How did Marilyn react to that?” I asked.
“Marilyn asked me, ‘What should I have done?”’ Jones said. “I said, ‘Look, honey, the men loved it. Pay no attention to what the gossip-column cat said. You’re a man’s woman, so dress for men, not for other women. Any time you quit dressing for men you’re out of business.’”
I told Jones that I’d been trying to find a phrase which would describe her walk, but that I hadn’t been able to. “I can’t help you there,” Jones said. “I’ve heard the words ‘quivering’ and ‘trembling’ used in connection with her walk, but I don’t know a description that really does the job. But when she walks across a screen a couple or three times, she attracts attention — a whole lot. That much I know.
“The public laughed at her walk in Niagara,” Jones told me, “but Marilyn was only doing what the director wanted her to. It wasn’t up to her to cut the picture or to tell the director not to point the camera at her during a long walk across cobblestones. I challenge any girl to walkdown a cobblestoned street in high heels without wiggling at least once.”
After his analysis of Marilyn as a pedestrian, Flack Jones picked up our conversational threads where we’d broken them off with her parting from Joe DiMaggio, and tied them together again. “After that she came back and finished Seven Year Itch at Fox,” he said. “Her agent, Charlie Feldman, flung a snazzy party for her at Romanoff’s, and she went to New York. The next thing anybody knew, she announced that, with a New York photographer named Milton Greene, she had formed Marilyn Monroe, Inc. She’s the president of the corporation; Greene’s vice-president. But I have reason to think that she’d done that before she left Hollywood, for a hairdresser at the studio told me that one day when he had Marilyn in front of his mirror, she had said, ‘Gee, I feel good. I’m incorporated.’”
I put it to Jones, “When she left the studio that last time, was it a clean, sharp break or did her relations with the studio gradually become fuzzy and vague?”
“After Itch,” Flack Jones said, “she simply didn’t show up again. I don’t know whether you’d call that sharp or vague.”
I said, when I finally met Marilyn, “The way I get it, you invented a whole new system of holding out; you just disappeared.”
“I disappeared because if people won’t listen to you, there’s no point in talking to people,” Marilyn told me. “You’re just banging your head against a wall. If you can’t do what they want you to do, the thing is to leave. I never got a chance to learn anything in Hollywood. They worked me too fast. They rushed me from one picture into another.
“I know who started all of those stories which were sent out about me after I left Hollywood the last time,” she added. One paper had an editorial about me. It said: ‘Marilyn Monroe is a very stupid girl to give up all the wonderful things the movie industry has done for her and go to New York to learn how to act.’ Those weren’t the exact words, but that was the idea. That editorial was supposed to scare me, but it didn’t, and when I read it and I realized that it wasn’t frightening me, I felt strong. That’s why I know I’m stronger than I was.”
She thought for a while; then she said, “I’m for the individual as opposed to the corporation. The way it is, the individual is the underdog, and with all the things a corporation has going for them an individual comes out banged on her head. The artist is nothing. It’s tragic.”
Going back to a straight question-and-answer routine, I said, “You’re habitually late for appointments. What are the psychological reasons for your lateness?’
“I don’t know,” she said. “I’ve never come to any conclusion. If I knew, I’d get over it.”
I said that I’d heard she was so nervous before appointments that she was sometimes became nauseated. I asked if this was caused by a feeling of pressure — of people pushing and hauling and pulling at her.
“You’d throw up, too, in some situations,” she told me. “I flew into New York at eight o’clock one morning and there were photographers waiting to take pictures of me at the airport, and all that morning I had a series of interviews with newspaper people. Those interviews came twenty minutes or a half hour apart. Then I was rushed to a luncheon with a group of magazine people, and right after luncheon I tore over to the Daily News Building. I don’t think anybody can take that routine very long. Another complication is that I have a certain stupid sincerity. I don’t want to tell everybody who interviews me the same thing. I want them all to have something new, different, exclusive. When I worry about that, I start to get sick at my stomach.”
I asked her if writers had ever prepared material for her to use in an “interview” or in a “by-line story.”
“I refuse to let articles appear in movie magazines signed ‘By Marilyn Monroe,” she said. “I might never see that article and it might be O.K.’d by somebody in the studio. This is wrong, because when I was a little girl I read signed stories in fan magazines and I believed every word of them. Then I tried to model my life after the lives of the stars I read about. If I’m going to have that kind of influence, I want to be sure it’s because of something I’ve actually said or written.”
“I’ve been told that you devote hours to selecting and editing pinup pictures of yourself,” I said.
“I haven’t so far,” she told me. “But maybe it’s time I did. At least I’d like to have my pictures not look any worse than I do. I’d like them to resemble me a little bit. With some photographers, all they ask is that a picture doesn’t look blurred, as if you’ve moved while they were taking it. If it’s not blurry they print it.”
“Somewhere,” I said, “I’ve read that at least half of the photographs taken of you are killed because they are too revealing.”
“That’s the Johnston Office for you,” she sighed. “They’re very small about stuff like that, and what the Johnston Office passes, the studio ruins with retouching. After one sitting of thirty poses, twenty-eight of those poses were killed. The Johnston Office spends a lot of time worrying about whether a girl has cleavage or not. They ought to worry if she doesn’t have any. That really would make people emotionally disturbed. I don’t know what their reasoning is,” she went on with a puzzled air. “They certainly can’t expect girls to look like boys.”
“I’ve read that your measurements are 37-23-34,” I told her.
“If you’re talking about my lower hips, they’re thirty-seven inches,” she said. “If you’re talking about my upper hips, they’re thirty-four.” Eying her, I tried to decide where “upper” hip left off and “lower” began. I gave up.
“Nowadays,” she said, “there’s a vogue for women with twenty-twenty-twenty figures. Models in the high-style magazines stick out their hipbones and nothing else. But I’m a woman, and the longer I am one the more I enjoy it. And since I have to be a woman, I’m glad I’m me. I’ve been asked, ‘Do you mind living in a man’s world?’ I answer, ‘Not as long as I can be a woman in it.’”
“There’s another thing I want to ask you,” I said. “It’s about something you said to a man in the Fox Studio legal department. You said, ‘I don’t care about money. I just want to be wonderful.’ He didn’t know what you meant by that.”
“I meant that I want to be a real actress instead of a superficial one,” Marilyn herself told me. “For the first time I’m learning to use myself fully as an actress. I want to add something to what I had before. I want to be in the kind of pictures where I can develop, not just wear tights. Some people thought that they were getting their money’s worth when they saw me in The Seven Year Itch, but in future I want people to get even more for their money when they see me. Only today a taxi driver said to me, ‘Why did they ever put you in that little stinker, River of No Return?’
“I thought it was a good question,” Marilyn told me. “I’m with that taxi driver. He’s my boy. Knowing what I know now, I wouldn’t accept River of No Return today. I think that I deserve a better deal than a Z cowboy movie, in which the acting finishes third to the scenery and CinemaScope. The studio was CinemaScope-conscious then, and that meant that it pushed the scenery instead of actors and actresses.” Without missing a beat, she switched gears into another subject. “One of the things about leaving Hollywood and coming to New York and attending the Actors’ Studio was that I felt that I could be more myself,” she said. “After all, if I can’t be myself, who can I be?” I shook my head. She had me puzzled too.
Nunnally Johnson had directed How to Marry a Millionaire, costarring Betty Grable, Lauren Bacall and Marilyn. “Do her pictures make a lot of money?” I asked him in Hollywood.
“Millionaire earned a tremendous amount,” Nunnally told me.
“What about The Seven Year Itch?” I asked.
“Variety reports it as the top Fox grosser for 1955,” he said. “But speaking for myself, I can’t say that I saw the ‘new Marilyn Monroe’ in The Seven Year Itch that some others did. I thought that essentially it was the same performance, just longer. Still, this could scarcely be a cause for worry for her; God had given her that equipment and it was still magnificent. She was still a phenomenon.”
“Maybe she’ll grow into a young Mae West and make people laugh at sex,” I suggested.
Johnson agreed that it might be a good thing if she could do that. “I believe that the first time anybody genuinely liked Marilyn for herself, in a picture, was in How to Marry a Millionaire,” he said. “She herself diagnosed the reason for that very shrewdly, I think. She said that this was the only picture she’d been in in which she had a measure of modesty. Not physical modesty, but modesty about her own attractiveness. In Millionaire she was nearsighted; she didn’t think men would look at her twice, because she wore glasses; she blundered into walls and stumbled into things and she was most disarming. In the course of the plot she married an astigmatic; so there they were, a couple of astigmatic lovers. In her other pictures they’ve cast her as a somewhat arrogant sex trap, but when Millionaire was released, I heard people say, ‘Why, I really liked her!’ in surprised tones.”
These comments of Johnson’s were made before Marilyn was enlightened by exposure to the Actors’ Studio. Upon her return from New York to work at Fox in Bus Stop, Johnson did see a “new Marilyn Monroe.”
“In contrast to the old Marilyn, in her present incarnation she is a liberated soul, happy, co-operative, friendly, relaxed,” he wrote me. “Actually, it is as if she had undergone a psychoanalysis so successful that the analyst himself was flabbergasted. Now she’s different; her behavior and her manner as a member of the social order are O.K. As for her acting, that remains to be seen.”
I told Marilyn that I had read an Associated Press story which estimated that her newest contract — scheduled to run for seven years — would bring her more than $8,000,000. When I mentioned this, she said, “Eight million dollars is a lot. However, no matter what they tell you, it’s not for money alone that I’m going back to Hollywood. I am free to make as many pictures for my own company as I do for Fox, and I can do TV and stage shows.”
Among others I’d talked to about Marilyn, before discussing her with herself, was Milton H. Greene, the New York photographer who’d become vice president of Marilyn Monroe Productions.
“I don’t know where they got that figure eight million, either,” Greene had told me. “Not from me or Marilyn.” He went on, “I don’t ask you what you make, do I? Everybody wants an exclusive release or an exclusive interview with Marilyn on the subject, and I want everybody to be happy, but things like that are confidential.”
Like Marilyn, Greene asked me not to use a tape-recording machine when interviewing him. “Makes me stutter,” he said. So, carefully, laboriously, and word for word, I wrote down everything he said to me. While doing it, I noticed no signs of stuttering. Evidently a notebook and pencils didn’t bother him. Greene had also asked me to put the initial “H” in his name, making it Milton H. Greene. “Would you mind very much?” he said. “There’re other Milton Greenes who are also in the photography business.”
He had met Marilyn when he had gone to California to do a series of photographs of Grace Kelly, Elizabeth Taylor, Jean Simmons and Marilyn Monroe. It hadn’t been his idea to do anything too sexy. “After all,” he said, “in a national magazine you can only expose so much of a girl, even if the girl is willing. Marilyn turned out to be different from what I thought she’d be. More sensitive.”
Greene had gone to California on a second assignment, and had begun to think of doing a book of photographs of Marilyn. “The book isn’t out yet,” he said, “but I’ll show you a few of the pictures I made for it. It will be Marilyn in different moods and settings, as if she were playing different parts.” He went to a shelf and brought back a box of aluminum squares. Each square contained a color transparency. “Here’s one where she looks as if she’s in England,” he said. “As you can see, she’s wearing an Edwardian hat. Here’s one where she looks like Bernadette in The Song of Bernadette.” I looked at that one for a long time. It was, I thought, a novel idea.
Milton H. Greene watched me write down what he’d said in my notebook; then he went off on a slight tangent. “One day I plan to do a cookbook for dogs,” he said. “It would contain dog-dish recipes. I think it would be amusing.” I brought him back from his dog cookbook project to his association with Marilyn. “In Hollywood,” he said, “we got to talking. This was after she’d made Seven Year Itch and after her divorce from Joe, and I told her that I hoped to go into television and theatrical production. I found that all Marilyn wants is to make just enough money to be able to afford to make good pictures. That’s the way I feel about it, too, so Marilyn Monroe Productions hopes to buy a good story property; then approach the right studio about making and distributing the picture.”
He stood up, walked around his office and came back to his chair. “If Marilyn had been only interested in making money,” he said, “she wouldn’t have been interested in me.”
When I asked Marilyn to tell me about her association with the Actors’ Studio, she said that she not only attended classes there, but had also had private lessons from Lee Strasberg and his wife, who are the mainsprings of the project.
Greene told me, “Marlon Brando, Jimmy Dean, Kim Stanley, Julie Harris and Montgomery Clift all studied under the Strasbergs. Marilyn observes, studies and watches. She listens to lectures. Occasionally she is allowed to take part.”
The Actors’ Studio lets interested people like Marilyn sit in on an informal, guest basis. She is not an officially enrolled student member of the Actors’ Studio, because you are not admitted there on that basis unless you have contributed something notable on the stage in a performance or have passed a series of exacting auditions. Just wanting to be in isn’t enough. This is very smart of the Strasbergs, because it eliminates all those who are without talent; otherwise the studio would be full of women all seven feet tall and all trying to be actresses.
I said to Marilyn that I’d heard she’d spent some time with Terence Rattigan, the British playwright, discussing the screenplay he was adapting for her from his London stage success, The Sleeping Prince, a vehicle in which Sir Laurence Olivier had played the prince. Sir Laurence had also agreed to play the same role opposite Marilyn and also to direct the film. “I had a bad cold the evening I spent with Mr. Rattigan, and he said I sounded like Tallulah Bankhead,” Marilyn told me proudly. Then she added thoughtfully, “Mr. Rattigan is young, but not too young.”
I asked her what she meant. She smiled and said, “I guess you want me to say over twelve and not quite ninety. I don’t know how old Mr. Rattigan is. I’d say he’s kind of ageless.”
I asked her to give me a hint of the story line followed by The Sleeping Prince. “I’m an American chorus girl in London, in it,” she said, “and the regent of a foreign country notices me and asks me to a reception at his country’s legation. I wriggle into my only formal and go, only it turns out it’s not a large gathering at all. In fact, it’s the same stale bit that’s been tried out on girls for the last three thousand years: dinner for two, candles, wine and soft music, when she’s expecting other guests. The next thing I know, I’ve had too much champagne and I’ve passed out. I won’t tell you any more. You ought to be willing to spend money to find out what happens next.
“The truth is,” she said, “the plot is about a man who’s been asleep — at least his emotional something or other has been asleep — but little by little a relationship builds up between him and this American chorus girl, and he begins to stir in his sleep, as you might say. He’s a married man, but that doesn’t complicate things because he’s sophisticated about the whole deal. Terence Rattigan describes it as ‘an occasional fairy tale or a comedy with serious overtones.’”
Weeks before, when I’d talked to Billy Wilder about Marilyn, I’d said to him, “I should think it would take a great deal of mature mental and moral strength to cope with becoming an enormous success overnight. It must be unsettling to suddenly become a sex symbol known all over the world.”
Wilder replied, “It’s my opinion that she’s basically a good girl, but what’s happened to her is enough to drive almost anybody slightly daffy, even someone who is armored with poise and calmness by his background and bringing up. You take a girl like Marilyn, who’s never really had a chance to learn, who’s never really had a chance to live, and suddenly confront her with a Frankenstein’s monster of herself built of fame and publicity and notoriety, and naturally she’s a little mixed up and made giddy by it all. However, I’d like to go on record with this: I worked with her in Seven Year Itch and I had a good time with her. She was seldom on time, but it wasn’t because she overslept. It was because she had to force herself to come to the studio. She’s emotionally upset all the time; she’s scared and unsure of herself — so much so that when I worked with her I found myself wishing that I were a psychoanalyst and she were my patient. It might be that I couldn’t have helped her, but she would have looked lovely on a couch.”
“You mean you didn’t get annoyed when she was late?” I asked.
“I understood the reasons for it,” Wilder told me. “There was no use getting annoyed. Even at the beginning, when I discovered that I had let myself in for a certain amount of trouble, I found myself liking her. At no time did I find her malicious, mean, capricious or anything but conscientious. There are certain urges and drives in her which make her different, but, as a director, I think it worth combating those things and living with them in order to work with her.”
I found myself hoping that Josh Logan, who will direct her in her next picture, the filmed version of Bus Stop, and Buddy Adler, the producer who bought that play for Fox, would feel the same way about her Wilder feels. That’s what she does to you. In spite of her spells of procrastination carried to fantastic lengths, in spite of her verbal convolutions, you wind up liking her.
By “her” I mean, of course, all of the various Marilyn Monroes — and there are several of them. There is the sexpot Marilyn Monroe; she’s the one who tries so hard to live up to the legend of her sexiness that even her own stomach sometimes can’t take it. Then there’s the frightened Marilyn Monroe, product of a broken home and a battered childhood — a girl named Mortenson who still can’t believe that she’s that girl on the screen they’re making all the fuss about. And last of all there is “The New Marilyn Monroe” — the one who is supposed to have emerged from the Actors’ Studio as a composed and studied performer, “having achieved growth” and “developed more.”
Somehow, as I neared the end of my interview, I found myself wondering if people would accept her as the new and different Marilyn Monroe she thinks she is. I had heard one man say, “Even if you hung Ethel Barrymore’s and Helen Hayes’ talent on Marilyn’s beautiful body, people wouldn’t take her acting seriously.”
To my surprise, I realized that I was dreading the possibility that when she turned on her new brand of acting, audiences might laugh at her, as they laughed at Zasu Pitts when she went in for “heavy drahma” after a lifetime as a comedienne.
“It doesn’t scare me,” Marilyn told me bravely, when I mentioned my fears. “If I have the same things I had before I started to go to the Actors’ Studio and I’ve added more — well, how can I lose?”
Whether she has really “added more” or not, I don’t know. But, as she herself points out, she does — emphatically — still have the same things she had before. My guess is that they’re still negotiable at the box office.
© All images are copyright and protected by their respective owners, assignees or others.
copyright text by Saturday Evening Post.
Marilyn Monroe Auction - 11/2016 - photos 2 -photographies
Photographies - Famille, Enfance & Adolescence
Photographs - Family, Childhood & Teens
Lot 18: MARILYN MONROE FAMILY PHOTOGRAPH
An original snapshot of Gladys Baker and Marion Otis Monroe, Marilyn Monroe's mother and uncle, with a handwritten note on the photo indicating they were aged 8 and 10 at the time the photo was taken.
3 3/4 by 2 3/4 inches
PROVENANCE: Partial Lot 81, “Fine Manuscripts,” Christie's Los Angeles, Sale 9814, September 20, 2001
Estimate: $200 - $400 
Lot 19: MARILYN MONROE FAMILY PHOTOGRAPH
An original snapshot of Gladys Baker, Marilyn Monroe's mother, with a handwritten note on the photo indicating Baker was 13 at the time the photo was taken.
3 1/4 by 2 1/4 inches
PROVENANCE: Partial Lot 81, “Fine Manuscripts,” Christie's Los Angeles, Sale 9814, September 20, 2001
Estimate: $200 - $400 
Lot 85: MARILYN MONROE BABY PICTURE
A vintage black and white photograph of Monroe as an infant printed on heavy photo paper stock. Verso of image has note in the hand of Grace Goddard reading "Marilyn Monroe age 6 ms."
5 7/8 by 3 7/8 inches
Estimate: $600 - $800 
Lot 86: MARILYN MONROE BABY PICTURE
A vintage black and white photograph printed as a postcard. The image features Monroe as a toddler posing with floral dress and matching bonnet. Verso has note in the hand of Grace Goddard reading "Marilyn Monroe age 2 yrs." Coffee mug ring stain to image.
5 3/8 by 3 1/2 inches
Estimate: $600 - $800 
Lot 87: MARILYN MONROE CHILDHOOD PHOTOGRAPH
A hand tinted vintage photograph of Monroe at the age of five. The vintage photograph has writing on the back in the hand of Grace Goddard, her legal guardian, reading "Marilyn Monroe age 5yrs." Additional writing on verso in another hand has instructions for the tinting of the photograph listing that her dress should be pink with light hair and blue eyes.
5 3/4 by 3 7/8 inches
Estimate: $1,200 - $1,800 
Lot 88: MARILYN MONROE CHILDHOOD PHOTOGRAPH
A vintage black and white photograph of Monroe at the age of five with Lester Bolender. A note on verso in the hand of Grace Goddard reads "Marilyn Monroe age 5 yo." An earlier notation has been erased beneath that read "Norma Jeane and Lester."
4 1/2 by 2 7/8 inches
Estimate: $300 - $500 
Lot 89: MARILYN MONROE CHILDHOOD PHOTOGRAPHS
Two vintage black and white photographs featuring a young Monroe, one showing Monroe with Lester Bolender. Monroe's first foster home placement was with the Bolenders, and she and Lester became known as the twins. Each photograph has notes on verso in the hand of Grace Goddard reading "Marilyn Monroe age 4yrs." One of the images had previous writing reading "Lester Bolender and Norma Jeane Baker" that has been erased and written over.
4 1/2 by 2 7/8 inches 
Lot 92: MARILYN MONROE PHOTOGRAPHS
A small frame with Art Deco style matte containing a vintage oval portrait of a woman circa 1900 based upon hairstyle. This image could possibly be of a young Ana Lower, whom Marilyn Monroe referred to as Aunt Ana, an important mother figure in her life. Lower was born Edith Ana Atchinson in Los Angeles in 1880. Behind this image in the same frame were found two small black and white portraits of Monroe's first husband, Jim Dougherty, in his Merchant Marine uniform.
Frame, 6 1/8 by 4 1/8 inches
Estimate: $600 - $800 
Lot 790: MARILYN MONROE HIGH SCHOOL YEARBOOK
A 1942 Chieftain yearbook that includes Marilyn Monroe. Monroe's picture is on page 48 under the name Norma Baker. Monroe attended University High School in Los Angeles as a tenth grader until February, when she dropped out to marry Jim Dougherty. This yearbook belonged to Barbara Abston, also a tenth grade student. The book has numerous inscriptions to Abston.
9 by 12 inches
Estimate: $600 - $800 
Lot 791: MARILYN MONROE 1941 SCHOOL PHOTOGRAPH
A 1941 Ralph Waldo Emerson Junior High School class photograph. The original vintage panoramic photograph is inscribed by a number of students on verso. Some inscriptions read "To Norma." The front of the photograph is marked "Belongs to Norma Jeane Baker." Monroe can be seen in the photograph in the seventh row from the bottom, and the 15th person from the right. Housed in a frame with a reproduction of the photograph at top and the reverse of the photograph at bottom. The frame is double-sided with a glazed window in the back to show the front of the photograph.
24 3/4 by 32 3/4 inches, framed
Estimate: $20,000 - $30,000 
Lot 792: MARILYN MONROE HIGH SCHOOL YEARBOOK
A Chieftain 1942 yearbook from University High School in Los Angeles. Norma Jeane Baker, soon to become Marilyn Monroe, attended University High School in Los Angeles for half of the year as a 10th grade student. Her picture appears on page 48. In February 1942, at age 16, Monroe dropped out of University High School to marry Jim Dougherty.
12 by 9 inches
Estimate: $800 - $1,200 
Photographies & Snapshots - en public
Photographs & Snapshots - Public Appearances
Lot 77: MARILYN MONROE PHOTOGRAPHS SOLD WITH COPYRIGHT
A group of five color photographs of Marilyn Monroe taken on May 19, 1962, at the birthday gala for President John F. Kennedy at Madison Square Garden in New York City. Three of these images show Monroe singing "Happy Birthday" on stage and are likely the only known color photos taken of Monreo during this performance. From the collection of Frieda Hull.
This item sold with copyright but not sold with copyright documentation. It is the responsibility of the winning bidder to apply for copyright. While the seller confirms that this property is sold with copyright, Julien’s can accept no liability in relation to any matters arising as a result of any imperfection in copyright given.
Largest, 5 by 3 1/2 inches
PROVENANCE From the Estate of Frieda Hull
Estimate: $5,000 - $6,000 
Lot 299: MARILYN MONROE SNAPSHOT
A single color photograph on glossy Kodak Pavelle paper of Monroe as she appeared to kick the first ball at Ebbets Field in New York, May 12, 1957, for a match between the American Soccer League and a team from Israel.
3 1/4 by 5 inches
Estimate: $300 - $500 
Lot 420: MARILYN MONROE FILM PREMIERE PHOTOGRAPHS
A group of four vintage black and white glossy photographs of Monroe and Arthur Miller at the New York City premiere of her film Some Like It Hot on March 28, 1959.
8 by 10 inches
Estimate: $400 - $600 
Lot 531: MARILYN MONROE SNAPSHOTS
Three black and white photographs of Monroe likely taken by a fan on the streets of New York City in the late 1950s.
4 3/4 by 3 3/4 inches
Estimate: $300 - $500 
Lot 607: MARILYN MONROE ORIGINAL CANDID PHOTOGRAPH
An original black and white photograph of Marilyn Monroe taken on October 25, 1951, when she attended the Hollywood Foreign Correspondents Association dinner at the Mocambo club in Los Angeles.
3 1/2 by 2 1/2 inches
PROVENANCE From the Estate of Frieda Hull
Estimate: $100 - $200 
Lot 614: MARILYN MONROE SIGNED SNAPSHOT
A black and white snapshot of Marilyn Monroe in front of the Sherry Netherland Hotel in New York City, 1952. The image is signed in blue ballpoint pen "Marilyn Monroe." The autograph was obtained by Frieda Hull, one of the "Monroe Six," a group of legendary fans with whom Monroe became friendly.
3 1/2 by 2 1/2 inches
PROVENANCE From the Estate of Frieda Hull
Estimate: $2,000 - $3,000 
Lot 615: MARILYN MONROE ORIGINAL CANDID PHOTOGRAPHS
A group of five original black and white photographs of Marilyn Monroe taken on April 4, 1952, as she attended a publicity event held at the Owl Drug Store in Los Angeles. The event was sponsored by Life magazine, and Monroe was there to sign copies of the magazines with her on the cover. Four of the photographs have writing on the back referencing the event, likely in Frieda Hull's own hand. Some of the photographs are never before seen.
Largest, 4 by 5 inches
PROVENANCE From the Estate of Frieda Hull
Estimate: $400 - $600 
Lot 616: MARILYN MONROE ORIGINAL CANDID PHOTOGRAPH
An original photo of Monroe taken on January 26, 1952, at the Henrietta Awards ceremony held at Club Del Mar in Santa Monica, CA. Marilyn won the "Henrietta Award for Best Young box Office Personality," given by the Hollywood Foreign Press Association.
3 1/2 by 2 1/2 inches
PROVENANCE From the Estate of Frieda Hull
Estimate: $100 - $200 
Lot 617: MARILYN MONROE ORIGINAL CANDID PHOTOGRAPHS
A group of three original black and white photographs of Marilyn Monroe taken on June 3, 1952, at a Look magazine awards party held at the Beverly Hills Hotel. One image from this lot is likely never before seen.
Largest, 5 by 3 1/2 inches
PROVENANCE From the Estate of Frieda Hull
Estimate: $200 - $400 
Lot 618: MARILYN MONROE ORIGINAL CANDID PHOTOGRAPHS
A group of 10 original color and black and white photographs of Marilyn Monroe taken on August 3, 1952, at a party thrown in her honor at the home of big band leader Ray Anthony in Sherman Oaks, California. This lot contains eight black and white and two color images, some likely never before seen.
Largest, 5 by 3 1/2 inches
PROVENANCE From the Estate of Frieda Hull
Estimate: $900 - $1,100 
Lot 619: MARILYN MONROE REPRODUCTION PHOTOGRAPHS
A group of two reproduction black and white photographs of Marilyn Monroe taken on June 26, 1952, as she appeared in court to testify as part of a lawsuit against an entity using her name and likeness to sell pornographic photographs.
Largest, 3 1/4 by 2 1/4 inches
PROVENANCE From the Estate of Frieda Hull
Estimate: $100 - $200 
Lot 620: MARILYN MONROE ORIGINAL CANDID PHOTOGRAPHS
A group of three original black and white photographs of Marilyn Monroe taken on October 3, 1952, at a party sponsored by Photoplay magazine.
Largest, 3 1/2 by 2 1/2 inches
PROVENANCE From the Estate of Frieda Hull
Estimate: $200 - $400 
Lot 629: MARILYN MONROE ORIGINAL CANDID PHOTOGRAPHS
A pair of Marilyn Monroe original black and white photographs, circa 1953, at an unknown event. Both are likely never before seen images.
Larger, 3 1/2 by 2 1/2 inches
PROVENANCE From the Estate of Frieda Hull
Estimate: $200 - $400 
Lot 630: MARILYN MONROE ORIGINAL CANDID PHOTOGRAPHS
A group of five original black and white photographs of Marilyn Monroe taken on February 9, 1953, at the Photoplay magazine awards ceremony where she received the award for Fastest Rising Star of 1953. Two of the photos have "Beverly Hills Hotel" written on verso. Some images in this lot are possibly never before seen.
Largest, 5 by 3 1/2 inches
PROVENANCE From the Estate of Frieda Hull
Estimate: $400 - $600 
Lot 631: MARILYN MONROE ORIGINAL CANDID PHOTOGRAPHS
A group of four original color and black and white photographs of Marilyn Monroe taken on May 13, 1953, when she was at a birthday party for Walter Winchell at Ciro’s restaurant in Los Angeles. Two photographs show Monroe with Jane Russell, and two show her with Betty Grable. Reverse of one black and white image is stamped "Photo by Darlene Hammond/ 1416 Belfast Drive/ Hollywood 46, Calif./ CR. 10747." This lot contains two color and two black and white images.
Largest, 3 1/2 by 2 1/2 inches
PROVENANCE From the Estate of Frieda Hull
Estimate: $300 - $500 
Lot 632: MARILYN MONROE ORIGINAL CANDID PHOTOGRAPHS
A group of 18 original color and black and white photographs of Marilyn Monroe taken on July 10, 1953, at a gala arranged by Danny Thomas to benefit St. Jude Hospital. The fundraiser, which was held at the Hollywood Bowl, also included appearances by Jane Russell, Robert Mitchum, and Danny Kaye. Thomas, Mitchum, and Kaye are photographed with Monroe in this set of photographs. This lot includes 17 black and white images and one color image. Some photographs from this lot are likely never before seen.
Largest, 3 1/2 by 3 1/2 inches
PROVENANCE From the Estate of Frieda Hull
Estimate: $1,500 - $2,000 
Lot 634: MARILYN MONROE ORIGINAL PHOTOGRAPHS
A pair of Marilyn Monroe original color and black and white photographs, circa 1953, taken at an unknown event. Both are likely never before seen.
Larger, 3 1/2 by 2 1/2 inches
PROVENANCE From the Estate of Frieda Hull
Estimate: $200 - $400 
Lot 636: MARILYN MONROE CANDID PHOTOGRAPHS
A group of 13 color and black and white photographs of Marilyn Monroe, some reproductions, taken on December 19, 1953, when she appeared at the Ambassador Hotel in Los Angeles to receive the Miss Press Club Award. This lot contains five color and eight black and white photographs. Some photographs from this lot are likely never before seen.
Largest, 5 by 3 1/2 inches
PROVENANCE From the Estate of Frieda Hull
Estimate: $1,000 - $1,500 
Lot 638: MARILYN MONROE ORIGINAL CANDID PHOTOGRAPHS
A group of three original color and black and white photographs of Marilyn Monroe from March 9, 1954, when she appeared at the Beverly Hills Hotel to receive the Photoplay magazine award for The Most Popular Actress of 1953 due to her roles in Gentlemen Prefer Blondes (20th Century, 1953) and How To Marry A Millionaire (20th Century, 1953). This lot contains two color photographs and one black and white photograph.
Largest, 3 1/2 by 2 1/2 inches
PROVENANCE From the Estate of Frieda Hull
Estimate: $400 - $500 
Lot 639: MARILYN MONROE ORIGINAL CANDID PHOTOGRAPHS
A group of 10 original black and white photographs of Marilyn Monroe with Jane Russell taken on June 26, 1953, at Grauman's Chinese Theatre as Monroe and Russell memorialized their autographs, shoe prints, and handprints in wet cement. Nine photographs are stamped on verso "Photo by Darlene Hammond/ 1416 Belfast Drive/ Hollywood 46, Calif./ CR. 10747."
Largest, 3 1/2 by 2 1/2 inches
PROVENANCE From the Estate of Frieda Hull
Estimate: $900 - $1,100 
Lot 640: MARILYN MONROE ORIGINAL CANDID PHOTOGRAPHS
A group of four original color photographs of Marilyn Monroe, one together with Jane Russell, taken on June 26, 1953, in conjunction with a Grauman's Chinese Theatre event where Monroe and Russell memorialized their autographs, shoe prints, and handprints in wet cement.
Largest, 3 1/2 by 2 1/2 inches
PROVENANCE From the Estate of Frieda Hull
Estimate: $300 - $500 
Lot 647: MARILYN MONROE THERE'S NO BUSINESS LIKE SHOW BUSINESS SCREENING PHOTOGRAPH
A black and white photograph of Marilyn Monroe, Gracie Allen, Jack Benny, Joan Collins, and Bing Crosby, among many other stars, attending a special screening of There’s No Business Like Show Business at 20th Century Fox studios in 1954.
11 by 14 inches
PROVENANCE From the Estate of Frieda Hull
Estimate: $200 - $300 
Lot 657: MARILYN MONROE ORIGINAL CANDID PHOTOGRAPHS
A group of 10 original black and white photographs taken on June 1, 1955, at the premiere of The Seven Year Itch (20th Century, 1955). Seven of the photographs show Marilyn Monroe with her date for the evening, husband Joe DiMaggio. Two photographs show the theater marquee with large cutout images of Monroe in the now famous skirt- blowing scene from the film. Some images in this lot are likely never before seen.
Largest, 5 by 7 inches
PROVENANCE From the Estate of Frieda Hull
Estimate: $900 - $1,100 
Lot 667: MARILYN MONROE ORIGINAL CANDID PHOTOGRAPHS
A group of 10 original color and black and white photographs of Marilyn Monroe alone and with guests, taken on January 7, 1955, at an event announcing the launch of Marilyn Monroe Productions, a joint venture with friend and photographer Milton Greene. This lot contains three color and seven black and white photographs. Some images in this lot are likely never before seen.
Largest, 5 by 3 1/2 inches
PROVENANCE From the Estate of Frieda Hull
Estimate: $900 - $1,100 
Lot 669: MARILYN MONROE COLOR SLIDES
A pair of color slides of Marilyn Monroe from March 11, 1955, at the Friars Club Testimonial Dinner.
PROVENANCE From the Estate of Frieda Hull
Estimate: $100 - $300 
Lot 670: MARILYN MONROE ORIGINAL CANDID PHOTOGRAPHS
A group of 24 original color and black and white photographs of Marilyn Monroe taken on March 11, 1955, at the Friars Club Testimonial Dinner. Monroe is pictured surrounded by fans signing autographs and talking to James Haspiel. Several photographs show her with friend, photographer, and business partner Milton Greene. This lot contains 22 black and white photographs and two color photographs. Some images in this lot are likely never before seen.
Largest, 5 by 3 1/2 inches
PROVENANCE From the Estate of Frieda Hull
Estimate: $1,500 - $2,000 
Lot 676: MARILYN MONROE ORIGINAL CANDID PHOTOGRAPHS
A group of eight original black and white photographs of Marilyn Monroe taken on March 24, 1955, when she attended the play Cat on a Hot Tin Roof with Milton and Amy Greene. Some images in this lot are likely never before seen.
Largest, 4 1/2 by 3 1/4 inches
PROVENANCE From the Estate of Frieda Hull
Estimate: $700 - $900 
Lot 686: MARILYN MONROE ORIGINAL CANDID PHOTOGRAPHS
A group of 19 original black and white photographs of Marilyn Monroe taken at the East of Eden premiere on March 9, 1955, at the Astor Theatre in New York City. Monroe was an official usherette at the event. Some images show friend, photographer, and business partner Milton Greene and his wife, Amy Greene. Some images are never before seen.
Largest, 5 by 3 1/2 inches
PROVENANCE From the Estate of Frieda Hull
Estimate: $1,500 - $2,000 
Lot 687: MARILYN MONROE SIGNED PHOTOGRAPH
A black and white photograph of Marilyn Monroe wearing a white brocade gown with matching jacket and white evening gloves as she attended the New York City premiere of East of Eden starring James Dean on March 9, 1955. The photograph is signed in blue ballpoint pen "Marilyn Monroe." The autograph was obtained by Frieda Hull, one of the "Monroe Six," a group of legendary fans with whom Monroe became friendly.
7 by 5 inches
PROVENANCE From the Estate of Frieda Hull
Estimate: $2,000 - $3,000 
Lot 691: MARILYN MONROE ORIGINAL CANDID PHOTOGRAPHS
A group of three original black and white photographs of Marilyn Monroe in costume taken on March 30, 1955, for her appearance on opening night at the Ringling Bros. Circus at Madison Square Garden, which was a benefit produced by Mike Todd for the Arthritis and Rheumatism Foundation.
Largest, 7 by 5 inches
PROVENANCE From the Estate of Frieda Hull
Estimate: $200 - $400 
Lot 692: MARILYN MONROE ORIGINAL PRESS AND PUBLICITY PHOTOGRAPHS
An archive of nine vintage press and publicity photographs featuring Marilyn Monroe.
PROVENANCE From the Estate of Frieda Hull
Estimate: $500 - $700 
Lot 693: MARILYN MONROE VINTAGE PHOTOGRAPH
A large, glossy black and white photograph of Marilyn Monroe during her famous appearance on March 31, 1955, when she rode a Barnum & Bailey elephant painted pink as part of the Mike Todd memorial event to benefit victims of arthritis.
14 by 11 1/4 inches
PROVENANCE From the Estate of Frieda Hull
Estimate: $800 - $1,200 
Lot 703: MARILYN MONROE COLOR SLIDES
A group of 20 slides of Marilyn Monroe, from the collection of Frieda Hull. Some are never before seen images, from August 6, 1955, as she was at the airport in New York City preparing to fly to Bement, Illinois. Together with an original "Automatic Slide Changer" storage box, owned by Hull.
PROVENANCE From the Estate of Frieda Hull
Estimate: $1,000 - $1,500 
Lot 704: MARILYN MONROE ORIGINAL CANDID PHOTOGRAPHS
A group of 11 original color and black and white photographs of Marilyn Monroe taken on August 6, 1955, when she was at the airport in New York City preparing to fly to Bement, Illinois. One of the photographs is an original press photograph from the United Press Association. This lot contains six black and white and five color photographs. Some images in this lot are likely never before seen.
Largest, 9 by 6 1/2 inches
PROVENANCE From the Estate of Frieda Hull
Estimate: $1,000 - $1,200 
Lot 706: MARILYN MONROE SIGNED PHOTOGRAPH
A black and white photograph of Marilyn Monroe wearing a white brocade gown with matching jacket and white evening gloves as she attended the New York City premiere of East of Eden starring James Dean on March 9, 1955. The photograph is signed in blue ink "Marilyn Monroe." The autograph was obtained by Frieda Hull, one of the "Monroe Six," a group of legendary fans with whom Monroe became friendly.
7 by 5 inches
PROVENANCE From the Estate of Frieda Hull
Estimate: $2,000 - $3,000 
Lot 711: MARILYN MONROE SIGNED SNAPSHOT
A color snapshot of Marilyn Monroe posing in the backseat of a car circa early 1950s. The image is signed in blue ink “Marilyn Monroe.” The autograph was obtained by Frieda Hull, one of the “Monroe Six, a group of legendary fans with whom Monroe became friendly.
3 by 2 1/4 inches
PROVENANCE From the Estate of Frieda Hull
Estimate: $2,000 - $3,000 
Lot 712: MARILYN MONROE ORIGINAL CANDID PHOTOGRAPHS
A group of five original color and black and white photographs of Marilyn Monroe taken the evening of December 12, 1955, when she attended the premiere of The Rose Tattoo. This lot contains two color and three black and white photographs.
Largest, 4 1/2 by 3 1/4 inches
PROVENANCE From the Estate of Frieda Hull
Estimate: $400 - $600 
Lot 713: MARILYN MONROE COLOR SLIDES
A group of three slides of Marilyn Monroe from evening of December 12, 1955, when she attended the premiere of The Rose Tattoo.
PROVENANCE From the Estate of Frieda Hull
Estimate: $200 - $400 
Lot 714: MARILYN MONROE ORIGINAL CANDID PHOTOGRAPHS
A group of three original black and white photographs of Marilyn Monroe taken on December 18, 1955, at the Waldorf Astoria Hotel following her attendance at the premiere of Baby Doll. Two of the images show Monroe with husband Arthur Miller. Research indicates that this may be the only documented occasion where Monroe parted her hair on the right. Her regular part was always on the left.
Largest, 3 1/2 by 3 1/2 inches
PROVENANCE From the Estate of Frieda Hull
Estimate: $600 - $800 
Lot 718: MARILYN MONROE SIGNED PHOTOGRAPH
A black and white photograph of Marilyn Monroe in New York City circa 1955 wearing a white gown and white fur, signed in blue ink "Marilyn Monroe." The autograph was obtained by Frieda Hull, one of the "Monroe Six," a group of legendary fans with whom Monroe became friendly.
7 by 5 inches
PROVENANCE From the Estate of Frieda Hull
Estimate: $2,000 - $3,000 
Lot 719: MARILYN MONROE ORIGINAL CANDID PHOTOGRAPHS
A group of eight original color and black and white photographs of Marilyn Monroe taken on February 8, 1956, when she attended the premiere of Middle of the Night in New York City. This lot contains seven black and white photographs and one color photograph. Some images in this lot are likely never before seen.
Largest, 5 by 3 1/2 inches
PROVENANCE From the Estate of Frieda Hull
Estimate: $900 - $1,100 
Lot 720: MARILYN MONROE ORIGINAL CANDID PHOTOGRAPHS
A pair of original black and white photographs of Marilyn Monroe and soon-to-be husband Arthur Miller, taken on June 11, 1956. Monroe and Miller were outside her Sutton Place apartment. Miller's divorce from Mary Slattery had just been granted.
Larger, 5 by 3 1/2 inches
PROVENANCE From the Estate of Frieda Hull
Estimate: $100 - $300 
Lot 721: MARILYN MONROE ORIGINAL CANDID PHOTOGRAPHS
A group of four original black and white photographs of Marilyn Monroe and soon-to-be husband Arthur Miller, taken at a press conference in front of Monroe's Sutton Place apartment on June 22, 1956. Miller was in the throes of defending himself against accusations of communist activities. Monroe transitioned the focus of the press conference away from Miller toward their impending marriage, their plans to travel to England for their honeymoon, and the filming of The Prince and the Showgirl (Warner Bros., 1957).
Largest, 5 by 3 1/2 inches
PROVENANCE From the Estate of Frieda Hull
Estimate: $300 - $500 
Lot 722: MARILYN MONROE ORIGINAL CANDID PHOTOGRAPHS
A group of 14 original black and white photographs of Marilyn Monroe and soon-to-be husband Arthur Miller, taken on June 29, 1956. Monroe and Miller were married in a civil ceremony later that day. The photographs also show Milton Greene and Miller's parents, Isidore and Augusta. Some images in this lot are likely never before seen.
Largest, 4 1/2 by 3 1/2 inches
PROVENANCE From the Estate of Frieda Hull
Estimate: $1,000 - $1,500 
Lot 724: MARILYN MONROE ORIGINAL CANDID PHOTOGRAPH
An original candid color photograph of Marilyn Monroe and husband Arthur Miller, taken on January 7, 1957, following their return from their honeymoon in Jamaica.
3 1/2 by 3 1/2 inches
PROVENANCE From the Estate of Frieda Hull
Estimate: $100 - $200 
Lot 726: MARILYN MONROE SIGNED PHOTOGRAPH
A black and white photograph of Marilyn Monroe as she boarded a plane for Hollywood at Idlewild Airport in New York on February 25, 1956. The image is signed in blue ballpoint pen over a photographer's arm, "To Frieda Love & Kisses," and below along the line of the white railing, "Marilyn Monroe." In the photograph Frieda Hull is pictured with her camera, which is lot 697 in this auction.
8 by 10 inches
PROVENANCE From the Estate of Frieda Hull
Estimate: $4,000 - $6,000 
Lot 728: MARILYN MONROE ORIGINAL CANDID PHOTOGRAPHS
A group of 20 original color and black and white photographs of Marilyn Monroe that document her 1956 travels to and from Los Angeles to film Bus Stop (20th Century, 1956). Several of the photographs show Monroe walking across the tarmac to a plane among a sea of fans and photographers, then posing for photographs at the top of the stairs leading to the plane. One photograph shows the crowd on hand at the airport to see Monroe. This lot includes eight color and 11 black and white photographs, many that have never been seen.
Largest, 5 by 3 1/2 inches
PROVENANCE From the Estate of Frieda Hull
Estimate: $1,500 - $2,000 
Lot 729: MARILYN MONROE COLOR SLIDES
A group of 18 slides of Marilyn Monroe from the collection of Frieda Hull, documenting Monroe’s travels to and from Los Angeles to film Bus Stop (20th Century, 1956) in 1956. Several slides show Monroe posing for photographs at the top of the stairs leading to the plane. Together with an original "Automatic Slide Changer" storage box, owned by Frieda Hull. Many of the slides have never been seen.
PROVENANCE From the Estate of Frieda Hull
Estimate: $1,000 - $1,500 
Lot 730: MARILYN MONROE ORIGINAL CANDID PHOTOGRAPHS
A group of 19 original color and black and white photographs of Marilyn Monroe taken on February 25, 1956, when she held a press conference at Los Angeles Airport. Monroe had flown to Los Angeles to work on Bus Stop (20th Century, 1956). Some images in this lot are likely never before seen.
Largest, 5 by 3 1/2 inches
PROVENANCE From the Estate of Frieda Hull
Estimate: $1,500 - $2,000 
Lot 737: MARILYN MONROE VINTAGE PHOTOGRAPH
A large matte black and white photograph of Marilyn Monroe at the Plaza Hotel in New York City during a 1956 press conference for The Prince and the Showgirl (Warner Bros., 1957).
14 by 11 1/4 inches
PROVENANCE From the Estate of Frieda Hull
Estimate: $800 - $1,200 
Lot 738: MARILYN MONROE COLOR SLIDE
A color slide of Marilyn Monroe signing autographs for fans on February 8, 1956, when she attended the premiere of Middle of the Night in New York City.
PROVENANCE From the Estate of Frieda Hull
Estimate: $100 - $200 
Lot 739: MARILYN MONROE COLOR SLIDE
A color slide of Marilyn Monroe, from July 13, 1956, as she and husband Arthur Miller departed New York City for England to film The Prince and the Showgirl (Warner Bros., 1957).
PROVENANCE From the Estate of Frieda Hull
Estimate: $100 - $200 
Lot 740: MARILYN MONROE ORIGINAL CANDID PHOTOGRAPH
An original candid black and white photograph of Marilyn Monroe taken on July 13, 1956, as she and husband Arthur Miller departed New York City for England to film The Prince and the Showgirl (Warner Bros., 1957).
3 1/2 by 5 inches
PROVENANCE From the Estate of Frieda Hull
Estimate: $100 - $200 
Lot 742: MARILYN MONROE COLOR SLIDES
A group of 11 slides of Marilyn Monroe and husband Arthur Miller, from May 13, 1959, at the Italian Consulate on Park Avenue in New York City, where she attended a ceremony to receive the David di Donatello Award, the equivalent of the Academy Award, for her work in The Prince and the Showgirl (Warner Bros., 1957).
PROVENANCE From the Estate of Frieda Hull
Estimate: $1,000 - $1,200 
Lot 743: MARILYN MONROE VINTAGE PUBLICITY IMAGE ARCHIVE
An archive of approximately 30 vintage black and white publicity images related to Marilyn Monroe and The Prince and the Showgirl (Warner Bros., 1957). The photographs show Monroe at various press conferences, publicity events, and the premiere of the film.
PROVENANCE From the Estate of Frieda Hull
Estimate: $200 - $300 
Lot 746: MARILYN MONROE ORIGINAL CANDID PHOTOGRAPHS
A group of three original color photographs of Marilyn Monroe and husband Arthur Miller taken on May 13, 1959, as she arrived at the Italian Consulate on Park Avenue in New York City to receive the David di Donatello Award, the equivalent of the Academy Award, for her work in The Prince and the Showgirl (Warner Bros., 1957).
Largest, 3 1/2 by 2 1/2 inches
PROVENANCE From the Estate of Frieda Hull
Estimate: $200 - $400 
Lot 747: MARILYN MONROE COLOR SLIDES
A pair of color slides of Marilyn Monroe, from February 26, 1959, as Monroe was on her way to the French Film Institute to receive the Crystal Star Award, the French equivalent of the Academy Award, for her performance in The Prince and the Showgirl (Warner Bros., 1957).
PROVENANCE From the Estate of Frieda Hull
Estimate: $100 - $300
Lot 748: MARILYN MONROE ORIGINAL CANDID PHOTOGRAPHS
A group of seven original color photographs of Marilyn Monroe taken on February 26, 1959, when she was on her way to the French Film Institute to receive the Crystal Star Award, the French equivalent of the Academy Award, for her performance in The Prince and the Showgirl (Warner Bros., 1957). Monroe is seen in the photographs with members of the "Monroe Six," including Frieda Hull, Eileen Collins, Gloria Milone, and Edith Pitts. Three photographs show Monroe with James Haspiel. Some images in this lot are likely never before seen.
Largest, 3 1/2 by 2 1/2 inches
PROVENANCE From the Estate of Frieda Hull
Estimate: $600 - $800 
Lot 749: MARILYN MONROE ORIGINAL PHOTOGRAPHS SOLD WITH COPYRIGHT
A group of 15 photographs of Marilyn Monroe, circa 1957, likely taken at a New York City showing of The Prince and the Showgirl (Warner Bros., 1957). These photographs show Monroe with husband Arthur Miller at what appears to be a movie theater as a poster for the film can be seen on the theater lobby wall. Monroe is shown in the back of a cab signing autographs for fans, walking to the theater, and inside the lobby of the theater. This lot contains 12 color and three black and white photographs that are believed to be never before seen images.
This item sold with copyright but is not sold with copyright documentation. It is the responsibility of the winning bidder to apply for copyright. While the seller confirms that this property is sold with copyright, Julien’s can accept no liability in relation to any matters arising as a result of any imperfection in copyright given.
Largest, 3 1/2 by 3 1/2 inches
PROVENANCE From the Estate of Frieda Hull
Estimate: $8,000 - $9,000 
Lot 750: MARILYN MONROE COLOR SLIDE
A color slide of Marilyn Monroe and husband Arthur Miller, from January 7, 1957, following their return from their honeymoon in Jamaica.
PROVENANCE From the Estate of Frieda Hull
Estimate: $100 - $200 
Lot 751: MARILYN MONROE COLOR SLIDE
A color slide of Marilyn Monroe, from November 18, 1957, when she and husband Arthur Miller attended Conversation Piece, a play in which Miller's sister Joan Copeland appeared.
PROVENANCE From the Estate of Frieda Hull
Estimate: $100 - $200 
Lot 752: MARILYN MONROE ORIGINAL CANDID PHOTOGRAPHS
A group of seven original color and black and white photographs of Marilyn Monroe taken on November 18, 1957, when she and husband Arthur Miller attended Conversation Piece, a play in which Miller's sister Joan Copeland appeared. James Haspiel appears in two images, "Monroe Six" member Gloria Malone in another. Some images in this lot are never before seen. This lot contains four black and white and three color photographs.
Largest, 3 1/2 by 3 1/2 inches
PROVENANCE From the Estate of Frieda Hull
Estimate: $600 - $800 
Lot 755: MARILYN MONROE ORIGINAL CANDID PHOTOGRAPHS
A group of three original never before seen original color photographs of Marilyn Monroe taken on May 30, 1958, as she exited her apartment at 444 East 57th Street in New York City. Just three days prior, Monroe was photographed by Richard Avedon for Life magazine.
Largest, 3 1/2 by 2 1/2 inches
PROVENANCE From the Estate of Frieda Hull
Estimate: $600 - $800 
Lot 756: MARILYN MONROE COLOR SLIDES
A group of four never before seen original color slides of Marilyn Monroe, from May 30, 1958, as she exited her apartment at 444 East 57th Street in New York City. Just three days prior, Monroe was photographed by Richard Avedon for Life magazine.
PROVENANCE From the Estate of Frieda Hull
Estimate: $300 - $500 
Lot 753: MARILYN MONROE ORIGINAL CANDID PHOTOGRAPHS
A group of four original candid color photographs of Marilyn Monroe taken on May 12, 1957, at Ebbets Field in Brooklyn, New York. Monroe was on hand to make the ceremonial first kick at a soccer match between the USA and Israel. It's reported that she sprained two of her toes while kicking the ball, yet she stayed until the end of the match to award the trophy to Israel, the winning team by a score of 6-4.
Largest, 3 1/2 by 2 1/2 inches
PROVENANCE From the Estate of Frieda Hull
Estimate: $300 - $500 
Lot 754: MARILYN MONROE COLOR SLIDES
A group of eight color slides of Marilyn Monroe, from May 12, 1957, at Ebbets Field in Brooklyn, New York. Monroe was on hand to make the ceremonial first kick at a soccer match between the USA and Israel. It's reported that she sprained two of her toes while kicking the ball, yet she stayed until the end of the match to award the trophy to Israel, the winning team by a score of 6-4.
PROVENANCE From the Estate of Frieda Hull
Estimate: $700 - $900
Lot 757: MARILYN MONROE COLOR SLIDES
A group of four slides of Marilyn Monroe and husband Arthur Miller, from their departure from New York for Los Angeles for her to film Some Like It Hot (UA, 1959).
PROVENANCE From the Estate of Frieda Hull
Estimate: $300 - $500 
Lot 758: MARILYN MONROE ORIGINAL CANDID PHOTOGRAPHS
A group of eight original color and black and white photographs of Marilyn Monroe and husband Arthur Miller as they departed New York for Los Angeles for her to film Some Like It Hot (UA, 1959). This lot contains five color and three black and white photographs, some never before seen.
Largest, 5 1/2 by 3 1/2 inches
PROVENANCE From the Estate of Frieda Hull
Estimate: $700 - $900 
Lot 759: MARILYN MONROE ORIGINAL CANDID PHOTOGRAPHS
A group of 15 original color and black and white photographs of Marilyn Monroe taken on March 29, 1959. These images are believed to have been taken following the premiere of Some Like It Hot (UA, 1959) as Monroe and husband Arthur Miller traveled from the theater to the home of Lee and Paula Strasberg for a party they were throwing for Monroe. Many images are never before seen. This lot contains eight black & white and seven color photographs.
Largest, 6 3/4 by 5 inches
PROVENANCE From the Estate of Frieda Hull
Estimate: $1,500 - $2,000 
Lot 760: MARILYN MONROE COLOR SLIDES
A group of 11 slides of Marilyn Monroe, from March 29, 1959. These images are believed to have been taken following the premiere of Some Like It Hot (UA, 1959) as Monroe and husband Arthur Miller traveled from the theater to the home of Lee and Paula Strasberg for a party they were throwing for Monroe. Many images are never before seen.
PROVENANCE From the Estate of Frieda Hull
Estimate: $1,000 - $1,200 
Lot 761: MARILYN MONROE COLOR SLIDE
A color slide of Marilyn Monroe, from September 18, 1959, as she left her apartment at 444 East 57th Street. She was leaving to fly to Los Angeles to attend a gala in honor of Soviet Premier Nikita Khrushchev held by Twentieth Century Fox Studios.
PROVENANCE From the Estate of Frieda Hull
Estimate: $100 - $200 
Lot 762: MARILYN MONROE ORIGINAL CANDID PHOTOGRAPHS
A pair of original color photographs of Marilyn Monroe and husband Arthur Miller taken on September 18, 1959, when the couple left their apartment at 444 East 57th Street. Miller was escorting his wife to the airport, where she would fly to Los Angeles to attend a gala in honor of Soviet Premier Nikita Khrushchev held by Twentieth Century Fox Studios. Because this was an event in honor of a Communist leader, Miller didn't attend the gala as it wouldn't have been appropriate considering his appearance before the House Committee on Un-American Activities about his political leanings in June 1956.
Larger, 3 1/2 by 3 1/2 inches
PROVENANCE From the Estate of Frieda Hull
Estimate: $100 - $300 
Lot 763: MARILYN MONROE ORIGINAL CANDID PHOTOGRAPHS
A group of three original black and white photographs of Marilyn Monroe taken on September 27, 1959, at the Bellevue-Stratford Hotel, where Monroe and husband Arthur Miller were attending the American Friends of The Hebrew University Awards Banquet, where Miller was honored for Distinguished Achievement in the Dramatic Arts. All the photographs in this lot are likely never before seen.
Largest, 3 1/2 by 3 1/2 inches
PROVENANCE From the Estate of Frieda Hull
Estimate: $200 - $400 
Lot 764: MARILYN MONROE PHOTOGRAPHS
A group of four color photographs of Marilyn Monroe, likely reproductions, taken on September 21, 1959, at Henry Miller's Theatre on Broadway in New York City, where Monroe was attending An Evening with Yves Montand, accompanied by friend and co-star Montgomery Clift. All four photographs reference Terri Arden on the reverse.
Largest, 6 by 4 inches
PROVENANCE From the Estate of Frieda Hull
Estimate: $100 - $200 
Lot 765: MARILYN MONROE COLOR SLIDES
A group of three color slides of Marilyn Monroe, from November 2, 1959, when she and husband Arthur Miller departed New York City for Los Angeles to film Let's Make Love (20th Century, 1960). Of note, one slide in particular shows Monroe sitting in the back of a car holding a bird in a birdcage, likely Butch, the Millers' pet parakeet.
PROVENANCE From the Estate of Frieda Hull
Estimate: $200 - $400 
Lot 766: MARILYN MONROE ORIGINAL CANDID PHOTOGRAPH
An original candid color photograph of Marilyn Monroe, likely taken on April 16, 1960, as she attended Josephine Baker's show at the Hollywood Hartford Theatre, accompanied by Yves Montand.
3 1/2 by 3 1/2 inches
PROVENANCE From the Estate of Frieda Hull
Estimate: $100 - $200 
Lot 767: MARILYN MONROE ORIGINAL CANDID PHOTOGRAPHS
A pair of original candid color photographs of Marilyn Monroe, likely taken on June 1, 1960, her 34th birthday. The cast and crew of Let's Make Love (20th Century, 1960) celebrated her birthday earlier that day. That evening, Monroe attended a party in her honor held by press agent Rupert Allan at his Beverly Hills home. In these photographs, Monroe wears the same clothing worn on the set earlier in the day.
Larger, 5 by 3 1/2 inches
PROVENANCE From the Estate of Frieda Hull
Estimate: $100 - $300 
Lot 773: MARILYN MONROE ORIGINAL CANDID PHOTOGRAPHS
A pair of original Marilyn Monroe black and white photographs, one of her with Clark Gable, believed to have been taken on July 24, 1960, at an event held for the cast and crew of The Misfits (United Artists, 1961) at the Mapes Hotel in Reno, Nevada. This was Monroe's final completed film.
Larger, 3 1/2 by 3 1/2 inches
PROVENANCE From the Estate of Frieda Hull
Estimate: $100 - $300 
Lot 779: MARILYN MONROE COLOR SLIDE
A color slide of Marilyn Monroe surrounded by fans and security, from March 14, 1961. Monroe was attending a benefit for the Lee Strasberg Actors Studio held at the Roseland Dance Hall in New York City.
PROVENANCE From the Estate of Frieda Hull
Estimate: $100 - $200 
Lot 780: MARILYN MONROE ORIGINAL CANDID PHOTOGRAPHS
A pair of original color photographs of Marilyn Monroe taken on March 14, 1961. Monroe was attending a benefit for the Lee Strasberg Actors Studio held at the Roseland Dance Hall in New York City.
Larger, 5 by 3 1/2 inches
PROVENANCE From the Estate of Frieda Hull
Estimate: $100 - $300 
Lot 835: MARILYN MONROE ORIGINAL CANDID PHOTOGRAPH
An original photograph of Marilyn Monroe, circa 1950, with the words "Bel Air Hotel for Red Book Awards Party" written on verso. Likely never before seen.
3 3/4 by 3 1/4 inches
PROVENANCE From the Estate of Frieda Hull
Estimate: $100 - $200 
Lot 838: MARILYN MONROE VINTAGE TRANSPARENCY
A vintage color transparency of Marilyn Monroe with Herman Hover, owner of Ciro’s nightclub, circa 1953.
2 1/2 by 2 1/2 inches
Estimate: $500 - $700 
Lot 846: MARILYN MONROE ORIGINAL SLIDES AND PHOTOGRAPHS WITH COPYRIGHT
A group of four color transparency slides and two color photographs of Marilyn Monroe taken by Sgt. Marvin Stamness in Korea when Monroe entertained troops there in 1954. Copyright of the images has been applied for. Once copyright is granted, it will be transferred to the winning bidder. Stamness was with the 189th Field Artillery 45th Division of the United States Army and served in the Korean War. At that time, he was from Barrett, Minnesota.
While the seller confirms that this property is sold with copyright, Julien’s can accept no liability in relation to any matters arising as a result of any imperfection in copyright given.
Photographs, 2 1/8 by 3 1/8 inches; Slides, 2 by 2 inches
Estimate: $800 - $1,200 
Lot 861: MARILYN MONROE SEVEN YEAR ITCH PREMIERE TRANSPARENCY
A vintage color transparency of Marilyn Monroe and Joe DiMaggio at the premiere of The Seven Year Itch (20th Century, 1955).
2 1/2 by 2 1/2 inches
Estimate: $500 - $700 
Lot 894: MARILYN MONROE VINTAGE CONTACT SHEET
A vintage partial contact sheet of images of Marilyn Monroe and others. The black and white contact sheet includes nine images, six of which show Monroe taken by Milton Greene at the 1955 announcement of the formation of Marilyn Monroe Productions Inc.
5 by 10 inches
Estimate: $200 - $400 
Lot 895: MARILYN MONROE MMP ANNOUNCEMENT CONTACT SHEET
A vintage black and white partial contact sheet of images of Marilyn Monroe taken by Milton Greene at the 1955 announcement of the formation of Marilyn Monroe Productions Inc. The sheet contains 10 frames, with numbering below each image.
3 1/2 by 10 inches
Estimate: $200 - $400 
Lot 896: MARILYN MONROE MMP ANNOUNCEMENT CONTACT SHEET
A vintage black and white contact sheet of images taken at the 1955 announcement of the formation of Marilyn Monroe Productions Inc. Marlene Dietrich appears in many of the photographs along with Monroe and Milton Greene, among others. The sheet has 27 frames with grease pencil markings in red.
7 by 10 inches
Estimate: $600 - $800
Lot 901: MARILYN MONROE MILTON GREENE VINTAGE CONTACT SHEET
A vintage Milton Greene contact sheet of 34 black and white images taken at the Sheraton Astor Hotel in December 1955. Two of the images are of Marilyn Monroe.
8 by 10 inches
Estimate: $600 - $800 
Lot 903: MARILYN MONROE MEDIA PHOTOGRAPHS
A group of three vintage Marilyn Monroe media photographs. Each is stamped by a media outlet or includes a snipe. Two images are of Monroe with husband Arthur Miller. One image is of Monroe with Jack Warner and Milton Greene from a press conference announcing the production of The Prince and the Showgirl (Warner Bros., 1957). Accompanied by one contemporary print of Monroe at a party for the film Let's Make Love (20th Century, 1960).
Largest, 8 by 10 inches
Estimate: $200 - $600 
Lot 917: MARILYN MONROE AND ARTHUR MILLER CANDID PHOTOGRAPHS
A group of 12 black and white photographs of Marilyn Monroe with husband Arthur Miller. Each photograph is dated in the margin "Jul 56" and marked "Pitts" on verso in an unknown hand.
5 by 3 1/2 inches
PROVENANCE From the Estate of Lois Weber
Estimate: $1,200 - $1,400 
Lot 934: MARILYN MONROE CANDID PHOTOGRAPHS
A group of seven vintage black and white candid photographs of Marilyn Monroe.
Largest, 5 1/4 by 3 1/2 inches
PROVENANCE From the Estate of Lois Weber
Estimate: $600 - $800 
Lot 935: MARILYN MONROE CANDID PHOTOGRAPHS
A group of 11 vintage black and white candid photographs of Marilyn Monroe attending various events.
Largest, 5 1/4 by 3 1/2 inches
PROVENANCE From the Estate of Lois Weber
Estimate: $1,000 - $1,500 
Lot 936: MARILYN MONROE CANDID PHOTOGRAPHS
A group of 10 vintage black and white candid photographs of Marilyn Monroe attending various events.
5 1/4 by 3 1/2 inches
PROVENANCE From the Estate of Lois Weber
Estimate: $1,000 - $1,500 
Lot 937: MARILYN MONROE CANDID PHOTOGRAPHS
A group of five candid vintage black and white photographs of Marilyn Monroe at an event.
4 3/4 by 3 1/4 inches
PROVENANCE From the Estate of Lois Weber
Estimate: $600 - $800 
Lot 938: MARILYN MONROE VINTAGE NEW YORK PHOTOGRAPH
A vintage black and white photograph of Marilyn Monroe with Lois Weber on the street in New York City taken by photographer Hans Knopf. PIX Incorporated stamp on verso. A New York Post snipe is attached with a paperclip dating the photograph to February 22, 1956, and stating the pair were leaving Monroe’s apartment for lunch with Elsa Maxwell.
9 1/2 by 13 3/4 inches
PROVENANCE From the Estate of Lois Weber
Estimate: $800 - $1,200 
Lot 939: MARILYN MONROE VINTAGE NEW YORK PHOTOGRAPH
A vintage black and white photograph of Marilyn Monroe with Lois Weber on the street in New York City taken by photographer Hans Knopf. PIX Incorporated stamp on verso. A New York Post snipe is attached with a paperclip, dating the photograph to February 22, 1956, and stating the pair were leaving the Ambassador Hotel for a cocktail party.
10 3/4 by 11 1/2 inches
PROVENANCE From the Estate of Lois Weber
Estimate: $800 - $1,200 
Lot 940: MARILYN MONROE NEW YORK PHOTOGRAPH
A vintage black and white photograph of Marilyn Monroe with Lois Weber on the street in New York City taken by photographer Hans Knopf. PIX Incorporated stamp on verso. A New York Post snipe is attached with a paperclip dating the photograph to February 22, 1956, and stating the pair were walking to the studio of Cecil Beaton.
14 by 10 1/2 inches
PROVENANCE From the Estate of Lois Weber
Estimate: $800 - $1,200 
Lot 944: MARILYN MONROE CONTACT SHEET
A contact sheet containing 10 vintage black and white candid images of Marilyn Monroe and one additional photograph from the set of an unknown production. The photographs were taken by Lois Weber.
10 by 8 inches
PROVENANCE From the Estate of Lois Weber
Estimate: $400 - $600 
Lot 945: MARILYN MONROE CANDID PHOTOGRAPHS
A pair of vintage candid black and white photographs of Marilyn Monroe beside a plane.
5 1/4 by 3 1/2 inches
PROVENANCE From the Estate of Lois Weber
Estimate: $200 - $400 
Lot 946: MARILYN MONROE MANFRED KREINER PHOTOGRAPH
A vintage black and white photograph of Marilyn Monroe taken by Manfred Kreiner in 1959. The photograph shows Monroe during an interview in her hotel living room at the Ambassador East Hotel in Chicago, Illinois. Monroe was in Chicago to promote the film Some Like It Hot (UA, 1959). Photographer's and other stamps on verso.
9 1/2 by 10 inches
Estimate: $1,000 - $2,000 
Lot 947: MARILYN MONROE MANFRED KREINER PHOTOGRAPH
A vintage black and white photograph of Marilyn Monroe taken by Manfred Kreiner in 1959 while Monroe was in Chicago to promote the film Some Like It Hot (UA, 1959). Photographer’s stamp on verso with additional stamp that reads “Kindler Und Schiermeyer Verlag AG Archiv.”
13 1/2 by 10 1/2 inches
Estimate: $1,500 - $2,000 
Lot 948: MARILYN MONROE MANFRED KREINER PHOTOGRAPH
A vintage black and white photograph of Marilyn Monroe taken by Manfred Kreiner circa 1959. Photographer's stamp and other notations on verso.
14 by 9 1/2 inches
Estimate: $400 - $600 
Lot 949: MARILYN MONROE AND ARTHUR MILLER PHOTOGRAPH BY MANFRED KREINER
A vintage black and white photograph of Marilyn Monroe and Arthur Miller at the New York City premiere of Some Like It Hot (UA, 1959) taken by Manfred Kreiner. Photographer's stamp on verso along with information about the photograph in an unknown hand, written with pencil in German.
10 1/2 by 13 1/2 inches
Estimate: $1,000 - $2,000 
Lot 950: MARILYN MONROE AND ARTHUR MILLER VINTAGE PHOTOGRAPH
A Marilyn Monroe and Arthur Miller black and white vintage original photograph. Taken by Paul Schumach at the premiere of Some Like It Hot (UA, 1959). Photographer's stamp on verso.
10 by 8 inches
PROVENANCE From the Lost Archive of Marilyn Monroe
Estimate: $600 - $800 
Lot 971: MARILYN MONROE MONROE, MONTAND AND CUKOR SIGNED PHOTOGRAPH
A Marilyn Monroe, Yves Montand, and George Cukor signed black and white photograph. The image was taken at a party for the film Let’s Make Love (20th Century ,1960) in which Monroe and Montand starred and Cukor directed. The photograph is inscribed “To Herbert Stern from his first director with every good wish George Cukor,” “For Herbert Love & Kisses Marilyn Monroe,” and “Pour Herbert Stern amical souvenir Y Montand 60.”
8 by 10 inches
Estimate: $8,000 - $10,000 
Lot 976: MARILYN MONROE GOLDEN GLOBE CEREMONY PHOTOGRAPH
A vintage black and white photograph of Marilyn Monroe at the 1962 Golden Globes award ceremony taken by Gene Daniels. Monroe won the award for Female World Film Favorite. Photographer's stamp on verso with additional “Revue” stamp and notation.
9 by 13 1/2 inches
Estimate: $400 - $600 
Lot 977: MARILYN MONROE GOLDEN GLOBE CEREMONY PHOTOGRAPH
A vintage black and white photograph of Marilyn Monroe at the 1962 Golden Globes award ceremony taken by Gene Daniels. Monroe won the award for Female World Film Favorite. Photographer's stamp on verso with additional “Revue” stamp and notation.
13 1/2 by 9 inches
Estimate: $400 - $600 
Photographies - Joseph Jasgur
Photographs
Lot 796: MARILYN MONROE PHOTOGRAPH BY JOSEPH JASGUR
A black and white photograph of Marilyn Monroe taken by Joseph Jasgur in 1946 with infrared film. Gelatin silver print. Printed by the artist. Artist’s copyright sticker on mount verso.
13 1/4 by 10 inches, mounted
Estimate: $600 - $800 
Lot 797: MARILYN MONROE COLOR PHOTOGRAPHS
A group of six color photographs of Marilyn Monroe taken by photographer Joseph Jasgur. The images are of Monroe alone, and one image shows her with other models at Zuma Beach in 1946.
Each, 11 by 14 inches
Estimate: $600 - $800 
Lot 798: MARILYN MONROE JOSEPH JASGUR PHOTOGRAPHS
Two black and white photographs of Marilyn Monroe taken by Joseph Jasgur in 1946 at Zuma Beach, California. Gelatin silver prints. Printed by the photographer. Each with photographer’s stamp on verso.
10 by 8 inches each, mounted
PROVENANCE From the Estate of Joseph Jasgur
Estimate: $800 - $1,200 
Lot 799: MARILYN MONROE JOSEPH JASGUR NEGATIVE
A Joseph Jasgur black and white negative of Marilyn Monroe produced in 1946. Accompanied by a photograph of the image, printed 2000–2001. Signed in ink lower right.
Negative, 2 1/4 by 2 1/4 inches; Photograph, 14 by 11 inches
Estimate: $400 - $600 
Lot 800: MARILYN MONROE JOSEPH JASGUR NEGATIVES AND COPYRIGHT
Six Joseph Jasgur black and white negatives of Marilyn Monroe produced in 1946. Accompanied by a photograph of a cropping of the image, printed 2000–2001. Library of Congress number VA 308-684. The winning bidder is responsible for transfer of copyright.
One Negative, 2 1/4 by 2 1/4 inches; Five Negatives, 5 by 4 inches; Photograph, 14 by 11 inches
Estimate: $800 - $1,200 
Lot 801: MARILYN MONROE PHOTOGRAPH BY JOSEPH JASGUR
A sepia toned photograph of Marilyn Monroe taken by Joseph Jasgur in 1946. Toned gelatin silver print. Printed by the artist.
20 by 16 inches, mounted
Estimate: $400 - $600 
Lot 802: MARILYN MONROE PHOTOGRAPHS BY JOSEPH JASGUR
Two black and white photographs of Marilyn Monroe taken by Joseph Jasgur in 1946. One is a cropped portrait from the full image. Gelatin silver prints. Printed by the artist. Each with the artist’s stamp on mount verso.
10 by 8 inches each, mounted
Estimate: $500 - $700 
Lot 803: MARILYN MONROE JOSEPH JASGUR NEGATIVE AND COPYRIGHT
A Marilyn Monroe negative of an image taken by Joseph Jasgur in 1946, accompanied by copyright. The black and white negative shows Monroe on the beach with Tom Burton.
The seller confirms that this property is sold with copyright. Application for copyright has not been completed. It is the responsibility of the winning bidder to obtain proper copyright. Julien’s can accept no liability in relation to any matters arriving as a result of any imperfection in copyright given.
5 by 4 inches
PROVENANCE Partial Lot 986, "Hollywood Legends," Julien's, Beverly Hills, April 11, 2014
Estimate: $1,500 - $2,000 
Lot 804: MARILYN MONROE JOSEPH JASGUR PHOTOGRAPHS
A group of three black and white photographs of Marilyn Monroe taken by Joseph Jasgur in 1946. Gelatin silver prints. Printed by the photographer. Each with photographer’s stamp on mount verso.
10 by 8 inches each, mounted
PROVENANCE From the Estate of Joseph Jasgur
Estimate: $600 - $800 
Lot 805: MARILYN MONROE JOSEPH JASGUR PHOTOGRAPHS
A group of three black and white photographs of Marilyn Monroe taken by Joseph Jasgur in 1946. Gelatin silver prints. Printed by the photographer. Each with photographer’s stamp on mount verso.
10 by 8 inches each, mounted
PROVENANCE From the Estate of Joseph Jasgur
Estimate: $600 - $800 
Lot 806: MARILYN MONROE BLACK AND WHITE PHOTOGRAPHS
A group of nine black and white photographs of Marilyn Monroe taken by photographer Joseph Jasgur. Jasgur photographed Monroe in 1946 when she was still known as Norma Jeane Dougherty and was a model with the Blue Book Model Agency.
Largest, 11 by 14 inches
Estimate: $800 - $1,200 
Lot 807: MARILYN MONROE JOSEPH JASGUR PHOTOGRAPHS
A group of four black and white photographs of Marilyn Monroe taken by Joseph Jasgur in 1946. Gelatin silver prints. Printed by the photographer. Two with photographer’s stamp on mount verso.
10 by 8 inches each
PROVENANCE From the Estate of Joseph Jasgur
Estimate: $600 - $800 
Lot 808: MARILYN MONROE PHOTOGRAPHS BY JOSEPH JASGUR
Three black and white photographs of Marilyn Monroe taken by Joseph Jasgur in 1946 using infrared film. Gelatin silver prints. Printed by the photographer. Two with photographer’s stamp on mount verso.
10 by 8 inches each, mounted
PROVENANCE From the Estate of Joseph Jasgur
Estimate: $400 - $600 
Lot 809: MARILYN MONROE PHOTOGRAPH BY JOSEPH JASGUR
A black and white photograph of Marilyn Monroe taken by Joseph Jasgur in 1946. Gelatin silver print. Printed by the artist. Artist’s stamp on mount verso.
10 by 8 inches, mounted
Estimate: $600 - $800 
Lot 810: MARILYN MONROE JOSEPH JASGUR NEGATIVES AND COPYRIGHT
A group of three Joseph Jasgur black and white negatives of Marilyn Monroe produced in 1946. Copyright to this image will be transferred to the winning bidder.
While the seller confirms that this property is sold with copyright, Julien’s can accept no liability in relation to any matters arising as a result of any imperfection in copyright given.
5 by 4 inches, each
PROVENANCE From the Estate of Joseph Jasgur
Estimate: $1,000 - $2,000 
Photographies - André De Dienes
Photographs
Lot 795: MARILYN MONROE LIMITED EDITION ANDRE DE DIENES PRINT
A Marilyn Monroe black and white photograph taken by Andre De Dienes in 1945, printed in a limited edition, gelatin print made from the original transparency, numbered 29/50. This print is stamped, signed, and hand numbered by the estate of Andre De Dienes and stamped and hand numbered by OneWest Publishing.
19 1/2 by 16 inches
Estimate: $800 - $1,200 
Lot 813: MARILYN MONROE PHOTOGRAPH BY ANDRE de DIENES
A black and white gelatin silver print montage photograph of Marilyn Monroe. Taken in 1949 by Andre de Dienes, printed circa 1960. Hand stamped on verso.
16 by 16 inches
PROVENANCE From the Estate of Andre de Dienes
Estimate: $1,000 - $2,000 
Lot 814: MARILYN MONROE PHOTOGRAPH BY ANDRE de DIENES
A black and white gelatin silver print montage photograph of Marilyn Monroe by Andre de Dienes. Notations on the front of the photograph read "7/7 1949 A.D." in black ink.
24 by 20 inches
PROVENANCE From the Estate of Andre de Dienes
Estimate: $1,000 - $2,000 
Lot 850: MARILYN MONROE VINTAGE PHOTOGRAPH BY ANDRE de DIENES
A black and white silver gelatin vintage print of Marilyn Monroe taken by Andre de Dienes in 1953. The photograph is hand printed circa 1958 on double-weight paper and stamped by the photographer on verso.
19 1/2 by 16 inches
Estimate: $800 - $1,200 
Lot 851: MARILYN MONROE VINTAGE PHOTOGRAPH BY ANDRE de DIENES
A black and white silver gelatin vintage print of Marilyn Monroe taken by Andre de Dienes in 1953. The photograph is hand printed circa 1958 on double-weight paper and stamped by the photographer on verso.
20 by 16 inches
Estimate: $800 - $1,200 
Lot 852: MARILYN MONROE VINTAGE ANDRE de DIENES PHOTOGRAPH
A photograph of Marilyn Monroe taken by Andre de Dienes in 1953. Silver gelatin print, printed circa 1955. Signed at lower right, photographer's stamp on verso.
24 by 20 inches
PROVENANCE Lot 420, "Hollywood Legends," Julien's, Beverly Hills, March 31, 2012
Estimate: $2,000 - $4,000 
Lot 853: MARILYN MONROE VINTAGE ANDRE de DIENES PHOTOGRAPH
A photograph of Marilyn Monroe taken by Andre de Dienes in 1953. Silver gelatin print, printed circa 1955. Signed at lower right, photographer's stamp on verso.
24 by 20 inches
PROVENANCE Lot 421, "Hollywood Legends," Julien's, Beverly Hills, March 31, 2012
Estimate: $2,000 - $4,000 
Lot 865: MARILYN MONROE INSCRIBED MAGAZINE PAGE
A black and white page of an unknown magazine inscribed to child star Linda Bennett. Inscription reads "To Linda, I saw you in the Seven Little Foys - Great Marilyn Monroe."
17 1/2 by 14 inches, framed; 7 1/4 by 6 3/4 inches, sight
Estimate: $3,000 - $5,000 
Photos Tom Kelley & Calendriers 'Golden Dreams'
Tom Kelley's Photos & Calendars 'Golden Dreams'
Lot 35: MARILYN MONROE UNCUT TIN TRAY
A circa 1950s uncut tin tray, illustrated with two nude photographs of Marilyn Monroe, "Golden Dreams" and "A New Wrinkle" both taken during a photo session with Tom Kelley in 1949.
Framed, 26 1/2 by 36 1/2 inches
PROVENANCE Lot 110, “Film & Entertainment,” Christie's, South Kensington, Sale number 9771, December 16, 2003
Estimate: $200 - $400
Lot 817: MARILYN MONROE RED VELVET SESSION PHOTOGRAPHS
A group of four color Marilyn Monroe photographs from the Red Velvet session with Tom Kelley in 1949. The group of contemporary prints includes an interesting composite image of Monroe and other less often seen images from the session. Mackie was given the photographs by a fan who knew that he had worked on Monroe’s costumes and that he was a fan of Monroe's. Printed circa 2004.
15 by 10 inches
PROVENANCE From the Collection of Bob Mackie
Estimate: $2,000 - $4,000 
Lot 818: MARILYN MONROE PHOTOGRAPH FROM THE REMASTERED RED VELVET COLLECTION
A photograph of Marilyn Monroe from the 1949 Red Velvet session with Tom Kelley. The limited edition print is part of the “Remastered Red Velvet Collection” issued by the estate of Tom Kelley in 2004. The image is numbered 2/500 and is signed by Tom Kelley Jr. in the lower right corner. The image is referred to as pose number 7.
27 3/4 by 23 1/2, framed
Estimate: $600 - $800 
Lot 819: MARILYN MONROE VINTAGE NUDE PHOTOGRAPH
A vintage Marilyn Monroe “New Wrinkle” photograph from her 1949 photo session with Tom Kelley. The black and white print is affixed to foam core board. The absence of optical brighteners in the print indicates that this print was made prior to 1953.
Photograph, 10 by 8 1/4 inches; 15 1/4 by 13 1/2 inches, overall
Estimate: $400 - $600 
Lot 36: MARILYN MONROE CALENDAR
A U.S. calendar from 1952, featuring a color print of nude Marilyn Monroe photographed by Tom Kelley.
Matted, 30 by 21 1/2 inches
PROVENANCE Lot 64, “Film & Entertainment Memorabilia,” Christie's, South Kensington, Sale number 5238, December 19, 2007
Estimate: $200 - $400 
Lot 310: MARILYN MONROE GOLDEN DREAMS CALENDAR
A calendar from Connors Bar & Grill New York City, 1958, all months intact. Paper loss to lower edge, tape residue along top edge.
15 1/2 by 9 1/2 inches
Estimate: $600 - $800 
Lot 626: 1955 MARILYN MONROE CALENDAR
A four-page calendar with spiral-bound top edge featuring images of Marilyn Monroe taken by Tom Kelley in the late 1940s. The calendar features a modesty cover with added lace overprint to cover Monroe and three pin-up images of Monroe in cowboy boots, all over triple month pages. Together with original envelope advertising the calendar as "The Most Talked of Calendar in the World" for 50 cents.
12 1/4 by 8 1/2 inches
PROVENANCE From the Estate of Frieda Hull
Estimate: $600 - $800 
Lot 833: MARILYN MONROE GOLDEN DREAMS 1952 CALENDAR
A 1952 Marilyn Monroe “Golden Dreams” calendar. This is an early version of Monroe’s famously posed calendar and does not have her name printed on the calendar itself. A note attached to the lower portion of the calendar does identify the model as Monroe, reading in part, “This Champion Calendar was posed by Marilyn Monroe. ...Since that time she has received much publicity in the daily newspapers and national magazines and has been [sic] starred in two movies.” The calendar advertises San Fernando Valley Motor. Housed in a frame.
37 by 19 inches, framed
Estimate: $700 - $900 
Photographies - Bert Stern
Photographs
Lot 984: MARILYN MONROE PHOTOGRAPH BY BERT STERN
A color photograph of Marilyn Monroe lying in bed, signed by Bert Stern. The photograph is contained in an orange portfolio.
23 3/4 by 19 3/4 inches
Estimate: $1,000 - $2,000 
Lot 985: MARILYN MONROE PHOTOGRAPH BY BERT STERN
A color photograph of a nude Marilyn Monroe holding a striped scarf, signed by Bert Stern.
23 3/4 by 19 3/4 inches
Estimate: $6,000 - $8,000 
Lot 986: MARILYN MONROE PHOTOGRAPH BY BERT STERN
A Marilyn Monroe color photograph taken by Bert Stern in 1962 during "The Last Sitting." Numbered 188/250 and signed by Stern in the lower right. A Martin Lawrence Galleries label attached to backing of the framed photograph is typed with the title "Last Sitting: Not Bad For 36."
27 1/2 by 26 1/4 inches, framed
Estimate: $2,000 - $3,000 
Lot 1006: MARILYN MONROE BERT STERN SIGNED PHOTOGRAPH
A black and white digital print photograph of Marilyn Monroe resting her chin on her hand, inscribed and dated in black marker to the upper left "For Bill/ 3-3-08" and signed and dated in red grease pen to the lower right "Bert Stern/ 2008" with Stern's copyright stamp on the verso.
8 1/2 by 11 inches
Estimate: $200 - $400 
Photographies - George Barris
Photographs
Lot 996: MARILYN MONROE GEORGE BARRIS SIGNED PHOTOGRAPH
A black and white photograph of Marilyn Monroe talking on the telephone signed in black marker to the lower right by George Barris with Weston Editions copyright stamp on the verso.
7 by 5 inches
Estimate: $200 - $400 
Lot 997: MARILYN MONROE GEORGE BARRIS SIGNED PHOTOGRAPH
A black and white photograph of Marilyn Monroe talking on the telephone signed in black marker to the lower right by George Barris with Weston Editions copyright stamp on the verso. Includes a certificate of authenticity from OneWest Publishing signed by Chuck Murphy.
14 by 11 inches
Estimate: $800 - $1,200 
Lot 998: MARILYN MONROE GEORGE BARRIS SIGNED PHOTOGRAPH
A color photograph of Marilyn Monroe dressed in orange signed in black marker to the lower right by George Barris with Weston Editions copyright stamp on the verso. Includes a certificate of authenticity from OneWest Publishing signed by Chuck Murphy.
11 by 14 inches
Estimate: $800 - $1,200 
Lot 999: MARILYN MONROE GEORGE BARRIS SIGNED PHOTOGRAPH
A color photograph of Marilyn Monroe leaning against a cinder block wall signed in black marker to the lower right by George Barris with Weston Editions copyright stamp on the verso. Includes a certificate of authenticity from OneWest Publishing signed by Chuck Murphy.
11 by 14 inches
Estimate: $800 - $1,200 
Lot 1000: MARILYN MONROE GEORGE BARRIS SIGNED PHOTOGRAPH
A color photograph of Marilyn Monroe standing in the surf signed in black marker to the lower right by George Barris with Weston Editions copyright stamp on the verso. Includes a certificate of authenticity from OneWest Publishing signed by Chuck Murphy.
10 by 8 inches
Estimate: $400 - $600 
Lot 1001: MARILYN MONROE GEORGE BARRIS SIGNED PHOTOGRAPH
A color photograph of Marilyn Monroe in a bikini signed in black marker to the lower right by George Barris with Weston Editions copyright stamp on the verso. Includes a certificate of authenticity from OneWest Publishing signed by Chuck Murphy.
14 by 11 inches
Estimate: $800 - $1,200 
Lot 1002: MARILYN MONROE GEORGE BARRIS SIGNED PHOTOGRAPH
A black and white photograph of Marilyn Monroe standing in the surf signed in black marker to the lower right by George Barris with Weston Editions copyright stamp on the verso. Includes a certificate of authenticity from OneWest Publishing signed by Chuck Murphy.
8 by 10 inches
Estimate: $400 - $600 
Lot 1003: MARILYN MONROE PHOTOGRAPH BY GEORGE BARRIS
A photographic print of Marilyn Monroe, limited edition numbered 21/50, taken in 1962 by George Barris. Silver gelatin print, printed on double-weight fiber paper under the guidance and approval of George Barris by OneWest Publishing. Signed by the photographer and stamped by OneWest Publishing.
20 by 16 inches
Estimate: $1,000 - $2,000 
Photographies - Milton H Greene
Photographs
Lot 257: MARILYN MONROE OUTTAKE PHOTOGRAPH
A black and white test print on archival paper of Monroe during the Mandolin Sitting with photographer Milton Greene. The image is stamped on verso "Reproduction Forbidden" with additional pencil notations documenting the exposure settings for the print.
7 by 5 inches
Estimate: $500 - $700 
Lot 890: MARILYN MONROE VINTAGE CONTACT SHEET
A vintage black and white partial contact sheet of Marilyn Monroe and Milton Greene. The sheet, which consists of two partial contact sheets stapled together, contains 17 images of Monroe.
4 1/2 by 10 inches
Estimate: $500 - $700 
Lot 891: MARILYN MONROE VINTAGE MILTON GREENE CONTACT SHEET
A vintage partial black and white contact sheet of Marilyn Monroe. The Milton Greene contact sheet includes 12 images of Monroe in a black cocktail dress.
3 by 10 inches
Estimate: $400 - $600 
Lot 892: MARILYN MONROE VINTAGE MILTON GREENE CONTACT SHEET
A vintage partial black and white contact sheet of Marilyn Monroe. The Milton Greene contact sheet includes 10 frames with images of Monroe and others. The images were taken by Milton Greene at the 21 Club in New York in 1954. Monroe can be seen talking to the restaurant owner, Robert Kriendler.
4 by 8 inches
Estimate: $400 - $600 
Lot 893: MARILYN MONROE VINTAGE CONTACT SHEET
A vintage black and white partial contact sheet of Marilyn Monroe and Milton Greene. The sheet includes 10 images of Monroe. Most of the images were likely taken by Greene circa 1955.
3 by 10 inches
Estimate: $400 - $600 
Lot 909: MARILYN MONROE VINTAGE MILTON GREENE PRINTS
A group of four vintage black and white contact sheet prints of Marilyn Monroe, Laurence Olivier, Arthur Miller and others taken by Milton Greene circa 1956 during the preparation for and filming of The Prince and the Showgirl (Warner Bros., 1957).
Largest, 4 by 5 inches
Estimate: $400 - $600 
Lot 910: MARILYN MONROE MONROE, OLIVIER AND RATTIGAN CONTACT SHEET IMAGES
A group of four vintage black and white contact sheet prints of Marilyn Monroe with Laurence Olivier and Terence Rattigan taken by Milton Greene. The photographs were taken during a 1956 publicity photo session for The Prince and the Showgirl (Warner Bros., 1957). Two of the images show Monroe with Olivier, who co-starred with Monroe and directed the film. One image is of Monroe and Olivier with Rattigan, author of the play on which the film was based and of the screenplay for the film, and one image is of Olivier and Rattigan. Notations on verso.
Each, 2 1/2 by 3 inches
Estimate: $400 - $600 
Lot 911: MARILYN MONROE MONROE, OLIVIER AND RATTIGAN CONTACT SHEET IMAGES
A group of four vintage black and white contact sheet prints of Marilyn Monroe with Laurence Olivier and Terence Rattigan taken by Milton Greene. The photographs were taken during a 1956 publicity photo session for The Prince and the Showgirl (Warner Bros., 1957). Three of the images show Monroe with Olivier, who co-starred with Monroe and directed the film. One image is of Monroe and Olivier with Rattigan, author of the play on which the film was based and of the screenplay for the film. Notations on verso.
Each, 2 1/2 by 3 inches
Estimate: $400 - $600 
Lot 913: MARILYN MONROE VINTAGE MILTON GREENE PRINTS
A group of six vintage black and white contact sheet prints of Marilyn Monroe, Laurence Olivier, Arthur Miller, Vivien Leigh and others taken by Milton Greene circa 1956 during the preparation for and filming of The Prince and the Showgirl (Warner Bros., 1957).
Largest, 4 by 5 inches
Estimate: $400 - $600 
Lot 921: MARILYN MONROE PHOTOGRAPH BY MILTON GREENE
A vintage black and white photograph of Marilyn Monroe and Laurence Olivier taken by Milton Greene in 1956. Photographer's stamp on verso.
11 by 14 inches
PROVENANCE From the Estate of Lois Weber
Estimate: $600 - $800 
Lot 922: MARILYN MONROE PHOTOGRAPH BY MILTON GREENE
A vintage black and white photograph of Marilyn Monroe, Terence Rattigan and Laurence Olivier taken by Milton Greene in 1956. Photographer's stamp on verso.
11 by 14 inches
PROVENANCE From the Estate of Lois Weber
Estimate: $600 - $800 
Lot 1010: MARILYN MONROE PRINT BY MILTON GREENE
A large-scale silkscreen print of Marilyn Monroe removing her stockings. Marked "A/P" [Artist's Proof] to the lower left and signed to the lower right by photographer Milton H. Greene.
46 by 35 1/2 inches, framed
PROVENANCE From the Collection of Allan Rich
Estimate: $600 - $800 
Lot 1011: MARILYN MONROE MILTON GREENE SILKSCREEN PRINT
A limited edition silkscreen print of a Milton Greene photograph of Marilyn Monroe taken during the "Black Sitting" photo session in New York in 1956. Numbered 218/300 and signed by Greene at lower right.
35 by 46 inches
Estimate: $600 - $800 
Lot 1012: MARILYN MONROE MILTON GREENE SILKSCREEN PRINT
A silkscreen print of a Milton Greene photograph of Marilyn Monroe taken during the "Black Sitting" photo session in New York in 1956. Numbered 44/300 and signed by Greene in pencil at lower right.
Estimate: $600 - $800 
Photographies - Divers photographes
Photographs - Various photographers
Lot 37: MARILYN MONROE AND JOHNNY HYDE PHOTOGRAPH
A black and white gelatin silver photograph featuring Marilyn Monroe dancing with talent agent Johnny Hyde, to whom she owed much of her success, presumably taken by Bruno Bernard. Numbered 9/350 in ink to the lower left.
16 by 20 inches
PROVENANCE Lot 332, “Film and Entertainment,” Christie's, South Kensington, Sale Number 6343, December 17, 1993
Estimate: $400 - $600 
Lot 94: MARILYN MONROE EARLY SNAPSHOT
A circa late 1940s black and white glossy photograph of Monroe with her Chihuahua. The photograph was taken by Richard C. Miller.
4 by 5 inches
Estimate: $300 - $500 
Lot 100: MARILYN MONROE MODELING PHOTOGRAPH
A vintage black and white glossy photograph of photographer Richard C. Miller posing as he takes a photo of Monroe in hunting clothing holding a rifle during a 1946 photo session. The back of the photograph has pencil notation dating the photograph, "4/5/46."
3 3/4 by 4 3/4 inches
Estimate: $300 - $500 
Lot 434: MARILYN MONROE PHOTOGRAPH BY CECIL BEATON
A vintage copy of Monroe's favorite image of herself by Cecil Beaton. As evidenced by receipts among Monroe's documents, she ordered reprints of this photograph to sign for people. This is one of her vintage copies of the image, ordered during her lifetime.
8 by 10 inches
Estimate: $1,000 - $1,500 
Lot 663: MARILYN MONROE PHOTOGRAPH ARCHIVE
An archive of approximately 20 photographs featuring or related to Marilyn Monroe, some vintage and some reproductions, collected by Frieda Hull.
PROVENANCE From the Estate of Frieda Hull
Estimate: $100 - $200 
Lot 664: MARILYN MONROE COLOR SLIDES
A group of four slides of Marilyn Monroe from various points in her career: a costume test shot from Something's Got To Give ; on the set of Something’s Got To Give ; a double exposure from the Red Velvet session by Tom Kelley; and an early photo of Monroe by Richard C. Miller.
PROVENANCE From the Estate of Frieda Hull
Estimate: $300 - $500 
Lot 665: MARILYN MONROE VINTAGE PHOTOGRAPH
A large, glossy black and white publicity photograph of Marilyn Monroe in white dress, heels and gloves.
14 by 11 1/4 inches
PROVENANCE From the Estate of Frieda Hull
Estimate: $800 - $1,200 
Lot 793: MARILYN MONROE PHOTOGRAPH BY LASZLO WILLINGER
A large-scale Cibachrome color photograph of Marilyn Monroe taken by Laszlo Willinger. Stamp-signed on verso.
34 1/2 by 30 1/2 inches, framed
Estimate: $400 - $600 
Lot 794: MARILYN MONROE HURRELL STAMPED PHOTOGRAPH
A photograph of Marilyn Monroe with a George Hurrell attribution statement on verso signed by Hurrell-endorsed authenticator Allan Rich.
14 by 12 1/2 inches, framed
PROVENANCE From the Collection of Allan Rich
Estimate: $200 - $400 
Lot 811: MARILYN MONROE ORIGINAL VINTAGE PHOTOGRAPH BY BERNARD OF HOLLYWOOD
An original vintage photograph of Marilyn Monroe taken by Bruno Bernard in 1946. The photograph is titled “Mistletoe” and is part of the Discovery Series. Signed on verso “Bernard of Hollywood.” The photograph is accompanied by a copy of Monroe’s model release signed “Norma Jeane Dougherty” on July 24, 1946. This image was among the photographs that Bernard gave to Twentieth Century Fox.
11 by 14 inches
PROVENANCE From the Estate of Bruno Bernard
Estimate: $4,000 - $6,000 
Lot 812: MARILYN MONROE VINTAGE NEGATIVE
A vintage black and white negative of Marilyn Monroe. The image was taken by Ed Cronenweth while Monroe did her hair and makeup during the time of production for Ladies of the Chorus (Columbia, 1948). Accompanied by a contemporary print of the negative.
5 by 4 inches
PROVENANCE From the Collection of Ted Stampfer
Estimate: $200 - $400 
Lot 821: MARILYN MONROE VINTAGE TRANSPARENCY
A Marilyn Monroe vintage color transparency of an image taken in 1951. The image shows Monroe in the gown she wore to the 23rd Academy Awards ceremony, where she presented the award for Best Sound Recording. The award went to All About Eve (20th Century, 1950).
5 by 4 inches
Estimate: $500 - $700 
Lot 822: MARILYN MONROE VINTAGE ED CLARK TRANSPARENCY
A Marilyn Monroe vintage color transparency of an image taken in 1950 by Ed Clark, a LIFE photographer.
5 by 4 inches
Estimate: $400 - $600 
Lot 825: MARILYN MONROE PHOTOGRAPH BY BRUNO BERNARD
A color photograph of Marilyn Monroe taken by Bruno Bernard in 1952. In the photograph, Monroe is wearing the hot pink dress she wore in her role as Rose Loomis in Niagara (20th Century, 1953). The photograph is numbered 15/90 and signed “From the estate of Bernard of Hollywood."
16 by 20 inches
PROVENANCE From the Estate of Bruno Bernard
Estimate: $1,500 - $2,500 
Lot 826: MARILYN MONROE PHILLIPPE HALSMAN PHOTOGRAPH
A black and white image of Marilyn Monroe taken by Phillippe Halsman during a 1952 photo session for LIFE magazine. Numbered 81/250.
14 by 11 inches
Estimate: $400 - $600 
Lot 827: MARILYN MONROE HAROLD LLOYD PHOTOGRAPH
A limited edition poster photograph print of Marilyn Monroe taken by Harold Lloyd in 1952. The color print is numbered 25/250 at lower right. The photograph was taken by silent screen star turned photographer Harold Lloyd during a photoshoot at Monroe’s Los Angeles apartment with Philippe Halsman. Later in 1952, a photograph from Halsman’s session appeared on the cover of LIFE magazine. Printed on crystal archive paper from the original 35mm Kodachrome negative in 2005. Blind stamped in the lower right corner by the Harold Lloyd Trust.
20 by 20 inches
PROVENANCE Lot 204, "Property from the Estate of Marilyn Monroe," Julien's, Los Angeles, June 4, 2005
Estimate: $2,000 - $4,000 
Lot 828: MARILYN MONROE HAROLD LLOYD PHOTOGRAPH
A limited edition poster photograph print of Marilyn Monroe taken by Harold Lloyd in 1952. The color print is numbered 25/250 at lower right. The full-length photograph of Monroe speaking to photographer Philippe Halsman was taken by silent screen star turned photographer, Harold Lloyd, during a photo shoot at Monroe’s Los Angeles apartment with Halsman. Later in 1952, a photograph from Halsman’s session appeared on the cover of LIFE Magazine. Printed on crystal archive paper from the original 35mm Kodachrome negative in 2005. Blind stamped in the lower right corner by the Harold Lloyd Trust.
20 by 20 inches
PROVENANCE Lot 206, "Property from the Estate of Marilyn Monroe," Julien's, Los Angeles, June 4, 2005
Estimate: $2,000 - $4,000 
Lot 831: MARILYN MONROE AND JOHN FLOREA PHOTOGRAPH NEGATIVES
A pair of vintage original negatives showing Marilyn Monroe with photographer John Florea. The first image was taken during a publicity photograph session for the film Monkey Business (20th Century, 1952). The second was taken while shooting publicity images for How To Marry a Millionaire (20th Century, 1953). The negatives were originally from the collection of John Florea.
6 by 2 1/2 inches
Estimate: $400 - $600 
Lot 839: MARILYN MONROE JOHN FLOREA SIGNED PHOTOGRAPH
A black and white photograph of Marilyn Monroe stacking thousand-dollar bills next to photographer John Florea, likely from a series of promotional photos for the Monroe film How To Marry A Millionaire (20th Century, 1953). Signed on the verso by Florea with a copyright stamp.
14 by 11 inches
Estimate: $300 - $500 
Lot 840: MARILYN MONROE AND OTHERS FRANK WORTH PHOTOGRAPHS
A group of five black and white Frank Worth images, including two of Marilyn Monroe. All are blind stamped “Frank Worth Estate Limited Edition.” The first is an image of Monroe wearing a dress she made famous in the film How To Marry a Millionaire (20th Century, 1953). In the second image, Monroe is wearing the same dress and leaning against a car in the background, and Sammy Davis Jr. is in mid-leap, dancing in the foreground. The remaining photographs are portraits of Frank Sinatra, Elizabeth Taylor and James Dean.
Each, 12 by 17 1/2 inches
Estimate: $500 - $700 
Lot 857: MARILYN MONROE SIGNED AND INSCRIBED PORTRAIT
A vintage print full-length black and white studio portrait shot by Bernard of Hollywood, signed and inscribed by Marilyn Monroe as she appeared in a floral corset with lace trim, fishnet stockings and high-heel shoes in a provocative pose. Inscription reads in full, “To Carole, It’s a pleasure to work with you/ Marilyn Monroe.”
18 1/2 by 17 inches, overall; 9 1/2 by 7 1/2 inches, sight
PROVENANCE Lot 173, "Property from the Estate of Marilyn Monroe," Julien's Auctions, Los Angeles, California, June 4, 2005
Estimate: $3,000 - $5,000 
Lot 866: MARILYN MONROE SIGNED PHOTOGRAPH
A vintage black and white matte photograph signed in green ink "Dear Inez, My love and deepest thanks, Marilyn."
8 by 10 inches
Estimate: $15,000 - $20,000 
Lot 867: MARILYN MONROE PHOTOGRAPH BY CECIL BEATON
A vintage black and white image of Marilyn Monroe taken by Cecil Beaton in 1956 at the Ambassador Hotel. Camera Press stamp on verso with additional typed label that reads in part, "Monroe by Beaton:/ THE ETERNAL MARILYN/ Sophisticated innocence.../ Please acknowledge: photograph by Cecil Beaton/ Camera Press London."
9 1/4 by 8 inches
Estimate: $1,000 - $2,000 
Lot 872: MARILYN MONROE VINTAGE PHOTOGRAPHS
A vintage Marilyn Monroe photograph and contact sheet prints circa 1956. The black and white image, which shows Monroe having her photograph taken, is stamped with Hans Knopf photographer's stamp on verso. With nine additional vintage contact sheet photographs assumed to have been taken at the same time. The contact sheet prints were all affixed to black paper at one time.
Largest, 8 by 10 inches
Estimate: $600 - $800 
Lot 873: MARILYN MONROE VINTAGE PHOTOGRAPH
A Marilyn Monroe vintage portrait publicity photograph from her personal collection.
10 by 8 inches
PROVENANCE From the Lost Archive of Marilyn Monroe
Estimate: $600 - $800 
Lot 874: MARILYN MONROE CECIL BEATON PHOTOGRAPH
A black and white photograph of Marilyn Monroe taken by Cecil Beaton in 1956. The photograph, from Monroe's personal archive, is mounted to board and contained in a brown folder.
Photograph, 9 by 9 1/4 inches; 16 by 14 1/2 inches, overall
PROVENANCE From the Lost Archive of Marilyn Monroe
Estimate: $1,000 - $2,000 
Lot 878: MARILYN MONROE SIGNED AND INSCRIBED PHOTOGRAPH
A framed photograph of Marilyn Monroe signed "To David, so you're still counting my money - what money? Marilyn Monroe."
20 1/2 by 17 1/2 inches, overall; 13 by 10 1/4 inches, sight
Estimate: $4,000 - $6,000 
Lot 919: MARILYN MONROE VINTAGE PUBLICITY PHOTOGRAPH
A vintage Marilyn Monroe black and white publicity photograph with a notation in pencil on verso in an unknown hand "500 8x10's ordered 6/16/58 deliver and bill MM."
11 by 14 inches
PROVENANCE From the Estate of Lois Weber
Estimate: $600 - $800 
Lot 972: MARILYN MONROE PORTRAIT IMAGES
A group of nine Marilyn Monroe portrait images from film studios for reference or publicity and from photoshoots, with photographers Eric Skipsey and Richard Avedon. Eight of the images are in black and white with one color image from the film Let's Make Love (20th Century, 1960).
Most, 8 by 10 inches
Estimate: $800 - $1,200 
Lot 1009: MARILYN MONROE DOUGLAS KIRKLAND PORTFOLIO
A limited edition portfolio of Marilyn Monroe photographs taken by Douglas Kirkland and published by the Govinda Gallery in Washington, D.C. Each of the six photographs is numbered 16/30 to the lower left and signed by Kirkland to the lower right. Housed in a blue cloth clamshell case with gilt-stamped morocco label.
19 3/4 by 16 1/2 inches, overall
PROVENANCE From the Collection of Allan Rich
Estimate: $800 - $1,200 
Enregistrer
22/02/1956 Waldorf Astoria Hotel
Le 22 février 1956, Marilyn Monroe déjeune avec la journaliste Elsa Maxwell à l'hôtel Waldorf Astoria de New York. Plus tard en fin de journée, Marilyn se rendra à l'Ambassador Hotel pour poser sous l'objectif du photographe Cecil Beaton.
On February 22, 1956, Marilyn Monroe takes a lunch with the journalist Elsa Maxwell at the Waldorf Astoria Hotel, New York. After, she will go to the Ambassasor Hotel to make a picture sesson with photographer Cecil Beaton.
> Photographies de Jacques Lowe 
> Photographies de Hans Knopf
All photos are copyright and protected by their respective owners.
copyright text by GinieLand.
1956 Interview de Pete Martin
Printemps 1956, Marilyn Monroe est interviewée à l'Actors Studio de New York par le journaliste Pete Martin, qui rédige un article pour le journal américain The Saturday Evening Post.
Spring of 1956, Marilyn Monroe is interviewed at the Actors Studio in New York by journalist Pete Martin, who writes an article for the American newspaper 'The Saturday Evening Post'.
- photographies de Hans Knopf - 
> les articles paraîtront dans les éditions
des 5, 12 et 19 mai 1956 du 'Saturday Evening Post'
. lire article The New Marilyn Monroe - Part 1
. lire article Here She Talks About Herself - Part 2
. lire article Blonde, Incorporated - Part 3
© All images are copyright and protected by their respective owners, assignees or others.
copyright text by GinieLand.
22/02/1956 Black Dress Sitting par Cecil Beaton
Marilyn Monroe vêtue d'une robe noire
le 22 février 1956 posant contre le mur et sur le canapé de l'hôtel
sous l'objectif de Cecil Beaton
Marilyn Monroe wearing a black dress on February 22, 1956
posing against the wall and on the couch in the Ambassador hotel
photographer: Cecil Beaton
- Black Dress Sitting 1 - 
> planche contact
>> session backstage par Hans Knopf 
> couverture de magazine:
- Black Dress Sitting 2 -
>> couverture de magazine:
All photos are copyright and protected by their respective owners.
copyright text by GinieLand.
22/02/1956 White fur Sitting - Beaton & Knopf
Marilyn Monroe en fourrure blanche
le 22 février 1956 sous l'objectif de Cecil Beaton
Marilyn Monroe in white fur
February 22, 1956 under the lens of Cecil Beaton
>> session backstage par Hans Knopf 
All photos are copyright and protected by their respective owners.
copyright text by GinieLand.
Photographe Cecil Beaton
Marilyn par Cecil Beaton
Cecil Beaton a photographié Marilyn lors d'une unique séance, le 22 février 1956 à l'hôtel Ambassador de New York. En ressortiront des images d'une Marilyn émouvante et sensuelle: en petite robe noire, en fourreau blanc, avec un oiseau empaillé sur la main ou une fleur dans la bouche. La photo préférée de Marilyn est celle où elle serre un oeillet contre elle, allongée sur un lit.
Beaton est accompagné de son assistant, Ed Pfizenmaier, et de Hans Knopf, qui photographient les coulisses de la séance.
Cecil Beaton has photographed Marilyn at a unique sitting on 22 February 1956 at the Ambassador Hotel in New York. The images of a moving and sensual Marilyn will come out: in a little black dress, in a white fur, with a stuffed bird on her hand or a flower in her mouth. Marilyn's favorite photo is the one where she squeezes a carnation against her, lying on a bed.
Beaton is accompanied by his assistant, Ed Pfizenmaier, and Hans Knopf, who take photos on backstage.
.Séance Lit - allongée dans un lit, un oeillet à la main.
.Bed Sitting - lying in a bed, with a carnation in her hand.
(> blog photos 22/02/1956 Bed Sitting par Cecil Beaton )
.Séance Fleurs - assise contre un mur, jouant avec un oeillet et une marguerite.
.Flowers Sitting - sat against a wall, playing with a carnation and a daisy.
(> blog séance photos 22/02/1956 Flower Sitting - Beaton & Pfizenmaier )
.Séance de l'Oiseau - avec l'oiseau et foulard et marguerite dans les cheveux.
.Bird Sitting - bird and daisy and scarf in hair.
(> blog photos 22/02/1956 Bird Sitting - Beaton & Pfizenmaier )
.Séance Robe Noire - assise contre le mur, les rideaux, sur des coussins et dans un canapé.
.Black Dress Sitting - sat against the wall, curtains, cushions and a sofa.
(> blog photos 22/02/1956 Black Dress Sitting par Cecil Beaton )
.Séance Veste Noire - debout contre le mur et les rideaux.
.Black Jacket Sitting - standing against the wall and the curtains.
(> blog photos 22/02/1956 Black Jacket Sitting par Cecil Beaton )
.Séance Fourrure Blanche - assise dans une chaise en rotin.
.White Fur Sitting - sitting in a rattan chair.
(> blog photos 22/02/1956 White fur Sitting - Beaton & Knopf )
Cecil Beaton dira d'elle que "Miss Marilyn Monroe me fait penser au bouquet final d'un feu d'artifice."
Cecil Beaton will say about her that "Miss Marilyn Monroe reminds me of the final bouquet of a fireworks display."
> blog posts tag Cecil Beaton
Cecil Beaton
(1904 - 1980)
photographe anglais
De son vrai nom Sir Cecil Walter Hardy Beaton (14 janvier 1904 - 18 janvier 1980, Londres) était un photographe de mode et de portrait britannique. Il fut également scénographe et concepteur de costumes pour le cinéma et le théâtre.
Né à Hampstead, en Angleterre, dans une famille de la Haute Société, Beaton était fasciné par les magazines de mondanités et plus spécialement, les images qui y étaient publiées. Il fréquenta les écoles Heath Mount School et St Cyprian's School, à Eastbourne, où ses talents artistiques furent rapidement reconnus. Pour ses 11 ans, sa gouvernante lui offrit un appareil Kodak 3A Camera, un modèle populaire, et lui apprit à s'en servir basiquement. Il commenca ainsi à photographier ses premiers sujets qui étaient sa mère et ses soeurs. Il étudia ensuite -sans grand interêt- l'histoire, l'art et l'architecte au St John's College à Cambridge, tout en continuant en parallèle la photographie, et grâce à ses contacts universitaires, parvint à faire le portrait de la Duchesse d'Amalfi, qui sera publié dans le célèbre magazine Vogue. Beaton quitta Cambridge en 1925 sans avoir obtenu le moindre diplôme, puis il se fit connaître par une première exposition à Londres en 1926 qui est bien accueillie et lui permet de signer un contrat avec la version britannique du magazine Vogue en 1931 pour lequel il collaborera jusqu'au milieu des années 1950. Il travailla également avec la revue de mode Harper's Bazaar et comme photographe pour Vanity Fair.
Pendant la seconde guerre mondiale, Cecil Beaton fut posté au Ministère de l'Information où sa tâche consistait à enregistrer des images du front britannique. Après la guerre, Beaton travailla pour le théâtre de Broadway, créant les plateaux , costumes et lumières comme pour la pièce de 1946 Lady Windermere's Fan, dans laquelle il joua aussi un rôle en tant que comédien. Mais son travail de scénographe et costumier fut principalement remarqué pour les films My Fair Lady (autant pour la pièce en 1956 que pour le film en 1964) et Gigi (1958), les deux films ayant permit à Beaton d'obtenir le prix prestigieux de l'Oscar du meilleure Costume. Il remporta aussi quatre Tony Awards pour les pièces de Broadway: The Grass Harp (1952), The Chalk Garden (1955), Saratoga (1959), Tenderloin (1960), et Coco (1969).
En 1974, il fit une grave attaque, qui le laissa parciellement paralysé, et dont il souffrira de la frustration de ne pouvoir se servir de son bras droit. Très diminué à la fin de sa vie, il meurt en pleine nuit dans sa maison de Wiltshire.
Jackie Kennedy et Cecil Beaton,
mars 1962 , Londres.
VIE PRIVEE
En 2003, les héritiers de Cecil Beaton autorisent la parution de son journal intime dans lequel on apprend que le photographe avait une vie homosexuelle particulièrement agitée (il fréquentait les intellectuels gays de son époque : Truman Capote, Jean Cocteau…) et vivait une passion amoureuse, non réciproque, avec Mick Jagger (rencontré en mars 1967). Pendant plus d’une décennie, les deux hommes restent très liés. Dans les dernières pages, Cecil Beaton évoque le chanteur en ces termes : « Masculin et féminin, beau et laid, il restera à jamais pour moi l'image de la passion interdite ».
De son homosexualité, il dit: "Mes amitiés avec les hommes sont plus merveilleuses qu'avec les femmes. Je n'ai jamais été amoureux d'une femme et je ne pense pas que je le serai jamais de la même façon qu'avec un homme. Je suis vraiment un terrible, terrible homosexualiste et j'essaie tellement de ne pas l'être." (cité par Hugo Vickers, Cecil Beaton, Londres, Weidenfeld et Nicolson, 1985.).
Le grand amour de sa vie fut le collectionneur d'art Peter Watson; il eut aussi une relation avec l'acteur Gary Cooper, qui resta l'un de ses meilleures amis pendant quelques années.
Mais Cecil Beaton fut aussi lié aux femmes, il vécut une relation amoureuse avec l'actrice Greta Garbo, une idylle passionnée et incohérente. Beaton préférait les hommes et Garbo aimait les femmes.
Toute sa vie, Cecil Beaton apparaît comme un homme énigmatique, difficilement cernable, fréquentant de nombreux cercles intellectuels: les Existentialistes autour de Jean-Paul Sartre, les artistes comme Pablo Picasso, le couple Serge Gainsbourg / Jane Birkin…
Coco Chanel, la Reine Elizabeth, Greta Garbo, 
Marlene Dietrich, Audrey Hepburn, Mick Jagger, 
Carole Lombard et Cecil, Twiggy, Greta Garbo
SUJETS CELEBRES PHOTOGRAPHIES
Cecil Beaton fut le photographe officiel de la Cour d'Angleterre et photographia ainsi la Reine Elizabeth, la Reine mère, la Princesse Margaret, le Prince Charles, le Duke et la Duchesse de Windsor.
Parmi les artistes, il immortalisa Audrey Hepburn, Greta Garbo, Ingrid Bergman, Vivien Leigh, Gary Cooper, Marlene Dietrich, Marlon Brando, Johnny Weissmuller, Grace Kelly, Marilyn Monroe, Elizabeth Taylor, Franf Sinatra, Sammy Davis Jr., Dean Martin, Maria Callas, les Rolling Stones, Mick Jagger, Twiggy, Andy Warhol et le Velvet; ainsi que Pablo Picasso, Lucien Freud, Edith Sitwell, Coco Chanel, Elsa Schiaparelli...
>> sources web :
Bio sur wikipedia français et english wikipedia
Petite Bio et photos sur National Portrait Gallery
Bio et photos sur bbc.co.uk
Bio en français sur fluctuat.net
Article de presse à lire sur l'humanité
photos Cecil Beaton lui même sur viewimages
© All images are copyright and protected by their respective owners, assignees or others.
copyright text by GinieLand.
