Hollywood Glamour Tribute#123- MARILYN MONROE (1926-1962), PART 2

"HOLLYWOOD AND THE FEMININE FORM DIVINE"- MARILYN MONROE
She was born Norma Jeane Mortenson on June 2, 1926, in Los Angeles, California. Her father was listed on the birth certificate as Edward Mortenson, a baker, and her mother was Gladys Monroe, a film splicer at Consolidated Film Industries. In 1933, Monroe and her mother moved to Hollywood, but in 1934, her mother was committed to Norwalk State Hospital, and in 1935, Monroe was sent to Los Angeles Orphans Home Society. Later she was adopted by Grace and Doc Goddard in 1938. She later attended Emerson Junior High, Van Nuys High, and University High School in West Los Angeles. Marilyn Monroe started her career as a photographer's model, appearing on the cover of Mens Magazines such as, "Pic","Laff","Salute", and "Sir". David Conover, her first photographer, remembers her well."There was a luminous quality to her face, a fragility combined with astonishing vibrancy". Monroe was later introduced to Ben Lyon, Head of New Talent at 20th Century Fox Studios, and was signed to a movie contract, appearing in her first film, "Scudda Hoo! Scudda Hay! in 1948, at the age of 22. After a year, she was released from her contract, but later signed with Columbia Studios in 1949, appearing in "Love Happy" with Groucho Marx, and "Ladies In The Chorus" with Adele Jurgens. It wasn't until Monroe's association with agent Johnny Hyde that she attained a part in "Asphalt Jungle" in 1950, with Sterling Hayden, and stardom finally arrived. With her blonde hair, blue eyes, low whisper of a voice, a figure that could have served as the model of the Venus de Milo, Marilyn Monroe had an intoxicating sex appeal that was irresistible to men. She also had a unique screen presence that exhibited, on the one hand, an overwhelming sexual attraction, but just underneath, there existed a child-like sweetness that was especially endearing. The one word that would describe Marilyn Monroe would have to be "voluptuous". Vital Stats:Hair blonde, Eyes blue, Height 5'5 1/2", Weight 115 lbs., Bust 37", Waist 24", Hips 36". Notable films include "All About Eve"(1950),"Clash By Night"(1952),"Monkee Business"(1952),"Niagara"(1953),"Gentlemen Prefer Blondes"(1953),"How To Marry A Millionaire"(1953),"River Of No Return"(1954),"There's No Business Like Show Business"(1954),"The Seven Year Itch"(1955),"Bus Stop"(1956),"The Prince and the Showgirl"(1957),"Some Like It Hot"(1959),"The Misfits"(1961). Tragically, Marilyn Monroe's Hollywood career was cut short when, on August 5, 1962, during the production of "Something's Got To Give" with Dean Martin, she was found dead of a drug overdose due to a probable suicide. No Hollywood actress represented the 1950's more than Marilyn Monroe. She rose from an obscure photographer's model to an actress, from an actress to a legend, and from a legend to a Cultural Icon. Perhaps no other actress in the History Of Hollywood Glamour has remained more fixed in the American Psyche than Marilyn Monroe. One of her famous quotes was,"The trouble with critics is they worry if a girl has cleavage. They ought to worry if she hasn't any". In 1999, The American Film Institute named Marilyn Monroe sixth on their list of the Greatest Female Stars Of Classic Hollywood Cinema. She is on my Top Ten List as one of the most beautiful stars ever to come out of Hollywood. Marilyn Monroe made 29 films, and her movie career lasted only fourteen years. If you were to take a world wide poll of the most famous actresses to come out of Hollywood, the name most mentioned would be that of Marilyn Monroe. Song "Unchained Melody" By Henry Mancini and His Pops Orchestra. Piano solo by Henry Mancini, Saxophone solo by Phil Todd.