No
other person in the 20th Century has made such an unforgettable
impression on the popular culture in America like Marilyn
Monroe. Some reduced her as being merely a sex symbol,
but a mere sex symbol would never have been able to capture
the hearts of millions like she did. The essence of Marilyn
Monroe lies much deeper into our consciousness than many
can understand. She was the epitome of the glamour girl,
a shimmering starlet, a pin-up whose beguiling beauty
mesmerized both men and women alike. Far beyond her exterior
gloss however, was a woman, strong but fragile, a little
girl, sweet yet precocious, and the girl next door, as
simple as they come, but hiding behind her own very real
problems.
Born
Norma Jean Mortenson (later changed to Baker by her mother)
on June 1, 1926 in Los Angeles, California, she would
spend most of her early life separated from her mother.
Her mother, Gladys Mortenson, was a film-cutter at RKO,
and suffered with mental illness her entire adult life.
Due to her inability to handle the demands of child-rearing
and desiring a better way of life for her child, she sent
Norma away to live in a sequence of various foster homes.
When she was nine years old she was sent to an orphanage,
where she lived for two years before moving to the home
of her final foster family.
When
she was just sixteen years old she married a young man
by the name of James Dougherty. She took a job in an aircraft
factory, and shortly after James joined the military.
Young and vibrant, she was a beautiful girl with a coppery
blonde hair color, warm, laughing blue eyes and naturally
good looks. It was during her time at the factory that
she was discovered. A photographer was taking pictures
of women making contributions to the war effort and snapped
a photo of Norma. The photographer was so impressed with
her that he asked if she could do some more modeling for
him. Within two years, she had quit her job in the factory
to continue modeling and to pursue a career in film. Her
and James divorced that same year.
Marilyn
lands her first film ->
