Page 49 - All About History - Issue 28-15

Becoming Marilyn

Marilyn’s Men

In this case, gentlemen defi nitely
did prefer blondes
James Dougherty 1942 + + + + +
Doughertyrushedintoanearlymarriage
with Norma, but the couple drifted
apart when she began her
+ + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + modelling career. After + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + +
shebecameasuccess,
Dougherty and Monroe
both provided
conflicting accounts
of just how happy
theirmarriagewas.
Doughertyevenlater
claimedthathecreatedher
Monroe persona.
Joe DiMaggio 1951
Despite Monroe fearing that he was a
stereotypicaljock,sheagreedtogoonadate
with baseball player Joe DiMaggio and the couple
were married in 1954. However, the relationship soon
turned sour and Monroe filed for divorce on grounds of
mentalcrueltyninemonthslater.Despitethis,
theyremainedfriendsandfor20yearsafter
herdeathhehadhalfadozenredroses + + + + +
deliveredtohergraveonceaweek.
Marlon Brando 1955
In his autobiography Songs My + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + +
Mother Taught Me,Brandoclaimed
thathemetMonroeata
+ + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + party where she played
piano, and they had an
on and off affair for
many years. Whether
this is true or not, we
may never know, but
Dougherty would they certainly maintained a
later deny that friendshipuntiltheendofherlife,and
their wedding had also discussed working together.
been arranged
Arthur Miller 1955
Oftenreferredtoas’TheEggheadand
TheHourglass‘whentheyweretogether,
Monroe first met playwright Arthur Miller
during the filming of Bus Stop. Despite trying to
keep their relationship out of public view, Monroe was
forced to announce their engagement after a reporter’s
car crashed while following them, killing a
passenger.Theymarriedin1956afterMonroe + + + + +
convertedtoJudaism,butlessthanfive
years later, in 1961, they were divorced.
Frank Sinatra 1961
Following her divorce from Miller, + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + +
Monroe stayed at Sinatra’s house in
LosAngelesinthesummerof1961.
Monroe even talked about marrying
thecrooner,buthebrokeoffthe
relationship by the fall, just around the
timehemetJulietProwse,whohewas
subsequently engaged to.
+ + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + +
JohnFKennedy 1962
Oneofthemostdiscussedand
speculated-upon relationships in history,
the extent of Monroe’s relationship with
President Kennedy will likely never
be known. Her rendition of Happy
Birthday, Mr President on his birthday
was one of the last public appearances
she made, and it is rumoured they had
previously spent a week together. She
also made frequent calls to the White
House during the last few months of her life,
which were ignored by the president.
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