Marilyn Monroe remains one of the most famous icons of the 20th century. Known for her Hollywood glamour, beauty, and energy, she was far more than just a movie star.
Marilyn was born Norma Jeane Mortenson on June 1, 1926, in Los Angeles, California. She was later baptized as Norma Jeane Baker. Her mother, Gladys Baker, worked as a film cutter but suffered from severe mental health issues and was eventually placed in an institution. Because of this, Marilyn spent most of her childhood moving between foster homes and an orphanage.
In 1937, she went to live with a family friend named Grace McKee Goddard. However, when Grace’s husband was transferred across the country in 1942, they could not afford to take Marilyn with them. To avoid returning to the orphanage, 16-year-old Marilyn married her 21-year-old neighbor, Jimmy Dougherty, on June 19, 1942.
When Jimmy was sent overseas with the Merchant Marines in 1944, Marilyn took a job at a munitions factory in Burbank, California. While working, she was discovered by a photographer taking pictures of women contributing to the war effort. This marked the beginning of a successful modeling career.
By 1946, she had to choose between her marriage and her dreams. She divorced Jimmy in June 1946 and signed her first movie contract with Twentieth Century Fox that August. With this new career she decided to transform every aspect of her life, she dyed her hair blonde and changed her name to Marilyn Monroe.
Marilyn started acting in small films. Until 1950 when she was noticed for her roles in The Asphalt Jungle, All About Eve, and the movie Niagara 1953, this success led to lead roles in major hits like Gentlemen Prefer Blondes and How to Marry a Millionaire.
Despite her huge success, Marilyn suffered from severe pre-performance anxiety, which often made her physically ill and caused her to be late to movie sets.
In 1955 she moved to New York City to study serious acting under Lee Strasberg. She also formed her own company, Marilyn Monroe Productions, which produced Bus Stop and The Prince and the Showgirl. Her talent was officially recognized when she won a Golden Globe for Best Actress in a Comedy for the 1959 Some Like It Hot.
Marilyn’s personal life was heavily followed by the public. Following her first divorce, she married baseball legend Joe DiMaggio in January 1954, but they divorced nine months later due to conflicts over her career and fame. In June 1956, she married famous playwright Arthur Miller. He wrote the screenplay for her last completed film, The Misfits (1961), but their marriage ended earlier that same year.
Beyond acting, Marilyn used her global platform to support charitable causes and connect with people. In 1954, during her honeymoon in Tokyo with her second husband, baseball legend Joe DiMaggio, she went on a highly successful four-day USO tour in South Korea, and performed ten shows for over 100,000 U.S. servicemen, providing a massive morale boost and later calling the experience the moment she truly felt like a star.
Throughout her career, Marilyn quietly supported various charities. Having experienced a difficult childhood in orphanages and foster care, she felt a profound empathy for vulnerable groups, dedicating her time and resources to helping children in need and supporting medical research. She actively worked with organizations like WAIF and frequently visited children’s hospitals and orphanages to bring joy to ill or underprivileged children.
Monroe was also a supporter of the March of Dimes and made public appearances to help the Muscular Dystrophy Foundation. She also donated to the Arthritis and Rheumatism Foundation.
Tragically, on August 4, 1962, Marilyn died at her home in Brentwood, California, at the age of 36 from a drug overdose. Throughout her career, Marilyn made 30 movies, leaving her final film unfinished. Her films grossed over $200 million, which was an great achievement for an actress whose leading career lasted only a single decade.
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