On This Day

Marilyn Monroe

Actress Marilyn Monroe

Full Name: Norma Jeane Mortenson
Profession: Actress

Nationality:
United States of America
American

Biography: Monroe was an American actress, model, and singer who became a major sex symbol of her age.

Often playing an archetypal "dumb blonde" she starred in a number of commercially successful motion pictures during the 1950s and early 1960s.

She became further famous for singing "Happy Birthday, Mr President" to John F. Kennedy and for modelling in the first issue of Playboy magazine.

Born: June 1, 1926
Birthplace: Los Angeles, California, USA

Generation: Greatest Generation
Chinese Zodiac: Tiger
Star Sign: Gemini

Died: August 4, 1962 (aged 36)
Cause of Death: Suicide by drug overdose

Married Life

  • 1942-06-19 Aspiring American actress Norma Jean Mortenson (later known as Marilyn Monroe) (16) weds first husband American merchant marine James Dougherty (21); divorce in 1946
  • 1954-01-14 American NY Yankee baseball player Joe DiMaggio weds American actress Marilyn Monroe (27), the 2nd time for both), at San Francisco City Hall; divorce in 1955
  • 1956-06-29 American actress and sex symbol Marilyn Monroe (30) weds for the 3rd time, this time marrying playwright Arthur Miller (40) at White Plains Court House in White Plains, New York; divorce in 1961

Historical Events

  • 1953-11-05 Film "How to Marry a Millionaire" directed by Jean Negulesco, starring Lauren Bacall, Betty Grable and Marilyn Monroe, first to be filmed in CinemaScope; release delayed to allow "The Robe" to debut the format
  • 1953-12-01 Hugh Hefner publishes 1st edition of Playboy magazine, featuring Marilyn Monroe as the magazine's 1st centerfold
  • 1959-03-29 "Some Like It Hot", American comedy film directed by Billy Wilder, and starring Marilyn Monroe, Tony Curtis, and Jack Lemmon, premieres at Loew’s Capital Theatre, NYC
  • 1961-02-01 John Huston's film drama "The Misfits" officially premieres at the Loews Capitol in NYC, after a sneak preview at Reno, Nevada's Grenada Theatre; the final movie for both Clark Gable and Marilyn Monroe was written by Monroe's husband Arthur Miller, and also featured Montgomery Cliff
  • 1962-05-19 Marilyn Monroe sings "Happy Birthday, Mr. President" to JFK before 15,000 attendees, accompanied by jazz pianist Hank Jones, at Madison Square Garden, NYC
  • 1983-11-20 Musical "Marilyn: An American Fable", loosely based on life of Marilyn Monroe, starring Alyson Reed and Scott Bakula, opens at Minskoff Theater, NYC; runs for 17 performances
  • 1983-12-03 Musical "Marilyn: An American Fable", loosely based on life of Marilyn Monroe, starring Alyson Reed and Scott Bakula, closes at Minskoff Theatre, NYC, after 17 performances
  • 2022-05-09 An Andy Warhol portrait of Marilyn Monroe sells for $195 million at auction in New York - the highest price ever for an American artwork

Biographies and Sources


Famous Actresses

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