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Immortal Marilyn

The Weekly Marilyn Round-Up: December 2, 2016

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After a week off for the Thanksgiving holiday last week, we’re back to recap the latest Marilyn news!

 

The key to Marilyn's New Milford hotel room.

The key to Marilyn’s New Milford hotel room.

Of course, last week’s big news was the Julien’s auction in Los Angeles.  As of our last news roundup, only Thursdays’s big round had been completed, including the sale of the iconic “Happy Birthday” dress.  The remaining days proved interesting as well, with many of the smaller ticket items landing in fan hands, including several of our own IM members.  Congrats to all the winners, we hope to put together a list soon!

 

A less notable sale was reported last weekend.  An antique dealer sold off some old keys to a hotel called the Homestead Inn, located in New Milford, Connecticut.  One of those keys was to room 22, the room where Marilyn is said to have frequently stayed.  The key sold for $131.  Not quite Julien’s prices, and a great deal for whichever collector had enough cash left after the big auction to nab it!

Marilyn's latest magazine cover.

Marilyn’s latest magazine cover.

 

Marilyn graced the cover of Los Angeles magazine as part of a story about the iconic images that define the city.  The cover was a George Barris photo and the mag featured a tribute to the late photographer.  The magazine is on newsstands in Los Angeles, so if you want a copy you may have to lean on an LA pal to grab one – or if you know of another way to grab a copy, do let us all know!

 

That’s the news for this week – see you next Friday!

Marilyn’s Contemporaries: Rita Hayworth

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Life and Career

Margarita Carmen Cansino was born in Brooklyn in 1918. Her father, Eduardo, had emigrated from Spain five years before, as one half of The Dancing Cansinos. He was newly married to showgirl Volga Haworth. In 1927, the Cansinos moved to Hollywood, where Eduardo established a dance studio.

At thirteen, Margarita left school and replaced Elisa as her father’s dancing partner. Between shows, Eduardo urged his daughter to mingle with the guests, including many Hollywood executives.

Margarita had already played bit parts in a few movies, and Max Arnow, then casting director at Warner Brothers, arranged a screen test. Winfield Sheehan – then Vice-President of the Fox Film Corporation – was so impressed by Margarita’s beauty that he offered her a short-term contract. But when Sheehan was ousted by Darryl F. Zanuck, Rita was also sacked.

Aged seventeen, Rita began dating Eddie Judson, an older businessman who quickly recognised her potential. They married in 1937, shortly after she was signed by Columbia, the ‘Poverty Row’ studio headed by Harry Cohn. She underwent a dramatic makeover, and began using the surname ‘Hayworth’ (a modification of her mother’s name.)

Rita in Blood & Sand

Rita in Blood & Sand

Rita landed her first important role opposite Cary Grant in Howard Hawks’ Only Angels Have Wings (1939.) Realising he had a valuable property on his hands, Harry Cohn loaned her out to Twentieth Century Fox for Blood and Sand. “She had a tremendous magic back then,” said bandleader Fred Karger, “and you’ve got to remember this town was full of beautiful women.”

But while her career continued to soar, Rita’s marriage had turned into a nightmare. Judson pressurised her to sleep with studio executives, and when Harry Cohn invited the couple to join him and his wife for a weekend on their yacht, Judson urged her to seduce Cohn. This was the last straw for Rita, and an ugly, protracted divorce ensued.

As America entered World War II, a string of hit musicals allowed Rita to show off her warm, vivacious side. She was paired with Fred Astaire in You’ll Never Get Rich and You Were Never Lovelier. In Cover Girl, an early Technicolor musical, Rita danced with Gene Kelly.

With Orson Welles and daughter Rebecca

With Orson Welles and daughter Rebecca

Her second husband was the most brilliant, controversial man in Hollywood. Orson Welles had recently seen Bob Landry’s seductive photo of a negligee-clad Rita in Life magazine, and vowed to marry her. Rita was delighted by the birth of their daughter Rebecca, but Welles had no interest in children or domesticity; and though he adored Rita, his career would always come first.

Rita in Gilda.

Rita in Gilda.

By 1946, Rita had separated from Welles, but was reluctant to get a divorce. She had also started making a movie that would change the course of her career. A definitive ‘film noir’, Gilda told the tale of a wild, free-spirited dancer who runs into an old flame. While many critics found Gilda immoral, the public loved it. Rita would forever be associated with the role, confiding sadly to a friend, “Every man I have ever known has fallen in love with Gilda, and awakened with me.”

Harry Cohn was further aggrieved by Rita’s attempts to reconcile with Orson Welles. Nonetheless, he agreed to allow Welles to star alongside her in The Lady From Shanghai – another classic film noir, but in an even darker vein.

Still hoping to save her marriage, Rita sailed to Europe. The spark was not rekindled, but at a party in Cannes, Rita was introduced to Prince Aly Khan – son of the Aga Khan, spiritual leader of the Muslim world. Although married, Aly had been separated from his wife since the war. In 1949, after Aly’s divorce was finalised, they married in a whirl of publicity. Their daughter Yasmin was born in December. However, life with Aly Khan did not bring the security Rita had hoped for. Like Orson, he had fallen for Rita Hayworth, the love goddess – not the insecure woman she really was.

In 1953 she married Dick Haymes, a former big band singer who exploited her star status to revive his ailing career. After a rocky two-year marriage,she divorced him. She starred opposite Frank Sinatra and Kim Novak in Pal Joey (1957), her last film at Columbia. Her final marriage, to producer James Hill, ended in 1961.

By the early 1960s, Rita was frequently missing cues and blowing lines, which seemed out of character for such a consummate professional. Her final, abandoned role in Tales That Witness Madness (1973) was a sad coda to a magical career.

In 1981, she was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s Disease. Friends and colleagues who had been frustrated with her behaviour now realised the truth of her situation. Rita’s daughter, Princess Yasmin Aga Khan, was appointed her legal guardian. Rita died in 1987, aged sixty-eight.

Marilyn Connections

Early Years: Marilyn also married young in the hope of escaping a difficult childhood. By nineteen she was divorced, and using a stage name inspired by Broadway star Marilyn Miller, and (like Rita) her own mother’s maiden name.

Bob Landry: In 1947, a young Marilyn was photographed by Bob Landry, who had immortalised Rita Hayworth six years before. When Landry worked with Marilyn again, she was a cover girl in her own right. Then in 1953, she was photographed by Milton Greene in a white negligee with black lace overlay, similar to the garment worn by Rita in Landry’s famous pin-up.

Fred Karger: In 1948, Marilyn was briefly under contract at Rita’s home studio, Columbia. While playing the lead in Ladies of the Chorus, she was coached by Columbia’s Head of Music, Fred Karger. He encouraged her to develop her fine singing voice, and an affair began. But he was often cruel, undermining her self-esteem.

Harry Cohn: Marilyn also incurred the wrath of Harry Cohn, refusing to join him for a weekend alone on his yacht. She was quickly dropped by the studio – a decision Cohn would live to regret.

Johnny Hyde: On the advice of her agent, Johnny Hyde, Rita asked Harry Cohn for a 25% share in the net profits of this and all her future films. When he refused, she went on suspension and formed an independent production company – becoming one of the first women in Hollywood to do so. Cohn was forced to concede. Hyde later guided Marilyn through her first significant roles in The Asphalt Jungle and All About Eve.

Rita with Jack Cole

Rita with Jack Cole

Jack Cole: In Tonight and Every Night, Gilda and Down to Earth, Rita was choreographed by Jack Cole. I evolved a working routine with [Rita] that I used a lot later, when working with Marilyn Monroe,” Cole told author John Kobal. “So I rehearse with Rita a couple of times around and we’re ready to start. Well, baby, I don’t know what hit me when they turned the camera on. Monroe was the same way – when it was for real, it was like look out!”

Gentlemen Prefer Blondes: Marilyn achieved stardom in this 1953 musical comedy. Director Howard Hawks’ description of her as “unreal,” with a “fairytale” quality, echoed his earlier assessment of Rita. For her signature number, ‘Diamonds Are a Girl’s Best Friend’, Marilyn wore a strapless sheath gown and long gloves – similar to Rita Hayworth’s attire when she danced to ‘Put the Blame on Mame’ in Gilda. Marilyn was choreographed by Jack Cole, and would work with him many times more.

Cohn vs Zanuck: “The only thing [Rita] got worked up about was Harry Cohn,” Cole recalled. At Columbia, he said, “they didn’t treat Rita the other way other studios treated a star … Zanuck was that way with Monroe,” he added. In 1955, Marilyn won a bitter legal battle with Twentieth Century Fox, and formed her own production company in a bid for better roles.

The Story on Page One: “Marilyn Monroe and Jayne Mansfield can have all the headlines,” Rita said in 1958. “From now on the only headlines I want are on my acting.” Rita played a battered wife in Clifford Odets’ The Story on Page One (1959), a role first offered to Marilyn. Something’s Got to Give: Marilyn died of an overdose in 1962, shortly after being fired from her last, incomplete movie.  Rita later said of Marilyn:

Marilyn wasn’t put on.  Her femininity was real, and there are very few who are really women on screen – I like to think I was. But I never met Marilyn, so I don’t really know…”

Like Marilyn, Rita was over-worked and under-appreciated during her studio heyday; but as time passed, her myth grew. Both women were named among the roll-call of Hollywood icons in Madonna’s 1990 hit, ‘Vogue’; and in the acclaimed 1994 film, The Shawshank Redemption, one scene shows the hero, wrongly imprisoned for murder, gazing at his only possession – a poster of Rita Hayworth.

Collector’s Corner: Lily Delbrooke

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Meet November’s featured collector, IM member Lily Delbrooke!

photo-20161122092644

How long have you been collecting?

I have been collecting Marilyn items since 2012. It all began with a single shirt that I found in my closet. I found out who she was, and began looking up her photos and researching about her; I was amazed by her beauty! I soon began to see how she was literally everywhere; shirts, cups, posters, magazines, clocks, you name it, they have it! I decided that I wanted to collect Marilyn Monroe things since I had been trying to find something I love and to make it a hobby that I would enjoy very much.

What is in your collection? Do you focus on one particular area or collect all kinds of items?

photo-20161122092720I have a variety of items in my collection. I would say that I mainly focus on books and shirts. I am working on filling up my small book shelf and I have almost purchased every book that I want. I am very picky when it comes to books, I don’t want to have any books that tell lies about her or simply bash her. I like to know that the books that I own are reliable and informative. My other shelves have all kinds of unique items such as cards, flip flops, magnets, calendars, and much more that I enjoy collecting.

photo-20161122092802What is your most prized item?

My most prized items would be my vintage Marilyn magazines, it’s incredible to see how the magazines were in those times and what they had in them.

What item would you most like to add to your collection?

I want to have her autograph in my collection, whether it’s on a check or a photograph.

Is there any advice you’d offer to a new collector?

My advice would be to always be smart about what Marilyn items you choose to buy. Don’t buy something simply because it has her face on it, (unless you truly love it of course!) and make sure it has good quality! I have seen a trash can with a small Marilyn sticker slapped onto it for quite a bit of money, and it was really plain and simple!

photo-20161122092828

What do your friends and family think of your collection?

My family and friends are fascinated by my collection and since they know about my Marilyn obsession every time they see something with her they think about me right away, which I love!

Marilyn’s Contemporaries: Ginger Rogers

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Life and career

In most cases, up-and-coming stars modify their birth names to something catchier with the help of their studio heads. This was not the case for Ginger Rogers, born Virginia McMath on the 16th of July in 1911. When her cousin Helen was a toddler, she had trouble saying the name “Virginia,” so instead began saying “Ginga,” and the rest is history.

Ginger as a child

Ginger as a child

Ginger’s parents, William McMath and Lela (Owens) McMath were estranged before Ginger was born. William even attempted to kidnap his daughter on two occasions, succeeding the first time. Little Ginger went missing for several days, but with the relentless praying and sleuthing conducted by her mother and the town of Independence, Missouri, she was located at her father’s parents’ house in Kansas City. Her mother remarried to John Logan Rogers in 1920.

“My mother told me I was dancing before I was born.”

Ginger’s career began in 1925 when a fellow schoolmate taught her how to perform the popular dance of the 20’s: the Charleston. Ginger performed remarkably well, which prompted her to enter a Charleston dance contest. The competition brought her to Fort Worth, Texas, where she claimed victory and was offered a chance to perform in the Interstate circuit for four weeks. Later, after getting together with a small group of friends, the stage act “Ginger and the Redheads” was formed. At fourteen years old, Ginger and her trio traveled across the country from 1925 to 1928 performing shows at several theaters. Once they disbanded, Ginger continued to pursue more roles onstage and began getting more and more noticed. Through this, she gained valuable stage experience.

After catching the eye of Walter Wagner of Paramount and being screen tested, Ginger was signed to a seven year contract in January of 1930. Her first film under a major studio was Young Man of Manhattan (1930). She soon divorced Jack Pepper, whom she had married at seventeen, the first of her five eventual divorces. In June of 1931, she was contacted by a producer at RKO who was interested in signing her on for a picture for Pathe Exchange. After successfully cancelling her contract with Paramount, she was off to Hollywood, bringing her strong-hearted mother, who also acted as her manager, with her.

rio

With Fred Astaire in Flying Down to Rio

It was there in 1933 that Ginger began her legendary on-screen partnership with Fred Astaire. Beginning with Flying Down To Rio and ending in 1939 with The Story of Vernon and Irene Castle, the handful of Astaire-Rogers productions that were made went down in history. These days, rumors love to circulate about the true nature of their relationship, but the truth is that they were only close friends. Years before working together, Fred and Ginger did go on a date after they met in New York, but nothing serious came of it. Both had a mutual respect for each other’s work, and by the time they were reunited in Hollywood, Fred was married to Phyllis Potter, who wouldn’t even allow them to kiss on screen. Although the dancing duo eventually parted to pursue more diverse roles with different co-stars, they will forever be remembered as two of the most beloved dancers in cinema history.

Ginger in 1950

Ginger in 1950

Once her memorable stint with Fred was completed, she moved on to receive more parts in comedies and dramas rather than TV musicals. In 1941, she won an Oscar for her performance in Kitty Foyle. Throughout the rest of her career, she appeared in countless films, not to mention a long list of stage productions and several television spots. In 1971, she performed the Charleston for the first time in decades for a television episode of Lucille Ball’s Here’s Lucy. She divorced five times, the cause most often because of her spouse’s problem with alcohol. Ginger was raised with a prominent Christian Science background which she practiced and carried her entire life. She was adamantly against drinking and serving alcohol. Instead of beer, the bar at her Hollywood home served ice-cream soda.

Her final film performance was in the 1965 film Harlow, in which she played Jean Harlow’s mother. Her last public appearance was in 1995, when she was honored with the Women’s International Living Legacy Award. That year, she suffered a stroke, leaving her wheelchair bound. As a believer in Christian Science, she chose not to receive modern medical help. She passed away of a heart attack on April 25, 1995.

“Looking back at my life’s voyage, I can only say that it has been a golden trip. A thousand words are not enough to express my gratitude for the excitement, glamour, adventure, and infinite variety I have experienced.”

 

Marilyn connections

Billy Wilder – Directed Ginger in his first American film The Major and the Minor (1942). Directed Marilyn in The Seven Year Itch (1955) and Some Like It Hot (1959).

Jean Louis – A favorite designer among both women. He worked with both for several years.

Harry Cohn Terminated Marilyn’s contract with Columbia. Paid to test Ginger in the early 30’s but did not sign her. Ginger was disgusted by the passes he made at her. “I stood up fearlessly to his advances by reminding him that I knew his wife.”

Christian Science – Marilyn was surrounded by the influence of Christian Science beginning in her early teen years. Her mother became a Christian Scientist once she was introduced to the belief system by Marilyn’s Aunt Grace and Aunt Ana, who were also believers. Lela Rogers was an adamant Christian Scientist, and Ginger was raised the same way from birth. She carried her faith with her throughout her life.

Misquoting Although Ginger isn’t misquoted nearly as much as much as Marilyn is, she does occasionally fall victim to her name being wrongly attached to phrases she did not say. The most popular example would be “I did everything [Fred Astaire] did, but backwards and in high heels.” A clever and true quote, but one that has relentlessly been attributed to not only Ginger herself, but a plethora of other individuals. This quote originally comes from a newspaper comic by Bob Thaves.

Ginger and Marilyn in Monkey Business.

Ginger and Marilyn in Monkey Business.

While Marilyn and Ginger never became close friends, they worked well together on two films, Monkey Business (1952) and We’re Not Married (1952). Both actresses also did not have children.

In her 1991 autobiography, coincidentally titled Ginger: My Story, Ginger tells of a time in which she was at work for 20th Century Fox on Black Widow while Marilyn was in the middle of filming There’s No Business Like Show Business. According to Ginger, Marilyn stopped by her dressing room one day for a visit, and recalled Marilyn getting slightly emotional and teary-eyed when Ginger asked how things were going with Joe DiMaggio, who Marilyn had been newly married to. Another memory with Marilyn is one Sunday morning when Ginger was attending her regular church on North Crescent Heights Boulevard in Los Angeles. Upon looking towards the back, she observed Marilyn seated in the last row.

“It was the only time I saw her there. Perhaps if Marilyn had become seriously interested in this way of thinking, the tragic end of her life might have been avoided.”

Ginger in 1976

Ginger in 1976

 

Ginger Rogers will always remain one of the brightest stars of her time, as will Marilyn Monroe. Although Ginger is most commonly remembered as the dance partner to Fred Astaire, she rightfully earns her spot as one of the most talented actresses on the silver screen for her large variety of other film credits. She will continue to illuminate screens across the world with her grace, talent, and loveable charm for generations to come. Both Ginger and Marilyn have earned iconic status in the hearts of millions in their own unique way.

-Ky Monroe for Immortal Marilyn

The Weekly Marilyn Roundup: November 18, 2016

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Happy Friday Marilyn fans!!!!  And what a day it is to be a Marilyn fan!  Last night’s historic Julien’s auction held a lot of surprises, so let’s get to the news!

 

Photo credit Reena Rose Sabajit

Photo credit Reena Rose Sabajit

Biggest news of the night, the Happy Birthday Mr. President dress sold at auction for $4,ooo,ooo, more than double its 1999 sale price.  Marilyn fans broke into jubilation as word spread it had been purchased by Ripley’s.  the company bought a number of major items in in the 1999 Christie’s auction, but last night beat it all with the purchase of THE DRESS.  Word is, they also bought all of the JFK gala items up for bids, and plan to display them in their Los Angeles museum.  This is huge news for Marilyn fans – the dress, which has been hidden away for nearly 55 years, will finally be available for the public to see.

Meanwhile, Marilyn fans were surprised to see other items go lower than expected, such as the Some Like it Hot dress, which sold for $375,000, under the low end of the estimate.  While fans were shocked to see some items go low, some items that went high made jaws drop as well, such as vintage magazines and posters.

We’ll have a full report on the auction later, there’s still more to come!

Was there other Marilyn news this week?  Well, Robert Wagner has a new memoir out in which he discusses his encounters with Marilyn.  I Loved Her In The Movies: Memories of Hollywood’s Legendary Actresses is available on Amazon.

In are-you-kidding-me news, a British poll of 1000 people put Marilyn in second place to model Cara Delevingne as most iconic celebrity of the last century.  Seriously?  No accounting for some tastes…

 

That’s it for news this week…so far.  Good luck to everyone bidding in the rest of the auction!

The Weekly Marilyn Roundup: November 11th, 2016

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Happy Friday – and before we go on, a moment of silence for Remembrance Day, and a moment of thanks to all veterans who fought for freedom!

marilyn-monroe-in-korea-1

 

Marilyn in the news this week includes some odd and some interesting tidbits!  First off, the Sunday Post seems to have taken advantage of election week to write an odd article entitled “Marilyn Monroe Could Have Been President”.  Unfortunately, what might have been a fun, if unrealistic article, was dragged down by the same old, same old.  More on the Kennedys and claims that Marilyn thought she was going to be First Lady…if only we could put that nonsense to rest.  Sigh.

 

The battle over who gets to make money off Marilyn continues.  Reports came in this week that her estate is suing a lingerie company for using her name and image to sell their wares.  While officially licensed Marilyn items are all over the place, so are unlicensed products – even products with photoshopped images and images that aren’t even Marilyn on them – maybe those companies aren’t making enough money to be of notice?

 

Not much else to report this week – it’s not like it’s been a slow news week, so that’s no surprise.  With everyone gearing up for the big Julien’s auction that takes place next week, no doubt there will be more to report!  Have a great weekend Marilyn fans.

Marilyn’s Contemporaries: Vivien Leigh

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Life and Career

Vivian Mary Hartley was born in 1913, in Darjeeling, India, where she took to the stage for the first time at the age of 3 to recite Little Bo Peep.  She travelled around Europe with her parents and was educated in multiple schools in locations like London and Paris.  In 1931, the family settled back in England, and Vivian began her efforts to be an actress in earnest.  She enrolled at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art that same year, and also met the man who would become her first husband, Leigh Holman.  They were married in 1932.

Vivien Leigh in Fire Over England, 1937

Vivien Leigh in Fire Over England, 1937

Although marriage and the birth of daughter Suzanne took her away from acting, she was drawn back.  A small role in the film Things Are Looking Up led to an agent and a new name: Vivien Leigh.  She soon after took a stage role in The Mask of Virtue, and it was in this play that she caught the eye of actor Laurence Olivier.  It was the beginning of one of the great love stories in Hollywood history.

 

By the time Vivien and Laurence appeared together in Fire Over England in 1937, their friendship had developed into an affair; both were still married.  Vivien had read the novel Gone With the Wind and set her sights not only on Olivier, but on the most coveted role in Hollywood.  As David O’Selznick hunted for his Scarlett, Vivien’s star was on the rise.  She appeared in multiple stage productions and films, gaining notice in America.  When Olivier headed to America to film Wuthering Heights, Vivien followed, and presented herself as the future Scarlett O’Hara.  The rest, as they say, is history.

On the set of Gone With the Wind

On the set of Gone With the Wind

With filming already underway, Vivien threw her hat in the ring and won the role of Scarlett O’Hara in Gone With the Wind opposite Clark Gable, in spite of having been previously considered “too British” to play a Southern Belle.  She would win the Best Actress Oscar award for her role, and became one of the biggest stars in the world.

In 1940, both Vivien and Laurence divorced their spouses, and were promptly married in California.  Devoted to each other, the two aimed to take on as many projects together as possible, both on the stage and in films.  While both enjoyed film success, their hearts were in the theatre.  In 1947, when Olivier was knighted, Vivien Leigh became Lady Olivier.

Leigh won her second Academy Award for Best Actress in A Streetcar Named Desire in the role of Blanche DuBois, which she had previously played on the stage.  It was 1951, and a young actress named Marilyn Monroe was rising to stardom.  Meanwhile, troubles were ahead for Vivien Leigh.

Previously diagnosed with tuberculosis (which didn’t stop her from a lifelong smoking habit), Leigh now faced mental illness.  In 1953, she had a breakdown on the set of Elephant Walk.  She was replaced by Elizabeth Taylor in the film.  Olivier took her home to England, where she faced months of recovery.  Later that year, she recovered enough to return to the stage opposite Olivier in The Sleeping Prince.  Three years later Olivier would film the movie version with Marilyn in the role originated by his wife on the stage.

The Oliviers

The Oliviers

During this same time period, a miscarriage led to another period of mental trouble for Leigh.  She had been diagnosed with manic depression, and her marriage to Olivier was nearing the end.  They divorced in 1960.  Vivien would battle mental illness for the rest of her life.

Vivien continued to have success on the stage and screen, winning a Tony Award in 1963 for Tovarich.  In 1965, she made her final film appearance in Ship of Fools.  Two years later, tuberculosis claimed her life at the age of 53.

 

 

 

 

Marilyn Connections

Marilyn with Lord and Lady Olivier at the premiere of A View From The Bridge, 1956

Marilyn with Lord and Lady Olivier at the premiere of A View From The Bridge, 1956

Vivien Leigh’s most obvious connection to Marilyn was The Prince and the Showgirl, the film version of The Sleeping Prince which starred Marilyn opposite Laurence Olivier.  The strain in the Olivier marriage was already evident during filming, and Leigh’s mental illness no doubt had an impact on the difficulties that plagued the set.  In 1960 Vivien stated in an interview that it was her idea to cast Marilyn, having seen How to Marry a Millionaire:

“I thought, heaven help me, that she was very funny. I said to Larry: This girl is wonderful in comedy”

Aside from that movie, Vivien and Marilyn had other connections.  Vivien famously starred opposite Clark Gable in Gone With the Wind – Marilyn would star opposite him in The Misfits.  Another Gone With the Wind co-star, Rand Brooks (Charles Hamilton) starred opposite Marilyn in her first starring role in the film Ladies of the Chorus.

In A Streetcar Named Desire, Vivien starred opposite Marilyn’s friend and Actor’s Studio colleague, Marlon Brando.  The film was also directed by Marilyn’s friend Elia Kazan.

The original director of Gone With the Wind was George Cukor, who would go onto direct Marilyn in Let’s Make Love and her final unfinished film, Something’s Got to Give.  Unlike Marilyn, Vivien was said to have gotten along well with Cukor.

Like Marilyn, Vivien frequently felt that her beauty kept her from being taken seriously as an actress:

“People think that if you look fairly reasonable, you can’t possibly act, and as I only care about acting, I think beauty can be a great handicap, if you really want to look like the part you’re playing, which isn’t necessarily like you.”

Both women faced a struggle with depression, and both also suffered from severe insomnia.  Like Marilyn, Leigh’s mental illness put serious strain on her marriage and was a factor in her divorce from Olivier.  Sadly, both also passed away too young.

 

-Leslie Kasperowicz for Immortal Marilyn

The Weekly Marilyn Roundup: November 4th, 2016

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Another week come and gone, and a busy one at that!

Neil Patrick Harris and family for Halloween!

Neil Patrick Harris and family for Halloween!

This week we had a blast celebrating Halloween on IM’s Facebook page with lots of Marilyn dress-up fun!  IMer’s weren’t the only ones paying homage to our favourite blonde.  This year’s celeb Marilyn tributes for Halloween included Martha Stewart (in one of TWO costumes, overachieving as usual) and Sharon Osbourne!  Cutest Marilyn award this year, though, goes to Neil Patrick Harris’ adorable daughter, whose twin brother rocked the James Dean look.

Halloween also brought out the Marilyn makeup tips from the pros.  This year it was Kim Kardashian’s makeup artist, Mario Dedidanovic, who offered advice on the technique of “baking”, which involves a lot less cooking than it sounds like.

 

In less happy news, the death of William Morris agent Norman Brokaw was announced this week.  Brokaw was the nephew of Marilyn’s benefactor, Johnny Hyde, who got him his start at William Morris in the mailroom.  He eventually rose to be a major power player in the industry, eventually becoming President of the company.  He passed away in Beverly Hills at the age of 89.

Marilyn photographed by Lawrence Schiller.

Marilyn photographed by Lawrence Schiller.

A group of high quality Lawrence Schiller prints showing Marilyn on the set of Something’s Got to Give will be auctioned off in Palm Desert on November 9th to support FIND Food Bank.  The photos are on display at the Heather James Fine Art Gallery before the auction.

Another Marilyn imitation showed up on TV recently.  An episode of the CW’s Crazy Ex-Girlfriend featured a take on Marilyn’s Diamonds Are a Girl’s Best Friend number in the show’s usual style of semi-parody musical comedy.  Even if you don’t watch the show you can catch a glimpse of the number, which turns the pink dress blue, online here.

Scott Fortner’s rare interview with Anna Strasberg appeared in two parts on his website this week.  Scott’s interview comes ahead of the Julien’s auction later this month that will see the last of the Lee Strasberg collection of Marilyn’s estate hit the block.

 

 

That’s it for this week!  See you next Friday, Marilyn fans!