Marilyn Monroe, born Norma Jeane Mortensen and also known in her youth as Norma Jeane Baker, was an American film actress and cultural icon who became the most enduring sex symbol of 20th-century Hollywood. Her image, blending vulnerability, sensuality, and innocence, made her one of the most recognizable figures in cinema history.

Marilyn Monroe was born in Los Angeles, California, as the daughter of Gladys Monroe Baker Mortensen, a film cutter who was unmarried at the time of her birth. Her father was never conclusively identified. Although her mother was an avid movie fan, Monroe spent little time with her, as Gladys struggled with mental instability. Within two weeks of her birth, Monroe was placed into foster care, beginning a childhood marked by foster homes, guardianships, and orphanages. These early experiences left her with a lasting sense of abandonment, which she later described as feeling like a “mistake.”

Her childhood trauma included sexual molestation and emotional neglect. In 1942, she entered an early marriage with James Dougherty, a union arranged in part to prevent her return to an orphanage. The marriage ended in divorce in 1946. During this period, Monroe was compelled to quit high school, further contributing to her feelings of inadequacy and insecurity.

While her husband served in the merchant marine during World War II, Monroe worked at the Radioplane Company between 1944 and 1945, inspecting parachutes. Army photographers documenting female war workers noticed her, leading to her first modeling opportunities. From these sessions emerged her legendary relationship with the camera; she appeared relaxed, sensual, and expressive, qualities that quickly attracted photographers and filmmakers.

At the age of twenty, Monroe completed her first screen test, signed a contract with 20th Century-Fox, and adopted the stage name Marilyn Monroe, which she legally changed in 1956. Early film roles were limited, and her contract was initially not renewed. She regained a Fox contract in 1948, though her first significant screen appearances did not arrive until 1950.

Although often typecast as the “dumb blonde,” a stereotype that deeply frustrated her, Monroe transcended this image in The Asphalt Jungle and All About Eve (both 1950). Working under acclaimed directors John Huston and Joseph L. Mankiewicz, she brought nuance and intelligence to brief roles, revealing her dramatic potential.

In 1951, Monroe signed a seven-year contract with 20th Century-Fox. Despite being underpaid and exploited by the studio system, she continued to elevate her material. Her dramatic abilities were showcased in Clash by Night (1952), Don’t Bother to Knock (1952), and Niagara (1953), where she portrayed complex and darker characters, including the dangerously seductive Rose Loomis.

Her most iconic role came in Gentlemen Prefer Blondes (1953), where she played Lorelei Lee and performed the signature song “Diamonds Are a Girl’s Best Friend.” Although framed as a comedic gold-digger, Monroe infused the character with irony and intelligence, famously remarking, “I can be smart when it’s important, but most men don’t like it.”

During the early and mid-1950s, Monroe became one of the most photographed and publicized women in America. Her marriage to baseball legend Joe DiMaggio in 1954 attracted enormous media attention, as did revelations that she had posed nude for a calendar in 1952. By openly acknowledging the circumstances under which the photographs were taken, Monroe turned potential scandal into public sympathy.

Her role in The Seven Year Itch (1955), in which she portrayed a character known simply as “The Girl,” solidified her image as an abstract sex symbol. The famous subway-grate scene became one of the most enduring images in film history. The publicity surrounding the scene contributed to the collapse of her marriage to DiMaggio.

After breaking her contract with Fox, Monroe sought artistic growth. She studied method acting under Paula Strasberg and Lee Strasberg, and married playwright Arthur Miller in 1956. During this period, she demonstrated political awareness, supporting Miller during his confrontation with the House Un-American Activities Committee and speaking publicly against nuclear weapons.

Monroe delivered some of her finest performances in the latter part of her career, notably in Bus Stop (1956), Some Like It Hot (1959), and The Misfits (1961). However, chronic health problems, anxiety, depression, and dependence on prescription drugs increasingly disrupted her professional life.

Despite ongoing struggles, Monroe showed remarkable resilience and continued planning new projects. She died on August 5, 1962, at her home in Brentwood, California, from a drug overdose at the age of thirty-six. Although officially ruled a suicide, her death has remained the subject of enduring controversy.

In her final interview, Monroe asked journalist Richard Meryman of *Life* magazine, “Please don’t make me a joke.” Director Billy Wilder, who worked with her on The Seven Year Itch and Some Like It Hot, described her as “an absolute genius as a comic actress.” Beyond the caricature of the dumb blonde, Marilyn Monroe remains a symbol of talent, vulnerability, and tragic brilliance.

Spouses:
James Dougherty (1942–1946)
Joe DiMaggio (1954–1954)
Arthur Miller (1956–1961)

Filmography:
1947 – The Shocking Miss Pilgrim
1947 – Dangerous Years
1948 – You Were Meant for Me
1948 – Scudda Hoo! Scudda Hay!
1948 – Green Grass of Wyoming
1948 – Ladies of the Chorus
1949 – Love Happy
1950 – A Ticket to Tomahawk
1950 – Right Cross
1950 – The Fireball
1950 – The Asphalt Jungle
1950 – All About Eve
1951 – Love Nest
1951 – Let’s Make It Legal
1951 – Home Town Story
1951 – As Young as You Feel
1952 – O. Henry’s Full House
1952 – Monkey Business
1952 – Clash by Night
1952 – We’re Not Married!
1952 – Don’t Bother to Knock
1953 – Niagara
1953 – Gentlemen Prefer Blondes
1953 – How to Marry a Millionaire
1954 – River of No Return
1954 – There’s No Business Like Show Business
1955 – The Seven Year Itch
1956 – Bus Stop
1957 – The Prince and the Showgirl
1959 – Some Like It Hot
1960 – Let’s Make Love
1961 – The Misfits
1962 – Something’s Got to Give (Incomplete)

Source: Biyografiler.com