The Life and Career of Marilyn Monroe

Most people know Marilyn for her stage performances and her attractive appearance, but did you know her real name was Norma Jeane? In this essay I will be explaining in depth about the young Marilyn Monroe and her rocky start to being a well known actress today. Marilyn Monroe was an actor and model. She was discovered working in Van Nuys, California in 1946. A famous photographer watched her work for hours before offering her a deal. She accepted his offer and started off her career in modeling. Later that year she would start to kick off her acting career, by dying her hair blonde and moving back to Los Angeles, California. Her most famous work was in “Bus Stop' and “Some Like it Hot'. You will be learning about Monroe's family, Career, and mental illness. These things made her the amazing actor she is known for today.

Marilyn Monroe had quite an exciting childhood. Both of her maternal grandparents and her mother were committed to mental institutions. She was tossed around from twelve different foster families and one orphanage, after losing the only family she knew. Her last foster family, the Bolenders, wanted to adopt Marliyn. Before they could her mother was dismissed from the institution and took Monroe back into her control. Before long her mother had a breakdown, and tried to strangle her daughter. After this inceddent Biography.com stated that “At seven years old, Monroe returned to a life in foster himes where she endured sexual assault on segeral occasions.” Monroe was given to her mother's best friend Grace Goddard. This stay did not last long Grace’s husband started molesting Monroe, this event left Monroe with Ana Grace’s aunt. Ana’s advanced age placed her back with the Goddards. After two years the Goddards planned to relocate and couldn’t take Marilyn with them by law. She was forced to choose between going to an orphanage or to get married. She decided to marry her neighbor and close friend James Dougherty. Biography.com also stated that “Monroe had three husbands in her lifetime: James Dougherty, Joe DiMaggio, and Arthur Miller.” Monroe was always scared to be left alone. She always wanted extra attention. She would often turn to people specifically males who could make her feel as one of a kind. She liked the feeling of knowing someone was there for her to fill the spot of her missing father.

Monroe never found it easy to keep a husband around. She didn’t like the feeling of commitment. After her mother and father left her, she never wanted someone to leave her if she could leave them first.

Monroe had quite a rocky start when it came to acting. She was known as a model and sex symbol all over the world. She only made a few hit movies but was known well for her appearance, and figure. She never found it hard to land a modeling gig with any photographer. Monroe tried to change her stereotype of a ditsy blonde and attended acting school in New York City. She was trying to make a name for herself in the acting field. This was hard for Monroe, she always seemed to fall down a rabbit hole, and would still play the part of a scatterbrain blonde. Monroe never got the chance to show the producers that she was more than just a figure to draw viewers attention. As stated in the Theater Seat Store, Monroe was “Always anxious that it was her looks that won her roles, she wanted to be taken seriously as an actress by the end of her career she had wona number of awards incuding three Golden Globe awards.” Monroe would make herself anxious to the point of no return. She would turn to medication to help relieve the never ending thought that it was her appearance and body that landed her roles, and she would never be known for her acting skills. She wanted to make a good impression for herself and tried to land a head female role. This did not go well for Monroe, after her attempt Hollowood started casting females to raise sexual appeal to their shows. The Theater Seat Store said, “Her popularity influenced Hollywood to cast female roles with increased sexual explicitness, often at the expense of serious dramatic treatments of women's lives.” Monroe was very offended with the decisions made by Hollywood that it left her unemployed after speaking out against her beliefs in female acting. 20th Centry Fox decided after two years of unemployment to sign Monroe a four year conract on the show “Some Like it Hot.” Monroe played the head female role, and this was her first movie her body wasn’t shown off to the camera. After “Some Like it Hot”, Monroe was spotted by a head producer in Los Angeles. Monroe was sure it was her skills now winning the hearts of her audience.

Monroe suffered from a pre-acting syndrome where she would make herself sick before going on stage to perform. She always tried to figure out the cause but unfortunately, no doctor knew how to diagnose something like this. Most doctors said it was all in her head, or it was the medication Monroe was known to be taking. Her illness would cause her to have suicidal thoughts and would make her vomit repeatedly for hours. This illness not only affected her mentally it also infected her job. 20th century Fox unsigned her after her absence to many additions. This did leave her unemployed in the acting community for a long time.