Marilyn Monroe Biography

Fast Facts

• Named the Most Popular Female Star at the 1953 Photoplay Awards
• Ranked No․ 6 on the American Film Institute's "100 Years․․․ 100 Stars" list for Female Legends
• Won a Golden Plate for her performance in "The Prince and the Showgirl" at the 1958 David di Donatello Awards
• Struggled with alcohol abuse and abuse of prescription drugs in the years leading up to her death, according to her psychiatrist
• Worked at the Radioplane Munitions Factory during World War II, where a photographer encouraged her to start modeling
• Quote: "In Hollywood a girl's virtue is much less important than her hairdo․"
• Quote: "(When asked what she sleeps in) "I sleep in Chanel Number Five․""
• Gained respect as a talented dramatic and comedic actress after negotiating a new contract that allowed her to have more say in her roles
• During her early career, she was often typecast as a dumb blonde, but though her talent as an actress eventually blossomed, she would always be seen as the sex symbol her early roles made her out to be
• People Magazine voted her Sexiest Woman of the Century in 1999
• Received 5,000 letters from fans every week, a significant number of which were marriage proposals
• Tended to be chronically late, showing up anywhere from an hour to 24 hours after the time of her appointments