Marilyn Monroe's Milestones

Marilyn Monroe (1926–1962), Hollywood icon, captivated the world with her beauty, talent, and enduring legacy in film and pop culture.
1926

Birth

Born Norma Jeane Mortenson at Los Angeles General Hospital to Gladys Pearl Baker, a film negative cutter with mental health issues.

Family June 1, 1926

Foster care begins

Placed with evangelical Christian foster parents Albert and Ida Bolender in Hawthorne while mother worked in the city.

Family August 1, 1926 - July 1, 1933
1934

Became ward of state

Became a ward of the state after mother's hospitalization, with Grace Goddard (later McKee) taking responsibility for her care.

Other January 1, 1934

Mother's mental breakdown

Mother Gladys had a mental breakdown and was diagnosed with paranoid schizophrenia, spending the rest of her life in and out of hospitals.

Family January 1, 1934
1935

Sexual abuse trauma

Reportedly experienced sexual abuse during childhood foster placements, contributing to lifelong insecurities and a stutter.

Other January 1, 1935

Los Angeles Orphanage

Placed in Los Angeles Orphans Home Society (later Hollygrove) after brief stays with various families.

Location September 1, 1935 - July 1, 1937
1936

Grace Goddard guardianship

Grace Goddard (later McKee) became her legal guardian, though she remained in the orphanage until summer 1937.

Relationship January 1, 1936
1937

Doc Goddard molestation attempt

A stay with Grace and her husband Erwin 'Doc' Goddard reportedly ended after Doc Goddard attempted to molest her, leading to more foster placements.

Other September 1, 1937
1942

First marriage

Married James 'Jim' Dougherty at age 16 to avoid returning to the orphanage or another foster home, arranged by Grace Goddard.

Relationship June 19, 1942
1944

Radioplane factory job

Worked at Radioplane Company munitions factory in Van Nuys inspecting parachutes while husband was deployed to the Pacific during WWII.

Career April 1, 1944 - January 1, 1945

Discovered by photographer

Met photographer David Conover at the factory, who was shooting morale-boosting pictures of female workers for Yank magazine.

Career June 26, 1944
1945

Modeling career begins

Signed contract with Blue Book Model Agency, defying her deployed husband. Became one of their most successful models.

Career August 1, 1945

Platinum blonde transformation

Straightened her naturally curly brown hair and dyed it various shades of blonde, eventually settling on platinum, for her modeling career.

Other August 1, 1945
1946

Magazine cover success

Appeared on 33 magazine covers including Pageant, U.S. Camera, Laff, and Peek by early 1946.

Achievement January 1, 1946

Marilyn Monroe name chosen

Adopted stage name 'Marilyn Monroe' - 'Marilyn' suggested by Lyon, 'Monroe' was her mother's maiden name.

Other August 26, 1946

20th Century Fox contract

Signed standard six-month contract with 20th Century Fox after a screen test arranged by executive Ben Lyon.

Career August 26, 1946

Divorced James Dougherty

Divorced first husband James Dougherty, who had been opposed to her pursuing an acting career.

Relationship September 13, 1946
1947

First film roles

Given first film roles in bit parts for 'Dangerous Years' (released 1947) and 'Scudda Hoo! Scudda Hay!' (released 1948).

Career January 1, 1947

Fox contract not renewed

20th Century Fox did not renew her contract, reportedly considering her too shy and insecure for acting.

Career August 25, 1947
1948

Columbia Pictures contract

Signed a six-month contract with Columbia Pictures after befriending executive Joseph M. Schenck and networking at studio functions.

Career March 9, 1948

Ladies of the Chorus

Had first starring role as a chorus girl in low-budget musical 'Ladies of the Chorus' at Columbia; her contract was not renewed.

Career October 22, 1948
1949

Met Johnny Hyde

Met and became protégée and mistress of Johnny Hyde, vice president of William Morris Agency, who championed her career.

Relationship January 1, 1949

Nude calendar photos

Posed for artistic nude photographs by Tom Kelley for calendars to make rent, using the name 'Mona Monroe'.

Other May 27, 1949
1950

The Asphalt Jungle

Appeared in John Huston's noir 'The Asphalt Jungle', gaining positive reviews and moving from model to serious actress prospect.

Achievement May 23, 1950

All About Eve

Landed small but memorable role as Miss Caswell in Joseph Mankiewicz's 'All About Eve', which received 14 Academy Award nominations.

Achievement October 27, 1950

New Fox contract

Hyde negotiated a seven-year contract with 20th Century Fox with yearly renewal options, a significant step up.

Career December 10, 1950

Johnny Hyde's death

Johnny Hyde died of a heart attack only days after negotiating her Fox contract, leaving Monroe devastated.

Relationship December 18, 1950
1951

Miss Cheesecake 1951

Declared 'Miss Cheesecake of 1951' by army newspaper Stars and Stripes, reflecting soldiers' preferences for her pin-up appeal.

Achievement January 1, 1951
1952

Met Joe DiMaggio

Began highly publicized romance with retired New York Yankees baseball star Joe DiMaggio after being set up on a blind date.

Relationship March 1, 1952

Nude calendar scandal

Publicly revealed she had posed for the nude calendar in 1949 when it surfaced, turning potential career damage into public sympathy by explaining her financial hardship.

Other March 13, 1952

Life magazine cover

Featured on cover of Life magazine with the headline 'The Talk of Hollywood' following the nude calendar revelation.

Achievement April 7, 1952
1953

Trademark makeup look

Developed her signature makeup look with makeup artist Allan 'Whitey' Snyder: dark arched brows, pale skin, glistening red lips, and a strategically placed beauty mark.

Other January 1, 1953

Niagara femme fatale

Starred as a seductive femme fatale in Technicolor film noir 'Niagara', establishing her as a major sex symbol and showcasing her dramatic potential.

Achievement January 21, 1953

Photoplay Awards controversy

Won Photoplay's 'Fastest Rising Star' award and wore a famously revealing tight gold lamé dress, prompting Joan Crawford to publicly criticize her behavior as 'unbecoming'.

Other January 28, 1953

Diamonds Are a Girl's Best Friend

Performed the iconic 'Diamonds Are a Girl's Best Friend' number in 'Gentlemen Prefer Blondes', one of her most famous screen moments.

Achievement July 18, 1953

Gentlemen Prefer Blondes

Cemented her 'dumb blonde' screen persona in the satirical musical comedy 'Gentlemen Prefer Blondes' with Jane Russell, becoming a massive box office hit.

Achievement July 18, 1953

How to Marry a Millionaire

Co-starred with Betty Grable and Lauren Bacall in the CinemaScope comedy 'How to Marry a Millionaire', her biggest box office success to date.

Achievement November 5, 1953
1954

Married Joe DiMaggio

Married Joe DiMaggio at San Francisco City Hall after two years of dating, creating front-page news worldwide.

Relationship January 14, 1954

USO show in Korea

Performed for over 100,000 U.S. Marines and soldiers in Korea during a four-day USO tour as part of her honeymoon trip to Japan.

Achievement February 16, 1954 - February 19, 1954

Seven Year Itch subway scene

Filmed the iconic subway grate scene for 'The Seven Year Itch' on Lexington Avenue in New York, watched by thousands of spectators, reportedly angering DiMaggio.

Achievement September 15, 1954

Divorced Joe DiMaggio

Filed for divorce from DiMaggio after only nine months of marriage, citing mental cruelty; his jealousy and controlling behavior were major factors.

Relationship October 27, 1954

Marilyn Monroe Productions

Co-founded her own production company, Marilyn Monroe Productions (MMP), with photographer Milton Greene, challenging the studio system.

Career November 1, 1954
1955

Legal battle with Fox

Engaged in a year-long legal battle with 20th Century Fox over her contract terms, seeking more creative control and better roles.

Career January 1, 1955 - December 31, 1955

Actors Studio training

Moved to New York, deeply committed to improving her craft, she began studying method acting with Lee Strasberg at the prestigious Actors Studio, seeking artistic legitimacy.

Career January 1, 1955

Won Fox lawsuit

Reached a new agreement with 20th Century Fox, winning significant concessions including a new seven-year contract, higher salary, and rights to approve scripts, directors, and cinematographers for MMP films.

Achievement December 31, 1955
1956

Legal name change

Legally changed her name from Norma Jeane Mortenson (Dougherty) to Marilyn Monroe.

Other February 23, 1956

Married Arthur Miller

Married Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright Arthur Miller in a civil ceremony in White Plains, NY, followed by a Jewish ceremony two days later.

Relationship June 29, 1956

Converted to Judaism

Formally converted to Judaism before marrying Arthur Miller, under the guidance of Rabbi Robert Goldberg. This led Egypt to ban all her films.

Other July 1, 1956

Bus Stop critical acclaim

Received critical acclaim and a Golden Globe nomination for her dramatic performance as Cherie in 'Bus Stop', proving herself as a serious actress.

Achievement August 31, 1956

Miscarriage

Suffered a miscarriage while married to Arthur Miller, one of several pregnancies that did not come to term, causing her great distress.

Family September 1, 1956
1957

The Prince and the Showgirl

Filmed 'The Prince and the Showgirl', the first independent production by MMP, at Pinewood Studios in England with co-star and director Laurence Olivier. The production was marked by conflicts.

Career June 13, 1957

Ectopic pregnancy

Suffered an ectopic pregnancy that required emergency surgery, further deepening her depression and dependence on pills.

Family August 1, 1957
1958

Second miscarriage

Suffered another miscarriage, contributing to her escalating drug use and marital problems with Miller.

Family December 1, 1958
1959

Some Like It Hot

Starred in Billy Wilder's comedy masterpiece 'Some Like It Hot' with Tony Curtis and Jack Lemmon, delivering a critically acclaimed comedic performance despite difficult on-set behavior.

Achievement March 29, 1959
1960

Affair with Yves Montand

Had a widely publicized affair with her French co-star Yves Montand during the filming of 'Let's Make Love', while both were married.

Relationship January 1, 1960 - July 1, 1960

Golden Globe win

Won the Golden Globe Award for Best Actress in a Comedy or Musical for her role in 'Some Like It Hot'.

Achievement March 8, 1960

The Misfits filming

Filmed her final completed movie 'The Misfits' in the Nevada desert, written by Arthur Miller as a dramatic vehicle for her. The production was plagued by her ill health and emotional turmoil.

Career July 1, 1960 - November 4, 1960

Hospital detox

Filming of 'The Misfits' was halted for her to spend a week in a hospital for detoxification due to her severe addiction to barbiturates and alcohol.

Other August 1, 1960

Marriage to Miller ends

Marriage to Arthur Miller effectively ended during 'The Misfits' filming; Miller announced their separation on this date as he began a relationship with photographer Inge Morath.

Relationship November 11, 1960
1961

Divorced Arthur Miller

Obtained a Mexican divorce from Arthur Miller after the troubled filming of 'The Misfits' concluded.

Relationship January 24, 1961

Payne Whitney psychiatric stay

Voluntarily admitted to Payne Whitney Psychiatric Clinic in New York for 'exhaustion', but was placed in a padded cell. Joe DiMaggio secured her release to Columbia Presbyterian Medical Center.

Other February 5, 1961 - February 10, 1961
1962

Something's Got to Give

Began filming her final, unfinished movie 'Something's Got to Give' for 20th Century Fox, but was fired on June 8 for frequent absences and alleged unprofessionalism.

Career April 23, 1962 - June 8, 1962

Happy Birthday Mr. President

Sang a sultry rendition of 'Happy Birthday, Mr. President' to President John F. Kennedy at his 45th birthday gala at Madison Square Garden, an iconic cultural moment.

Achievement May 19, 1962

The Last Sitting photo shoot

Participated in 'The Last Sitting', an iconic series of 2,571 photographs taken by Bert Stern for Vogue magazine over three sessions at Hotel Bel-Air, weeks before her death.

Achievement June 21, 1962 - July 12, 1962

Final photo shoot (Barris)

Completed her final professional photo shoot with George Barris for Cosmopolitan magazine at her Brentwood home and on Santa Monica beach.

Other July 1, 1962

Death

Found dead at age 36 in her Brentwood home from acute barbiturate poisoning (Nembutal overdose), ruled a 'probable suicide' by the Los Angeles County coroner's office.

Family August 4, 1962

Funeral

A private funeral was held at Westwood Village Memorial Park Cemetery, arranged by Joe DiMaggio, her half-sister Berniece Baker Miracle, and her business manager Inez Melson. DiMaggio famously barred most of Hollywood figures.

Other August 8, 1962
1999

AFI's 100 Years...100 Stars

Posthumously ranked #6 on the American Film Institute's list of the 50 greatest American screen legends (female).

Achievement June 15, 1999