Marilyn Monroe's Milestones
Birth
Born Norma Jeane Mortenson at Los Angeles General Hospital to Gladys Pearl Baker, a film negative cutter with mental health issues.
Foster care begins
Placed with evangelical Christian foster parents Albert and Ida Bolender in Hawthorne while mother worked in the city.
Became ward of state
Became a ward of the state after mother's hospitalization, with Grace Goddard (later McKee) taking responsibility for her care.
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.
Sexual abuse trauma
Reportedly experienced sexual abuse during childhood foster placements, contributing to lifelong insecurities and a stutter.
Los Angeles Orphanage
Placed in Los Angeles Orphans Home Society (later Hollygrove) after brief stays with various families.
Grace Goddard guardianship
Grace Goddard (later McKee) became her legal guardian, though she remained in the orphanage until summer 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.
First marriage
Married James 'Jim' Dougherty at age 16 to avoid returning to the orphanage or another foster home, arranged by Grace Goddard.
Radioplane factory job
Worked at Radioplane Company munitions factory in Van Nuys inspecting parachutes while husband was deployed to the Pacific during WWII.
Discovered by photographer
Met photographer David Conover at the factory, who was shooting morale-boosting pictures of female workers for Yank magazine.
Modeling career begins
Signed contract with Blue Book Model Agency, defying her deployed husband. Became one of their most successful models.
Platinum blonde transformation
Straightened her naturally curly brown hair and dyed it various shades of blonde, eventually settling on platinum, for her modeling career.
Magazine cover success
Appeared on 33 magazine covers including Pageant, U.S. Camera, Laff, and Peek by early 1946.
Marilyn Monroe name chosen
Adopted stage name 'Marilyn Monroe' - 'Marilyn' suggested by Lyon, 'Monroe' was her mother's maiden name.
20th Century Fox contract
Signed standard six-month contract with 20th Century Fox after a screen test arranged by executive Ben Lyon.
Divorced James Dougherty
Divorced first husband James Dougherty, who had been opposed to her pursuing an acting career.
First film roles
Given first film roles in bit parts for 'Dangerous Years' (released 1947) and 'Scudda Hoo! Scudda Hay!' (released 1948).
Fox contract not renewed
20th Century Fox did not renew her contract, reportedly considering her too shy and insecure for acting.
Columbia Pictures contract
Signed a six-month contract with Columbia Pictures after befriending executive Joseph M. Schenck and networking at studio functions.
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.
Met Johnny Hyde
Met and became protégée and mistress of Johnny Hyde, vice president of William Morris Agency, who championed her career.
Nude calendar photos
Posed for artistic nude photographs by Tom Kelley for calendars to make rent, using the name 'Mona Monroe'.
The Asphalt Jungle
Appeared in John Huston's noir 'The Asphalt Jungle', gaining positive reviews and moving from model to serious actress prospect.
All About Eve
Landed small but memorable role as Miss Caswell in Joseph Mankiewicz's 'All About Eve', which received 14 Academy Award nominations.
New Fox contract
Hyde negotiated a seven-year contract with 20th Century Fox with yearly renewal options, a significant step up.
Johnny Hyde's death
Johnny Hyde died of a heart attack only days after negotiating her Fox contract, leaving Monroe devastated.
Miss Cheesecake 1951
Declared 'Miss Cheesecake of 1951' by army newspaper Stars and Stripes, reflecting soldiers' preferences for her pin-up appeal.
Met Joe DiMaggio
Began highly publicized romance with retired New York Yankees baseball star Joe DiMaggio after being set up on a blind date.
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.
Life magazine cover
Featured on cover of Life magazine with the headline 'The Talk of Hollywood' following the nude calendar revelation.
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.
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.
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'.
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.
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.
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.
Married Joe DiMaggio
Married Joe DiMaggio at San Francisco City Hall after two years of dating, creating front-page news worldwide.
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.
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.
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.
Marilyn Monroe Productions
Co-founded her own production company, Marilyn Monroe Productions (MMP), with photographer Milton Greene, challenging the studio system.
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.
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.
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.
Legal name change
Legally changed her name from Norma Jeane Mortenson (Dougherty) to Marilyn Monroe.
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.
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.
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.
Miscarriage
Suffered a miscarriage while married to Arthur Miller, one of several pregnancies that did not come to term, causing her great distress.
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.
Ectopic pregnancy
Suffered an ectopic pregnancy that required emergency surgery, further deepening her depression and dependence on pills.
Second miscarriage
Suffered another miscarriage, contributing to her escalating drug use and marital problems with Miller.
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.
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.
Golden Globe win
Won the Golden Globe Award for Best Actress in a Comedy or Musical for her role in 'Some Like It Hot'.
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.
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.
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.
Divorced Arthur Miller
Obtained a Mexican divorce from Arthur Miller after the troubled filming of 'The Misfits' concluded.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
AFI's 100 Years...100 Stars
Posthumously ranked #6 on the American Film Institute's list of the 50 greatest American screen legends (female).