Happy Birthday, Norma Jeane
GODDESS IN TRAIINING
Happy Birthday, Norma Jeane
DEAD NOW MORE YEARS THAT SHE WAS ALIVE, MARILYN MONROE CONTINUES TO FASCINATE.
The screen siren would be celebrating her 85th birthday today if she were alive. Instead, she died on Aug. 2, 1962 of a drug overdose that some speculate was suicide; others, think was murder.
Monroe's tragic life -- born to a crazy mother, bounced around between foster homes and relatives -- both propelled and imprisoned her.
She became a goddess on film, starring in romantic comedies like Gentlemen Prefer Blondes, How To Marry A Millionaire, and The Seven Year Itch. But she yearned for more dramatic roles, telling the New York Times once, "I want to grow and develop and play serious dramatic parts. My dramatic coach, Natasha Lytess, tells everybody that I have a great soul, but so far nobody's interested in it."
Her soul is captured in these photographs, recently published by Life magazine.
Published until the title, "Starlet In Training," the photos were taken in 1948 by Life photographer J.R. Eyerman when Marilyn was just 22 years old.
Check them out below, then click on over to Life for the full series of shots.
Oh, and happy birthday, Norma Jeane, wherever you are. Thanks for the mystery.
Marilyn poses with her drama coach, Natasha Lytess, with whom she worked until 1955.
Marilyn tries on a frown.
The finished product.
Tags: Ephemera
