assigned Harry Lipton as agent for the new Marilyn Monroe. In their first meeting he learned something of her background, and realized that she had deep-seated insecurities. Her distinctive nervous twitter set her apart. He knew her career choice would make her life more difficult, but he sensed that she had guts of steel.
On the heels of signing her first contract, Marilynâs attorney had sent Jim, now stationed in Shanghai, the divorce papers that still needed his signature to become final. He could not endure the rejection, and deep down he believed she still needed him.
When he arrived in San Pedro Harbor, Jim immediately called the Studio Club once he found out where Norma Jeane was living. She told him of her new contract and her new identity. Not only was she no longer married to him, but she had a new name to prove it. Twentieth Century-Fox owned her, at a price that was far higher than anything he could afford.
She begged him to understand. Her reasons were apparent. The studio would not sign a married woman, period. She was shrewd. If she could keep Jim as a âsort ofâ husband, her job would be easier. She could foil potential sexual advances if she said she was married.
Marilyn tried to get Jim to sign the divorce papers while remaining her âhusband.â He had a difficult time understanding what his new position was to be, but he was cornered; it was a clever way of making him feel wanted. He relented and signed, but the end results angered him and he left town again. He did not want his ex-wife to know how much her ploy had hurt him.
Gladys was still living in the Culver City apartment beneath Ana Lower. Grace Goddard was helpful with involving Gladys in outside activities, but Grace had her own life. Though always generous with her time, with the responsibilities of raising her own family, she could only give so much. Gladys saw herself as an outsider: unwanted and unneeded. Her daughterâs life was taking off without her. Her own career was gone. She felt useless. No sooner had her daughterâs contract gone into effect than Gladys was requesting readmission to the hospital. She had been inadequately prepared for returning to society.
Marilyn gave her mother no reason to stay. She wanted more than ever to cut her ties to the past, and she planned to do far better than her mother had. Officially Marilyn went on record: her mother was dead and she did not have a father. At twenty years of age, she was reborn.
At Twentieth, her career progressed slowly. There were dozens of other starlets in the same position. The studio had little time to attend to their development, but they were required to attend acting classes, voice lessons, and body movement classes. Photo sessions were frequent, the publicity shots part of their promotion, and Marilyn enjoyed the attention and the chance to wear beautiful clothing. She was scheduled, as were the others, to attend ribbon-cutting ceremonies, open markets and restaurants. It was all part of the game plan.
Marilyn appeared to be a happy-go-lucky girl. Always willing to learn, she asked all the right questions, but her real desire was to act. With the studio concentrating on their biggest box-office starsâBetty Grable, Gene Tierney, and Loretta YoungâMarilyn was shifted to the background. The release of the film The Razorâs Edge was then Twentiethâs predominant concern. Darryl Zanuck, the man who thought she was gorgeous, now had no time for her.
After six laborious months, Marilyn was signed for her first film role in Scudda-Hoo, Scudda-Hay , starring the then popular actress June Haver. She was to appear in only one shot, a scene in which she and another woman were boating. The director filmed a close-up of her, but it was later cut, leaving only the long shot. Unfortunately she was unrecognizable. The film editor made the choice. How she wished her mother had been there cutting the film. Marilyn hadnât appreciated
On the heels of signing her first contract, Marilynâs attorney had sent Jim, now stationed in Shanghai, the divorce papers that still needed his signature to become final. He could not endure the rejection, and deep down he believed she still needed him.
When he arrived in San Pedro Harbor, Jim immediately called the Studio Club once he found out where Norma Jeane was living. She told him of her new contract and her new identity. Not only was she no longer married to him, but she had a new name to prove it. Twentieth Century-Fox owned her, at a price that was far higher than anything he could afford.
She begged him to understand. Her reasons were apparent. The studio would not sign a married woman, period. She was shrewd. If she could keep Jim as a âsort ofâ husband, her job would be easier. She could foil potential sexual advances if she said she was married.
Marilyn tried to get Jim to sign the divorce papers while remaining her âhusband.â He had a difficult time understanding what his new position was to be, but he was cornered; it was a clever way of making him feel wanted. He relented and signed, but the end results angered him and he left town again. He did not want his ex-wife to know how much her ploy had hurt him.
Gladys was still living in the Culver City apartment beneath Ana Lower. Grace Goddard was helpful with involving Gladys in outside activities, but Grace had her own life. Though always generous with her time, with the responsibilities of raising her own family, she could only give so much. Gladys saw herself as an outsider: unwanted and unneeded. Her daughterâs life was taking off without her. Her own career was gone. She felt useless. No sooner had her daughterâs contract gone into effect than Gladys was requesting readmission to the hospital. She had been inadequately prepared for returning to society.
Marilyn gave her mother no reason to stay. She wanted more than ever to cut her ties to the past, and she planned to do far better than her mother had. Officially Marilyn went on record: her mother was dead and she did not have a father. At twenty years of age, she was reborn.
At Twentieth, her career progressed slowly. There were dozens of other starlets in the same position. The studio had little time to attend to their development, but they were required to attend acting classes, voice lessons, and body movement classes. Photo sessions were frequent, the publicity shots part of their promotion, and Marilyn enjoyed the attention and the chance to wear beautiful clothing. She was scheduled, as were the others, to attend ribbon-cutting ceremonies, open markets and restaurants. It was all part of the game plan.
Marilyn appeared to be a happy-go-lucky girl. Always willing to learn, she asked all the right questions, but her real desire was to act. With the studio concentrating on their biggest box-office starsâBetty Grable, Gene Tierney, and Loretta YoungâMarilyn was shifted to the background. The release of the film The Razorâs Edge was then Twentiethâs predominant concern. Darryl Zanuck, the man who thought she was gorgeous, now had no time for her.
After six laborious months, Marilyn was signed for her first film role in Scudda-Hoo, Scudda-Hay , starring the then popular actress June Haver. She was to appear in only one shot, a scene in which she and another woman were boating. The director filmed a close-up of her, but it was later cut, leaving only the long shot. Unfortunately she was unrecognizable. The film editor made the choice. How she wished her mother had been there cutting the film. Marilyn hadnât appreciated
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