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Authors: Michelle Morgan
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The new attention spurred Norma Jeane on to have her first – albeit inappropriate – crush on a twenty-two-year-old man who lived across the street, who would often say hello and pat her on the head. One day, while Norma Jeane was outside Aunt Ana’s home, the man came past on his way to the movies. Asking if she’d like to go with him, Norma Jeane couldn’t believe her luck and after gaining permission from Aunt Ana, hopped into the car for what she thought would be a romantic date. She immediately tried (and failed) to act in a sophisticated manner, later commenting, ‘I was gawky, I was giggly, I was stupid,’ and after laughing at his driving technique, opening her own door and falling over herself on the way into the theatre, the young man drove her home, in no mood to ask her out again. (It is generally believed that this man was actually soon-to-be actor Howard Keel, who she went on to date for a short time in the late 1940s.)
Norma Jeane’s confidence took a severe downturn after the failure of her first crush, and wasn’t made any better when some of the girls at school made a point of commenting on the fact that her clothes weren’t as pretty and up-to-date as theirs. One day she returned home in tears because of a cruel comment from one of the other girls, and Aunt Ana sat her down to console and inspire her: ‘It doesn’t matter if other children make fun of your clothes or where you live,’ she said. ‘It’s what you are that counts. You just keep being your own self, that’s all that matters.’
Aunt Ana’s inspirational talks – which mainly consisted of telling the child not to worry about what others thought of her, to take things as they come and to work hard at the things she wanted to accomplish – slowly but surely helped to inspire confidence in Norma Jeane. Before long, she was wearing make-up to school, which helped give her the confidence to say yes whenschoolmates asked her on dates. ‘And that way I sort of slid painlessly into going out,’ she later said.
Norma Jeane became very fond of the actress Ginger Rogers and was given photos of her by a girl who lived across the street. She decided that she wanted to be just like Ginger and, to her amazement, Aunt Ana not only tolerated the notion, but also encouraged her to read lines aloud, while never criticizing her fledgling talent. ‘She was most tolerant of my big ambition of being an actress,’ Marilyn later said.
Unfortunately for Norma Jeane, Aunt Ana was in failing health, but cared too much to allow her to worry, and tried to carry on as best she could. ‘She was a gentle woman in her sixties, very dignified and wise,’ recalled Marilyn. ‘She had heart trouble but she never told me about it.’ Instead, Ana continued her inspirational talks, but began adding theories on how loneliness wasn’t the worst thing in the world, and urging Norma Jeane to always be herself and stand on her own two feet. ‘I didn’t realize that she was preparing me for her death,’ Marilyn later said.
Eventually it became clear that no matter how willing Aunt Ana’s heart was, her body just wasn’t up to the strains of raising a child, and a new home would have to be found for Norma Jeane. The Bolender family had continued to visit the child, but it was not possible for her to go back to them. Instead, in February 1940, it was determined that Norma Jeane would move in once again with guardian and former foster-mother Grace and her husband Doc Goddard.
By the time Norma Jeane arrived at the Goddard home at 14743 Archwood Street, Doc’s daughter, Bebe had moved in with the family. Bebe had suffered a distinctly unhappy childhood featuring foster homes and a mentally unstable mother, so the two children immediately had much in common.
She settled into Emerson Junior High. Many years later, archivist Roy Turner interviewed several of her classmates, with most looking back on their time with Norma Jeane in a positivelight.
The new attention spurred Norma Jeane on to have her first – albeit inappropriate – crush on a twenty-two-year-old man who lived across the street, who would often say hello and pat her on the head. One day, while Norma Jeane was outside Aunt Ana’s home, the man came past on his way to the movies. Asking if she’d like to go with him, Norma Jeane couldn’t believe her luck and after gaining permission from Aunt Ana, hopped into the car for what she thought would be a romantic date. She immediately tried (and failed) to act in a sophisticated manner, later commenting, ‘I was gawky, I was giggly, I was stupid,’ and after laughing at his driving technique, opening her own door and falling over herself on the way into the theatre, the young man drove her home, in no mood to ask her out again. (It is generally believed that this man was actually soon-to-be actor Howard Keel, who she went on to date for a short time in the late 1940s.)
Norma Jeane’s confidence took a severe downturn after the failure of her first crush, and wasn’t made any better when some of the girls at school made a point of commenting on the fact that her clothes weren’t as pretty and up-to-date as theirs. One day she returned home in tears because of a cruel comment from one of the other girls, and Aunt Ana sat her down to console and inspire her: ‘It doesn’t matter if other children make fun of your clothes or where you live,’ she said. ‘It’s what you are that counts. You just keep being your own self, that’s all that matters.’
Aunt Ana’s inspirational talks – which mainly consisted of telling the child not to worry about what others thought of her, to take things as they come and to work hard at the things she wanted to accomplish – slowly but surely helped to inspire confidence in Norma Jeane. Before long, she was wearing make-up to school, which helped give her the confidence to say yes whenschoolmates asked her on dates. ‘And that way I sort of slid painlessly into going out,’ she later said.
Norma Jeane became very fond of the actress Ginger Rogers and was given photos of her by a girl who lived across the street. She decided that she wanted to be just like Ginger and, to her amazement, Aunt Ana not only tolerated the notion, but also encouraged her to read lines aloud, while never criticizing her fledgling talent. ‘She was most tolerant of my big ambition of being an actress,’ Marilyn later said.
Unfortunately for Norma Jeane, Aunt Ana was in failing health, but cared too much to allow her to worry, and tried to carry on as best she could. ‘She was a gentle woman in her sixties, very dignified and wise,’ recalled Marilyn. ‘She had heart trouble but she never told me about it.’ Instead, Ana continued her inspirational talks, but began adding theories on how loneliness wasn’t the worst thing in the world, and urging Norma Jeane to always be herself and stand on her own two feet. ‘I didn’t realize that she was preparing me for her death,’ Marilyn later said.
Eventually it became clear that no matter how willing Aunt Ana’s heart was, her body just wasn’t up to the strains of raising a child, and a new home would have to be found for Norma Jeane. The Bolender family had continued to visit the child, but it was not possible for her to go back to them. Instead, in February 1940, it was determined that Norma Jeane would move in once again with guardian and former foster-mother Grace and her husband Doc Goddard.
By the time Norma Jeane arrived at the Goddard home at 14743 Archwood Street, Doc’s daughter, Bebe had moved in with the family. Bebe had suffered a distinctly unhappy childhood featuring foster homes and a mentally unstable mother, so the two children immediately had much in common.
She settled into Emerson Junior High. Many years later, archivist Roy Turner interviewed several of her classmates, with most looking back on their time with Norma Jeane in a positivelight.
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