Marilyn Monroe (born Norma Jeane Mortenson June 1, 1926 – August 5, 1962), was an American actress of the 20th century. Her sizzling screen presence and mysterious death at the age of 36 would make her a perennial sex symbol, and later a pop icon. Merlin is an icon glamorous icon of the holly wood in the in the fifties.
Her popularity and fame came after her initial struggle in life.Her name was Norma Jean.
While her first husband, James Dougherty, was at war, the young Norma Jean began work in a factory. It was here she was spotted by photographer David Conover and he immediately saw her potential as a model. She signed with The Blue Book Modelling agency and became one of their most successful models appearing on hundreds of magazine covers.
But with strong aspirations of becoming an actress, Norma Jean came to the attention of 20th Century Fox by way of talent scout Ben Lyon who arranged a screen test. She passed and was offered a standard six month contract starting at $75 a week. It was at this time that her name was changed. She was named after an actress called Marilyn Miller and took her mother's maiden name Monroe, which Marilyn suggested herself, although she probably was not aware of the large number of actors who also used their mother's maiden name as their professional surnames. The year was 1946 when the 20 year old Norma Jeane became "Marilyn Monroe".
During her first six months at Fox she didn't work at all but learned about hair, make-up, costumes, acting and lighting. Fox decided to renew her contract when it expired and in the next six months she appeared in minor roles in two movies; Scudda Hoo! Scudda Hay! and Dangerous Years (both released in 1947). Both films failed at the box office and Fox decided not to offer her a contract for a third time. Unperturbed, Monroe threw herself into modelling work and rapidly began to build contacts around Hollywood and became an expert at 'networking'. A six month stint at Columbia Pictures saw her starring in one movie - Ladies of the Chorus in 1948 but once again she was dropped. At this point she met Johnny Hyde, one of Hollywood's 
top agents who then got her resigned to Fox after MGM passed on the chance to sign her. 
Although studio head Darryl F. Zanuck was not convinced of her potential to become a star she slowly began to change his mind with scene stealing performances in Bette Davis's classic All About Eve in 1950 and especially in The Asphalt Jungle which is still regarded by many as one of her finest performances in a dramatic role.
By 1952 Zanuck was nearly convinced. Marilyn played her first role as a leading lady in Don't Bother To Knock, portraying a deranged babysitter who, in a rage, attacks the little girl who she is looking after. Although receiving mixed reviews she later stated that this was one of her favorite performances. If the critics doubted her abilities as a dramatic actress, they were left in no doubt about her sex appeal. Marilyn proved to Zanuck that she could carry a big budget movie when she headlined Niagara in 1953. Her screen charisma was so powerful, that movie critics seemed to forget about the plot and focused on Marilyn and her unique connection with the camera.
Marilyn had been telling people that her mother was dead, but in 1952 this lie was exposed by the press. Gladys was then moved to the Rockhaven Sanitarium and Marilyn paid the monthly fee for her care.
It was also around this time that nude photos of Marilyn began to surface. Shot by Tom Kelley when she was struggling, the prints were bought by Hugh Hefner and appeared in the first edition of his new magazine, Playboy in December 1953.
Journalist: "What did you have on during the photo shoot?" Marilyn: "Chanel No. 5!".
Gentlemen Prefer Blondes and How to Marry a Millionaire, both released in 1953, catapulted Marilyn into A-list status and she quickly became the world's biggest movie star. It didn't matter that her next two films, River of No Return and There's No Business Like Show Business under-performed, the public were already hooked. However, Monroe began to tire of the "dumb blonde" roles which Zanuck had assigned her, and, after completing work on The Seven Year Itch in 1954, she broke her contract and fled Hollywood to study acting at The Actor's Studio in New York. Fox would not budge on Monroe's new contract demands and insisted she return to the studio to start work on productions she considered inappropriate (Heller In Pink Tights and How To Be Very, Very Popular being two of them). When The Seven Year Itch raced to the top of the box office in the Summer of 1955, and with other Fox starlets Jayne Mansfield and Sheree North failing to click with audiences, Zanuck finally admitted defeat and a triumphant Monroe returned to Hollywood where a new contract was immediately drawn up. 
The first film under the new contract to be made was Bus Stop directed by Joshua Logan who had compared Monroe to Greta Garbo. Critics immediately noted the change in Marilyn since attending The Actor's Studio working hard at her craft and giving a subtle and effective performance as "Cherie", the saloon singer who is whisked off her feet by an amorous cowboy. Despite her achievements, Monroe was devestated to find that many of the scenes she had been most proud of had been cut from the final movie by Fox who felt it was too long. Marilyn believed this decision by her studio cost her the chance of an Academy Award nomination and perhaps wider critical acclaim as a serious actress. 
By this time she had formed her own production company (Marilyn Monroe Productions) with photographer Milton H. Greene, in which the first film released by the company was The Prince and the Showgirl which she produced. Marilyn starred opposite acclaimed British actor Laurence Olivier who was also Director. The pair had a difficult relationship, which translated to a total lack of chemistry on screen. Marilyn found it difficult to work well under Olivier's often impatient and even unkind direction, and her legendary difficult behavior continued during the film's production. All in all, it was a miracle the film finished on time and under budget. However, her career was back on track once again in 1959 when she starred in Some Like It Hot. Consistently listed as one of the greatest comedy films of all time, the Billy Wilder written and directed film showcases Monroe at her most accomplished as a comedy actress - a genre that she had a natural talent for at the start of her career but a talent which is perfected in this, probably her most famous movie. Two years later, the movie written for her by third husband Arthur Miller - The Misfits - was released to audiences and received mixed reviews. She turned in a moving performance opposite screen stalwart Clark Gable and it is noted as one of her finest dramatic performances, but it would sadly also be her last. On the morning of August 5th 1962, Monroe was found dead in her Los Angeles home. Her death (Which was officially found to be Suicide by Drug Overdose) has been subject to many conspiracy theories, but such theories have done little to dent the iconic status of Marilyn Monroe as the archetypal Hollywood Movie Star.
In early 1961, Marilyn Monroe and Arthur Miller divorced. During this period, she was also bothered by many rumors of affairs, including with the President, John F. Kennedy, and his brother, Robert F. Kennedy.
Filming her next project, ironically titled Something's Got to Give, Marilyn's lateness and addictions led to her dismissal after a month. She was briefly committed to a mental hospital. She was approved to return to the film, but never resumed filming.
Two months later, in her home in Los Angeles, Marilyn Monroe was found by her housekeeper, dead, with an empty bottle of sleeping pills next to her body. The coroner found the death was caused by an overdose of barbiturates, and pronounced it a possible suicide. No evidence of foul play was presented to the coroner.
Marilyn Monroe's funeral was planned by Joe Di Maggio; Lee Strasburg delivered the eulogy.
Oh by seeing the below model couldn't you see some similarities of Marilyn Manroe.
NP:To visit more pictures please visit the respective sites embedded in the photos.
