- On Marilyn Monroe's birth centenary, a historian revealed how the actress was media savvy.
- Monroe once worked with a journalist to break the story of her own nude photos.
- Marilyn said she did the photos when she was struggling in 19
Marilyn Monroe died in 1962, but the Hollywood icon remains an inspiration for her roles, fashion sense and impact on pop culture. Now, her birth centenary, a historian gave a glimpse into Monroe's media savviness.
Speaking with People for ACC Art Books' Marilyn Monroe 100: The Official Centenary Publication, photography historian David Willis revealed how Monroe worked the media to her advantage.
He stated that the Gentlemen Prefer Blondes star often did most of her publicity herself when she was a starlet, becoming friendly with reporters and photographers over time.
One incident that Willis recounted was the 1952 scandal when rumours of nude photos of the actor started to make their way into the mainstream just as Monroe was on her way to stardom.
While 20th Century-Fox executives panicked and asked her to deny the existence of the photos, Marilyn Monroe did something unexpected - she broke the story herself in collaboration with journalist Aline Mosby.
Marilyn Monroe and Mosby discussed the photos in an article titled, Marilyn Monroe Admits She Is Girl on Calendar. The actor admitted that the photos were taken years ago when she was struggling.
"She explained that she was broke and hungry when she posed for the calendar photo in 1949 and declared, 'I'm not ashamed of it. I've done nothing wrong.' This masterful move allowed Marilyn to control the narrative, and she won the PR battle before it had a chance to take hold," Willis explained to People.
The historian said that Marilyn Monroe won over the public and increased her popularity with this move, adding that "her bold honesty humanized her”.
Marilyn Monroe's Final Photoshoot
Pictures from Monroe's final shoot, just weeks before her death were released on her birth centenary, BBC reported. Taken by George Barris, the photos show the Some Like It Hot star on Santa Monica beach, with her "blonde bombshell" features softened. Monroe appeared in either cosy knitwear or a green towel for the images.
The shoot was a part of a publicity campaign by Monroe after she was fired in June from the production of Something's Got to Give due to repeated absences for sickness. Studio 20th Century Fox also sued her for damages.
To counter her detractors, Monroe undertook a publicity campaign, with stylish magazine interviews in Vogue and Life. Barris's photos had originally been intended for a Cosmopolitan article, but were later taken up by The Daily Mirror.
Monroe died on August 5, 1962.