#MarilynMonroe items up for Auction at Bonhams

Some really interesting items are coming up for auction at Bonhams on November 25, 2013.  Here are my favourites....

An original title made for River of No Return  ESTIMATE $700-$900

20th Century Fox, 1954. Carved wood, framed. Created by Pacific Title for the film's opening credits but not screen-used.River of No Return, a Western set in the Pacific Northwest in the 19th century, was directed by Otto Preminger and starred Marilyn Monroe and Robert Mitchum.
Overall: 45 x 19 1/2 in.; Wood only: approximately 39 x 14 in.

An eight-page handwritten letter from Marilyn Monroe to Grace Goddard  ESTIMATE $50,000-$70,000

Autograph Letter Signed ("Norma") in pencil, 8pp, 4to, [Van Nuys, CA, September 14, 1942], to Grace Goddard, regarding her wedding and married life, with original autograph transmittal envelope signed ("Mrs. James E. Dougherty").  16-year old newlywed Norma Jeane Dougherty writes to her foster mother Grace Goddard mentioning the man she believed was her biological father and describing her wedding and married life in vivid detail. Though Monroe's birth certificate lists a Martin Mortensen as her father, she always believed that her true biological father was a man named Charles Stanley Gifford, a co-worker of her mother Gladys at Consolidated Films during the 1920s. Monroe is known to have reached out to Giffords once she was an established celebrity, but he rebuffed her attempts. This letter reveals that by as young as 16—at the moment she begins her adult life as a married woman—she was interested in establishing a relationship with the man she thought of as her father.

The first line of this letter to Grace reads: "I want to thank you so much for writing Mom and explaining things about Stanley G. I'm sure she understands now." 
Norma, who had married Jimmy Dougherty just three months prior, describes life as a married woman: "He really keeps me busy cleaning the house and fixing meals, everybody told me that it is quite a responsibility being a house wife, and boy, I'm finding it out. But it really is a lot of fun. / Jimmy is so swell to me, in fact I know that if I had waited 5 or 10 years I couldn't have found anyone who would have treated me better. I just think the world of him and we get along so nicely. He is just so sweet about every little thing."
Norma Jeane goes on to describe her new home, even drawing a floor plan diagram of the rooms and furniture. The next 5 pages list in exacting detail each guest invited to the wedding and the gift sent: "Mr. and Mrs John Ingram (He is the school teacher that was such a good friend of Jimmy's). He is also Doris Drenen's brother-in-law. And Doris Drenen is Jim's ex—remember? I remember only too well."
She describes a gift from the Gaddis family: "The most beautiful cocktail set I have ever seen in my life. It is out of solid copper. The set consists of a huge round copper tray with a mat or cork on one side and asbestos on the other for hot drinks. Then there are eight copper glasses then there are eight little copper tray things for the glasses. Also there is a little copper bucket for grated ice. It is really beautiful." Other guests listed include Aunt Ana [Lower], Grace Godard's aunt, who fostered Norma Jeane from age twelve to age fourteen; and the Bolenders, who raised Norma Jeane from infancy until she was seven.
Norma Jeane adds a poignant post script, again mentioning the man she thought of as her biological father: "How can I get in touch with Stanley Gifford? Through Consoladated [sic] films? Or something like that. Which dept?" 
8 x 10 in.

A signed photograph of Marilyn Monroe and Joe DiMaggio  ESTIMATE $3,000-$5,000

Silver gelatin print of Marilyn Monroe and Joe DiMaggio stepping out of an elevator, Monroe dressed in a long black coat and black pumps, looking up and smiling at the crowd and DiMaggio in a dark three-piece suit, looking down, c.1954, signed by each ("Marilyn Monroe / Joe DiMaggio") in black ink at lower margin.
Provenance: Profiles in History, Hollywood Auction 42, June 10, 2010, lot 170; Estate of Jerome Shochet
Photographs signed by both Monroe and DiMaggio are exceedingly rare as their marriage lasted only nine months.
4 1/8 x 5 3/4 in.

Marilyn and the Camera is now MarilynGeek

Well it was just a matter of time but I have now merged my newly created MarilynGeek site with MarilynMonroe.ca!

What this really means is that I have changed the name from Marilyn and the Camera to MarilynGeek.  It is mostly a cosmetic change as the content is remaining the same.

I have been using Marilyn and the Camera for over 13 years so it was time for a refresh :)  You can use either MarilynMonroe.ca or MarilynGeek.com to access the website from now on.

Norma Jeane 1942 Yearbook for sale

I am looking to sell my 1942 University High yearbook featuring a young Norma Jeane.  It is in excellent shape.  What makes this copy unique is that it belonged to someone who really knew Marilyn!  This belonged to a schoolmate named Annette Cowgill.  Annette signed her name at the front in a distinctive coloured pen.  She also used this pen to cross out the photos of some boys she disliked and she placed checkmarks next to the people she knew and liked.  There is a checkmark next to Norma Jeane's name!

If you would like some detailed information please visit my website http://www.marilynmonroe.ca/camera/yearbook/

If you are interested in making an offer please contact me at melinda@marilyngeek.com.  

Serious inquires only please.

New Chanel Ads to feature #MarilynMonroe

The late actress had famously said she wore nothing but the fragrance to bed.

CHANEL has announced that images of Marilyn Monroe will be used in TV and print campaigns for its legendary fragrance starting Nov 17.

Although she did not appear in ads for Chanel No. 5 during her lifetime, the iconic American actress may have been the perfume’s best ambassador.

In 1952, when asked by Life magazine what she usually wore to bed, she famously responded that she wore nothing but the fragrance. The declaration went down in Hollywood history as an example of the famous sex symbol’s witty charm, contributing in the process to the mystique surrounding Chanel No. 5.

Six decades later, Chanel plans to place the late actress in the spotlight in No. 5 campaigns.

At the end of 2012, just after bringing on Brad Pitt as an ambassador for No. 5, Chanel released Marilyn And No. 5, a web video in its Inside CHANEL series. The clip expresses Monroe’s affinity for the fragrance through archival images and a previously unreleased audio recording of Monroe discussing her famous quote. – AFP Relaxnews

#MarilynMonroe Sexy Hair

Marilyn is the new face of Sexy Hair products.  You will likely find advertisments featuring her in all the current magazines.  I came across one in the October issue of Cosmo.  They feature Milton Greene images along with a quote attributed to Marilyn (some of the quotes are real and some can not be sourced as Marilyn's).  Regardless, it is a beautiful ad campaign.

I decided to give their hairspray a try and I have been using it for the past month (I found it at Shoppers Drug Mart here in Canada).  While it is expensive and probably more than what most people want to spend, I am very impressed with it.  I would recommend you give it a try.

Sexy Hair is pulling out all the stops with their promotion as well.  They chose my beautiful maid of honour, Suzie Kennedy, to launch their products in the UK.  Stunning!

Marilyn's Cosmetic Surgery

It appears that after all of these years evidence has come forward that Marilyn did indeed have some cosmetic surgery.

(Reuters) - A Southern California plastic surgeon said on Wednesday he is behind the auction of a physician's notes that shows actress Marilyn Monroe had undergone cosmetic surgery, and he will donate the proceeds to assist U.S. veterans with medical work.

Norman Leaf, who had previously requested anonymity, told Reuters that interest in the auction of the notes along with a set of X-rays caused him to come forward.

The set of six X-rays and the file of doctors' notes offer a partial medical history of the Hollywood sex symbol from 1950 to 1962 and are expected to fetch between $15,000 and $30,000.

The auction will be held on November 9-10 by Julien's Auctions, a Beverly Hills, California, auction house.

The notes were written by plastic surgeon Michael Gurdin and confirm speculation that Monroe, who epitomized Hollywood glamour and set a standard of big-screen beauty in the 1950s, went under the knife for cosmetic reasons.

"They had put a chin implant in and it was made of carved bovine cartilage," Leaf said of Monroe's 1950 cosmetic surgery. "They didn't have silicone chin implants in those days."

Monroe's biggest films, such as 1953's "How to Marry a Millionaire," 1955's "The Seven Year Itch" and 1959's "Some Like It Hot," were all shot after 1950.

Leaf, 72, added that the "Gentlemen Prefer Blondes" actress also underwent a small cosmetic procedure on the tip of her nose at that time too.

Gurdin's notes indicate that Monroe visited him in 1958 complaining of a chin deformity and he noticed the implant had dissolved.

"As what typically happens with that. It absorbed over the years," Leaf said.

The X-rays are dated June 7, 1962, after Monroe saw Gurdin following a late night fall and two months before the actress would die at age 36 from an overdose of barbiturates.

Leaf, who began a medical partnership in Beverly Hills with Gurdin in 1975, said he did not know he was in possession of the files until about 20 years ago, when he was made aware of Gurdin's old charts that were hidden away storage.

"I've been looking at it and treasuring it and keeping it under lock and key and hidden away in my safe," Leaf said of Monroe's files and X-rays.

Proceeds from the sale will be donated to nonprofit foundation Rebuilding America's Warriors, which helps U.S. veterans receive free reconstructive surgery on injuries that are not covered by government benefits, said Leaf, who is the foundation's medical director.

"I think it's the perfect link because Marilyn entertained the troops in Korea (in the 1950s), so this is a chance for her to help the troops out again," Leaf said.

Leaf self-published a memoir, "Are Those Real? True Tales of Plastic Surgery from Beverly Hills," in 2010 in which he detailed Gurdin's notes on Monroe.

2014 Marilyn Monroe Calendar

Thanks to Daniel for pointing out this great Marilyn calendar for 2014.  I love the Shaw and Greene photos but I've had my fill of them on calendars :)  Just tired of the same photos year after year.  So here is something a little different.

You can order this calendar through the Amazon link below.

 

MarilynGeek.com has been launched!

I am excited to announce the opening of my MarilynGeek.com website and the unveiling of my new logo.  Could she be any cuter?   Ever since I started using the MarilynGeek moniker I have been wanting some artwork that would show Marilyn with her Pola look.  It took a long time to find the artist who could bring my vision to life.  Thank you Brandon!!!

At this point MarilynGeek.com is just a landing page to direct fans to my social media pages but who knows what it will become over time.  I have re-branded my social media pages with the new artwork.  Hope you all like the new look of the blog :)

I love this artwork so much that I have also opened up a Zazzle store.  If you haven't heard of Zazzle it is a print-on-demand service like Cafepress (except with higher quality products).  I've included a photo of my new iphone casemate cover that I ordered from Zazzle.  I am thrilled with how it turned out!  If you are interested in getting your own MarilynGeek swag visit http://www.zazzle.com/pinupgeek. There is a sale this weekend with 15% off everything.

New Marilyn Monroe Tonner Doll - Shipboard Wedding

Tonner dolls has released yet another Marilyn doll.  I've already discussed the shortcomings of their Marilyn facial sculpt.  She lacks a great resemblance to Marilyn and they don't seem to really be changing up the hair at all.  However, they continue to WOW with the amazing attention to detail on the outfits.

This one features the wedding dress Marilyn wore in the double wedding aboard the ship at the end of Gentlemen Prefer Blondes.  I have always loved this look and considered copying the dress for my wedding :)  I think this is one that I won't be able to pass up.

You can reserve her through the Tonner Doll website.  This time they are also making the outfit available for purchase separately if you already have a doll.