Reframed Marilyn Monroe - new CNN special airing January 16, 9pm

 

Seeking Marilyn collectors located in Ontario

 I'm looking to sell some items from my collection in the new year and I would prefer local pick up only.  If you are located in Ontario, Canada please join my facebook group if you are interested.

https://www.facebook.com/groups/1957461051160809

New Milton Greene book The Essential Marilyn Monroe

UPDATE:  Here is a video review.

WOW.  That is the only words I have so far for this book.  It arrived today and I am in awe of it's sheer size.  A better review will be coming but in the meantime I think it is safe to say that this is a MUST have book for the Marilyn fan.  Milton's photos are some of the best ever taken of Marilyn.

You can purchase this book from Amazon below.  It is a great price right now too.

55th Anniversary Memorial Week

I'm very excited to be attending the amazing events being organized by the Immortal Marilyn and Marilyn Remembered Fanclubs for the 55th anniversary of Marilyn's passing.

All of the details can be found here...

    Marilyn Memorial Week 2017

New Milton Greene book on the way!

Finally what Marilyn fans have been dreaming of.....a large size book featuring the photos of Milton Greene.  Like many fans, Greene's photos are some of my absolute favourite and this book is to feature 400 photos and 50 sessions.  It will be a must-have for Marilyn collectors.  It is set to be released in September but you can pre-order right now through Amazon.  It retails for $65.

Pre-order now below and receive it as soon as it is released!

Happy Birthday JFK dress sells for 4.18 million dollars

The historic dress Marilyn wore when she sang Happy Birthday to John F Kennedy on May 19, 1962 was put on the auction block last night at Juliens.

It sold for a staggering price of 4.18 million dollars.  However, the big news is not the price but by who bought it.  Ripleys was announced as the winner immediately.  They went on to tell the press that they purchased numerous items in the auction related to the dress and they will be opening an exhibit at their museum in LA.  Ripleys has locations all of the world and the exhibit could travel to all of them.

This is the best possible outcome for Marilyn fans.  Instead of having the dress hidden away by a private collector for another 17 years - it will be shown to the public!

The Marilyn auction continues today and runs through Nov 19.

Marilyn Monroe Auction Catalogues Available to View Online

Finally the day is here.  Juliens Auctions has released the online catalogue for their November Marilyn Monroe auction.  The set includes 4 volumes in a boxset and retails for $300!!  Viewing and saving the PDF is a less expensive option for fans.

You can access the catalogues on the Juliens website at the link below:

http://www.juliensauctions.com/auctions/2016/marilyn-monroe/icatalog-list.htmlhttp://www.juliensauctions.com/auctions/2016/marilyn-monroe/icatalog-list.html

The new sale of the century - Julien's Auctions Nov 2016

It was called the sale of the century.  Nothing has come close to the Christies auction of Marilyn's personal belongings back in October 1999.  Nothing that is until now....

Juliens Auctions is holding a Marilyn only auction starting November 17, 2016.  This has turned out to be the largest offering of Marilyn owned items since Christies.  I doubt we will ever see an auction like this again.  The auction catalogue itself will be a collectable in its own right.

The highlight of the auction is sure to be the Happy Birthday Mr. President dress Marilyn wore while singing to JFK.  This dress originally sold at Christies and has not been publicly seen since.  The dress will be on exhibit in New Jersey, Ireland and LA.

If anyone is thinking about bidding in the upcoming Julien's auction (and if you ever wanted to own something of Marilyn's then you should be bidding!!) I highly recommend that you do it over the phone and NOT online. I bid on a previous Juliens auction using the phone method. They call you a couple of lots before the one you want comes up. The important part of this is that if you bid online you are charged an additional 3% buyers premium!!! You will save money doing it over the phone.  Be aware you have to pay a 25% buyer premium no matter which method you choose but if online it becomes 28%.

Good luck everyone!

Juliens Marilyn Monroe Auction

Marilyn Memorial Service to be streamed

The Marilyn memorial will be live streamed tomorrow on the Marilyn Remembered facebook page at 11am los angeles time.

Here is a link to the Marilyn Remembered facebook page.  Look at the pinned post.

Happy 90th Birthday Marilyn!

It is hard to believe that our lovely Marilyn would have been 90 years old today. She is forever young in our minds and hearts. I hope everyone is holding a good thought for her today.  Happy Birthday Marilyn!

New Life Magazine features Marilyn on Cover

Marilyn is gracing the cover of Life Magazine again. It is a shot taken by photographer Ed Clark. Currently available at newstands this magazine is not dedicated to her - she has around 3 pages. However, this is a gorgeous cover and I love that they used a rarer photo of Marilyn.

Last chance to download My Marilyn Podcasts

Just wanted to give everyone a head's up that the top ten archived episodes of the My Marilyn Podcast will no longer be available online as of May 1, 2016.

If you want to download any of them please do so now at http://mymarilyn.libsyn.com/page

Since I don't anticipate continuing with a podcast anytime soon I have decided that it is just not worth paying for the additional hosting of these files.  I may put them up on youtube as a free option in the future but this will be the last way to actually download the files.

Ray Anthony's Marilyn and I

In honour of Marilyn's upcoming 90th birthday, big band leader Ray Anthony has released a short film about his time with her.  As fans know Ray wrote a song called "Marilyn" and threw a party for her in 1952.  This event featured some of the most beautiful footage and photos of Marilyn.

You can watch the film on Ray's website http://marilynandi.com/

Marilyn and the Oscars

Although there is no more enduring Hollywood star or icon of the film industry than Marilyn, she never received an Academy Award in recognition of her talent, either in her own lifetime or posthumously.  Recognition was more forthcoming from other countries (France and Italy) than from her own.

The closest Marilyn ever got to an Oscar was in 1951, a year before she had graduated to top-star billing, when she went to the Pantages Theater (6233 Hollywood Boulevard, Hollywood) to present the Best Achievement in Sound Oscar to Thomas Moulton for his work in ALL ABOUT EVE (1950).  For the occasion she looked resplendent in a off-the-shoulder gown borrowed from the Fox wardrobe department.  There was drama just before she was due to go on stage, when she noticed a small rip in the dress.  A bevy of Fox handlers had to fix the rip ad calm her nerves sufficiently for her to conquer her stage fright.

The closest Marilyn came to winning on her own merits was rumors of a Best Actress nomination for her performance in BUS STOP (1956), and then two years later for SOME LIKE IT HOT (1959).  On neither occasion did the nomination materialize; the Oscars going in 1956 to Ingrid Bergman (Anastasia) and in 1959 to Simone Signoret (Room at the Top). Her co-star Don Murray was nominated for his role in BUS STOP.   On two separate occasions, film columists have suggested giving Marilyn a special posthumous career Oscar, first in 1963, then ten years later.

-from The Marilyn Encyclopedia by Adam Victor

Footage does exist from Marilyn's appearance at the Oscars!





The franklin mint also released a doll featuring Marilyn's beautiful gown from this event.

Marilyn Film Festival in Toronto

Lucky fans in the Toronto area can view some Marilyn films on the big screen.  TIFF in Toronto is screening several Marilyn and Liz Taylor movies to coincide with a Warhol exhibit.  These are the upcoming titles:

The Seven Year Itch

December 13

Monkey Business

December 18

Bus Stop

December 21

The Prince and the Showgirl 

December 27

Let's Make Love

December 28

River of No Return

January 5

The Misfits 

January 7

More info here on TIFF website

Joe Loved Marilyn - his personal letter to her

Just thinking about Joe DiMaggio today on what would have been his 101st birthday.  I thought I would share some excerpts from this amazing letter that was auctioned off by Juliens in December 2014 for $78,000.  Joe was such a private person and never spoke of Marilyn so it is rare to get insight into his personal feelings.

A Joe DiMaggio three-page handwritten letter to Marilyn Monroe postmarked October 9, 1954. DiMaggio dates the letter as "Saturday - a.m." and greets Marilyn "Dear Baby." The letter came to Marilyn on the heels of her October 6th announcement to the press that she and DiMaggio were divorcing. In the letter DiMaggio discusses watching the announcement. The letter reads in part, "Don't know what you're thoughts are about me, - but I can tell you I love you sincerely, - way deep in my heart, irregardless of anything." Accompanied by original transmittal envelope addressed to the house the couple shared in Beverly Hills, California.

"I love you and want to be with you."

"There is nothing I would like better than to restore your confidence in me."

DiMaggio wrote in his letter that he learned Monroe was leaving him when he saw her make the announcement on television.

"My heart split even wider seeing you cry in front of all these people," he wrote in the letter addressed to "Mrs. Joe DiMaggio" and mailed special delivery.

MarilynGeek Sneak Peek : Marilyn in the Flash

Love this book!  Here is an inside look at the new book Marilyn in the Flash by David Wills.





It can be purchased on amazon here...

Marilyn Monroe Blitzway Statue

Here is a video I did unboxing the new Marilyn Monroe Gentlemen Prefer Blondes statue by Blitzway.  

Upcoming Bonhams Auction includes some Marilyn screen worn costumes

Here are some interesting items from the upcoming auction....

Auction: TCM Presents ... Treasures from the Dream Factory
Date/Time: 23 Nov 2015
Location: New York

For further details please refer to the auction on the Bonhams website by clicking here, or click on the lot:

Lot 2 A Natalie Wood bound screenplay of Scudda Hoo! Scudda Hay! USD 700 - USD 900
Lot 206 A Marilyn Monroe signed contract for The Asphalt Jungle USD 20,000 - USD 30,000
Lot 207 A Marilyn Monroe suit from Gentlemen Prefer Blondes USD 350,000 - USD 500,000
Lot 208 A Marilyn Monroe red saloon gown from River of No Return USD 300,000 - USD 500,000
Lot 209 Gentlemen Prefer Blondes USD 1,000 - USD 1,500
Lot 213 An original title for River of No Return USD 1,200 - USD 1,400
Lot 214 A Bert Stern photograph of Marilyn Monroe USD 1,000 - USD 1,500
Lot 215 A Marilyn Monroe signed U.S. Dept. of Defense identification card USD 10,000 - USD 15,000
Lot 218 A revised final screenplay of Let's Make Love USD 500 - USD 700
Lot 219 A large collection of rare contact sheets of Marilyn Monroe in Let's Make Love USD 50,000 - USD 80,000

Marilyn Monroe Owned Book and Rabbi Card

I have added a new section to my website featuring the latest addition to my collection.  It is a book from Marilyn's personal library with a surprise inside....

http://www.marilynmonroe.ca/camera/rabbi/