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Marilyn Monroe Research Paper

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Many people know Marilyn Monroe as a beauty and pop culture icon, an actress, and a singer. But, many do not know just how she was discovered. If someone asked you to guess how she was discovered, what would you guess? Sitting in a restaurant, dining on gourmet food? Standing in line for a movie or play, all dressed up? How about working in an airplane factory, aiding in the war effort? Marlin got her start as a model for David Conover, who worked as an army photographer for the 1st motion picture unit. Because he was sent to take pictures of women in war work, he discovered Marilyn Monroe, who even though she was covered in dirt, still stunned Conover by her beauty. Marilyn credits Conover by saying, “Yes, I always knew the camera was kind …show more content…

She was born in Hollywood and raised as an orphan in Los Angeles County. Born Norma Jeane Mortensen, her father was killed in an accident when she was little and her mother was a schizophrenic and was constantly in and out of mental hospitals. Marilyn was virtually abandoned and was raised by foster families until age 16. She moved around as a child to 11 private homes, most of which were poor. When turning 16, rather than moving in with another family, she married a 21-year-old merchant seaman named Joe Dougherty on June 19, 1942. Some may think this is quite a young age for marriage, but Marilyn, once she developed, never quite looked her age. She always wore the same baggy blue dress and blouse the orphanage provided. It made her look like an “overgrown lummox.” (Monroe pg. 20) She never smiled or had friends until one day, when she borrowed a sweater of one of her younger “sisters” and wore it to school. This immediately attracted attention from her fellow classmates and also upperclassmen as well as men on the street. It was quite snug and showed off her shapely figure. This began her beautifying herself even more. Soon she darkened her eyebrows and put on lipstick. Then came mascara. Because of this, her looks improved and her popularity increased. Because she was an orphan, she was easily picked on. So, since her popularity increased, so did the jealousy of other girls. And vicious rumors were spread as a result. …show more content…

This time, however, it was the head of the Blue Book Model Agency in Los Angeles, Emmaline Snively. She sent Marilyn a brochure and showed interest in using her as long as she would take Blue Book’s 3-month modeling course. Marilyn almost denied Snively’s request because of the modeling course’s $100 fee. In pursuit to get Marilyn to sign with Blue Book, Snively agreed to let Marilyn not pay. Instead the compensation was taken out of her modeling payment. Snively was willing to do almost anything to get Marilyn. She once said, “Models ask me how they can be like Marilyn Monroe and I say to them, honey, I say to them, if you can show me half the gumption, just half, that little girls showed, you’ll be a success too…there’ll never be another like her.” During this coarse, Marilyn was taught to lower her smile to alleviate the shadow cast by her nose. This resulted in the quivering lips that would soon become Marilyn’s trademark. Her first assignment with Blue Book was a 10-day hostess job in Holga Steel’s booth at an industrial show at the Pan Pacific Auditorium. The more assignments she went on, the more famous Marilyn became. Soon, she was offered contracts from the biggest movie and television production companies in the country, such as Fox. (Doll

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