Marilyn Monroe: miraculous transformation into an actress

These extremely rare photographs languished in an old box for decades before they were able to reveal the stunning transformation of a naive young model into the world's most famous movie star - but only after she very reluctantly agreed to take on hydrogen peroxide.

Twenty years ago, Astrid and Ben Frances, owners of an antique shop, walked into an old goods store in Los Angeles. The owner offered them a box, saying, “These are newspaper clippings and photographs of Marilyn Monroe. I just glanced at them. Do you want to buy them for yourself?"

The couple bought the box and took it home to the Netherlands, where it was safely hidden under a table until 2012, when the couple received a phone call from a US dealer about a client who is a big fan of Marilyn.

Ben remembered the box and went to check its contents. And here a surprise awaited him: it turns out that the archive of the Blue Book modeling agency, in which Marilyn Monroe began her career, was stored in the box. There were many negatives, letters, telegrams and photographs.

Using this treasure trove of previously unknown documents, Astrid Frances and Michelle Morgan, author of the story Marilyn Monroe: Private And Undisclosed, wrote a book about Marilyn's life before she became a star.

(Total 18 photos)

Source: deadbees.net

1. Marilyn in 1945

Emmeline Snively appreciated the young girl standing in front of her in the office of her modeling agency.

She was “dressed in plain white, armed with a portfolio of just a few shots. Models wearing a white dress was optional, so she looked unusually clean and light.”

Snively entered the 19-year-old's model parameters on the agency card: "Size 12, height 5'6", bust 36, waist 24, hips 34. Blue eyes, perfect teeth, blond with curly hair."

2. Marilyn data card

But she later added: “Actually, her hair is a dark blonde. California blonde - this means that the hair is dark in winter and light in summer.

“They curled very close to the head and were uncontrollable. I knew they needed to be bleached and worked on it,” Snively wrote.

It was August 2, 1945, during the first meeting between Norma Jean Dougherty - later known as Marilyn Monroe - and her mentor, who launched the girl's career.

3. This shot was taken in 1948. “She was a very pleasant person - sweet, adequate and respectful,” said Emmeline Snively of the Blue Book modeling agency.

Norma Jean grew up in foster families - she never knew her father, and her mother was mentally ill. At the age of 15, the girl met James Dougherty. He was handsome and athletic.

Norma was looking for any way to avoid being in an orphanage, so after her foster mother's proposal, she agreed to marry Daugherty in 1942, a week after her 16th birthday.

4. Marilyn in 1944 and 1946

Two years later, her husband left for the Navy, and Norma Jean took a job at a munitions factory.

She hated work and life with her husband's parents. Therefore, when one day a familiar photographer offered her a little work as a model, it seemed to the girl that she had a way out.

5. Marilyn on the cover of magazines in 1946

One fine evening, Norma Jean, returning home after working as a model, daydreamed and crashed into a car, crashing her husband's car. This was the beginning of the end of her family life. Soon after, she moved in with her former foster mother.

The long-distance marriage dragged on for another year, even surviving Norma Jean's affair with the photographer.

On reflection, the girl decided to seriously take up a modeling career. That is why she came to the Emmeline Snively Blue Book agency, located in the luxurious Ambassador Hotel in Los Angeles.

6. Blue Book agency model in 1946

Many believe that Blue Book was actually an escort agency providing girls for single businessmen staying at the hotel. Snively did not deny that sometimes such things happened, however, according to her, this never applied to Marilyn.

- You sing? Snively asked. “A little,” said Norma Jean. - Do you dance? - A little. - Do you want to become an actress? - No never. — Do you have your own wardrobe? "Not really," said Norma Jean. “Just a few things.

7. In 1945, she signed with the Blue Book modeling agency.

Snively later recalled: “She was in a white dress that looked amazing on her, although, as a rule, models try to avoid white. It emphasized her bust and drew attention to the figure.

8. Marilyn poses with a friend from the Blue Book agency in 1946.

Norma Jean couldn't compete in beauty pageants, a very useful way to boost a model's image, because she was married. Also, she could not be a model on the catwalk. Most of these models are tall and slender, which clearly did not apply to the future Marilyn.

In addition, another problem surfaced - the gait of Norma Jean. Her famous "swaying while walking" went against the foundations of the podium. Some say that Marilyn deliberately filed the heel of one shoe, others that such a gait was the result of a childhood illness.

However, Snively had his own theory, according to which Marilyn's swaying gait was the result of knee problems.

9. In 1948-1949, in anticipation of a film career, she sometimes acted nude

Norma's other "problem" was her smile. She smiled so high that deep wrinkles formed around her nose. Therefore, the girl had to be retrained to smile.

And finally, the main problem is curly hair. Norma Jean was extremely unhappy with the offer to bleach and straighten her hair. “She believed in naturalness,” Snively wrote.

10. Emmeline Snively, owner of the Blue Book agency, in the late 1950s

The head of the agency desperately tried to convince Norma Jean. The girl compromised on straightening her hair when blow-drying, but categorically did not want to bleach it.

Norma's first assignment was the Los Angeles Pan Pacific Auditorium, a ten-day trade show. For this work, the girl was paid $ 90. She was required to stand, talk to visitors, hand out flyers, and demonstrate a product from one of the companies. Reviews about the model were the best.

11. Studio shot 1949

Norma then posed for a photo shoot for American Airlines, her first truly professional job as a fashion model. The photographer was very impressed with the appearance of the girl.

12. Snively and Marilyn in 1954

Soon there was work for a model with blond hair. “Look, dear,” Snively said to Norma. If you are going to find a place in this business, you must bleach and straighten your hair: your face is too round and working on your hair will help to lengthen it. Don't worry about money."

The girl was hired to advertise shampoo on the condition that she would solve the problem with her hair. When the photographer himself offered to pay for the process, Norma Jean finally agreed to go to Frank and Joseph's salon in Hollywood.

13. She first appeared in small roles in two films before playing a burlesque dancer in the musical Chorus Girls.

At that time, the girl earned an average of $ 150 a week and they already started talking to her about filming a movie.

14. Marilyn in 1949, a year before her breakthrough in The Asphalt Jungle

This was the beginning of Norma Jean's transformation into Marilyn Monroe - from model to actress.

15. Brunette Norma Jean in 1946, the same year she changed her name to Marilyn Monroe.

Soon she took part in screen tests of the 20th Century Fox film company and signed a 7-year contract for filming.

16. In 1946, Marilyn signed her first contract with 20th Century Fox.

17. The producer chose the name Marilyn for the girl, and she herself took the name of her grandmother, Monroe.

18. In 1949, she appeared in the Marx Brothers film Lucky Love. This paved the way for her to land iconic lead roles in Gentlemen Prefer Blondes and Only Girls in Jazz.