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Marilyn Monroe ALSOBYMICHELLEVOGEL ANDFROMMCFARLAND Lupe Vélez: The Life and Career of Hollywood’s “Mexican Spitfire” (2012) Marjorie Main: The Life and Films of Hollywood’s “Ma Kettle” (2011 [2006]) Gene Tierney: A Biography (2011 [2005]) Olive Borden: The Life and Films of Hollywood’s “Joy Girl” (2010) Olive Thomas: The Life and Death of a Silent Film Beauty (2007) Children of Hollywood: Accounts of Growing Up as the Sons and Daughters of Stars (2005) Marilyn Monroe Her Films, Her Life M V ICHELLE OGEL Foreword by GEORGE CHAKIRIS McFarland & Company, Inc., Publishers Jefferson, North Carolina LIBRARYOFCONGRESSCATALOGUING-IN-PUBLICATIONDATA Vogel, Michelle, 1972– Marilyn Monroe : her films, her life / Michelle Vogel ; foreword by George Chakiris. p. cm. Includes bibliographical references and index. ♾ ISBN 978-0-7864-7086-0 (softcover : acid free paper) ISBN 978-1-4766-1359-8 (ebook) 1. Monroe, Marilyn, 1926–1962. 2. Motion picture actors and actresses—United States—Biography. I. Title. PN2287.M69V64 2014 791.4302'8092—dc23 [B] 2014007859 BRITISHLIBRARYCATALOGUINGDATAAREAVAILABLE © 2014 Michelle Vogel. All rights reserved No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying or recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the publisher. On the cover: Marilyn Monroe in the 1953 film Gentlemen Prefer Blondes (Twentieth Century–Fox Film Corporation/Photofest) No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying or recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the publisher. Printed in the United States of America McFarland & Company, Inc., Publishers Box 611, Jefferson, North Carolina 28640 www.mcfarlandpub.com Acknowledgments Many thanks to Christelle Montagner, Luke Yankee, Bill Cap- pello, Bill Doyle, Paul Green, G.D. Hamann, Gregg Nystrom, James Robert Parish, Kristine Krueger, Greg Schreiner, Ned Comstock, Marian Collier Neuman, Scott Fortner, Jeff Stafford, Elisa Jordan, Michelle Morgan, George Bailey, Laura Petersen Balogh, Christoper Riordan, Angela Allen, Mary Mallory, Jonathon Auxier and Lois Smith. As always, special thanks to my inner circle: My husband, Matt, our son, Ryan, my parents, Pam and Bob, and my cousin- in-law and friend, Jill, for always supporting me and encouraging me in my writing decisions, no matter what. And to George Chakiris for his willingness to share his Marilyn Monroe memories throughout the book, including the foreword. I’m truly honored that our names share the cover. Thank you to the following institutions: AMPAS (Margaret Herrick Library), University of Southern California (USC, Cinema- Television Library, Warner Bros. Archive) and the University of Cal- ifornia (UCLA, Los Angeles), National Library of Australia. v This page intentionally left blank Table of Contents Acknowledgments v Foreword by George Chakiris 1 Preface 3 Introduction 7 The Travilla Effect 21 Filmography 29 Extra Parts … and Missed Opportunities 179 Bibliography 197 Index 203 vii Marilyn’s type dates as far back as I can remember. I’m not saying it isn’t good. But she is a prototype of all the platinum blonds, curvy bundles and frothy frippery that the screen has ever seen. —Alfred Hitchcock, Stars and Stripes, July 24, 1954 Foreword by George Chakiris Michelle Vogel gives wonderful insight into Marilyn Monroe’s personal life while con- necting her life to the films she made. This book makes us feel present, engaged and involved. I was privileged to appear as a chorus dancer in two films with Marilyn Monroe, Gen- tlemen Prefer Blondesand There’s No Business Like Show Business. She was a serious and ded- icated artist. There was something special about the way she worked that made me reflect on the experience long after it was over. She captured my imagination. Marilyn Monroe was so beautifully creative in her performance as Lorelei Lee in Gen- tlemen Prefer Blondesthat people still seem unable to separate the performer from the performance. That’s the type of artist Marilyn Monroe was. She felt a strong obligation to her audience, and in turn, the audience connected strongly to her. She treasured and honored that connection. She kept her audience in mind at all times. We know now that she was more than able to please her audience, and still remain true to herself. She knew (better than anyone else) exactly who Marilyn Monroe was … and exactly who Norma Jeane was too. She was aware of the person she became, the person she used to be, the artist, the expectations of her fans and her place in the grand scheme of things. She had a great instinct and a keen, intelligent view of her work and career. She was very brave. Any advice and direction had to be true to her values and work ethic. She had great integrity. Our personal experiences often influence our work, especially in creative fields such as acting, singing, and dancing. That self- expression can be very freeing. When I see Marilyn Monroe on the screen I always care very much about her, and the characters she played. The artist on the screen is someone I respect and admire. As time has passed, we have continued to be fascinated by her. She deserves that fasci- nation, that admiration, that respect. She definitely earned it. She had style—in spades. To this day, I admire her talent, her musical gifts and her work as an actress and entertainer. When much that surrounds her might weather, she remains fresh, beautiful, uplifting to watch … again and again. Some fifty years after her death, Marilyn Monroe is always con- temporary—always now! George Chakiris is a singer, dancer and actor with an international career in film, television and theater. In 1962, he won an Academy Award (Best Supporting Actor) and a Golden Globe award for his role as Bernardo, leader of the Sharks gang in West Side Story. 1