Tag: marilynettes

55 Years Without Marilyn.

Although Marilyn is so prominent and recognized in the present day, It’s hard to comprehend that in reality, she tragically passed away fifty five years ago on the evening of August 4th, 1962. At just thirty six years old, her death was announced on the morning of August 5th and shocked the world and the millions of fans who mourned the loss of this very special woman. As someone who wasn’t even born until thirty plus years after Marilyn left the Earth, new readers may wonder why I’m writing about a celebrity I never actually knew. However, I’m assuming if you know anything about me, you’ll know that Marilyn is one of my absolute favourite people, I adore her with all of my heart and have done for coming up to seven years.

Personally, I feel that you can still have a special connection and feeling towards someone you’ve never had the privilege to meet, whether this is due to them being a worldwide celebrity or being born quite a few decades after they’ve passed – or both! As I’ve said many times before, Marilyn entered my life in October 2010, pushing seven year ago and she’s never left, I think about her every day and she has changed my life for the better astronomically. I found inspiration and comfort from her during my darkest days and she honestly has never failed to not brighten my days. However, this post is not about me – this post is about celebrating the life of Marilyn and how fifty five years on, she’s still loved and adored by just as many, if not more fans who love and admire the amazing woman she was and the achievements she made.

Sadly, as the night of Marilyn’s passing is a huge interest for conspiracy lovers, both her life and death are often filled with hundreds of rumours, theories and downright defaming myths. When a celebrity passes away young and unexpectedly, millions of people look for answers to the big question, why? Of course, this is completely natural and makes perfect sense, but ultimately, the only person who can confirm or deny how they died is no longer around to tell us.

In reality, we have lost many celebrities to the tragedy of overdoses – Marilyn’s death was ruled as a, “probable suicide”, although I believe it was accidental. However, many people cannot comprehend or believe this and go down the root of following conspiracies, ultimately forgetting about the person and obsessing over theories that have no substance. Over the years, many people who have created life stories and careers on their “relationship” with Marilyn and how she supposedly died, earning thousands in the process and damaging Marilyn’s name. In reality, the real reason for Marilyn’s death was pretty simple – medical negligence and incredibly, her doctors were never accounted for this.

Ultimately, I think it’s safe to say that Marilyn wouldn’t want her untimely death to be the main focus point of her life, she wouldn’t want us to be sad and spend countless hours trying to work out why she left. I like to think Marilyn would want us to celebrate her amazing achievements and ground breaking moments in such a short space of time. I know she would be overwhelmed that over fifty years after she passed, millions of people of all ages, still love and care for her all these years later. Hundreds and thousands of people are discovering this beautiful human every day and Marilyn continues to bring so much light and joy to people like myself, who were never fortunate enough to be able to meet her.

Tonight, instead of focusing on the sad times, I will be thinking about my angel Marilyn for all the right reasons. I’ll be remembering her for the wonderful talent she possessed, the determination she had to succeed, her love of learning, plus, the kindness and generosity she showed to so many others. Thankfully, her legacy she has left behind is forever imprinted through thousands of images and thirty films she made during her short but incredibly special life.

Whenever I feel upset and hurt with how unfair life was at times to Marilyn, there is one particular quote which comes to mind. Many people seem to think of Marilyn as a tragic victim and in doing this, they are unjustly underestimating her incredible strength. Through research and reading about Marilyn for quite a few years, I’ve noticed that although she suffered tremendously, she never lost hope and always tried to remain somewhat positive, even in her darkest times.

Through 1960, Marilyn made her last completed film, The Misfits (1961) and during this time she suffered incredible pain through a nervous breakdown and split from her husband, Arthur Miller. The movie was made in Nevada during 40 degree heat and was incredibly strenuous for practically everyone involved. Although The Misfits (1961) is now hailed as one of Marilyn’s best acting performances, she came to hate the film and resent Arthur for her character, Roslyn – the film which was originally a Valentine’s present to her.

Yet, despite going through arguably the toughest period in her life, she had this to say at the end of the filming.

“Remember now, cheers, no tears..”

I for one, will be following this advice, from one of the strongest women who ever lived. Wherever you may be, beautiful Marilyn, I hope you know how loved and appreciated you are by so many people around the world. I know I say this quite often, but I like to believe that somehow, you see how much you have enriched millions of fans lives and gave them hope and strength.

“It’s a terrible pity that so much beauty has been lost to us.”

John Huston, Director of The Asphalt Jungle (1950) and The Misfits (1961)

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Marilyn Monroe Design Centre Chelsea & ONGallery Exhibits.

I have just returned home from London after spending a wonderful three nights there to see the temporary Marilyn Exhibition held at the Chelsea Design Centre. Marilyn Collector David Gainsborough Roberts has announced he will be selling his large collection of costumes and personal items at Julien’s in November. Before then, they will be displayed all over the world with London being the first stop until 20th June. Also being sold are personal items of owned by The Estate of Lee Strasberg, who Marilyn left 75% of her belongings to when she passed in 1962.

I’m very lucky to be able to say I’ve seen quite a lot of Marilyn’s items since I discovered her in October 2010. I previously saw a fair amount of David’s Marilyn Collection in March 2012 and as soon as I heard about him selling all of his items in November 2016 I knew I had to see them one more time, as well as Lee Strasberg’s which are also being sold. Marilyn fans are very fortunate that a lot of private collectors such as, Scott Fortner and Ted Stampfer kindly continue to share their Marilyn owned items with us. However, so many of her items get sold and tragically are never seen again which is incredibly upsetting as I always like to think if Marilyn belonged to anyone, it was to the public who loved her so much.

It was so lovely to see how beautifully displayed Marilyn’s items were at the Design Centre in Chelsea, as soon as myself and my mum arrived the staff asked if I was here for the Exhibition, I guess I don’t hide my excitement very well! As soon as you enter the building you are surrounded by beautiful portraits of Marilyn that are displayed from ceiling to floor. It gets even better when you walk through the doors and sense what’s to be seen in only a matter of seconds!

The first collection that you witness is Lee Strasberg’s Marilyn items, so everything from make up, jewelry, letters, shoes and sketches! I had not seen any of these personal belongings before and was truly amazed at what was just a few inches in front of me. Of course I am slightly biased, but everything really was truly stunning and ever so special. I think one of my favourite items would have to be Marilyn’s sketches, in particular one called, “Lover watching his lover sleep.”  I instantly thought of Marilyn sleeping whilst Arthur gazed at his beautiful wife.

The collection of jewelry was effortlessly glamourous. Most Marilyn fans will know that Marilyn did not think Diamond’s were a girls best friend and was much more interested in books than the perfect ring. Therefore, because of this I think the items that were on display were extra special, as any items Marilyn owned must have had some special personal attachment or value. I absolutely adored the Revlon Lipstick, I think if I could own anything from that part of the collection this would be it. Of course, red lipstick is forever linked to Marilyn’s image, but I just loved the vintage display of it, so effortlessly glamourous. I actually tweeted Revlon telling them that they should re-release this shade to coincide with the auction and they liked my tweet so, I shall keep my fingers crossed!

For me, what I found most special in Lee Strasberg’s owned items were all of Marilyn’s personal letters and stationary. I recognized a lot of the writings as it is featured in the amazing book Fragments – a must for any Marilyn fan! Of course a lot of it was very sad to read as Marilyn suffered so much with her anxieties, but what warmed my heart were the beautiful inspiring sayings she would write to herself, “Dare not to worry” being a favourite.

Part of me feels reading the items is an invasion of Marilyn’s privacy and to an extent it is as I’m sure if Marilyn was still alive we probably wouldn’t be reading them. However, reading these items shows a lot of the true Marilyn which is sadly so often hidden by conspiracies and inaccuracies. These writings so a talented artist who forever wanted to learn and improve and a beautiful, vulnerable soul who ultimately just wanted to be happy. I’m sure after reading these a lot of people would have more respect and admiration for Marilyn and I’m sure that would mean a lot to the wonderful lady herself.

After experiencing this amazing collection I then walked through to the final part of the exhibit; Marilyn’s film costumes and clothes owned by David Gainsborough Roberts. The display lay out was absolutely stunning, all clothes where shown on a circular display with two levels, and four huge posters of Marilyn wearing the clothes hung at the top of the ceiling. Some of the costumes even had blu-ray footage of Marilyn wearing the clothes which was a wonderful addition.

It was fascinating to see the age range of people visiting the exhibition, it just further emphasizes the impact Marilyn has on everyone, she truly is loved by people of all ages. I think if I could choose one item from David’s collection to own it would have to be the Green Leotard Marilyn wears in Bus Stop (1956) to sing, “That Old Black Magic” I just adore it. Everyone who viewed the items kept saying how tiny Marilyn was, I still find it fascinating that people are shocked by this when her measurements were 35-22-35.

The exhibit was truly beautiful and a must see for any Marilyn fan or lover of Old Hollywood. The only thing that was sad to see was The Prince and The Showgirl dress was now displayed on a directors chair instead of a mannequin compared to the last time I saw it. I guess it’s become extremely fragile now, if only sixty years ago people realized how important these costumes would be! I also wished that all of the clothes had photos of Marilyn wearing them, I have seen her in all but three of the items so it shouldn’t have been to hard to find. One of my favourites, the costume Marilyn wears for, “There’s No Business Like Show Business” when she sings “After You Get What  You Want, You Don’t Want it” was displayed on the upper level. I found this to be a shame as it would have been lovely to be able to have seen the dress with clips from the film of her wearing it like some of the other costumes.

I was fortunate to be able to visit the exhibition twice during my stay in London and when leaving for the final time I felt pretty sad that the majority of the items I will probably never be able to see again. However, I realize how fortunate I am to have had this opportunity and the memories will stay in my heart forever.

I also managed to visit the ONGallery which is currently displaying the Happy Birthday Miss Monroe exhibit until 30th June. As soon as I walked a lovely staff member named Keith said I was looking very, “Marilynesque” which made my whole day! He realized I was a huge Marilyn fan and he was wonderful to talk to, loved photography and you could tell he appreciated Marilyn as an artist which was very refreshing. It was so wonderful to see photographs from all of Marilyn’s career, beginning in 1946 and ending in 1962.

While I was there I noticed two older men who had been fans since Marilyn was alive and they were very sweet. I was looking through a portfolio of vintage photos and noticed one of them was taking pictures of me! I looked up and he asked me if I was a Marilyn lookalike and I told him that was very sweet but no I wasn’t. He then said that I was absolutely gorgeous and he used to be a portrait photographer so wanted to take my picture. I almost teared up, I’ve rarely had such sweet things said to me face to face. I then heard them asking about a picture that I was looking at from 1952 and I helped identify the event for them, I don’t know why but they reminded me of my Grandad and it really was a lovely moment.

I continued to talk a lot with Keith, especially about the Frank Worth photos of Marilyn from 1953 and 1954 which are pretty rare. I told him how I had sent off for the free Marilyn print they offered in the Daily Express for Marilyn’s 90th Birthday and I mentioned an image Worth had taken of Marilyn and Sammy Davis Jr. which was pretty rare. Keith then told me that the image I was talking about was actually offered previously and he would give me a print, I couldn’t believe it!

I had such a wonderful time in London and truly recommend both exhibits to all Marilyn fans, actually, I recommend them to everyone! Admissions are free for both events and they are extremely special and simply a must see.

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Marilyn Monroe Fan Phenomena.

Hi lovely people!

So today I wanted to talk about a new Marilyn book that has recently been published and my participation in it. As you know I am a huge lover of Marilyn’s and have been since I was 17, (almost 18) years old. In the summer of 2012, I was contacted by one of the lovely members of Immortal Marilyn  and asked if I would be interested in being interviewed via email about an upcoming book on Marilyn fans. Naturally, I said I would be thrilled and I participated in an interview for Marcelline Block, author of the book and that was that.

It was only a few months ago, that Marcelline got back in touch with me, saying that the book had finally been published and although my interview didn’t make the final edit, my picture next to some of Marilyn’s clothes did. She also asked me if I would let my interview be used in a magazine publication; Art Decades and I was very happy to oblige.  At the start of the week I ordered a copy of the magazine and yesterday, my complimentary copy of Fan Phenomena: Marilyn Monroe arrived. 

Here’s my  full interview which has now been published, I hope you enjoy it and know that I spoke from the heart. As the interview was conducted almost three years ago, it was fascinating to update things in my transcript and see how much my collection and fan pages have grown. It showed to me how much love there still is for Marilyn, it truly is forever growing.

Megan Owen, founder of http://www.alwaysmarilynmonroe.co.uk.
Interview conducted by Marcelline Block.

Megan Owen is a 21-year-old Marilyn Monroe fan and student who lives in England. She enjoys blogging and reading, and has a passion for the Golden Age of Hollywood.

A photograph of Megan Owen standing next to Marilyn Monroe’s costumes from Gentlemen Prefer Blondes and There’s No Business Like Show Business, displayed at London’s Getty Gallery’s ‘Marilyn’ exhibit appears on p. 80 of Fan Phenomena: Marilyn Monroe.

Marcelline Block: Why, when, and how did you become involved with Marilyn Monroe fandom?

Megan Owen: In October 2010, I was reading an issue of Vanity Fair, which had Marilyn on the cover and was publicizing the publication of Fragments. I was fascinated and deeply touched by the struggles and determination Marilyn went through during her life. Straight away, I started to research more about Marilyn and that is where my love began and I purchased legitimate books on her and her films. Since then, I have amassed a collection of over 140 books on Marilyn and a collection of more than 60 vintage magazines featuring Marilyn.

Marcelline Block: What is the extent of your involvement with Marilyn Monroe fandom, and which fandom communities in particular?

Megan Owen: In August 2010, I started a Tumblr called alwaysmarilynmonroe, where I post pictures, legitimate quotes, information and graphics on Marilyn. AlwaysMarilynMonroe has now gained over 35,000 followers and has had over 805,000 hits, and the AlwaysMarilynMonroe Instagram has 44,000 followers. Through doing this I have met many Marilyn fans or ‘Marilynettes’ – as some of us call ourselves – and have made friendships with people all around the world. I also subscribe to the Mad About Marilyn fan club and I am part of the Facebook groups Immortal Marilyn and Marilyn Remembered Fan Club.

Marcelline Block: What are some of the highlights of your experiences with Marilyn Monroe fandom?

Megan Owen: I have met some wonderful friends who without being a part of the Marilyn Fandom I would not have known. The highlight for me would be meeting people who share my love and interest in Marilyn and understand how much this means. I went to Hollywood in August 2012 for Marilyn’s 50th Anniversary and met up with lots of Immortal Marilyn members, saw Marilyn’s house, another Marilyn exhibition, met photographer George Barris, visited Marilyn’s grave and her hand and foot Prints at Grauman’s Chinese Theatre. In November 2012, I went to London’s V & A Museum Hollywood Costume Exhibition and saw Marilyn’s White Dress from The Seven Year Itch and her ‘I Wanna Be Loved By You’ dress from Some Like It Hot.

Marcelline Block: How would you characterize Marilyn Monroe fandom communities?

Megan Owen: I know this may sound clichéd, but the Marilyn Monroe fan community is almost like a family. Everyone is kind and friendly to one another and is always happy to share experiences and knowledge. The great thing is that we are all different ages and live all over the world, but however different we may be, we all have the same love for Marilyn and this unites us.

Marcelline Block: What does fandom mean to you/how has fandom has impacted your life? What does it mean to you to be part of a fandom community?

Megan Owen: Since Marilyn has become part of my life, she has given me strength and determination to battle my anxiety and depression. Through learning about how Marilyn suffered through her severe depressions it has helped me continue fighting and inspired me to achieve some of my dreams. This includes going to London for the Getty Gallery Marilyn Monroe Exhibition, to see some of her most iconic costumes as well as their archive of Marilyn photos. At times I was almost agoraphobic and felt very low, but having a goal has been so important to me and Marilyn has helped me move forward and achieve some of my dreams. Being part of the Marilyn fandom community gives me a sense of belonging and a real purpose in life.

Marcelline Block: What do you think is Marilyn Monroe’s ultimate legacy for her fans?

Megan Owen: I think that Marilyn’s caring nature and beautiful soul is what is most important to true fans. Her strong mind and ambition to succeed against all odds and to become the most loved and successful movie star in Hollywood History is pretty incredible. True fans like myself love her for her vulnerability and Marilynisms and see beyond Marilyn the myth to discover Marilyn the woman. Her iconic films and timeless beauty still live on into modern society and although she has been gone for more than fifty years, it is like she is still alive and shining brightly like the true star she still is.

I’d recommend this book to all dedicated Marilyn fans, it’s a unique perspective, not your average Marilyn book and it’s so personal, a lovely addition to your collections! It’s so wonderful to see that over fifty years after Marilyn’s death, her star shows no signs of diminishing. I hope you know how loved you are beautiful Marilyn!

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