AboutElisa Jordan Expertise I can answer questions pertaining to almost all aspects of Marilyn’s life and career. I’m familiar with her movies, training, and accomplishments and can also field inquiries regarding her childhood, relationships (romantic, friendships and otherwise), emotional and medical ailments, and what she was like in general. My expertise is limited when it comes to the value of memorabilia.
Experience I’ve been a Marilyn Monroe fan since the early 1980s and grew up watching her films on television. I’ve spent countless hours researching her and have built up an extensive library on all things Marilyn. As a Southern California native, I have been able to easily visit and photograph many of the sites that played important roles in Marilyn’s life, such as houses, studios, restaurants, her grave, and so on. Furthermore, I have visited sites in San Diego, Reno/Dayton, and New York City that were homes or filming sites—allowing me to retrace many of Marilyn’s steps, literally. I was also fortunate enough to attend the 1999 Christie’s auction in New York, the 2005 Julien’s auction in Los Angeles and the 2009 auction in Las Vegas.
Question Hi, im doing a paper for my english course and i need to find four differnt perspectives on an event or person. i choose marilyn monroe and i want to do her death and how there are differnt perspectives. I've so far found out alot about the murder and jfk but i would like to find facts about how it was a suicde. Could you provide me with a perspective and details and i would use you as a source in my paper?
Answer Hi Justine,
There are a few ways to look at Marilyn’s death. One is the murder theory, which you mentioned, and then there are some who believe it was a suicide or an accident.
If you are looking the suicide angle, a point to remember is that Marilyn had attempted suicide in the past. How many times she attempted suicide is anyone’s guess but there are a few confirmed attempts and then some that aren’t confirmed.
Marilyn claimed to have tried suicide twice before the age of 20, but we have only Marilyn’s word on that. Once was in 1950 after the death of lover and mentor Johnny Hyde. Her drama coach, Natasha Lytess, found her with pills dissolving in her mouth and rescued her. (Note that Marilyn did not swallow the pills, though!)
It’s believed that Marilyn may have tried to kill herself, probably twice, during her marriage to Arthur Miller. Marilyn fell into deep depressions after miscarrying a couple babies. Miller alludes to this in his play After the Fall, which he based on Marilyn. In the play, “Maggie,” as she is called, is rescued by her partner.
Other possibilities: acting coach Paula Strasberg reportedly took Marilyn to the hospital after combining champaign and pills.
There may have been an attempt during the filming of the Misfits in 1961 and reportedly she considered suicide when she heard Kay Gable blamed Marilyn for Clark Gable’s death. Something’s Got to Give producer Henry Weinstein says he found her unconscious in 1962 and rescued her.
Sometimes it’s hard to say which of these are true and which are not.
For those who believe that Marilyn committed suicide would note the following:
* Marilyn had a history of suicide attempts (as mentioned above).
* Marilyn was depressed after getting fired from Something’s Got to Give.
* On the night she died, Marilyn declined an invitation to Peter Lawford’s house and then later called him and said, “Say good-bye to the president and say good-bye to yourself because you’re a nice guy.”
* There was no one around to “rescue” her, which Marilyn might have planned.
* Reportedly she filled a prescription for sleeping pills without telling her psychiatrist, Dr. Greenson, knowing.
* Marilyn could no longer deal with her life—failed marriages, unable to have children, trouble with her career, etc.—and committed suicide.
Here’s the thing about Marilyn and suicide. It’s true that Marilyn at some points suffered from severe depressions and that she had bi-polar disorder. Some people might argue, though, that Marilyn said she attempted suicide or “staged” her attempts in efforts to get attention, which is possible. The night she died, for instance, her housekeeper Mrs. Murray was there so she wasn’t totally alone.
As for the accident theories, here are some points to remember:
* Marilyn was rehired on Something’s Got to Give, which improved her spirits.
* Marilyn was not happy with her will and had an appointment to change it. Why would she kill herself if she had an appointment to change her will?
* In the days leading up to her death, Marilyn didn’t appear to exhibit suicidal behavior.
* There are some stories (take with a grain of salt) that Marilyn did fill a prescription by her internist without the knowledge of Dr. Greenson, so when Dr. Greenson treated her on the evening she died he was unaware of the other dosage and accidentally gave her the wrong amount of drugs himself, resulting in an accidental overdose.
* Marilyn simply misjudged her own intake of drugs and accidentally overdosed.
* Marilyn, in a bit of a depression because of her bi-polar disorder, took too many pills and then, as her mood swung up, it was too late to change her mind.
* Some people believe that Marilyn was getting ready to remarry Joe DiMaggio, so why would she intentionally harm herself?
* Marilyn’s half-sister, Berniece Miracle, and her friend/publicist Pat Newcomb—who saw Marilyn the day she died—have both said they believe her death was an accident.
