Expert: Yvonne - 5/7/2006

Question
Hi Yvonne! I am doing a report on Marilyn Monroe's life and death and I was wondering if you could answer my questions.

1. Do you think that any of her early life (childhood) had anything to do with her depression later on in life?
2. What are some other conspiracies surrounding her death?
3. What theory of her death do you accept, and what do you think is the most widely accepted cause of death?

Could you please respond as quickly as possible?
Thank you so much for helping me out.

Sincerely,
Lindsey

Answer
Hey there Lindsey,

Hope these answers are sufficient and get to quick enough for your report!

1. Do you think that any of her early life (childhood) had anything to do with her depression later on in life?
Depression is certainly influenced by your childhood but it is also genetic. Marilyn's mother, Gladys, suffered from mental illness most of her life and was institutionalized several times during Marilyn's childhood. She stayed in an institution throughout Marilyn's life and died there in the 1980s. Her grandmother, Della Monroe, also suffered from mental illness, and a grandfather had committed suicide. All this served to haunt Marilyn throughout her life as she thought she too might succumb to the ravages of mental illness in later life. This thought would have certainly made her depression worse.

Marilyn spent much of her youth in foster care and in orphanages, and for a time, being cared for by Gladys herself. Marilyn was treated well by these families and orphanages, but she still felt hard done by as she had a mother, but not one that could look after her. Marilyn said later, “I knew I belonged to the public and to the world, not because I was talented or even beautiful, but because I had never belonged to anything or anyone.� She was a quiet shy child and had an awful stammer. She lost herself in the magical world of the movies, and this is how she became to want to be a movie actress. She wanted more than anything to gain people's attention and to be thought of as beautiful. "No-one ever told me I was pretty when I was a little girl. All little girls should be told they are pretty, even if they aren't." She had always been the foster kid or just another number in the orphanage, Marilyn wanted recognition for herself, or at least for who she created - Marilyn Monroe.

The conflict between the real Norma Jeane, the shy little kid who grew up with a mentally ill mother and lived in foster homes and orphanages, and her creation, Marilyn Monroe, one of the most photographed and famous stars in the world, was a major source of Marilyn’s sadness and depression. Somehow she was always trying to align the two into one person. This struggle pushed and pulled Marilyn onward in her life. "I'm a failure as a woman. My men expect so much of me, because of the image they've made of me and that I've made of myself, as a sex symbol. Men expect so much, and I can't live up to it."

So, to answer your question, yes, I do think that Marilyn's childhood was a major source of her depression and fears. She once wrote "What am I so afraid of?" She was still trying to figure that out when she died. "To put it bluntly, I seem to have a whole superstructure with no foundation. But I'm working on the foundation."


2. What are some other conspiracies surrounding her death?
The theories are numerous when it comes to the reasons for Marilyn's premature demise. Despite the fact that it is an extremely sad tale of a young woman cut down in her prime - the theories make intriguing reading. Here are just a few of the main ones:

1. The Mafia did it to get the Kennedys in trouble:

The main source for this theory is Chuck Giancana, brother of the famous Chicago mob boss, Sam Giancana, in the 1992 book "Double Cross" (a great read). Sam went back a long way with Joe Kennedy Sr., working with him during Prohibition days. They may also have helped Kennedy win his 1960 election. Having done so the Mafia assumed they’d have an easy time of it having their man in the White House, but the exact opposite happened - Robert Kennedy came down heavy on organized crime. The theory goes that Giancana had Marilyn killed in order to implicate and embarass Bobby, but a neat little cover up ensued (the missing five hours (between MM being found and the police being called) were spent cleaning up any incriminating evidence – including getting RFK away from her house).

2. Robert Kennedy, aided by agents of the Secret Service and CIA:

Marilyn's greatest supporter of the murder theory is Robert Slatzer, in his book, "The Marilyn Files". Whatever about Slatzer's claims (that he was briefly married to Marilyn in 1946) he knows a helluva lot on the conspiracy side of things and has lobbied to have her case reopened (the biggest attempt being in 1982 - to no avail).

According to Slatzer, Bobby didn't actually apply the fatal dose of Nembutal himself. But that he gave the command to have her killed.

3. The mob and a mystery guest:

Milo Speriglio, a private eye, puts forward this theory in his book "Crypt 33." He investigated the death for 19 years. Speriglio states that Monroe was murdered by the Mafia. He claims that there is a connection to the Kennedys, but that the Kennedy brothers weren't directly involved in her death.

4. Dr. Ralph Greenson, Monroe's psychiatrist:

This theory is put forth by James Hall, an ambulance driver who claims to have been called to the scene following the discovery of Monroe's body. As Hall puts it, "Just as Marilyn started coming around, the doctor arrived... I believe it was Dr. Greenson (Marilyn's shrink). He... pushed her breast to one side and gave her an injection."

This account by the ambulance driver has been disregarded by most MM experts.

5. The Kennedys ordered the Mob to kill her:

In 1992 four psychics wrote a book having contacted the spirits of Marilyn and the Kennedys. Their theory was laid out in the very interesting "The Murder of Marilyn Monroe".

6. Marilyn herself (on purpose) or Marilyn herself (accidental):

This theory was first put forth in the 1962 Los Angeles County Coroner's report, which listed her cause of death as a suicide, with a hastily added 'possible' before it.

Well there you have it - all the main theories.


3. What theory of her death do you accept, and what do you think is the most widely accepted cause of death?
Personally I've never believed that Marilyn killed herself intentionally that night. She had attempted suicide many times before and had always been discovered on time. I don’t think Marilyn ever wanted to just die – she wanted help and understanding when life became too much for her. The reason given by most people as to why she took her own life was because she had been dropped from a movie that June (Something’s Got To Give with Dean Martin) and her affair with JFK had ended.

Marilyn, though, by all accounts was in fine form that day. She had talked to numerous people on the phone and all claimed she was in good spirits.  She had also been rehired for the movie and was to begin filming again in early September. An interview she gave for Life magazine just days before her death showed her as being sharp, introspective, optimistic and in control. (You can read what Marilyn had to say in that interview at this site: http://www.geocities.com/melaniumom/lastinterview) She had also done two successful photo shoots that summer, one with George Barris and one with Bert Stern for Vogue magazine.  I feel she was getting her life back on track.

I do believe that somewhere along the line her 'friends' seriously failed her. When she needed help they weren't truly there for her. She was surrounded by sycophants, not true friends. They loved the reflected glory of being around her. Everyone tried to mould her into who they wanted her to be, and I'm not sure Marilyn knew who that was supposed to be either, but she was getting there. "The truth is I've never fooled anyone. I've let people fool themselves. They didn't bother to find out who and what I was. Instead they would invent a character for me. I wouldn't argue with them. They were obviously loving somebody I wasn't. When they found this out, they would blame me for disillusioning them---and fooling them."

Whatever can be said about that night of 4th August 1962 there was most definitely a cover-up to protect the Kennedys. The website, www.carpenoctem.tv, describes the night of Marilyn's death as Bobby's Chappaquidick, whereas Bobby got away while Teddy got caught. A very good book (and in my mind one of the most comprehensive and thorough works) is Anthony Summers' Goddess.

Hope that helps you out! If you need any further information don't hesitate to contact me again.

Take care,

Yvonne