Inside Marilyn Monroe by John Gilmore

Author:John Gilmore
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Amok Books

Blondes Prefer Pills

On Marilyn’s birthday in June of ’53, she was told she would be starring with Jane Russell in Gentlemen Prefer Blondes, the role originally slated for Betty Grable. As Marilyn had proved a sleeper star, the brass decided to phase out Grable—who was “getting along,” and pump higher octane into Monroe. Zanuck was pleased. He knew Marilyn would be sensational in the quintessential dumb blonde role, and he knew they’d be running crotch-high in profits. He was so pleased he bought a new limousine with the largest humidor available and a pull-down urinal he said was like a miniature Murphy bed.

When told of the Fox decision, Marilyn later said she felt her “stomach drop.” She got dizzy and scared, yet with somehow a feeling of safety. Years later I was talking to Jane Russell about her doing one of two dramatic roles in a Jean Howard and Curtis Harrington movie which I had scripted. I said it would have been fitting for Marilyn to have appeared with Jane in the picture, and we discussed Marilyn’s relentless craving for a serious role and to be taken seriously. Jane said, “She could have done it wonderfully. When we worked together, I wanted to keep my arm around her and make her feel okay because that’s what she needed, someone to tell her everything’s okay and you’re doing great. She had that, of course, from her coaches, but it was really important for her to have that same validation from those she was working with. Marilyn was sensational, and frankly I was more than happy to let her take the bows. She was so radiant and good she stunned you. No matter how long things took or the delays or problems in getting it, when she did it, she stunned you. She was so incredible you just stood there with your mouth hanging open.

“That spring we went to Grauman’s Chinese, invited to put our handprints and inscriptions into the cement, and I’ll never forget her saying to me, ‘This is for all time, isn’t it?’ Yes, I told her, it’s for all time or as long as the cement lasts. She was so thrilled she was beside herself and she told me how she’d come to Grauman’s when she was a kid and looked at the prints of everyone, and how she dreamed about being a movie star more than anything. It was something precious to me, her saying that.” Marilyn looked at Jane as they sank their hands into the wet concrete, and as the camera flashed, she said, “Am I dreaming? Am I awake? This moment is too out of the heavens to be a true thing happening.” Jane says, “She made me cry, she was so sweet… I believed in her. We made a hell of a team and I wish we had done another picture together.”

Fox followed Gentleman Prefer Blondes with another dumb blonde role for Marilyn. Rory Calhoun made three pictures with Marilyn, and said, “After

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