Second Best Thing: Marilyn, JFK, and a Night to Remember by James L. Swanson

Author:James L. Swanson [Swanson, James L.]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2020-02-11T00:00:00+00:00

Marilyn Monroe singing “Happy Birthday” to President Kennedy, May 19, 1962.

In the spotlight, Marilyn twinkled like the shining star she was.

Today, the surviving black-and-white still photos taken at the Garden only hint at her brilliance, but a silent home movie taken in color while she crossed the stage reveals how much she glittered. She was mesmeric.

In the spotlight, she stood motionless, relishing the crowd’s reaction. Then, suddenly, in the rapt hush, she panicked and flicked the microphone to make sure it was working. “Oh my gosh,” she thought. “What if no sound came out?”

She grabbed at the microphone like a lifeline, steadying herself. She shielded her eyes from the bright lights by cupping both hands above her eyebrows as she vampishly pretended to look for the president’s box (which was right in front of her). A long pause followed. The audience did not know what to expect. The program had printed only her name, but its front cover, which read “Happy Birthday, Mr. President,” foreshadowed what was coming.

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